Bryan Saunders

Q: Powerbook G4 stopped working it cuts on but no spinning disc symbol..won't run I installed the start up disk and it starts up  but disk first aid says there is something wrong can't repair it..what do I do now? Do I erase everything and start over?

The G4 comes on but that is as far as it goes...I installed the startup disc it started  and I  tried disk first aid but it says it can't be repaired????If I erase everything will this fix the problem as well as make me lose everything?

The firsat aid  box says:

" REPAIRING DISK FOR "HARD DRIVE"

checking HFS Plus volume

Checking events Overflowfile

Checking catalog file

Invalid node structure ( this is in RED )

rebuilding catalog B-tree

The volume Hard drive can not be repaired  ( in red)

 

 

 

Error:    The underlying task reported failure on exit  (-9972_)  (in red)

 

 

REPAIR ATTEMPTED ON 1 VOLUME

0HFS volume repaired  ( in green)

 

1 volume could not be repaired (in red)

 

sssail3@aol.com feel free to send email thanks

PB G4, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on May 13, 2011 6:52 AM

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Q: Powerbook G4 stopped working it cuts on but no spinning disc symbol..won't run I installed the start up disk and it starts up  ... more

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  • by Appaloosa mac man,

    Appaloosa mac man Appaloosa mac man May 13, 2011 8:03 AM in response to Bryan Saunders
    Level 5 (4,330 points)
    May 13, 2011 8:03 AM in response to Bryan Saunders

    Bryan,

     

    Do you have a second hard drive?  If you can get the install disk to boot the computer then all is not lost.  Install a clean system on a second hard drive to get back in business.  If you have any backup copies of your software and files, use them to restore your computer to good working condition.

     

    Then, install some form of data recovery software on your second drive.  The recovery software can look at a bit mapped version of your drive and extract data that may be scrambled but usable.  Think of the drive as a book.  If someone tore out a few pages from the table of contents or index from a book, the main volume would be there but the book would not be repairable.  Or, if the table of contents is OK but someone tore out a chapter or two, the other chapters would be there.  The book is not complete but all is not lost.

     

    Here is a review to get you up to speed:

     

    http://data-recovery-software-review.toptenreviews.com/mac-recovery-software/

     

    Start by getting your computer working off a clean install on a second drive so the data recovery process will work faster and have a destination for the recovered data.

     

    Jim~

     

    btw, it is better to list your email as follows: sssail3 at aol dot com.  That format protects agains trolling for email addresses.

  • by Allan Jones,

    Allan Jones Allan Jones May 13, 2011 7:08 PM in response to Bryan Saunders
    Level 8 (35,141 points)
    iPad
    May 13, 2011 7:08 PM in response to Bryan Saunders

    There is a separate forum for G3 and newer Powerbooks here:

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/powerbook

     

    Posting there will likely get more eyes on your question.