12" Powerbook G4 Startup Problem! Help!

[zenvision]

I have a problem...my 12" Powerbook G4 doesn't start up properly at the moment. I turn it on, I can hear the chime, and the screen goes grey but then does nothing...I've tried holding down C while starting up too, but still nothing happens, just the grey screen

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[chas0001]

Holding down C will boot from the DVD drive. I assume that you put the Restore DVD in first.

What happens when you hold down the LEFT ALT (option) key during a boot. Does it list the devices you can boot from.

 

[zenvision]

Thanks for the tip, I tried that and two buttons appeared on screen; one with a curved arrow and one with a straight arrow. The cursor (a watch) was moveable for a few seconds and I tried clicking one of the buttons but nothing happened, and then it froze.

I don't have the DVD for the startup

Any suggestions? Thank you.

 

[chas0001]

Thanks for the tip, I tried that and two buttons appeared on screen; one with a curved arrow and one with a straight arrow. The cursor (a watch) was moveable for a few seconds and I tried clicking one of the buttons but nothing happened, and then it froze.

I don't have the DVD for the startup

Any suggestions? Thank you.

Sounds like you have a problem with the hard drive. The only way to verify this is to try and boot from either the Powerbook Restore DVD or from a Tiger Install DVD or a Leopard Install DVD.

 

[chas0001]

Alternatively you can connect the Powerbook to another MAC via a firewire cable and then Start the Powerbook in Target Disk mode (hold down the T when booting).

You should then be able to see the hard drive and see if it needs repairing in disk utility.

 

[zenvision]

thanks for the suggestions. i tried connecting it via firewire and starting it in target disk mode, but nothing came up on my mbp :/

also, i can't use any install dvd's/cd's as the drive doesn't work anyway...

any other options?