Allen299

Q: My ibook g4 when starting up stays on the grey logo screen with the loading circle , but won't do anything further I left it on for two days straight to seeif it needed time to load but still nothing please what do I do I have a lot of important things on

What do I do !? Please help

iBook

Posted on Jun 1, 2014 2:21 PM

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Q: My ibook g4 when starting up stays on the grey logo screen with the loading circle , but won't do anything further I left it on fo ... more

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  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Jun 2, 2014 1:42 AM in response to Allen299
    Level 6 (14,259 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 2, 2014 1:42 AM in response to Allen299

    Have you tried starting in SafeBoot mode?

    See the first link below to read about attempting startup.

     

    If that works after applying instructions to use it correctly,

    one can look into system logs in Console to see if any

    records or old reports leading up to the time of trouble

    appear, as sometimes these exist & offer evidence.

     

    You can use Disk Utility in the Utilities folder to Verify

    the hard disk drive; also repair disk permissions, there.

     

    A failed startup such as you state could be due to bad

    software in the boot section of the drive, or a hard drive

    that could be bad. Some other possibilities exist.

     

    Troubleshooting your issue to attempt resolution...

     

    •Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup

    http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2570

     

    •Spinning beachball (cursor wheel) in all apps, hung startup - the X Lab:

    http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/sbbod.html#Anchor-SBBOD_continuous_all_apps_hung

     

    •How to fix common mac startup problems - cult of mac:

    http://www.cultofmac.com/50685/how-to-fix-common-mac-startup-problems-macrx/

     

    If you have the install-restore DVD or install disc of the

    most recent OS X the computer is running, you could

    see if the computer may boot from it (hold C key down

    immediately after start chime, keep holding it until you

    see the desktop or a login, if the latter, enter password

    and let it continue; if you get to the Installer window,

    then you can choose from the menu bar choices to find

    and use Disk Utility in the installer DVD, to see if you

    can repair the hard disk drive. It may repair, or it may

    say the hard drive can't be repaired. This helps to tell

    what is wrong; esp. if it failed. A replacement ATA-IDE

    hard disk drive of 2.5" size, about 4500 to 5400 RPM

    of correct spec for the computer could be installed.

     

    If you do not have the correct system DVD or one newer

    than the original software the computer shipped with,

    depending on the iBook G4 specs, you could use either

    retail Tiger 10.4 DVD or a Leopard 10.5 DVD. An iBook G4

    with 800MHz processor can't use Leopard OS X. Also

    DVDs from other computers (grey label) usually won't

    work unless they are identical series build replacement.

     

    Discs from intel-based mac or other computers won't do.

     

    Good luck!

  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody Jun 5, 2014 12:13 PM in response to Allen299
    Level 9 (66,781 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Jun 5, 2014 12:13 PM in response to Allen299

    Data Recovery using a Firewire external hard disk and the correct aforementioned operating systems is probably a good idea if there is no backup:

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-1689

     

    Firewire 400 (6 pin) to Firewire 800 cables can be used in this process with http://www.macsales.com/ hard drives.