Need Some Help With Dead Powerbook

[Dafke]

Hi! So I've got my mothers aluminium 12" Powerbook here because there were some troubles with it, it was freezing, made strange clicking noises on the left side (like 20 times every time she tried to restart) and eventually wouldn't start up anymore. So I guess there must be something wrong with the harddrive .
What is the best strategy to try to save as much data as possible? I have the original OS X 10.3.4 installation disks, I have an external hard drive to write the users data folder to. Do I just slide in the install disk while starting up (I mean I can't slide in the disk while it's off can I?) and will I be able to attach the external drive in order to copy the files?
Thanx for any input!

 

[Dafke]

Okay so I started up with the disk inside and hold option. The computer only saw the install disk, not the internal drive, so is it really gone? Any chance I can get some data from it?

 

[mad jew]

Unless it's a USB drive, try booting from the external to get the data off it. Alternatively try using Target Disk Mode with another Mac.

 

[Warbrain]

Unless it's a USB drive, try booting from the external to get the data off it. Alternatively try using Target Disk Mode with another Mac.

Only if he's installed OS X on the external. He would need to do that before booting off of it. I think, however, he would be better off using Target Disk Mode to get the data off as you suggested.

 

[mad jew]

Haha! Touché Warbrain!

 

[Dafke]

What exactly do you mean with booting from the external? On the external there are two partitions, one free one and one bootable backup from my MacBook Pro, I don't think I can use that to start up the old PPC Powerbook, can I?
I'lll try the target mode suggestion, thanx guys!

PS: is a program like Diskwarrior a good idea to try?

 

[mad jew]

DiskWarrior could be okay. I'd try Target Disk Mode with your MacBook Pro first though. The partition on your external that can boot the MacBook Pro won't be able to boot the PowerBook, unfortunately. You'd need to install a PowerPC version of OSX and it'll have to be a Firewire drive.

 

[Dafke]

Unfortunately the Powerbook hard drive won't show up when starting up in targetmode
So what are the remaining options before going to a specialised company and pay a lot of money to get the data from the drive?
The external drive I have is Firewire btw.
Thanx again!

 

[mad jew]

If Target Disk Mode isn't working, then it's unlikely that booting from an external will work either. Maybe let the whole machine (PowerBook) cool for a day or so and then try again.

 

[Dafke]

Okay, I'll order a new internal drive and when it gets here I'll try to targetmode again.
Thanx for your help mad jew, I've noticed through the years here on Macrumors that you have helped quite a few people with their problems, and it isn't the first time you helped me!

 

[mad jew]

No worries mate. Hopefully your old drive will start working again once it has cooled off. If it does start working, then get your data off of it in small sections and give it rests, otherwise you might lose the connection again. Try to keep the PowerBook cool during data transfers with the old drive and it'll maximise your chances of being able to recover everything.