ed-n-burra

Q: iBook G4

I've an iBook G4 which now hangs at start up, how can I stop this happening?

MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2011), OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Jul 24, 2015 9:25 AM

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Q: iBook G4

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  • by K Shaffer,Solvedanswer

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Jul 25, 2015 1:42 AM in response to ed-n-burra
    Level 6 (14,434 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 25, 2015 1:42 AM in response to ed-n-burra

    If you have an appropriate Apple software install-restore disc (DVD) for the system

    presently running on the computer, either original grey as-shipped version OS X or

    a retail label later version, you can start the computer from the software on the disc

    and try to see if the disk utility version on the install disc can be used to help repair

    or check the system that is present on the hard disk drive.

     

    •Try safe mode if your Mac doesn't finish starting up - Apple Support

     

    •OS X Maintenance and Troubleshooting:

    http://www.macattorney.com/ts.html

     

    •Troubleshooting FAQs from the X Lab:

    http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/faqs.html

     

    • About the screens you see when your Mac starts up - Apple Support

     

    • Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck - Apple Support

     

     

    With the system disc #1 in the optical drive, you could restart the computer and

    hold down the C key for the computer to try & start from the system install section

    of that official media disc; that can be used to run disk utility among other tools,

    to repair or re-install a system; or erase the entire drive and waste all files on it.

     

    Sometimes, a failing hard drive can corrupt system data and then it won't start.

    Or if the hard drive is too full of user-added content, the system cannot run, &

    so then it would need to be archived off the internal hard drive to an external

    to free-up useful capacity for the OS X to run correctly again. Once files are

    copied to an external archive and tested to be OK, there, the original user files

    (such as image library, music, documents, video, etc) could be removed by use

    of the Trash and empty. Be sure you have backups of all the important data you

    have created and do not throw away System owned content, or it won't start up.

     

    Without an install-restore DVD suitable for the kind and type, build model series

    or retail version install DVD that supports the computer, you won't be able to do

    much about the situation. An older computer has almost no support or repair

    service except a few Apple trained independent specialists whose business is

    not limited to only recent versions of hardware, but to a wider range of vintage.

     

    If you have no experience troubleshooting or repairing a computer, I could go

    on and on, or just review my old bookmarks for just this occasion to test them

    for viability (if they still work) so you can read the information online.

     

    So there are places to read and things to try, since troubleshooting involves a

    degree of trial and error effort to determine if the cause of the problem is either

    software or hardware; or if the symptoms result from combinations of both.

     

    What OS X and CPU specs, is your iBook G4 working with? is it an 800MHz

    or later? What OS X install discs do you have that you know came with it?

     

    At nearly 1AM here, I'm going offline.

    Good luck & happy computing!

  • by ed-n-burra,

    ed-n-burra ed-n-burra Jul 25, 2015 3:15 AM in response to K Shaffer
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 25, 2015 3:15 AM in response to K Shaffer

    MMany thank, will make an attempt soon.