OS X boot error iBook G3

[ww2_1943]

I’m at my wits end. I worked on this from 11pm to 3am last night and picked up again at 10am and I am still working on it as of now.

A friend of mine bought a iBook G3 900mhz just over a year ago. We replaced the failing HHD with a SSD from Amazon and installed the OS 9 image from OS 9 Lives. That has worked fine for the past year. I was still pretty new to vintage Macs when we worked on this. I split the drive into two partitions. I kept one open on there for OS X in the future. My friend asked if I could install OS X and I said sure. Here is what's happening-

I installed 10.4 Tiger on an empty partition. During the registration process, I couldn't get past the part where you choose what country you keyboard is set up for. After I hit continue, the button grays out and I can’t continue. I tried two different install discs with the same issue. I also tried with a usb keyboard connected and that didn’t make a difference.

I decided to try 10.3 Panther instead. It installs but won’t boot into 10.3. Instead I’m stuck on the boot screen. It’s not frozen but it just doesn’t go anywhere. I stayed on the boot screen for over 20 minutes before giving up.

Later, I had an idea to install Tiger from the iBook but onto a partition on an external FireWire drive. For some reason I thought that might get me past the keyboard issue during set-up. It did! After I finished set up, I moved the drive to another computer and made an image of the install with Carbon Copy Cloner. Then I installed the image on the drive partition on the iBook.

I keep getting this message in OF. I even tried booting with the computer connected to ethernet. That did not help.

At this point, I can try 10.2, but if 10.3 and 10.4 won't work, maybe that won't either. Besides, I know Tiger should work on here and that is what I really want to see.

The warning in OF seems to be related to networking. Is there anything I can delete, disable, or add to this install that might get it past this?

I guess I can try installing 10.2 but there really isn’t any reason for Panther or Tiger not to work.
Please please please- help me figure out what I’m doing wrong.

 

[Amethyst1]

So you can boot Tiger on the iBook using a FireWire drive, but the exact same install won’t boot once cloned to the internal SSD?

That sounds more like an issue with the SSD or adapter (if present). What SSD and adapter is installed in the iBook?

 

[ww2_1943]

So you can boot Tiger on the iBook using a FireWire drive, but the exact same install won’t boot once cloned to the internal SSD?

That sounds more like an issue with the SSD or adapter (if present). What SSD and adapter is installed in the iBook?

This- https://www.amazon.com/KingSpec-2-5-inch-Solid-SM2236-Controller/dp/B008RWKFYE/

This is the only time I used this drive. It was before I knew about the mSata enclosure which is what I used in all of my notebooks now.

It did boot from the FW drive. I am going to try again just to make sure that is still working.

 

[eyoungren]

Can you boot off the SSD in Safe Mode? That'd be holding down SHIFT right after the Mac chimes on startup.

 

[ww2_1943]

Can you boot off the SSD in Safe Mode? That'd be holding down SHIFT right after the Mac chimes on startup.

I haven't tried. I had to leave home for a bit, but will try that tonight. I did boot from the FireWire external drive again to make sure that was working. It is.

My other idea is to image the OS 9 partition so I can save all of my friend's files and settings. Then wipe the drive and start fresh.

 

[Project Alice]

Okay so a few things to go over here..

My first thought is the 900MHz G3 iBooks are notorious for GPU failure, and this is one of the signs.

Another issue has mentioned already is the SSD adapter. Sometimes those are hit or miss. I put one in my iBook G4 like 3 years ago and either the adapter or SSD failed immediately, and I haven’t bothered opening it back up again as its the computer equivalent of doing an engine swap.
If it boots successfully on an external drive, and OS X works properly and you don’t notice any graphical anomalies (running a 3D intensive game is usually how I test it) then you might be in the clear for now for the GPU failure. But if it hasn’t failed yet, it probably will.

The other thing is, where are you getting the OS X installers? How are they being created? All of us here will recommend that unless you are using actual retail ones to use images from here.

 

[ww2_1943]

I backed up OS 9 and wiped the drive. This time I didn't partition the drive. Moved the OS 9 folders back and everything worked great. The computer was working so much faster. Even the install CD worked quicker than before.

I installed OS X 10.4 but as I was going through the registration/ set-up process I got stuck at the keyboard part again. I shut the iBook down and put it in Target Disk Mode and connected it to my PowerBook. I went through the registration/ setup process and shut down. Then I booted the iBook and I got the same OF warnings.

I guess I'll wipe the drive again and put OS 9 back on there. Then try OS X 10.3. If that doesn't work, then I guess maybe I'll give up on OS X.

 

[ww2_1943]

Okay so a few things to go over here..

My first thought is the 900MHz G3 iBooks are notorious for GPU failure, and this is one of the signs.

Another issue has mentioned already is the SSD adapter. Sometimes those are hit or miss. I put one in my iBook G4 like 3 years ago and either the adapter or SSD failed immediately, and I haven’t bothered opening it back up again as its the computer equivalent of doing an engine swap.
If it boots successfully on an external drive, and OS X works properly and you don’t notice any graphical anomalies (running a 3D intensive game is usually how I test it) then you might be in the clear for now for the GPU failure. But if it hasn’t failed yet, it probably will.

The other thing is, where are you getting the OS X installers? How are they being created? All of us here will recommend that unless you are using actual retail ones to use images from here.

I don't think the GPU is the issue right now. I ran the hardware test and everything passed. I used a retail 10.4 disc and the 10.3 disc was made with an image from Macintosh Garden.

 

[Project Alice]

I don't think the GPU is the issue right now. I ran the hardware test and everything passed. I used a retail 10.4 disc and the 10.3 disc was made with an image from Macintosh Garden.

I have a failed 900Mhz that passes hardware test sometimes, but definitely has a failed GPU.

I am leaning more towards an SSD problem with yours though.

 

[ww2_1943]

I am leaning more towards an SSD problem with yours though.

I trying one more thing, though I really doubt it is going to work. I installed OS 9 and 10.4 on a partition on my FireWire Drive. The iBook boot from it just fine. I was able to get through set-up without any issues. Now I have the iBook in Target Disk Mode connected to my PM G5. I also have the FireWire drive connected to the G5 and I am using Disk Utility to restore the partition on the FW drive to the iBook.

I really just want to go to sleep. It is 1:10am local time.

On a fun note- I am writing my reply in Safari on the G5 while listening to internet radio in iTunes while Disk Copy runs in the background!

 

[Project Alice]

I trying one more thing, though I really doubt it is going to work. I installed OS 9 and 10.4 on a partition on my FireWire Drive. The iBook boot from it just fine. I was able to get through set-up without any issues. Now I have the iBook in Target Disk Mode connected to my PM G5. I also have the FireWire drive connected to the G5 and I am using Disk Utility to restore the partition on the FW drive to the iBook.

I really just want to go to sleep. It is 1:10am local time.

On a fun note- I am writing my reply in Safari on the G5 while listening to internet radio in iTunes while Disk Copy runs in the background!

Sounds like you might need to replace the SSD then.

 

[Amethyst1]

I installed OS X 10.4 but as I was going through the registration/ set-up process I got stuck at the keyboard part again. I shut the iBook down and put it in Target Disk Mode and connected it to my PowerBook. I went through the registration/ setup process and shut down. Then I booted the iBook and I got the same OF warnings.

So you can boot the PowerBook using the install on the iBook's SSD via Target Disk Mode? That's interesting. I'd have expected this to fail as well if the problem is with the SSD.

Then try OS X 10.3.

When you do that, please hold [Command]-[V] immediately after booting from the install disc begins so it boots up in verbose mode. What does the screen say when it eventually stalls?