OS X install disk for iMac Intel

Question

Level 1

6 points

OS X install disk for iMac Intel

My imac intel HD needs repair. I booted with the Install disk. Started Disk Untilies app. I can not use the mouse to select, verify/repair permission or verify/repair disk. I can not quit the app via the mouse, only with the keyboard. Dose anyone have an idea what is going on? And how can I repair the HD.

iMac intel, Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Posted on Feb 7, 2006 10:45 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 7, 2006 11:03 AM in response to Mr Beavis

Is the mouse the one that shipped with your Mac or a third party mouse? Is it wireless or wired? If it is wireless then it may need new batteries. If it is wired, try plugging it in to a different port and see if that helps.

Does the mouse not work at all or are the choices to repair permissions or the disk just grayed out so you can't choose them under any conditions?

Have you considered that whatever problem you are having that makes you think you need to repair the HD may, in reality, be a moue problems?

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Answer 2

Mr Beavis Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 7, 2006 11:23 AM in response to Al Van Malsen

To answer your questions.
1 Yes, it is the wired mosuse that shipped with the iMac.

2 Within the Disk Utilities app, the mouse wwill not allow me to select "Permissions or Reair bottons. They are noe grayed ot out. Also, I can not quit the app via the mouse. If I choose any options from the menu that offers a dialog box with options, I can not select any options. I can only use the keyboards Return key to choose the default option.

3. I ahve considered the mouse as a source of the problem. But when I ran the "Verify Disk" from the Disk Utilities on the HD, I get several "Illegal Name" response.

4. Also, from the OSX installer disk, I can not go beyond the 1st Installer page. The mouse, point & click, will not work. But no problem with the mouse when booting from the HD.

This is verey odd. Is it a faulty DVD installer disk?? Have been a Apple user from 1982 and Mac user since 84, I guess I expected a better product.

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Answer 3

Mr Beavis Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 7, 2006 11:58 AM in response to Mr Beavis

Please forgive my multiple spelling errors!!

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Answer 4

Feb 7, 2006 11:58 AM in response to Mr Beavis

I guess it is possible that you have a bad DVD. It does seem strange that the only thing that would be affected is the mouse though.

I hate to ask a stupid question of a veteran user but are you certain that you were actually booted from the DVD? I know I have thought I was when I really wasn't.

Are you starting up with the DVD in the drive and holding down the "C" key until you see the splash screen? That is the most common method. If that how you are doing it and it is not working maybe you should try inserting the DVD, let it mount on the desktop and then using the Startup preference pane, select it as the startup disk and then restart.

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Answer 5

Mr Beavis Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 7, 2006 12:07 PM in response to Al Van Malsen

I am booting from the Installer disk. The Installer app is launched and no icons a available on the desktop. No options are available in the menu bar other then those offered on the Installer disk. I know that this issue with the mouse sounds odd, but thats what happening, and I have no idea why it's happening. Is there any other way to use the "repair disk" utility?

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Answer 6

Feb 7, 2006 12:22 PM in response to Mr Beavis

When you are running from the disk can you select the drive that you wish to repair?

If so are you selecting the startup disk and not some other disk or partition?

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Answer 7

Mr Beavis Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 7, 2006 12:31 PM in response to Al Van Malsen

Well, I can select a drive, but it's sluggish in hightlight the selected drive. And that is as far as I can go. It will highlight, in the listbox on the left, but will not appear in the selected drive area above the verify/repair permissions/disk bottons.

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Answer 8

Feb 7, 2006 12:43 PM in response to Mr Beavis

Boy this is going to be a dumb question but;

Are you selecting the proper drive? It shows two icons for each drive. One of them will say something like "150GB Seagate drive" and the other will say "Macintosh hard drive" or the name you gave the drive.

When you select the first icon(W/d 150Gb ...) it should show all kinds of information about the drive at the bottom of the window. One thing is should show is the SMART status of the drive. If it shows "failed" then the drive cannot be repaired.

If you select the second one (macintosh hard drive) then see if it will let you repair the permissions or whatever.

Other than that I am stumped and can only advise that you take it in to the nearest Apple store or authorized service facility and have a technician look at it. Strange issue!

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Answer 9

Mr Beavis Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 7, 2006 12:48 PM in response to Al Van Malsen

Selecting either of the drives, when booting from the Installer disk, offers no access to the verify/repair options.

Al, thanks for trying. Appreciated. I'm not sure if it's a hardware or software problem.

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Answer 10

Feb 7, 2006 12:57 PM in response to Mr Beavis

I am really sorry that I can't think of anything else.

Believe it or not I am actually a L-4 poster with about 7500 posts out here. One of the things about being a L-3 or L-4 is access to a "lounge" where other L-3 and 4's hang out. Most of them have forgotten more than I will ever know so I am going to see if I can't get some of them to look at this.

Hopefully they will have some sort of answer for you. thanks for taking a minute to say "thanks" That means more to me than any "level" I may achieve out here. It's the only reason I spend time here. You have made my day. I thank you for that.

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Answer 11

J Morris

Level 1

5 points

Feb 7, 2006 2:06 PM in response to Mr Beavis

In response to the app being sluggish, it will do that since it is running off of a disc.

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Answer 12

Feb 7, 2006 5:12 PM in response to Mr Beavis

Dear Mr.Beavis.
I am sorry you are having dreadful problems with your i.MAC Intel.
I received mine two weeks ago and have not had any problems.
I did a complete reinstall as I need two partitions.
No proplems.
Not sure if you have tried a reinstall.
My i.Mac works with with magic mighty mouse and wireless mouse.
Hope you can find a solution.
Seems you are going to receive first class help.
Michael Craven.

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Answer 13

Feb 7, 2006 5:20 PM in response to michael craven1

Mr Beavis.
My disc is 5606 a.
Michael Craven.

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Answer 14

Mr Beavis Author

Level 1

6 points

Feb 7, 2006 5:55 PM in response to michael craven1

Michael, thank you for your concern. This is an odd problem. When I boot from the "Installer "disk. I can not reinstall. Neither the mouse or the keyboard will allow me to start the reinstall process. I have to use the power botton to restart the computer and eject the Installer.

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Answer 15

Rod Hagen

Level 7

32,000 points

Feb 7, 2006 7:41 PM in response to Mr Beavis

Apologies if you have already tried this, Mr Beavis, but I'd first try zapping the NVRAM (hold down command option p r keys while starting up (not restarting). Keep the keys depressed until the chimes sound threee times. THis may fix your naughty mouse.

(Intel based Mac startup key combinations are generally similar to those for PPC based macs, but you can find a listing at http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303124 if you need to check.)

Its worth remembering too, that starting up with the shift key held down will boot you into "safe" mode , and run fsck, which does essentially the same thing as running Repair Disk from disk utility anyway.

Did you disconnect all peripherals except for the keyboard and mouse when booting to the DVD? Other USB or firewire devices may cause problems with the boot process and USB operation if they require drivers enabled to work properly.

Cheers

Rod

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