Start up problems...

[edge540]

One of my computers is contantly booting into UNIX from the start. If I type "reboot" it restarts the computer and the apple sign appears... then it just goes back to the black screen with the white letters. Does anyone know how to start the computer up, into 10.3.8, using UNIX commands? This is really anoying as i cant use my computer.
Thanks,
Bryan

 

[jsw]

Do you have the OS install CD's? If so, put disk 1 in and hold the 'C' key while booting - you should be able to see what's going on, set the startup disk if appropriate, and reinstall OS X if necessary.

 

[edge540]

hahaha... If only it was that easy. I forgot to mention that there is a cd... stuck in the drive... it wont eject no mater what... and we have tried everything. so now we have 2 problems. the cd is stuck.. and the computer wont start booting into UNIX... ANY help would be appriciated...
Thanks

 

[Col. Panic]

hahaha... If only it was that easy. I forgot to mention that there is a cd... stuck in the drive... it wont eject no mater what... and we have tried everything. so now we have 2 problems. the cd is stuck.. and the computer wont start booting into UNIX... ANY help would be appriciated...
Thanks

Did you try using the official optical media extraction tool; a bent paperclip?

 

[mad jew]

Man that sucks. Could you try booting over a network? I'm really no expert on this and I personally would have no idea how to do this from UNIX. It (hopefully) might just be a matter of linking two Macs with ethernet... Assuming you have access to another Mac.

Good luck with it.

 

[edge540]

We finally decided to do it the hard way seeing as nothing else was working. it was on old slot loading imac. So we took it apart... opened up the cd drive... removed the disk... and then reformated and reinstall the OS. Sounds kinda a pain in the butt... but it had to be done... thanks for all the suggestions...

 

[mad jew]

Just out of interest (don't want this happenning to me!) what sort of computer is it? Also, was Panther the original OS?