Q: Can't eject disc from desktop iMac. Can only get as far as screen illuminating and keypad eject button has no effect although disc can be heard whirling round?

Command eject worked. Now all I get on power up (with disc ejected) is the illuminated screen no desk top icon or keyboard response.  what shouldI do now?

1/     I can now eject discs

2/.    Mouse is now working.

3/     I have loaded two OSx start-up discs which self-ejected so I presume that info is in the iMac.

4/     I put in Snow Leopard disc which was accepted and went through 'Agree to terms'.

5/     I'm now stuck at prompt 'Select the disc where you want to install OSX disc'  the is a blank box but no options are given.  nb I'm trying to install Snow       Leopard!                

1/     I can now eject discs from iMac.

2/     When I try to run the black OSX discs or Snow Leopard I can hear them running but they don't seem to be doing anything.

3/     Current situation is that when I power-up from shut-down I hear a high-pitched single tone (not the usual bong) then a muti-tone start-up and then a blank blue screen. After a while there appears in the middle of the screen a folder icon with just a question mark and it flashes on and off.

4/     There is no response from USB keyboard, USB mouse or a wireless mouse.

5/     When you say open Disc Utilities from the Utilities Menu I presume you mean from the 'Finder Window-Go-utilities Application'. I can't get that far to do that.

Thank you for your prompt replies.  I've studied  'About startup tones', 'Using Apple Hardware Test' and 'Startup key combinations for intel-bases Macs'

1/     There is no problem now with ejecting discs.

2/     With or without startup disc 2 inserted startup tone is heard on powering up.

3/     'D' key held on startup before grey screen appears. AHT icon doesn't appear but a folder icon with a ? mark showing does and it flashes on and off      regularly.

4/     Keyboard or USB mouse have no effect.

5/     The screen display is the same if 'C', 'D' or 'Command R' is pressed an held during startup.

6     Is it possible I have a faulty USB keyboard?

Clarity question - you can't still boot normally? Is that correct.  Answer Yes, I can't boot up normally. Disc ejection is now O K.

1/ Power-up with no peripherals or network devices fitted.  Grey screen and after a while a flashing ?.

2/ Power-up with known good Apple keyboard and shift key pressed. Same result as 1/.

3/ Power-up with OSX install disc #1 (10.5.2) and holding C key down ejects disc and gives grey screen with flashing ?.

4/ Power-up with OSX install disc #2. Same result as 1/.

5/ Power-up holding D key.  Same result as /1.

6/ Power-up holding T key.  Firewire icon moving around on screen.

7/ Power-up holding R key.  Same result as 1/.

Could you advise further please/

All of the start-up options I've tried end up with the the same result. A grey screen and after 35 seconds a flashing question mark.

I've tried a different approach and seem to have got further. I've found installation discs 1 and 2 that came with machine,10.5.x Leopard. it was upgraded to Snow Leopard later with disc purchased from Apple, three sets if I remember correctly.

1/ Insert 10.5.x and hold down C on start-up.  Grey screen appears with Apple logo and spinning gear wheel then blue screen and language option.

2/ Mac OSx Leopard installer. Keyboard and mouse operational.  Terms and condition - agree.

3/ Then 'Select a Destination' Where do you want to install Mac OSx?  Five icons displayed including 'Finder'. None of which respond to mouse click.

4/ Displayed across top of screen is 'Apple for Mac OS Installer' (version 1.0.3) with drop-downs      File     Edit     Utilities     Window.

5/ Selected 'Utilities'/  Grey screen with Apple logo and spinning gear wheel. Then blue screen.   

6/ Selected 'Verify Disc' (Only one of four highlighted).  Result was 'Error The underlying task reported failure on exit'. Install disc 1 is still in disc drive.

What would you advise that I do now?

Using 'Leopard' (I misled you saying it was Snow Leopard') Install Disc 1. I can now get as far as 'Disc Utility" and window opens is 'Mac OSX Install Disc 1'.  I click on 'First Aid' and then 'Verify Disc Permissions'. ('Verify Disc Permissions' is the only one of the four options highlighted.) I get, in red, 'Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit.  Permissions verification complete.

If it is any help I have a pair of discs for 'Tiger'.  Are all instal discs 2 the same?