iBook G4 Flashing folder with a Question mark.

Snow Leopard CANNOT be installed on the iBook. The iBook doesn't have an Intel processor and Snow Leopard isn't compatible with non-Intel machines.

You need to find the install discs for her iBook and try doing an Erase and Install. Note: this will remove ALL her data, so see if you can get that saved elsewhere before installing. You can use Target disk mode to remove the data if the hard drive is physically OK.

~Lyssa

How much RAM is in the iBook?

If you have a retail copy of Leopard, you could use that to wipe the drive & reinstall OS X as long as her iBook has at least 512 MB of RAM and a processor that is 867 MHz or faster.

~Lyssa

Since the computer won't boot, the easiest way to check processor speed & amount of RAM is by lifting up the keyboard and checking the sticker in the upper left corner. You can just post everything it lists here, if you'd like.

For the installation itself, it'll be a piece of cake if you have that retail copy of Leopard or find/get the original discs for the computer. Do keep in mind that a retail copy of Leopard doesn't have the iLife suite (iPhoto, iDVD, Garageband, etc)

Basically, this is what you do:
1) Insert the Leopard disc and start the computer with the C key held down.
2) Choose a language and the drive you want to install on, then click the "next" button (or whatever the option is).
3) Let the computer do its thing.

That's all there is to it!

~Lyssa

Hmm. It could have peeled off.

Underneath the display, you should see "iBook G4" or simply "iBook." Which do you see? If you see "iBook" you can't install Leopard.

You can do the installation over Firewire, but you'd want to do it this way:

1) Insert the install disc into the machine with a DVD drive, then power down that computer.
2) Connect the two computers using the Firewire cable.
3) Start the working computer with the T key held down.
4) Once the Firewire symbol shows up on the working computer, start the iBook with the option key held down. You should see the install disc as an option. Select it, then follow the instructions I listed.

~Lyssa

Alrighty. Then give the installation a try and see if it works. If you get error messages along the way, post them here.

~Lyssa

If the disc you have is gray, it is machine-specific and will not work with the iBook.

If this is the case, you'll need to buy a retail copy of Leopard or call Apple and order replacement discs for this computer.

~Lyssa

All I know is that replacements can be obtained for a reasonable cost--I've heard a few users say this cost is ~$20 per disc, but I'm not certain. You'll need the iBOok's serial number in order to receive replacements.

~Lyssa