Level 2

249 points

Help for FLOWER POWER imac!!!!?!!!!

My flower power of approx four years ago has started with a jumping image on the screen. Any help. Posted under monitors and video discussions but no answers there. Is the monitor dying?
I LOVE this computer.

Posted on Sep 1, 2005 8:20 AM

86 replies

Kathy Kane Author

Level 2

249 points

Sep 17, 2005 9:15 PM in response to Kathy Kane

Looking back at past e mails at one point it said she had 6.2 gb free when I got into the old os x startup. Now, after l/2 installing the os x, it says she has 2.64 gb free.

If I wiped everything out why do I have less gb free now with nothing on it. Are they hidden somewhere? Praying!

Kathy Kane Author

Level 2

249 points

Sep 17, 2005 9:20 PM in response to Kathy Kane

Somethng else weird. I just threw out an old application that isn't needed anymore and I went from it saying I had 17 items with 2.64 gb available to 42 items with 2.64 gb available. After throwing it away.

Kathy Kane Author

Level 2

249 points

Sep 17, 2005 10:22 PM in response to Kathy Kane

Inside the user folder there are two folders one with her name with documents, music, etc, but when I click on them there is nothing. The other folder says shared and when you open that up there is a folder that says fax. The latest date on them say yesteday.

Kathy Kane Author

Level 2

249 points

Sep 17, 2005 10:28 PM in response to Kathy Kane

YIKES!
I JUST FOUND HER MUSIC, PICTURES AND DOCUMENTS IN THE USER FOLDER THAT SAYS SYSTEM 2 . WHAT SHOULD I DO.

IS THERE A WAY TO REVERT TO SYSTEM 2?

I'M GOING TO ATTEMPT TO BACK THIS STUFF UP ON A CD IF IT WILL FIT. EVEN IF I HAVE TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT.

dreed2

Level 7

25,730 points

Sep 17, 2005 10:32 PM in response to Kathy Kane

Good news! It might take more than one CD. Are you sure you want to stay up all night? Good grief. You've been through enough already for one day! 😉

Kathy Kane Author

Level 2

249 points

Sep 17, 2005 10:43 PM in response to dreed2

I WANT TO AT LEAST DO HER SCHOOL DOCMENTS AND MAYBE SOME OF THE PICTURES.

ANOTHER OPTION I HAVE, BUT I'M AFRAID TO TURN THE COMPUTER OFF (do yu think this stuff will stay in the system 2 folder if I turn the computer off). I work in a school. I could put everything that's important her applications, pictures, documents, music on the server. Then do a clean install on the computer and then put everything back or do you think I can get this stuff on the computer as it is.

One thing I worry about is that only 1 cd of the panther installed. said i coud do disk 2 later.

what do you think?

dreed2

Level 7

25,730 points

Sep 17, 2005 10:58 PM in response to Kathy Kane

Whatever you do, make sure you back up her files first. Then you can relax and worry about the other problems later.

Computers can be replaced, but those files can not.

Kathy Kane Author

Level 2

249 points

Sep 18, 2005 11:09 AM in response to dreed2

I went to school and got an ibook to use in target disk mode and I'm now making copies of all her files and putting it on the ibook.

After I do that my question is do I need system 9.2 or should I just install os x. I think at this point I need to do a clean install. what do you think and how should I approach this.

THANKS!!!!!

KATHY

dreed2

Level 7

25,730 points

Sep 18, 2005 11:58 AM in response to Kathy Kane

Good for you. Once all those files are safely backed up, you can relax and get down to business. 😉

You don't need to install 9.2 at all, since that iMac already has the firmware update in place. Erasing the drive won't affect that. You are clear to go ahead and erase the drive and do a clean install once all the files are safely backed up. You should probably select the erase and write zeros option. It takes a long time compared to the regular erase, but some people claim it can correct drive problems by remapping any bad blocks on the hard drive.

However, one important thing should be mentioned at this time. You will be presented with an option to install the OS 9 drivers during the install. You should do that just in case your daughter ever decides to reinstall OS 9. If you don't install the drivers, she would have to erase and reformat the drive to install them at a later date.

Good luck!

PS: When I had to zero erase my iBook drive recently, I made two backups. One to CDs, which was only the really, really important stuff, and one to an external hard drive that was a complete copy of the drive I was about to write zeros to.

Kathy Kane Author

Level 2

249 points

Sep 18, 2005 12:37 PM in response to dreed2

Should I install os 9.2 in case she wants to use an older program?
If she does use an older program should I back up a copy of system 9 folder?

Not sure what you mean about the writing zeros option. Is this where you tell it how many times to erase. Read somethign that yu should tell it to erase 7 times. Is that what you mean?

Kathy Kane Author

Level 2

249 points

Sep 18, 2005 12:42 PM in response to Kathy Kane

P. S. - What about all the applications like Toast, Word for OS x, photoshop, appleworks, aim instant messenger she also has claris, which I don't think she will need anymore.

do i save those to the hd of the ibook?

dreed2

Level 7

25,730 points

Sep 18, 2005 5:41 PM in response to Kathy Kane

You could install OS 9 at a later time if she needed it, without erasing OS X.

You don't have to write zeros when you erase, and you probably don't want to choose the 7 times option. That takes a very long time from what I've heard. It's mainly used for security purposes when someone is selling or otherwise disposing of a computer, or if you were doing something illegal and had to destroy evidence.

dreed2

Level 7

25,730 points

Sep 18, 2005 5:52 PM in response to Kathy Kane

She could install the applications from the original CDs. But if there's room on the hard drive, it might be easier to just copy the files. However, she will still need to enter the Serial Numbers the first time she uses the applications that require them. If you aren't sure she's saved them in a safe place, you could also copy the Library/Application Support and Library/Preferences folders. Note that there is a Library Folder at the top level of the hard drive, as well as in the folder where her Home folder is.

Kathy Kane Author

Level 2

249 points

Sep 18, 2005 8:36 PM in response to dreed2

Done the back ups, but am still afraid to do a clean install after reading this link:

When to perform a clean install
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=30691

I found a folder that said library and inside there was application support and preferences. Are these the two that i should copy to the target hd. Where is the folder wher her home folder is?
The folder that is in the previous system 2 that contains her user name and all her documents there are the following folders in that one: applications, library, private, system, user. Is this what you mean by her home folder? There are also two files in there that say mach_kernel (I know that's not good - kernel attach?) dated March 30, 2005and one that says mch sym (dated September 16, 2005). Does any of this mean anything to you. also let me know what you think about what they said on the page I sent you if you would. I'm not going to do anything tonight with the install. I'm afraid.

Thanks again for helping me through all this. Don't know what I would do without your help.

Kathy

dreed2

Level 7

25,730 points

Sep 18, 2005 8:53 PM in response to Kathy Kane

Kathy,

That install in the link you provided is what you have been trying to do all along. That's why you have so many system folders on the drive. And that hasn't helped the startup problems. What I was suggesting was that, since nothing else has helped, an erase followed by a clean installation of the OS would be in order. However, that is a last resort only to be used when all else fails. Mainly, because it takes so long to get everything the way the user wants it again ... preferences, registrations, etc.

It's good that you've backed up all the important files.

I believe that I've provided all the help I can without actually being there. Do you know anyone at the school who is good with Macs and who may be willing to help you out with this one? You've done very well so far on your own. You haven't destroyed any data and you've backed up the important files.

Best wishes on getting it working right again.

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Help for FLOWER POWER imac!!!!?!!!!