Restoring OS 10.4.11 from a 10.4 start up disc

Next time you start it up try starting with the shift key held down which puts it in Safe Mode (be very patient, it is doing some checking routines). Does it still misbehave in Safe Mode? If not, are things okay when you start normally again?

Do you still have the original system discs? You could try running Apple Hardware Test.

Mac OS X: Starting up in Safe Mode - http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393

[What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? (Mac OS X)|http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1564]

[Safe Boot takes longer than normal startup|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107394]

[Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5 - Computer shuts down during Safe Boot|http://support.apple.com/kb/TA24054]

[X-Lab: The Apple Hardware Test|http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/aht.html]

[Apple's AHT support|http://www.info.apple.com/support/aht.html] - Apple Hardware Test Images and Information (for pre-Intel Macs)

Here's the list and downloads for AHT if you have an old G4...

http://www.info.apple.com/support/aht.html

No, do not use that 10.2 Disc on the 10.4 volume for anything... especially Disk Repair.

Does it boot to Single User Mode, CMD+s keys at bootup, if so try...

/sbin/fsck -fy

Repeat until it shows no errors fixed.

(Space between fsck AND -fy important).

Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Sorry, by CMD I meant the Command key/Apple key/4 leaf clover key on some, but should be the modifier key just to the left of the Space Bar.

Hold that key & the s key at bootup.

Safe Mode and Single User Mode aren't the same thing.

If the computer won't even start in Single User Mode then it is having serious issues. It would be worth trying to burn a CD with Apple Hardware Test and see if it tells you what is wrong. The kind of message you are seeing is a kernel panic. It can be hardware or softare, but if you are seeing it that early on then it is likely hardware.

you can hold the c key while the restore disk is in to boot off the disk

you can hold the c key while the restore disk is in to boot off the disk

Yes, but the OP needs a disc from which to boot. 🙂

Just to reiterate, don't use the 10.2 disc on that computer to try to effect directory repairs. If you are absolutely sure it is the disc that came with the computer then you can use the Apple Hardware test feature. If it came with another computer then it won't boot your computer. We also don't know much about your model iMac (span many years) so we don't even know if it can run 10.2 Finally, you can't update from 10.2 to 10.4, you have to use full upgrade versions which were sold on their own discs.

David Brewer2 wrote:

I burned a disk from an Apple download years ago and can't find it anywhere. And, can I get another "real CD from Apple? I can't find it anywhere on Apple.

I little background, I've been using Macs since the "Performa" days and this has never happened on any of my Macs. I been cleaning up my G4 to give to my son and deleted lots of Program files. I have 3 HDs on that computer. One was partitioned for OS 10.2 and one partition still had a partition for OS9. I deleted both of these systems when I cleaned up. Could this have caused the problem? The 10.4.11 system was on the original Hard Drive which I didn't touch.

Theoretically you can get another original CD by calling them and asking, but it is very unlikely they will still have one for a computer of that age.

Deleting those items shouldn't have affected Tiger. Most likely you had some issues right on the edge due to directory corruption. Safe Mode runs a directory check and repair routine and the failed repair attempt may have made it worse. Did you try fsk in single user mode?

First, can you tell us more baout this CD you ordered? Hopefully is isn't grey colored mchine-specific disc that will only work in the model Mac with which it was originally supplied.

I'd see if your computer will boot to an optical drive first before spending $100 on DW. If we're talking about a more fundamental issue than a corrupt directory then you may need to reconsider your whole strategy. For that matter you could seee if your computer will boot to that 10.2 CD, but don't use it to do anything to the hard drive, just see if it will boot the computer. If the underlying issue is hardware then nothing will boot the computer.