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Cannot boot from cd!

d_saum

d_saum

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 14, 2005
398
0
NC
Hey all,

I was messing with my system (stupid, I know) and of course... I hosed it up. The short and skinny version is that I wanted to run the install disc and have it repair my system but alas, I cannot get this thing to boot from a cd. It's a G3 blue and white and has been running flawlessly for years (and of course... I had to go messing with it... dummy!)

Anyways, I've tried both the "c" key, and the "option+command+delete+shift" sequence with no luck and I even tried an older version of OS X (10.3) that I know works. Any help would be greatly appreciated... although.. if I cant fix it, I may have to spring for a new Mini!!!! :D

:apple:
 
It sounds pretty obvious but is easy to do. Are you trying to boot a DVD in a CD drive? FWIW, you can run fsck from Single User Mode instead of booting from the disc, if you please?
 
This also may be obvious, but no Mac will boot from an OS that's older than the OS that was installed on the Mac when it left the factory. So, if you've grabbed a system CD that's even slightly older than the OS that was originally on the Mac, it won't boot.
 
Are you able to boot to OS X off the HD at all, or no luck? If you can boot into OS X in any fashion (safe or not), you can go to system prefs -> startup disk -> select the optical disc there -> click the restart button inside the window. That method is the most surefire method to get it to boot off an optical disc.
 
No, I cannot boot at all.. Not even Single user. Thats why I need to boot from a cd. Yes, Its a cd disc, not a dvd. Also, the system is old and the OS is new. I cannot get into system prefs to change the boot device. The weird thing is I have no idea why it wont boot from the cd drive when holding the "c" key down.
 
It's an LG CD writer and to be honest, I have no idea if its the original or not. I have booted from it before though.
 
So you cannot get to single user mode... can you get to open firmware, and reset the non-volatile RAM?

Cmd-Opt-O-F at boot
reset-nvram
set-defaults
reset-all

(each line exactly as shown, followed by <return>)

There are also open firmware commands to try and force boot off a CD when you're having trouble.

They're discussed here.

Particularly:

boot cd:9,\System\Library\CoreServices\BootX

or

boot cd:9,\\:tbxi

Boots from problematic OSX boot CDs (for when 'c' fails!)
Click to expand...
 
mkrishnan said:
So you cannot get to single user mode... can you get to open firmware, and reset the non-volatile RAM?

Cmd-Opt-O-F at boot
reset-nvram
set-defaults
reset-all

(each line exactly as shown, followed by <return>)

There are also open firmware commands to try and force boot off a CD when you're having trouble.

They're discussed here.

Particularly:
Click to expand...

Ok.. its telling me that the "Specified partition is not valid, can't open cd:9,\\ etc etc.

Im going to try the link in your comment now. Thanks again!
 
Mmmm...some more questions about your setup that we probably should have asked to begin with.

This is a B&W, right?

- Is it configured to dual-boot OS X and System 8 or 9 or whatever?
- Is the OS X version on it 10.4.8 or something different?
- What exactly is the disc that you're trying to boot from? Is it a system restore disc? Is it a retail Panther or Tiger disc?

Also, after you reset everything (pram, nvram, etc, through the three OF commands), you might try single user mode again?
 
Wait wait... it IS booting with the boot tbxi command!!! Ok.... Im at the installer, but its for 10.3. I need to get my 10.4 disc in there. Yes its a B&W, OSX only, and no I could not boot to single user after resetting everything.

Dude, you are the man! I just need to figure out how to re-burn my 10.4 disc.

:D I owe you a beer! :apple:
 
mkrishnan said:
I drink Guinness. :D

But until you're actually booted back into Tiger. ;)
Click to expand...

Guinness? A man after my own heart! And hey, if you're ever in NC I will buy you a beer!

One more questions though.. I've tried a few different ways and I'm not having success burning a bootable cd for tiger. I've got a DMG file that I've tried to convert to CDR then ISO but when I burn them, get no love from the G3. I'm pretty sure its me thats doing something wrong. Any suggestions on how you would do it?
 
