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User profile for user: Stranger
Stranger Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Another G5 iMac won't boot past grey Apple screen!! HELP!!!

Last night I tried to put my iMac to sleep. it took about 3 times, and it finally went to sleep. Today I tried to wake it up but I got the little spinning disk, and it would not wake up. I could not restart it from the screen, so I pulled out the power cord as I have had to do a few times in the past with no problems. Today when I plugged it back in it got to the grey Apple screen, but no little progress circle. I waited & waited, nothing happened so I cycled power again. This time I got the progress timer circle, but again after about 20 minutes nothing happened. I then put the install disc in and booted from that. Tried verify disc, but it failed saying it could not un-mount the volume. Tried verifying permissions, but it seemed to get stuck with just a fraction left on the progress bar, so I quit & tried again (basically where I'm at now). I have also noticed that if I choose the "start up disc" (while running from the disc) the only thing that shows in a network icon. My HD does not show up as an option. For about the past 5 months I have noticed my HD has been a bit noisy. Kind of a whirling sound that seems to get louder then quiet down & repeat....not real loud, but loud enough so I have noticed it. I have been worried that something like this might happen.

update: while repairing permissions I just got a "Disc utility error" says Disc utility has lost it's connection with the disc management tool and cannot continue. Please quit and relaunch Disc Utility. This is the same message I got the last time I tried to run it. I also have an OSX Leopard install DVD...should I be starting from that disc, or the install disc that came with it? If I should be using the newer disc, how would I get the other disc out of the machine?

So....am I up the creek with out a paddle, or is there anything I could try?

any advise would be greatly appreciate as ALL my data is on my iMac and not this POS PC I have to use now.


Thanks,
Jeff

iMac G5 17" 1.9 ghz, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Mar 19, 2011 12:30 PM

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User profile for user: MGW
MGW
User level: Level 7
27,041 points

Mar 19, 2011 12:46 PM in response to Stranger

You can try booting from your leopard install disc, but if your drive isn't showing, it seems likely, given the noises it has been making, that it's toast. You can eject the disc in the drive by holding down the mouse button as you shut down. Hopefully, you have a backup, if not, I'm afraid you really are up the creek.

Pulling the power cord is not advisable, that's a hard shutdown and Macs don't like it. You can try resetting the SMU, which is the correct way to do it, but it really does sound as if your drive has had it. If you can open DiskUtility long enough you can check your machine's S.M.A.R.T. status at the bottom of the window. Can you hear the drive spinning? Does it make a clicking sound?





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User profile for user: Stranger
Stranger Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Mar 19, 2011 1:39 PM in response to MGW

I didn't seem to have any other way to shut it down. even now while I am booted off the disc and I choose shut down, do as you suggested, and the disc will not eject. is there no more little button that you stick a toothpick like instrument in anymore?

As I have been rebooting it, it went to the file & question mark, then just the file, then it boots from the install disc, but now my hd is not even showing up in the disc utility. I think I have accepted the fact that it's dead, but will I be able to take it somewhere to recover my data from the HD?

I have also tried taking it apart...took out the 3 security torx screws (after removing the 2 phillips screws for the memory panel) and was able to pull the bottom up, but it seems like it is stuck on the top area and I didn't want to force it so I put it back together
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User profile for user: Stranger
Stranger Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Mar 19, 2011 1:46 PM in response to Stranger

sorry....but I can hear my drive when I'm booting up. I can no longer see my HD or volume in disc utility, but when I was able to I thought the smart status said not available...I could be wrong though....this is my 5th mac since the iMac was introduced, and it is the very first to fail me. I'm not so sure convection cooling was the greatest idea. I have back up files on my passwords, email, check book, and address book, but the PC can't read them unfortunately


thanks for trying to help me out,...kudos, but I guess it's beyond help! ARGH!
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User profile for user: MGW
MGW
User level: Level 7
27,041 points

Mar 19, 2011 1:47 PM in response to Stranger

Which model do you have? If it's the iSight, taking it apart is difficult. You could try [http://www.jimwarholic.com/2008/07/how-to-repair-apple-imac-g5.php] for instructions.

As far as your drive is concerned, [http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/10259/data-rescue] might help, but it's doubtful. To have a professional do it will cost you a great deal of money.

I suggest you take it in and have a tech take it apart and test the drive, if you're lucky, it might only be the logic board or bad caps, and your data might still be intact.

Let us know what happens,





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User profile for user: blackknife
blackknife
User level: Level 1
8 points

Mar 20, 2011 2:37 PM in response to MGW

well...I got it. This is "Stranger"....I just couldn't find the password for this account yesterday. It really stinks that I can't retrieve all my stuff. I think I have some back up files on one of my firewire hd's but am I correct to assume that now I need to buy different firewire cables? My cables don't look like they would fit. I guess now I try to find someone local who might be able to salvage my old iMac's HD so I can get all my data.....Carbonite.com here I come! lol

thanks again for all your help & advise MGW

Jeff
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User profile for user: blackknife
blackknife
User level: Level 1
8 points

Apr 17, 2011 9:32 AM in response to MGW

I have yet to attempt getting the data off my old iMac G5 but I have a feeling it won't be that easy. I got it to reboot once, but it would not mount ANY media I tried. I tried a flash drive, zip drive, fire wire hard drive, CD, and DVD, but it wouldn't mount any of them. That said, do you think target disc mode will work now that I have the cable?

I bought a 2 tg had that I run time machine on now. I'd think that should be ok for back up right?

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Another G5 iMac won't boot past grey Apple screen!! HELP!!!

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