Is my iMac G5 ruined? Help!

[MartyMoe]

Smitty078 beat me to it

So since you know how to do it with the 'alt' key (you should be aware this is reffered to as the 'option' key by most mac users as well as apple), use that to start up from 'Mac OS X Install Disc 1'. Once the installer has loaded, instead of going through the install process, go to the 'Utilities' menu in the menu bar and choose 'Disk Utility'...

Credit goes to other posters before me, I just restated all they have already said in one post with instructions that it seems you can follow based on what you're already familiar with doing.

Beat me to it. That's what I get for never learning to touch-type, way back when... who knew I'd need it?

After running the repairs everyone suggested above, yes, let us know what you get after repairs and rebooting.

There is also a way to start in Safe Mode (see http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107392) and (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393), but let's see what the above repairs do first.

 

[Arcus]

Because Intel Processors suck.

Might be because it is built differently.




@Payson: Is it possible that you can bring your computer to an Apple Genius Bar at any Apple Retail store?

I think they can help even if your warrente is dead, might want to call first.

What does the processor design / instruction set and die have to do with the way the internals are laid out?

Dont fall for the Intel sucks line. Just think. If they hadnt made the switch to intel you would still have what? A G5? LOL.

 

[jsw]

What does the processor design / instruction set and die have to do with the way the internals are laid out?

Nothing, but the different heat/power profiles, altered airflow needs, different motherboard design, etc. all play key roles.

The G5 and Core Duo iMacs look very different inside.

 

[nylock10]

Remember, there are always clean rooms. But it will run you over $100 to get them to recover that data.

 

[Payson]

So since you know how to do it with the 'alt' key (you should be aware this is reffered to as the 'option' key by most mac users as well as apple), use that to start up from 'Mac OS X Install Disc 1'. Once the installer has loaded, instead of going through the install process, go to the 'Utilities' menu in the menu bar and choose 'Disk Utility'. Use this program to test and (hopefully) repair your hard drive. You can accomplish that by selecting 'Macintosh HD' (or the name of your hard drive if it is different) from the list on the left, and then clicking the repair button. Disk Utility will do it's thing and you will see any errors or repairs show up. As long as Disk Utility says it has repaired your disk successfully, you are more than likely good to go after that. Reboot your computer normally (without holding down anything) and see how it goes. If you have any other problems, or disk utility can't repair your hard drive, try to write down any errors disk utility has and report them back here, we may be able to help further.

Credit goes to other posters before me, I just restated all they have already said in one post with instructions that it seems you can follow based on what you're already familiar with doing.

I repaired the disk and it said there wasn't anything wrong with it. I repaired disk permissions and it did fix something, I'm not sure what. After that I restarted and it still isn't working. According to disk utilities, my HD is fine, but my computer still won't load mac os x.

 

[Payson]

Well, after doing the disk utility stuff, I tried reinsatalling Mac OS X and IT WORKED. MY COMPUTER IS BACK WITH ALL FILES INTACT!

THANK YOU FOR THE HELP!

You guys are the best!

 

[CanadaRAM]

Good to hear!

Where, exactly are you located? It would be an advantage to know, before the next time you have a problem, where your nearest authorized Apple repair centre is.

 

[audioinside]

Now FOR G**S SAKE MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR FILES IMMEDIATELY!

And if you don't want to spring for DiskWarrior at least install a free copy of SmartReporter (http://homepage.mac.com/julianmayer), which can monitor the internal diagnostics of your hard drive.

Then watch carefully for anomalous behavior in the next few days. If your machine acts at all flaky then definitely return it to Apple (or take it to the gurus at the Apple Store Genius Bar) for warranty repair. The S.M.A.R.T. logs may provide a clue to what's happening on your disk.

Good luck!

 

[ChrisA]

No, it isn't. Is there anything else I can do? Can it be fixed if I did have a hard drive failure?

Here is a positive spin on the problem

Hard drives are cheap. you can buy a 400GB drive for well under $200. Think of it as a "forced upgrade". 500GB drives go for about $250. From the sounds of it you'd be better of paying someone else to to the repait, so add an hour of labor. But the positive spin here is "upgrade you were going to do some day anyways - so it's free, kind of..." May as well add some RAM at the same time

 

[ChrisA]

Well, after doing the disk utility stuff, I tried reinsatalling Mac OS X and IT WORKED. MY COMPUTER IS BACK WITH ALL FILES INTACT!

THANK YOU FOR THE HELP!

You guys are the best!

I assume by now you have a complete backup of everything? Whatever the cause of the problem you can bet it will come back some day or some year,

 

[AlBDamned]

What does the processor design / instruction set and die have to do with the way the internals are laid out?.

Nothing, but the different heat/power profiles, altered airflow needs, different motherboard design, etc. all play key roles.

The G5 and Core Duo iMacs look very different inside.

A big change in the internals also came about when Apple slimmed down the G5 and moved all the ports on the back from the side to the bottom. Because of the reduced space available in the case and new layout, everything was much more crammed together. The redesign with intel motherboards compounded this problem apparently.

Just read this thread for the first time but glad you got it sorted Payson.

 

[MartyMoe]

Excellent!! (Or, I second that emotion)

Now FOR G**S SAKE MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR FILES IMMEDIATELY!

ABSOLUTELY. What he said--- 10 times over.

I think most of us have been in a serious situation like yours before, and have learned (the really, really hard way) the importance of backups. If you have everything important already backed up... then a repair or replacement becomes only an inconvenience, or a nuisance, but not a full-blown everything-is-lost crisis.

Then watch carefully for anomalous behavior in the next few days. If your machine acts at all flaky then definitely return it to Apple (or take it to the gurus at the Apple Store Genius Bar) for warranty repair. The S.M.A.R.T. logs may provide a clue to what's happening on your disk.

Good luck!

Definitely. I am extremely glad that things worked out for you, but like he said, yes, if you have a problem with a disk like this, then you should be alert for more problems. Once something like this has happened, be alert, and be ready.

Often these things don't have happy endings- I work at a school, and I usually have to explain to someone, at least once a week, why all of their stuff is gone, irretrievable, and there is nothing that can be done. Never a good scene.


Good luck with everything!

 

[AlBDamned]

And if you don't want to spring for DiskWarrior at least install a free copy of SmartReporter (http://homepage.mac.com/julianmayer), which can monitor the internal diagnostics of your hard drive.
!

Here's a working link for S.M.A.R.T Reporter. It's a good program to keep an eye on things.