Having problem installing OS X on new hard drive

[Mac Dad]

Hi, how is everyone? I just got a G4 Quicksilver Power Mac 800 Mhz and I don't have much experience on it. I bought it from a guy in the paper who told me it needed a new hard drive. He happened to have a new Hard Drive and he gave it to me, a 40GB. So I put in the new hard drive and when it started up, put in a new OSX Tiger Disc. What keeps happening is that the nasty "?" folder keeps popping up with a flashing question mark and Mac Folder. I held the "C" button during startup to no avail as nothing happens but the "?" and folder and I also restarted holding down the "option" button. When I do that...nothing appears there for me to check off and select and use. I am dumb founded. I need your help please. I've been doing a lot of searching and I find nothing that is useful. I just need that Mac o recognize the new HD. After the 1st one didn't work, I put in another new 40 GB drive and I get the same thing.

Any help is appreciated, Please.

 

[agentsmithone]

Are you certain that you are trying to boot to a OS X 10.4 disc for PowerPC? If not, that's why. You should be using a retail copy of Tiger or one bundled with a PowerPC machine, not a Intel Mac bundled copy.

 

[merl1n]

Hi, how is everyone? I just got a G4 Quicksilver Power Mac 800 Mhz and I don't have much experience on it. I bought it from a guy in the paper who told me it needed a new hard drive. He happened to have a new Hard Drive and he gave it to me, a 40GB. So I put in the new hard drive and when it started up, put in a new OSX Tiger Disc. What keeps happening is that the nasty "?" folder keeps popping up with a flashing question mark and Mac Folder. I held the "C" button during startup to no avail as nothing happens but the "?" and folder and I also restarted holding down the "option" button. When I do that...nothing appears there for me to check off and select and use. I am dumb founded. I need your help please. I've been doing a lot of searching and I find nothing that is useful. I just need that Mac o recognize the new HD. After the 1st one didn't work, I put in another new 40 GB drive and I get the same thing.

Any help is appreciated, Please.

It sounds like you are having problems with the optical drive as well and it can't read the Tiger DVD.

If you have another mac, you can get around this by booting the PM into target disk mode and connecting via Firewire to the other Mac. Then insert the Tiger Disc in the other Mac and install from there.

 

[Mac Dad]

Are you certain that you are trying to boot to a OS X 10.4 disc for PowerPC? If not, that's why. You should be using a retail copy of Tiger or one bundled with a PowerPC machine, not a Intel Mac bundled copy.

Yes, it is a brand new retail copy for Power Macs. The guy I bought it from told me he didn't have the original CDs.

 

[Mac Dad]

It sounds like you are having problems with the optical drive as well and it can't read the Tiger DVD.

If you have another mac, you can get around this by booting the PM into target disk mode and connecting via Firewire to the other Mac. Then insert the Tiger Disc in the other Mac and install from there.

I thought the same thing. I disconnected the CD-RW the machine came with and installed a New DVD-R Panasonic for Apple drive in it's place and nothing either. I hear it spinning. Do you think it can be the ribbons? I am so confused and in a bad spot as I need to do work.

How do proceed to get it up and connected with another Mac? I know you can get my Mac into Firewire mode, but do I have to buy a double ended Firewire cable?

 

[merl1n]

How do proceed to get it up and connected with another Mac? I know you can get my Mac into Firewire mode, but do I have to buy a double ended Firewire cable?

Yes, you need a firewire cable (6 pin - don't buy a PC one cause that's only 4 pin).

You boot Target mode on the PM, connect the cable to the other Mac and your PM hard disk should show up there. Then run the installer and select your PM's hard drive to do the installation on.

The reason you don't see anything when you hold down the option key is that the boot loader (blue screen you described) only shows "bootable" volumes. Since you have no OS loaded on the disk, it will not show up there.

 

[Mac Dad]

Yes, you need a firewire cable (6 pin - don't buy a PC one cause that's only 4 pin).

You boot Target mode on the PM, connect the cable to the other Mac and your PM hard disk should show up there. Then run the installer and select your PM's hard drive to do the installation on.

The reason you don't see anything when you hold down the option key is that the boot loader (blue screen you described) only shows "bootable" volumes. Since you have no OS loaded on the disk, it will not show up there.

Thank you so much for the suggestion. That is definitely what i will be doing. I just have to find a place around here that sells a double sided Firewire cable here for Macs. I have a computer show around here on Saturday, I will keep my fingers crossed.

Let me ask you a question, if that is the reason why I see nothing on the Blue screen, why would my CD with Tiger on it not show too?

Again, thank you so much for your help. You are great!!!!!

 

[Consultant]

Most Firewire cables are 6 pin by 6 pins. For example
http://www.pcmicrostore.com/PartDetail.aspx?q=p:10503112

6 pin to 4 pin (many PCs) cables do not transmit the power that is needed for external bus-powered HD.

Did the seller claim that the computer is tested to work?

Many computer sold with missing components typically have some kind of defect or damage.

 

[merl1n]

Let me ask you a question, if that is the reason why I see nothing on the Blue screen, why would my CD with Tiger on it not show too?

As far as not seeing the Tiger DVD on the blue screen, that is a problem with your optical drive and yes it could be a bad ribbon cable or the cables (data and power) are not seated correctly. Also check any jumper settings for the optical drive you put in as they may be incorrect. Just match the old optical drive. I don't believe there should be any jumpers, but that is manufacturer dependent.