Powerbook G3 Wallstreet doesn't boot with 60GB Harddisk - Help!

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Powerbook G3 Wallstreet doesn't boot with 60GB Harddisk - Help!

I've got a Powerbook G3 Series Wallstreet, 233 MHz, 320MB RAM, working very well with a Toshiba MK1017GAP-harddisk (10GB) with OS 9.2.2, OS 10.2.8, Ubuntu 6.06 Dapper Drake.

If I put in this computer a harddisk Toshiba MK6025GAS (60GB), then I can initialize the harddisk, partition it with the Mac OS 9.2.1 Install-CD, I can even install Mac OS 10.2. After reboot, the system doesn't start from the harddisk (disk-symbol with blinking question mark appears). If I boot with a self-made bootable CD (OS 9.2.1 and 9.2.2), the harddisk appears in the finder and I can copy files to it. I tried some different partition schemes, but without success.

Resetting PRAM didn't help.

Any ideas?

1998 Powerbook G3 Series Wallstreet (M4753) Mac OS 9.2.x

Posted on Jun 8, 2006 11:20 AM

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Answer 1

jpl

Level 7

28,285 points

Jun 8, 2006 12:02 PM in response to gonzinho

gonzinho,

There are some Toshiba HDs that are not compatible with the Powerbook G3 Series but at the moment I cannot find out if yours is one. Here is one example of a Toshiba 40GB just for informational purposes; go down to the bottom of the page.
http://eshop.macsales.com/Catalog_Item.cfm?ID=5434&Item=TOSMK4026GAX

However, assuming your 60GB is compatible...

- You are familiar with the 8GB/first partition limitation with OSX on the Wallstreet?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106235

- It is formatted as MacOS Extended?

- Most 2.5" HD are set as master (not slave) with no jumper pins; if your HD has jumpers in the connector, it may be set to slave which makes it non-bootable.

- If none of the above applies, try partitioning the first partition as 7.8GB, then install just 9.2.2 in the first partition and see if it will boot. Or install 10.2 in the first partition by itself and see if it will boot.

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Answer 2

Hardy Geer

Level 4

3,166 points

Jun 8, 2006 12:59 PM in response to jpl

The 8GB limit applies to OSX only. OS9 can be on any size partition.

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Answer 3

jpl

Level 7

28,285 points

Jun 8, 2006 1:39 PM in response to Hardy Geer

Hardy,

That is correct. I thought he could go ahead and partition, then install 9.x on the first partition just to see if it would boot...sometimes it is easier working with 9.x than 10.x.

However, and surprisingly, there have been a few reports of the first-release Wallstreet also failing to boot if 9.x was outside the first 8GB; I believe these users ended up replacing their microprocessor cards since it contains the apparently faulty ROM chip.

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Answer 4

jpl

Level 7

28,285 points

Jun 8, 2006 1:52 PM in response to gonzinho

gonzinho,

Another thought came to mind but it only applies to 10.x. Some Wallstreets will not restart to 10.x to 'finish up' after a fresh install on the HD with more than 256MB of RAM. Reducing memory to finish the install works, then you replace the memory. You probably have a 64MB and a 256MB; 10.2 will boot with only 64MB of RAM but it will be very slow...the 256MB would be better if possible.

I only mention this as a remote possibility, but one which can occur with 10.x on the Wallstreet; 9.2.2 is not affected.

If you are drag-copying 9.2.1 from the booted CD to the HD, I would make sure the new System Folder on the HD is blessed. Before restarting, open the System Folder on the HD and drag the Finder and System file (suitcase) to the desktop, then close the System Folder. Now drag both files back on top of the closed System Folder...this is one way to rebless the System Folder.

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Answer 5

Hardy Geer

Level 4

3,166 points

Jun 8, 2006 3:45 PM in response to jpl

That is interesting. The reason that OSX has trouble with a larger than 8GB partition is that unlike OS9 and earlier it does not read in a driver from the disk as it's first operation. so the problem you described would seem to be with the disk formatting. The driver or the pointer to the System Folder not being correct rather than a bad ROM.

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Answer 6

gonzinho Author

Level 1

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Jun 8, 2006 6:00 PM in response to Hardy Geer

Thanks a lot for your answers. The disk isn't booting yet! 😟

- I'm familiar with the 8gb limit for OS X.
- I "formatted" to HFS+, tried also HFS (it is called "initialize", the function "format" in this programm on the OS 9.2.1-disk is not choosable)
- I partitioned the first partition of the drive to 750MB, to 2gb, to 1.5gb...
- There is no jumper present, so the drive is "master".

Hardy, you wrote: "so the problem you described would seem to be with the disk formatting".
Now, how can I format the disk with OS 9? There is only this application to initialize and partition the disk, but there I cannot choose the option "format the disk".

It was also interesting, although I don't know if it's important, as I partitioned the disk in eight 7gb-parts, I ran Norton Disk Doctor from a CD. Three or four out of the eight partitions turned out with a date-error in the Master Boot Directory (or what it's called). I fixed the date with Norton, but it didn't help.

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Answer 7

jpl

Level 7

28,285 points

Jun 8, 2006 8:08 PM in response to gonzinho

gonzinho,

I don't believe Hardy was correct...the issue was only resolved after replacing the microprocessor card; this was after endless initializing and different HDs.

OSX will only boot with HFS Extended; 9.x and earlier can boot both HFS Standard and Extended.

Apple dimmed-out the low-level format option in Drive Setup for this reason:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=24981

If you partition and then run Norton Disk Doctor, what does Disk First Aid report?

If still having problems, I would reinitialize as 1 partition, then run Drive Setup's Test Disk. If it fails, select Initialization Options and 'zero all data', then run Test Disk again. Both of these procedures will require a lot of time, but occasionally an HD will have a low-level problem that only a zeroing can fix.

Of course all of this is assuming the HD is compatible.

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