PowerMac G4 Holding Option Key During Startup Does Nothing

[Dingy]

So I bought a "new" PowerMac G4. I have two already.

The guy said it was running os 9 but now it wouldn't boot. I figured it needed an OS and the guy was wrong. I try to boot it up...

flashing ? folder

So I go thru all hell trying to install os x and what not.

It won't boot to the install CD. I finally got it to boot from my other Powermac's HD with OS X on it, but I can't seem to install OS X on this other HD, but that's not really what I'm asking here...

When I startup the PM and hold Option, nothing happens with either HD installed!!! No boot menu comes up.

Also when I hold down C, nothing happens at least nothing different. It doesn't boot to the CD.

Why is this?

Sometimes it seems to boot to my HD OS X and sometimes it boots to the CD on it's own. I can't choose what I want it to boot to unless I start the OS X and select it from there.

Thank in advance.

 

[flopticalcube]

Could be a problem with the USB port. Try a different port for the keyboard. The keyboard is known to work, right?

 

[Matthew Yohe]

If you have OS X on it, just open up System Preferences and then Startup Disk.

 

[Dingy]

WOW! Very fast reply!

I tried that already.

Yes the keyboard is know to be working. Works fine when I can get OS X to boot.

 

[Dingy]

If you have OS X on it, just open up System Preferences and then Startup Disk.

DANG another lightning fast reply holly crap!

Yes, but I really just wanna know why holding option doesn't work. I don't know if maybe this could this lead to more problems? You know?

 

[flopticalcube]

Did you reset the PRAM?

 

[Dingy]

Ok so here's a new problem... Maybe I should start a new thread cause it's semi related. lol

So if I have both HDs installed, the known-working one(pulled from my other G4) in position #1 and the not sure one plugged in position #2, it boots to the ? folder blinking and then starts to (appears to) boot to OS X but then I get the you must restart your computer hold down power button china screen of death!!!

Maybe this points to a bad HD?

Thanks guys.

 

[Dingy]

Did you reset the PRAM?

Well I tried. From what I saw online you hold CMD, Option, P, and R at startup right? And you should hear the startup chime TWICE right?

If so that didn't do anything! I held it and heard the startup noise ONCE as normal and that was it.

 

[Dingy]

Did you reset the PRAM?

Ok so I just tried that again.

Get this....

When I do it with the original HD nothing happened, when done with ONLY the known-working HD it worked(at least I heard the chime so I have to assume it worked)

Now I'm going to retest and see it holding option or anything works. At my last point, with both HDs installed it just went to a gray screen and then nothing happened at all.

 

[Hrududu]

Could you install the drive into another G4, install Mac OS on the drive, then move it back? Its not really a fix, but it would get a fresh version of Mac OS on there.

 

[Dingy]

Could you install the drive into another G4, install Mac OS on the drive, then move it back? Its not really a fix, but it would get a fresh version of Mac OS on there.

Well I tried to plug it in VIA USB to my MacBook and another G4 and I couldn't seem to pull it up, like it didn't appear on either at least I didn't think it didn't I thought it did once but I think I was wrong. lol. I guess that points to a bad HD as I've done the same with other HDs to format them and it worked fine.

 

[Dingy]

Okay so I just installed a new blank HD and it booted to the install CD no problem. With both HDs installed. Still the option key doesn't work which was my original question really.

Edit:
Now that I got into it though and went to the disk utility. The G4 doesn't recognize this new HD at all. What is wrong with this freakin' thing.

I'm just gonna try to install VIA another G4 and see how that goes. Geez.

 

[Hrududu]

Okay so I just installed a new blank HD and it booted to the install CD no problem. With both HDs installed. Still the option key doesn't work which was my original question really.

Edit:
Now that I got into it though and went to the disk utility. The G4 doesn't recognize this new HD at all. What is wrong with this freakin' thing.

I'm just gonna try to install VIA another G4 and see how that goes. Geez.

Sounds like the drive is crapped out. I'd just throw it out. Its really not worth screwing with if its dead or on its way out.

 

[Dingy]

Sounds like the drive is crapped out. I'd just throw it out. Its really not worth screwing with if its dead or on its way out.

That's what I was thinking except when I put in a brand new HD it did the same stuff. I tried to format the old and new HD with my MacBook and it wouldn't work, just did some MORE research and found that there's a problem with snow leopard and trying to format a HD VIA USB!! Tried with the G4 and worked just fine!

So now back to step 1 I'm going to try to format the original (bad???) HD with the G4. Fun stuff!