Ok I got it running! SUCCESS!!!!!!!! I was trying to get Tiger bootable from a dmg. I finally got it running and repaired the OS. I have to tell ya.. this is why I LOVE Apple. I've hosed up Windows before and had to re-install but thats always catastrophic. With Apple, I did the Archive and install, and my system was returned to exactly the same state as before. I was truly amazed! :D :apple: :D

mkrishnan: Thanks sooo much for all your help! That firmware boot command was a LIFE Saver!!!
 
My 24'' iMac has same problem but...

Hi,

I am aware that this an old thread. I have just came across the same problem except i CAN access Single User mode and CANNOT access open firmware mode.

I have a 10gb partition on my machine seperated for windows XP which also isn't booting.

All i get is the kernel error message please if anyone can help me! I would greatly appreciate it.
 
i'm in serious problem with a
MacBookPro
2.53GHz
IntelCore i5
4Gb Ram
1067MHz DDR3
SO: Snow Leopard 10.6.8

I want to erase the disk and start from scratch, but can't boot from dvd or a bootable image.

Each time i repair permissions they're the same, always the same.

When ran the VerifyDisk it seems like something is wrong, 'cause the red advice were displayed, it says the Disk must be repaired, but, obviously i need that the machine loads my DVD to restore it.

I'm using an original DVD retail copy of SnowLeopard v.10.6.3 (remember that my already installed version is 10.6.8 now)

When i perform any shortcut of bootable options (C; alt; shift; cmd+shift+opt+delete, cmd+opt+o+f) the machine stuck, it only shows the gray apple on white screen; when pressing cmd+s nothing happens after the dotted line.

Any options?

Thanks in advance.


Darbo
 
@darbo: I'm fairly certain your Mac shipped with a special build of 10.6.3, or 10.6.4. The retail 10.6.3 disc is no good for it, in other words. Your computer should have shipped with 2 discs with gray labels, one of which will be labeled Mac OS X Install DVD. This is the one you would want to use to try running Repair Disk with. If you cannot locate this disc, you may need to order a replacement from AppleCare. Make sure you specify that you need the original disc the computer would have shipped with, otherwise you will have paid for the wrong disc.
 
Thanks for your help.

Any other info: MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010)

is there a way i could get the version of a digital dmg "original" copy? so i can recreate a bootable disk?
 
Solved partially

Main procedure to solve the issue
(Install SnowLeopard from scratch in a MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010)

Requirements:
Two Computers (our "Victim" and a Host Working one)
A FireWireCable
A Retail Copy of 10.6.3/4 SnowLeopard
A 10.6.8 SnowLeopard MacOs Combo Update

1) Install the unusable version of 10.6.3 across DiskTarget mode in the "Victim" computer.

Procedure to install via DiskTarget mode:

a) attach a Host Working mac intel computer to our "Victim" unusable computer with a FireWire cable.
b) Press power button on the "Victim" and immediately press T on it while booting.
c) The machine will start in DiskTargetMode showing a dancing FireWire logo across the display.
d) Turn on the Host Working computer (it should has to have the retail copy in it ready to be installed —it could be a DVD or a bootable .dmg image)
e) Press C on it while booting.
f) On Installing screen choose the menu> Utilities>DiskUtility>and erase the "Victim" disk as usual (take care you're choosing the "Victim" disk!)
g) Perform a normal install.

(When finished, if you turn off both computers/detach them/turn on the "Victim" you will notice that after apple logo appears on screen nothing else happens)

Keep both connected or reconnect them if you have detached it.

2) Restart both (in the "Victim", just press power button for a while).

3) Press T again in the "Victim" to restart in DiskTarget mode one more time.

4) Let the Host Working one to start normally.

5) Start in the Host Working the 10.6.8 SnowLeopard MacOs Combo update.

6) Select as target of installation the "Victim"'s disk.

7) When finished repair its permissions (Utilities>DiskUtility>RepairPermissions)

8) Restart both.

9) Everything should works.

In my experience the already installed computer works fine but read memories from its slot, and the start up begins a little bit slower.

Good luck and thanks for any good comment.

Darbo
 
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