cannot boot from disc

Question

cannot boot from disc

Holding down "C" does not boot from disc. Computer does boot normally. After entering password -- which is accepted -- there is no dock or access to apps.

Reset PRAM does not work.

G5, Dual, 1.8 GHz, 512MB RAM

Posted on Dec 26, 2012 10:10 AM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

239,225 points

Dec 26, 2012 11:21 AM in response to Doug Mathewson

Does the Disc show as a boot choice if you hold option or alt key at bootup?

See if this works...

Safe Boot from the HD, (holding Shift key down at bootup), run Disk Utility in Applications>Utilities, then highlight your drive, click on Repair Permissions, reboot when complete, test again.

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Answer 2

Dec 26, 2012 1:55 PM in response to BDAqua

I have two computers. My iMac (Intel) is connected with Ethernet to my G5.

Accessing the G5 from the iMac I see all the files. I can open docs, listen to MP3 and open anything that does not require the OS.

This is what I get with Option boot.

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Answer 3

Dec 26, 2012 2:19 PM in response to Doug Mathewson

I just found another possibility:

So you cannot get to single user mode... can you get to open firmware, and reset the non-volatile RAM?

Cmd-Opt-O-F at boot

reset-nvram

set-defaults

reset-all

(each line exactly as shown, followed by <return>)

I'm now able to repair the volumes. Waiting for it to finish and reboot.

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

239,225 points

Dec 26, 2012 2:23 PM in response to Doug Mathewson

AHA! no wonder it doesn't boot using c key, yiou have setup...

Firmware password protection in Mac OS X ...

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1352

It would block usage of all the startup keys, like C, N, T, D, CMD+s, CMD+Option+p+r, CMD +v, Option boot will show a lock, and Shift, as well as booting from anything but the Hard Drive.

Force Removing Password Protection

1) Add or remove DIMMs to change the total amount of RAM in the computer.

2) Then, the PRAM must be reset 3 times. (Command + Option + P + R).

http://www.securemac.com/openfirmwarepasswordprotection.php

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Answer 5

Dec 26, 2012 4:38 PM in response to BDAqua

Thanks for your quick response and help.

I was able to repair the disk and permissions on all volumes. On reboot I logged in using my password. No desktop or dock. Got a message that "The application Spotlight quit unexpectedly." Relaunch is blue but I can't click to try the Relaunch. Ignore and Report is unresponsive.

Setting firmware password protection is news to me. I'd have no reason to do that. Not even sure I could do it accidentally.

I'll will try your solution.

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Answer 6

Dec 26, 2012 6:20 PM in response to Doug Mathewson

I repeated Repair Disk and Repair permissions for the volume I like to login.

Ran:

(Command + Option + O + F)

2) Type "setenv security-mode none" and press return.

3) Enter in the password at the password request prompt and press return.

4) Then type "reset-all" to restart the computer.

Removed two DIMMs

This time Reset PRAM worked. (ran 3 times)

I log into my preferred volume and -- no desktop and no dock.

This time Option works and I chose another volume.

No problem! Logged into that volume without hitch.

????

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Answer 7

BDAqua

Level 10

239,225 points

Dec 26, 2012 11:01 PM in response to Doug Mathewson

Great work.

To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

Open System Preferences>Accounts, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

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