G5 Start up problems

[ctc1111]

Hey, new to the forum here. I'm having problems with my mac g5 that i use for mastering and mixdown in my recording studio. I had all kinds of stuff on there from a couple years of use that i didn't want. So I put in the install disk and held down the P key i belive it was? maybe i'm wrong on what key it was. But anyways I then got into the system disk utility. I didn't really know what I was doing and I wanted to erase my hard drive much like reformatting on a PC. And bring it back to the way it was when i brought it home form the store. I'm not sure what i deleted but I tried to install the OS again off the 2 install disks that came with it. and it supposibly installed but then restarted and went back to the install screen as if it never installed. So then i took the disk out and restarted the comptuer and it went to a white screen with a prohibited symbol on it much like a no smoking sign.

I cannot get beyond this point. And I am by no means to great at this hard drive stuff. I assumed that it would have to do with the start up disk not being set right. So from the installer disk I went to the change start up disk option and the only available start up disks are the network start up (i only have a network for internet) and an option to use the install disk as a start up disk. But theres no hard drive to select from.


any help on this would be appriciated. I have a recording session comming up this weekend and need to have this thing working.


thank you,

collin

 

[iJaz]

I think you should try to install the OS again.

 

[FFTT]

The install should go easily. You do have the TIGER install disks right???

Boot from the OSX CD and use disk utility to verify your Hard Disk first.

As long as the HD checks out O.K. you should have no problem re-installing the OS.

If your machine still has the original Maxtor drive, that could be the problem.

I would replace the factory drive with either a Seagate or WD.

 

[Dreadnought]

Hmm, sounds to me that you somehow deleted the windowserver. This app is the graphical interface of your Mac. Happened to me once, still don't have an explantion for it how it got corrupted/deleted. Anyhow, if there still is information on your Mac that you need, just pop in the installation disks and startup holding C. Then it starts up from the CD/DVD. Then do a fresh install. All your data is still there, except the OS has been replaced. After that, you should be fine. Or you could backup everything and then format the HD and do a fresh install. Good luck!

 

[CanadaRAM]

Options on the OSX Installer disk:

From the Installer menu at the top of the screen, you can open Disk Utility to do a Verify and Repair of the hard drive.

Erase and Install will format your drive and install a fresh OS, no user data. All programs, data, users will be lost.

Archive and Install will archive your old OS data, install a fresh OS, and attempt to restore your original User(s). The Applications and other data on the drive should not be affected.