iBook G4 issue

[Surfrider]

Yes, I admit it, I am the stupidist person in the world. Bear with me, it's a bit of a story.

I needed a pre-OSX 10.5 machine to run an old HP printer.

I borrowed my friends iBook OSX 10.4.11

I installed Photoshop and started to work. Finally got the printer to print.

I wanted to import some art using Gmail. It wouldn't do it, needed a more up to date version of Safari.

I start downloading, then installing a newer version.

This is where I went wrong, I had Photoshop open so I started working...tried to open some art from a thumb drive I had in a USB port.

Everything slows to a crawl, I forsce quit the installer, it hangs up. I think I'll force quit, restart and be on my way.

Nope, restarts, chimes, Apple logo, start up little graph thing loads...then nothing just a blue screen of the background, no icons, nothing else.

I put an install disc in to try and run disc utilities, restart pressing the C key, get a bunch code, including "kernel" and something about can't find something.

Tried a safe start, it comes up, asks me to log in...and it's been running for 1/2 hour, just showing the blure background screen.

I'm going crazy, have a I screwed my friends computer up or is there a fix I'm missing.

I have a spare hard drive and my Mini is right next to it, if either of those things will help. No alternate OS on the spare HD though.

Help!

[PizzaGod]

The good news is that if you are going to replace a G4 iBook it shouldn't cost more than $50 or so.

The bad news is that his files are going to be a bit tougher and more time consuming to yank.

If I had to do surgery on a computer, that vintage iBook and the G3 would be my last choice (Oh why did they go away from Pismo and WallStreet technology?)

my sympathies-it's always a crapshoot when you use somebody else's equipment

[GGD]

Surfrider wrote:
I put an install disc in to try and run disc utilities, restart pressing the C key, get a bunch code, including "kernel" and something about can't find something.

Where did this install disc come from and what OS was on it? Some of the later G4 iBooks shipped with 10.4, and you may need the install disk that came with it rather than a retail 10.4 disk.

A retail 10.5 disk should probably boot.

[Surfrider]

But do you think I trashed the hard drive?

[rgG]

Did you get to unmount the flash drive before you tried to restart?

Can you get into the iBook via Target Disk Mode, from your mini?

Edit, I think booting into Safe Mode is probably your best bet, and it might take a while, so I would wait maybe an hour or two, before giving up on that.

[Surfrider]

I unmounted the flash, never occurred to me..until it didn't start up.

I tried safe mode, but what's it supposed to look like when it's working, I just got the same blue screen (the background screen) and the cursor but nothing else on it.

It probably ran 1/2 hour, I'd be willing to give it hours if it'll work.

[rgG]

Surfrider wrote:
I unmounted the flash, never occurred to me..until it didn't start up.

I tried safe mode, but what's it supposed to look like when it's working, I just got the same blue screen (the background screen) and the cursor but nothing else on it.

It probably ran 1/2 hour, I'd be willing to give it hours if it'll work.

Can you try booting into safe mode again?

[Surfrider]

That's the first thing I'll try this morning.

[rgG]

Surfrider wrote:
That's the first thing I'll try this morning.

Good luck. I really hope that solves all your problems.
It is rough when something like this happens with borrowed equipment.
Personally, I don't think the drive is hosed, so hopefully this will fix it.

[Surfrider]

I've been reading that if you can get to the blue screen the HD might be okay...just confused.