OS 10.3.8 Startup Problem

[bobzilla]

Here's the problem: I start up my computer. I get the gray screen with the apple, then the spinning flower thingy. Then when it gets to the blue screen the white box with the blue apple in it comes up and that's where it gets stuck. I can move the mouse around, but the startup goes no further. The CPU makes a repetitive sound like it's trying to do somethiing, but never gets any where.

The particulars: G4 1.5GB RAM running 10.3.8. Also have OS 9.2.2 installed (That boots up after I use my startup disk. The only reason I used the startup disk is because once I try starting in 10, I can't get to 9 because 10 never boots all the way and I can't switch my startup disks.)

What I've tried: I've run Norton Utilites, DiskWarrior and the Apple Hardware Diaognostic disk. Norton and DiskWarior found the usual minor problems (bad creation dates, things like that), but nothing major. The Apple Hardware Diagnostic program told me I passed all tests for RAM, VRAM, Mass Storage, Logic Board.

I hope I've given enough information. I would really appreciate any help I can get. I'm stumped!

 

[varmit]

Here's the problem: I start up my computer. I get the gray screen with the apple, then the spinning flower thingy. Then when it gets to the blue screen the white box with the blue apple in it comes up and that's where it gets stuck. I can move the mouse around, but the startup goes no further. The CPU makes a repetitive sound like it's trying to do somethiing, but never gets any where.

The particulars: G4 1.5GB RAM running 10.3.8. Also have OS 9.2.2 installed (That boots up after I use my startup disk. The only reason I used the startup disk is because once I try starting in 10, I can't get to 9 because 10 never boots all the way and I can't switch my startup disks.)

What I've tried: I've run Norton Utilites, DiskWarrior and the Apple Hardware Diaognostic disk. Norton and DiskWarior found the usual minor problems (bad creation dates, things like that), but nothing major. The Apple Hardware Diagnostic program told me I passed all tests for RAM, VRAM, Mass Storage, Logic Board.

I hope I've given enough information. I would really appreciate any help I can get. I'm stumped!

Did you try Zapping your PRAM or fsck yet? Find out how to do both here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/89736/

 

[Soulstorm]

Here's the problem: I start up my computer. I get the gray screen with the apple, then the spinning flower thingy. Then when it gets to the blue screen the white box with the blue apple in it comes up and that's where it gets stuck. I can move the mouse around, but the startup goes no further. The CPU makes a repetitive sound like it's trying to do somethiing, but never gets any where.

The particulars: G4 1.5GB RAM running 10.3.8. Also have OS 9.2.2 installed (That boots up after I use my startup disk. The only reason I used the startup disk is because once I try starting in 10, I can't get to 9 because 10 never boots all the way and I can't switch my startup disks.)

What I've tried: I've run Norton Utilites, DiskWarrior and the Apple Hardware Diaognostic disk. Norton and DiskWarior found the usual minor problems (bad creation dates, things like that), but nothing major. The Apple Hardware Diagnostic program told me I passed all tests for RAM, VRAM, Mass Storage, Logic Board.

I hope I've given enough information. I would really appreciate any help I can get. I'm stumped!

OK i had kernel panics with OS 10.3.8 too. When I upgraded to 10.3.9 all problems were solved with my g5 (look sig).

So, perhaps you need to do he 10.3.9 update (install via combo update and not just the incremental install-it has less problems).

Anyway, if you cannot startup your computer to do that, you need to boot from another disk (an iPod perhaps) and apply the patch to the drive that has the problems.

Even if your problem is something that is nnot supposed to be fixed with the update, it will be, because old corrupted reference files and system files will be deleted anyway.

Try that if all else (like repairing permissions, zapping PRAM and running fsck) fails.

I hope I helped.

 

[yellow]

Boot into Single User Mode (hold down Cmd-S at boot). At the prompt, type:

mount -uw /

Hit return, and then type:

mv /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow.plist /var/root/

Hit return (please note, that is "mv<space>/Library/Preferences/com.appl.loginwindow.plist<space>/var/root/"), and then type:

reboot

Does it boot normally now?

 

[bobzilla]

I've had some work to get out this weekend (in OS 9!), but I will try all your suggestions.

Thanks for all the help...

 

[bobzilla]

Yellow: What does that actually do?

 

[yellow]

Yellow: What does that actually do?

First thing mounts the hard drive as writeable (therefore you can make changes).

Second thing moves the main preference file for the main Login Window (which you are having troubles with) from it's normal place /Library/Preferences to the root user's home directory.

Last thing reboots.

There's certainly the possibility of it not fixing the problem, but it sure beats a complete reinstall of the OS, right? There are other things we can try as well, before you get to the reintall-the-os point..

 

[bobzilla]

Well, that one didn't work.

I also tried runnung fsck it said it repaired the HD, but I still have the same startup problem.

Any more help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[yellow]

Boot in verbose mode. That is, boot holding fown Cmd-V. You will see what is happening on the screen in text (from the /etc/rc scripts) and this might let us know at what point the boot script dies..

 

[bobzilla]

OK. I booted in verbose mode. Not sure what exactly I was looking for. (did it twice, to see if I can detect anything). It went through a bunch of processes, only took a few seconds. Then I got a blank blue screen and the CPU was making the same noise it does when I restart normally and keep getting the white "apple box" and that's where it stalls.

The CPU sounds like it's trying to do something, but can't get passed it. Kind of like a cat purring (oddly enough).

I don't have any third part system apps or anything like that. One startup folder has all Apple stuff in it, and the other one has my Norton stuff (FireWall and Virus Protection). That's about it.

Very strange. Can't figure this out...

 

[yellow]

Well..

1) Norton System Works? Is that what you have on there? Please, I encourage you to ditch it. It's really quite the piece of ****.

2) The CPU doesn't make any noise.. and I mean CPU in the classic sense, the processor. Now if you mean the hard drive, well that's another story. Is there a click and a whirr? If so, that's not good. That would worry me a lot.. usually it means the hard drive is failing.

Since verbose mode isn't working (the failure is after it switches from verbose to graphical), you'll have to boot into Single User Mode and read the system and console logs by hand, which is all in the command line. Or you can simply cut your losses and try and do an Archive and Install of the OS.

 

[bobzilla]

It's Nortons FireWall and Virus Protection.

Since I have OS 9 on this machine, too, will Archive and Install affect that at all? (OS 9 has been working OK and the Hardware Diagnostic disc didn't find any Hardware problems)

And will Archive and install replace everything in my OS X partition?

I have the 10.3 discs, so I guess I can try reinstalling and then updating to 10.3.9.