Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Level 1

4 points

Color Classic w/ Question Mark

Hi all-
Please help. I have a Color Classic from days gone by. it worked superb until recently--we had a brown out and there were some storms while i was on vacation--i'm guessing that caused the problem.

Anyway, when i start her, i get the Question mark icon. When i try booting off the disk tools disk or the Install Me First Disk, it starts, but I can't "switch disks." The HD never comes up like it doesn't exist.

Please --any advice. it worked great one week ago! I'm trying to sell it too!
Thanks!

Color Classic & Power Book G4, Mac OS 8.6 or Earlier

Posted on May 25, 2006 9:31 PM

Best reply

Denis Eddy

Level 4

3,565 points

Posted on May 25, 2006 10:21 PM

Apple Mama
Welcome to the Discussions.

Quizzical Floppy signifies that the system cannot find a valid (blest) System Folder on a startup device from which to start up. The startup device can be an internal or external hard disk drive, floppy drive, CD-ROM, or Zip drive. Usually it is the internal hard drive at SCSI ID=0.

Do you hear (or feel) the CC's internal drive spin up when you press the soft-power key on the keyboard? Do you have Install floppy disks for the CC? Do you have an external SCSI CD-ROM drive and a retail Install CD? What System is the CC using?

You need to access the HDD and to mount it on the desktop, repair the HDD (if need be), reformat it, and re-install a disk driver and a working System. (If you are preparing the CC for sale, you do not need to leave more than a functional System on it.) If you wish to rescue existing personal files, there will be a different flavour to the rescue exercise.

Post back, if you wish, to let us know which of the rescue equipment (above) you have available.

View in context

19 replies

May 28, 2006 10:51 PM in response to Denis Eddy

Denis,

Thanx 4 verification on the PB boot option. I wondered if Apple left the back door open.

Jim

PS, Hope I did not seem too untactful myself. Non-hobby oriented individuals oftimes get lost in the options because multiple solutions abound.

Apple Mama Author

Level 1

4 points

May 29, 2006 9:44 AM in response to Denis Eddy

Hi guys-
Yes, I stated in my first post that i am looking to sell this CC. I never wanted to save any of the files on the HD and didn't really make mention of this. I just thought the included software would be a selling point for some that would make it a complete vintage mac (it had macwrite, macpaint, plus old versions of word, excel, pagemaker, etc).
Also my signature tag says i have a PB, but no, it is a much newer system software.
Oh well, i am just trying to sell as is now. As Jim says, i really don't want to put any more $ into it that i won't get out. It's a great little box, but i'm really not doing anything with it and am leaving for a round the world trip...so i'm trying to get rid of lots of things. If you know anyone who wants one...let me know--it's $50 + shipping.
Thanks for the help!
Lisa

May 29, 2006 12:53 PM in response to Apple Mama

I do have a spare 80 MB SCSI hard drive. I read all of your posts . To me it seems obvious that you want a very simple easy to use Mac. It is possible to achieve this too. I would recommend installing Mac OS 7.1 on the Color Classic. I have used it comfortably on my hacked Mac SE FDHD conversion so I'm positive it will work well. To me on older Macs Mac OS 7.1 provides the perfect balance between functionality & stability. It's not slow as demonstrated by my Mac SE. Yet not so fast that anything will go wrong easily. I should know. I've been trying to get my Mac Performa 405 running Mac OS 7.5.5 to run stable for years now. Essentially your Mac Color Classic is using a modified version of my logic board. The small hard drive makes it necessary to look for an alternative OS though. Given your Mac's relative age & such I'd say Mac OS 7.1 is a perfect fit. You could also attempt to run System 6.0.8L. Although it's not very well documented it is stated in the readme file of System 6.0.8L's startup disk that the Mac Color Classic was one of the Macs it was designed to work with in foreign countries. This version of the Mac OS is even easier to use than System 7. If you must have a more modern OS though I'd still recommend Mac OS 7.1.

Jun 2, 2006 2:30 PM in response to Craigwd_2000

One last thing. If you want that hard drive please email me through my profile. My email address is listed there. I live in Mankato, MN so shipping charges shouldn't be an issue either.

Color Classic w/ Question Mark