Hi my name is Jeremy and I have an iBook G4 laptop that powers up, shows the apple logo, and the loading gear pops up but it gets no further. I know it's an old machine but it's all I have right now and I would like to repair it if possible. Help??
iBook, Mac OS X (10.0.x), iBook G4
Hi, Jeremy. Welcome to Apple Support Communities.
Can you tell exactly which model it is?
You can choose from this list:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ibook/index-ibook.html
Also, no iBook G4 can run Mac OS X 10.0.x, so it would be helpful if you can tell us which version of the OS is installed.
Do you have the system discs that came with the iBook when it was new? Do you have any other system install discs?
Are you able to start up in Safe Mode?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1455?viewlocale=en_US
If this works you will see the normal desktop Once completely started up in Safe Mode, try to restart normally and go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility. Click on the top hard drive icon in the left sidebar and note the S.M.A.R.T. status at the bottom right of the pane. What does it say?
Select the named boot volume in the left sidebar, ("Macintosh HD" unless it has been renamed). What is the hard drive capacity and how much space remains available on it? Repair permissions on it.
See if you are able to do a little hard drive maintenance to help things out.
Thanks for your reply! Well to the best of my knowledge, and according to the specs beneath the keyboard I would say it's the iBook G4/1.0 12in...1.0GHz PowerPC 7447a (G4). Also I do not have any of the original software or disks as the laptop was passed down to me. As far as the OS, I really don't recall which one I am running it's whatever was already on it, and being the computer will not boot I don't know how to check for it unless you have some advice there. I have tried to boot in safe mode as well, and no luck there.
Without any system discs, I'm afraid I can't think of anything else to try.
Usually, holding down the x key at startup will force one to boot into OS X, but if a Safe Boot didn't work, that probably won't work, either.
You really need the system discs.
Well I had the same problem
Well this is my personal fix
If you have another iBook same model
Therorticly you can use fire wire in target disc mode to boot up the failed computer and attempt to fix it
Well I just copied the OS to restore the computer
Cation don't do as I say unless you don't want any data on your computer
You can boot it like this to copy your data to a backup
And always backup your computers always
Hope this works and or helps. You
Yes system disks is where I'm stuck. What do you do when you have no disks? Where can I get them?
This is the disc set you're looking for:
http://www.ifixit.com/iBook-Parts/iBook-G4-12-Inch-1-GHz-Restore-CDs/IF183-038
Out of stock at iFixit. eBay may be your best bet.
Or you could use iFixit's Notify Me form for when they have them back in stock:
What method did you use to copy? You must clone or it won't be a bootable system.
ibook g4 won't boot...
