iBook Troubleshoot 4 U

[cheeryble]

Dual USB iBook 2004....

Hi there please help my girlfriend!

I'm getting the dreaded flashing folder/question mark on start up. I've had that before on my MacBook which needed a HD replacement.
It's still a cute and useful little machine which my girlfriend here in Thailand thinks is the bees knees and she is very sad right now.
Can you help make her happy?

The disc drive hasn't worked for years so I can't put in startup disc and don't have an external. So yesterday, wanting to check if the HD is the problem before I go to the job of replacing it, I tried starting up connected by firewire to my MacBook. (When I start up the MacBook alone holding T up comes the target mode icon). When I boot holding T with the iBook firewired to the non-targeted MacBook neither does the target mode icon appear on the iBook nor does the MacBook see the iBook.

Am I doing OK? What's next?

cheers, Cheeryble

 

[cheeryble]

Hmmm...
I thought experts out there loved answering puzzles

 

[MacForScience]

You need to figure out a way to borrow an external DVD drive so you can boot the computer. The issue is either your hard drive is bad or your OS is toast (other problems are possible but these two are the most likely). The only way to figure out which is to boot off the system DVD. Or if you feel comfortable doing the replacement you can just do it. The worst case scenario you end up with the old internal HD that still works and can be put in an enclosure for continued use.

 

[4JNA]

...neither does the target mode icon appear on the iBook nor does the MacBook see the iBook.

...I thought experts out there loved answering puzzles

i love a good puzzle/problem, but this is not it.

it's dead Jim. you answered your own question. the drive is dead, can't be seen from media or Firewire...

replace the drive, make the lady happy...

best of luck.

 

[pintsizemacman]

sadly your hard drive OR LOGIC BOARD is blown up.