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PC user in trouble!!

T

triton

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 15, 2003
172
0
Hi,

I tried to install OS X.3 onto my parents computer (imac 800mhz) last night, selecting the erase and install feature. However, the first time I did this, it ran into an error while reading install disk no. 2. So I started all over again, with it running more smoothly the second time around. However, when I finished going through setup and go to the desktop, some of the programs would lag or crash whenver I opened them (ie. safari, software update etc).

I am a PC user, looking to switch over to an Apple soon - but already I am having trouble. Can anyone recommend to me how to solve this problem? Should I reinstall again? A friend here at work told me I should do something called "zeroing out?" a feauture that erases ever little sector of the disk before installing anything? Also, Panther comes with 4 discs, how come the installation process only went through 2? What is on disks three and four? I would appreciate any help you can give me. Thank you!
 
the disks you don't use contain other language options or developer tools, if i recall correctly. so i don't think that's the cause of the problem.

the symptoms you described sound a lot like what would happen if you upgrade. but you did the whole erase and install, so the problem must be something else...

it won't hurt to reinstall again, but maybe you could give us more details, like how did you back up your HD, what's the RAM, etc... by the way, is this G3 (CRT) iMac or G4 (flat panel) iMac? (maybe they didn't make 800 MHz G3 iMac, in such a case, please excuse my ignorance.)
 
Hi,

Thank you for the response. The computer is a 800 mhz imac (flatpanel), and I was trying to just erase and install the whole system. No backup was made. Should I just try to reinstall again tonight?
 
triton said:
Hi,

Thank you for the response. The computer is a 800 mhz imac (flatpanel), and I was trying to just erase and install the whole system. No backup was made. Should I just try to reinstall again tonight?
Click to expand...

With respect to "zeroing out," this does sound sort of like a problem that could be caused by bad sectors on your hard disk. If you can reformat it so that the machine checks for all bad sectors and blocks them out, this should help. I haven't done this on a Mac though, so that's as far as I can go. :(

Other question: what upgrades and/or external hardware add-ons does the machine have? You may want to unplug everything except the keyboard and mouse when you do this, and then install the other HW after you finish the system install.

Final thought is: something may have corrupted the pram on the computer, which is the programmable memory (sorta like a flash card) that stores really low-level system settings. If you hold down Command-Option-P-R while re-booting the computer (with the computer off, push Command and Option, then P and R, then hit the power key), it will restore the pram to the original setting, and I believe it will also go through a re-inventory of ram, devices, etc. It might be a good idea to zap the pram before you try installing again in any event. There is an article on the procedure and what it does here:

http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=05656
 
I did some service work on a G4 for a client of mine after she took her machine to an "Authorized" dealer it came back even more messed up than before. So I spent 6 hours re-building her machine starting with a "Zero all bytes" format. On a 40gb HD it took 2 1/2 hours to wipe the entire HD clean and "write zeros" on the whole drive. I then did a clean install of the software and was very observant of all the dialog boxes that came up. Her machine has now been up and running for just over 6 months now and other than wanting to know how to set tabs in Word, the machine runs without problems.
So get up early and just relax and spend the time to do it right.
 
Goto Micromat and get TechToolPro, which is the finest testing program available. Boot from the TTP CD by holding down the C key, then let the program run it's course. It will report on any problems with hardware -- should there be any.
 
CD1 and CD2 of the Panther Install Disks are necessary for the base system installs and has installers for some of the more widely used apps like the iLife stuff iirc. CD3 has some of the printer drivers, X11, some of the apps. CD4 is the Xcode/Developer Tools installer. That is...if i remember correctly...
Are you sure your CDs are okay? Like no scratches or anything...
 
I would reset my pram, see if my cds were scratched, and definitely check for firmware updates- your system will go haywire without proper firmware.

-ajmbc
 
How Does one Zero Out?

Hi,

Ok, so I tried reinstalling last night. Things went better this time, as Safari and Software Update actually opened. I am downloading some updates right now to see if I can plug up any holes. Here's my question though. In case I do run into some trouble again, how do I zero out?
 
zero out

Boot from the CD, but cancel the installation. In the top left you can get some menus and one option is Disk Utility. Since you sound geeky, you should be able to figure out the rest.

And if you firmware is out of wack, it should get downloaded with the updates, but I would still check out Apples site for it too. Reseting the PRAM would be good too, since new install of the OS and all.
 
Wish me luck

Hi,

Geeky? I am a nerd, thank you very much. Anyhow, I am going to try this out tommorow. Wish me luck. :eek:
 
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