Starts in Open Firmware. No OS

Slow Horse,

I am havin the same problem with my Lombardi. I have been able to boot from the disc, but not consistently and I have reset the nvram

slow horse,

First, make sure you are properly resetting the PRAM. Allow three startup chimes before you release the keys.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238

If it still boots into Open Firmware, try resetting OF by following these steps:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=42642

If you are able to resolve the OF problem but still are unable to boot to a CD...

- Shut down the Pismo > open the optical drive > load your System CD > power on while pressing the 'option' key. This will bring up the Startup Manager; select the CD as the boot-volume, then continue.

- The Pismo requires the original Powerbook G3 FireWire CDs or a retail MacOS 9.0.4 CD or later. In most cases, a machine-specific CD (iBook, iMac, Power Mac, etc.) will not boot your Pismo although some should if they are OS 9.1 or newer.

- If it still will not boot to CD, you may have a failing DVD-ROM drive, common to the Pismo.

If you are able to successfully boot to CD, be sure to use Drive Setup to reinitialize the HD; select MacOS Extended Format (HFS+).

If you have been removing the microprocessor card to swap HDs, the microprocessor card may not be fully seated. Remove the top memory module, then press down VERY, VERY hard on the right side of the card next to the HD and closest to the palm rest where the connector lies. You may even hear a click when the card fully seats.

Slow Horse,

I am havin the same problem with my Lombardi. I have
been able to boot from the disc, but not consistently
and I have reset the nvram, PRAM,PMU. I am booting from a Tech Tool disc into OS X. After the open firmware comes up I Type

"mac-boot" enter, then
"c". I did get it up running long enough to run TECH tools and First Aid. Everything is working OK, but still it will not boot on its own. Or it will run for a short time and power down or a dialogue box comes up saying to restart. It will only restart though by pulling the battery and AC.
Any help appreciated.

Doug,

One frequent problem with your Lombard is a failed backside L2 cache. If you are still able to boot to your TechTool Pro, specifically run Tests > Hardware > Cache. If you have only TechTool Deluxe, it will not have this test.

If you are able to boot to a MacOS 8.6 > 9.2.1 CD, open the Apple System Profiler > Memory and see if your 512K of L2 cache is reported. If you are able to boot to a "Classic" CD, will it continue to run from this CD if you just let the 'book sit.

Do you have a working main battery?

JPL

I do have a working main battery and I have tried booting with and without it. When it was running I ran system profiler and there was 512 K in the L2 Cache.
I have tech tool delux. I have not been able to boot from my orignal install disk, only from the Tech Tool Delux and not all the time. When it does boot and run it will run for 10 minutes to an hour then just power down on its own or through up a dialogue box saying to restart computer.

Doug

slow horse,

Until the issue of why you are booting into OF is solved, installing a fresh OS on the HD will not help; the boot into OF occurs long before any software loads. A normal cold start will produce the startup chime, then the raster (gray screen), then either a flashing '?' (no bootable volume found) or it starts to load the OS. I don't know why you are getting into OF. If the powerbook worked normally before you removed the HD, remove it again (and leave it out), then see if you can start to a normal startup chime and get to the flashing '?'. If you can, then see if it will boot a CD. If this is a successful test, then something may be wrong with the HD and/or HD ribbon cable.

However, assuming you solve the OF issue, this article discusses the differences between the Restore CD and the System Install CD. You should be able to boot to either barring any hardware problem.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=31204

If you cannot boot to the CDs, you can connect the Pismo to your iBook via FireWire Target Disk Mode:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58583

You of course can also remove the HD, place it in an external FireWire or USB HD case and install software from the iBook.

If you have access to a FireWire CDRW or DVD burner, you can in most cases boot to a CD or DVD when connecting to the Pismo's FireWire port. Use the option key startup in this case.

If you connect to an iBook, you will not be able to use your Powerbook G3 Software CDs; the installer on the Powerbook CD sees an iBook, not a Pismo. If connected via FireWire Target Disk Mode, the Pismo is seen as just another external HD, nothing else. Depending on which version iBook you have, you can follow one of two procedures, and both will work regardless of how you connect the Pismo's HD to the iBook.

