Q: can't reinstall startup disc. errors

i have error when installing disc one.

What is the exact error message? 

should i try erase and install?

You will loose all you data and apps?  Is that a problem?

could that cause more problems?

Not unless you panic over loosing your data.

the computer will not start up alone.

What does it do when you try?  What is on the screen when it stops?

The most likely thing in my mind is a problem with the hd. I suggest your run disk utility. if you do not need your data reformatting is best in this case.

I suspect disk corruptions.

verify & repair your startup drive

To verify & repair you file system on the startup drive, you will need to run disk utility from you installation DVD.

This article  will tell you how to get to disk utility.  Once in a disk utility, you can go and attempt to recover the disk.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1417

To repair your startup drive, you will need to run disk utility from your startup DVD.
Mac OS X 10.4: About the utilities available on the Mac OS X 10.4 Install DVD

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2055

How to run disk utility from your startup DVD.

1. Insert your  startup DVD  into your reader.  Power down your machine.  Hold down to the c key.  Power on your machine.  This will bootup your startup DVD.
2. This will bring you to a panel asking you for your language.  Pick your language.



 

3. You you come to the Install Mac OS panel.  Do not install.
4. Click on Utilities menu item.  This will give you a pulldown list of utilities.
5. Click on the disk utility.
   
6. You are now in disk utility.  Pick your disk.  Click on repair it should be on the lower right of the panel.
7. Once the repair completes successfully, you should update your permissions.

-------------------

Format a disk using the installation DVD

To format  the startup drive, you will need to run disk utility from your installation DVD.

This article  will tell you how to get to disk utility.  Once in a disk utility, you can go and format the disk.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1417

To format your startup drive, you will need to run disk utility from your startup DVD.
Mac OS X 10.4: About the utilities available on the Mac OS X 10.4 Install DVD

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2055

How to run disk utility from your startup DVD.

1. Insert your  startup DVD  into your reader.  Power down your machine.  Hold down to the c key.  Power on your machine.  This will bootup your startup DVD. ( Alternatively, you may hold down the control key, this brings up the startup manager. Click on the desired volume. Click on the right arrow. )
2. This will bring you to a panel asking you for your language.  Pick your language.
3. 
   
   
4. You you come to the Install Mac OS panel.  Do not install.
5. Click on Utilities menu item.  This will give you a pulldown list of utilities.
   
   
6. Click on the disk utility.

7. Start up disk utility.
   On the left pane view, you will see a list of all your disks.  Click on the external  disk.
   Click on the partition tab.

   
   

   

   
   
   

8. You will now see how your external disk is currently set up.  Fill in the information as appropriate. You should pick Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

More details on formatting.
http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/partitioning_tiger.html

My guess is the hd is failing/failed.

Did you try to use disk utility to format the hd?  see above.

You should replace the hd.

If you not into taking apart the computer, try an external drive.

You need an external Firewire drive to boot a PowerPC Mac computer [ a few G5's will boot from USB ].

I recommend you do a google search on any external harddrive you are looking at.

I bought a low cost external drive enclosure. When I started having trouble with it, I did a google search and found a lot of complaints about the drive enclosure. I ended up buying a new drive enclosure. On my second go around, I decided to buy a drive enclosure with a good history of working with Macs. The chip set seems to be the key ingredient. The Oxford line of chips seems to be good. I got the Oxford 911.

I'd give OWC a call. 1-815-338-8685.

FireWire 800 + USB 3, + eSATA

&

save a little money interface:

FireWire 400 + USB 2.0

This web page lists both external harddrive types. You may need to scroll to the right to see both.

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/1394/USB/EliteAL/eSATA_FW800_FW400_USB

    (2) FireWire 800/400 Ports (Up to 100MB/s / 50MB/s)

    (1) USB 3.0 Port (Up to 500MB/s / 60MB/s)

    (1) eSATA Port (Up to 300MB/s)

Has a combo firewire 800/400 port.  Not sure what this is.  Looks like you will  need 400 cable.

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/ministack

It is up to you 

Do you need any of the data on the HD?  There are apps to recover you data.

Perhaps Disk Warrior will be of some help:

http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/

You could try re-formating your mac HD and re-install. You will loose all of your data.

You can install Mac OS on an exernal hd.  You can boot from the external hd just like on an internal hd.

To boot from the external hd hold down the option key then power on. This brings up the startup manager. Click on your external hd. Click on right arrow key.

Robert

My best guess is you need a new hd.   You could get an external firewire drive and boot off of it.

Robert