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melmerNYC

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 6, 2008
5
0
I just replaced the harddrive on an ibook g4 800mh with a 250.0GB Western Digital "Scorpio" 5400RPM 9.5MM Notebook HD 8MB buffer but can't get it to boot. Drive works ok as an external, when installed can't get original install disc to book from cd (c key) or option disc won't show up. used superduper to copy system install (2nd tear apart) and reinstalled drive checking all connections. Any one have an idea for me? I have no idea were to go next. Thanks!
 
How did you format the drive? Were you able to boot from the cd before changing the drive?

Can you boot from the old drive in the external case and use disk utility to see if the new internal shows up?
 
How did you format the drive? Were you able to boot from the cd before changing the drive? - OSX Extended

Can you boot from the old drive in the external case and use disk utility to see if the new internal shows up?

Old drive went bad which was why it was replaced.

Hold c get folder and ? mark
holding option key just refresh and right arrow show, no system disc
 
Sounds like a master/slave conflict. Do the hard drive and optical drive share the same PATA controller? If so, you might have the new hard drive set as slave or single, which would cause such a conflict.

I always clone to the new drive and boot from it in an external enclosure first, just to verify the cloning process was successful. Then I transplant the drives. Makes troubleshooting easier.
 
I didn't have an external firewire drive to test that the new drive was bootable only had USB case. I have had a couple of ibooks including a g3, so the software could be from the earlier machine, just says ibook install mac os version 10.1.

No jumper shunts on the drive so should be master, had installed a superdrive way back when so could be issue there but the drive in place had been set as master as well.
 
If I recall correctly, you cannot boot by USB on iBooks, right? That would make it tougher. You may have to open up the patient again to verify you reconnected everything properly. The question mark says that it cannot find a bootable volume, and if your boot DVD is in the optical drive it should come up.
 
Correct cannot startup via ubs. All connections double checked twice- will double check software may be the issue as I think this may be the older machines osx.
 
I know it may be a bit tricky to determine but do you hear the drive spin up when you turn on the ibook?
 
if your old drive still works, plug it in, boot off it. connect your new drive via usb and external case or something. use superduper to clone your old drive to new drive. superduper will clone it and make it bootable. then you can put it back in and hopefully it will work. I did the same a while ago to replace a drive in ibook g4
 
if your old drive still works, plug it in, boot off it. connect your new drive via usb and external case or something. use superduper to clone your old drive to new drive. superduper will clone it and make it bootable. then you can put it back in and hopefully it will work. I did the same a while ago to replace a drive in ibook g4

Ummm....did you read the entire OP?
 
Issue resolved found the original install discs and booted right up. thanks for all your help and insights. best!
 
Issue resolved found the original install discs and booted right up. thanks for all your help and insights. best!

I don't understand. In your OP you stated:

Drive works ok as an external, when installed can't get original install disc to book from cd (c key) or option disc won't show up.

Why did it not work the first times, but it did the last?? :confused:
 
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