1. If the Pismo's HD mounts on the iBook's desktop, use 9.x's Drive Setup to initialize the HD; this will also automatically update the HD driver. If using 10.x's Disk Utility to initialize the HD, make sure you check the option 'Install MacOS 9 HD Driver'; if you do not, your Pismo will not boot to 9.x. When initializing with 10.x, be SURE to select the topmost name in the list in the left column; this is the HD's model number...do not select the HD's user-given name.

2. If the iBook has 9.1 > 9.2.2 installed, you should be able to drag-copy the System Folder from the iBook to the Pismo's HD. Be sure the System Folder is "blessed" after dragging it over to the HD: Open the System Folder icon, double-click the System file (suitcase), then close all windows.

3. You can also use the iBook's System CDs to install software on the Pismo's HD. Depending on what version software came with the iBook:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=42929

If the above instructions are not the correct version, please let me know exactly what OS came with the iBook.

slow horse,

I have no confirmation that bad RAM can cause an automatic boot into OF, but if none of the usual resets corrects the issue, then there is a hardware failure causing this behavior. Since I don't know what hardware might be involved, RAM is at least one component that the user can test. Removing the HD did not help. If you have two memory modules, then you can test each individually, at least with 9.x. But if one of your modules is only a 64MB, then you will never boot OSX, so keep your testing to 9.x.

Your Pismo will run Tiger/10.4 nicely so you can install it via the USB HD.

I would first try this approach:

Since you have a dual-boot iBook G3 (as do I) and assuming you have a bootable 9.x installed on your iBook, I would boot into 9.x, then connect the USB HD. You can check the HD with Disk First Aid to see what turns up. If all appears healthy, select the USB HD in the Startup Disk control panel, then restart...see if it will boot your USB HD with 9.x. My iBook G3 will NOT boot 9.x via USB but it will via FireWire. This may be my problem: I have a combo FireWire/USB HD with three partitions...9.2.2, 10.3.9, and 10.4.7. Even though I can select the 9.2.2 partition in the Startup Disk control panel, it will not boot. When the HD is connected via USB, none of the partitions shows up in the Startup Disk Manager either (option-key start). My only explanation for this behavior is the presence of OSX on the HD. I do not have another external HD with only 9.2.2 so I can test this theory, but be sure to give it a try with your iBook.

Note: Starting with the Pismo, you should be able to boot a USB device if running 9.x; you cannot boot 10.x via USB (the new MacTels may support this feature).

I suggest installing just 9.x to see if your iBook will boot from the USB HD...this will verify the HD is OK. However, if you cannot boot to the USB HD with your iBook, you will just have to assume the hardware is OK.

You might also consider reinitializing the USB HD when booted to 9.x on your iBook, then drag-copying the 9.2.2 System Folder from the iBook to the USB HD (use only MacOS Extended Format)...then see if it will boot to the USB HD.

slow horse,

If drag-copying the 9.2.2 System Folder from your iMac to the Pismo's HD did not work, I suspect there is a problem here that I just cannot diagnose.

However, you should be able to install a fresh OS 9.1 from your host, the iMac, to the Pismo's HD via FireWire Target Disk Mode.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58583

Boot the iMac to your MacOS 9.1 CD, then connect the Pismo in Target Disk Mode to the iMac. When you start the installer, the Pismo's HD should be one of the available targets (it is just another HD to the installer). However, before installing software, I would open Drive Setup in the Utilities folder and initialize the HD with MacOS Extended Format but also check 'zero all data' in Initialization Options. Once this procedure is complete, run Drive Setup's Test Disk to make sure the HD is sound. Now go to the installer and run. When complete, make sure you properly unmount the Pismo from the iMac to avoid corrupting the Pismo's HD:

"4. When you are finished copying files, drag the target computer's hard disk icon to the Trash or select Put Away from the File menu (Mac OS 9) or Eject from the File menu (Mac OS X).
5. Press the target computer's power button to turn it off.
6. Unplug the FireWire cable."