PowerMac G5 not showing boot manager or open firmware

It's acting like there is a firmware password in some respects. It should be asking for your firmware password when a firmware password was configured but it doesn't seem to be. I've never used a firmware password, so I have no direct experince with it.

1) Might try the hardware reset. I'd try this first. You will have to search around to find where the hardware reset button is on your machine. BDAQUA help?

2) Might try the procedure to delete firmware password. I'd try it. Don't think it can hurt!

Maybe your are getting the firmware password? Do you see this image?

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

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57521667-263/use-the-calculator-to-reveal-a -macs-firmware-password/

Remove one memory stick. Then do as BD suggests.

BDAqua reminds me:
Then, the PRAM must be reset 3 times. (Command + Option + p + r).
http://www.securemac.com/openfirmwarepasswordprotection.php

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You machine does boot to one partition always. Could install a linux boot manager in that partition. Yaboot on a ppc

The mac startup manager is installed in firmware cannot touch it. Linux boot manager is install on hd.

This is a mystery indeed.

I recently got a PowerMac G5 Dual 2.5 GHz (7,3) from a friend of mine, and I would like to dual-boot it between Tiger (or Leopard) and Debian PPC. However, every time I try to bring up the boot menu (hold ALT/option at boot before chime) there is simply a black screen. Same happens when I try to boot to Open Firmware (hold CMD-ALT-O-F); just a blank screen.

I press these keys then I poweron the machine.

When I try to boot from the Debian CD, it's almost as though it is ignored, as I am put straight to OS X, but I can boot from the Panther/Tiger DVDs

cd was not compatible with the PPC. If the firmware does not find a compatible os on the cd, the cd is ignored. Try cd on another ppc.

Here are some idea:

1) Check for a later version of open firmware. Install.

2) Decide how much you want to mess with the machine. could turn it into a door stop.

4) Use unix nvram command to examine firmware variables. Maybe one is set incorrectly.

5) There are unix commands for partitioning hd. They are in 10.4.11 and later.

6) Install a boot manager. When I installed Linux on my iMag g3 600, the linux install put a boot manager on my linux partition. I created three partitions on the machine. I didn't need the linux boot manager. I didn't figure out all the ins and outs of the linux boot manager, yaboot.

Robert

I forget in this long thread, but if it boots to a blank screen holding alt key, if you have an Install Disc inserted, or a bootable external drive, or another bootable partition...

Wait 30 seconds or so on the blank screen, press Right arrow then press enter.

Hmmmm, have you replaced the PRAM Battery, that can cause strange startup problem!?

If you hold t key only at bootup, do you get a big floating Firewire symbol?

So, t mode is working, just no video, we'll see what a new batteey does. :)

Once booted into OSX, does System Preferences>Startup Disk show & allow booting from another OS, Drive/Partition, or CD/DVD?

Oh, did you install some kind of boot manager yourself?

OK, when you open the Debian PPC disc in the Finder, what exact files show up?