|
Post by jeremy996 on Nov 22, 2007 15:00:34 GMT
My mother's dual usb ibook has died and needs to be resurrected. Presently, the machine will not boot up, but sits there flashing a folder symbol. I've tried booting the machine from a OS10.3 disk and although it starts well with an Apple symbol and the timer wizzer going round, after 2-4 minutes it the apple symbol disappears to be replaced with a prohibited sigh, (circle with a slash through it) and the timer wizzer continues on. If left it will stay like that for hours. Suggestions please, otherwise it's going on eBay for spares or repair.
|
|
mabsey
Administrator
Posts: 216
|
Post by mabsey on Nov 23, 2007 20:28:30 GMT
|
|
|
Post by jeremy996 on Mar 23, 2008 20:48:27 GMT
I've been through the article and all of the associated addenda, (resetting PRAM and PMC), and I appear to have got nowhere. If I try to boot from the hard drive I get the flashing ?/broken/missing file , if from the disk, I get the prohibited sign. If I try to reset the start up volume I do not see the hard drive as an option, only the system disk in the optical drive. Has the hard drive died? Is there a way I can force a disk check/repair immediately after the boot chime?
|
|
|
Post by Will Green on Mar 24, 2008 16:39:26 GMT
The folder symbol on boot means no bootable OS found, it could be the OS is damaged or the hard disc has had it.
You should be able to boot the iBook with a OSX disc, knackered hard disc or not (hold the C key down whilst booting).
Could it be the iBook has a CD drive and you're trying to boot from a DVD, or the copy of OSX on the disc is Intel only?
|
|
|
Post by CyberChimp on Mar 25, 2008 1:50:55 GMT
Do you have access to another Apple computer which is running OSX & a six pin to six pin firewire cable? if so it may be worth attempting to start the iBook in Firewire Target Disk Mode (TDM) - if this is successful it will effectively turn the iBook into an external Firewire hard drive. see Apple article docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58583 for details about target disk mode. (article docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75414 offers suggestions if you have trouble enabling TDM) If it is possible to get the iBook into TDM then you may be able to access data stored on the iBook and back it up - I don't know how important the stuff on your mother's iBook is, but she may be quite pleased if some of it can be saved. If starting the iBook in Target Disk Mode proves effective then it may also be possible to run hard drive tests from the computer which it is attached to. Depending upon what has been causing the problems you've had re-installing Mac OSX onto the iBook it may also be possible to use TDM as a way of carrying out a clean install. ------------------ If you still haven't had any success and depending upon where you live, then booking an appointment to take the iBook along to the Genius Bar at an Apple Store might be worth a try before giving up and putting it on eBay. details of the Genius Bars can be found at www.apple.com/uk/retail/geniusbar/
|
|