Q: Trying to reinstall OS Tiger on G4<> Stuck at Destination
Something happened to this old G4 more then 10 years ago.
I just put it away and got a new laptop at the time.
I'm thinking of selling it but would like to get it working first.
When turning it on I got a tiny little question mark on a blue screen.
When I put the original Tiger install disk in I was guided through all the familiar steps up to Select a Destination.
At Select a Destination the box to choose a destination is empty.
However I do seem to have access to the utilities<> see pics
I don't want to mess up here so I'm reaching out for help.
Thank you in advance
Posted on Apr 28, 2015 12:53 PM
For some instances of a flashing question mark or folder, appearing on attempted startup
there is this Apple support article that covers the topic in a few ways; but not all of them:
•A flashing question mark or globe appears when you start your Mac - Apple Support
This tells a method that is in use with modern OS X versions that have a Recovery partition
on the hard disk drive, whereas your older OS X has the Disk Utility on a bootable install DVD
or perhaps an earlier computer would have installers on CD media. So that is not applicable
to your situation where their point of reference is for the newer method, yet it does apply when
you substitute your install-restore bootable OS X Tiger disc media to attempt the solution.
There also is a SafeBoot mode where you hold the shift key down on attempted startup to
see if the OS X will start in a reduced mode, not sure if this may help if the HDD has damage
or if data on it is missing or erased, etc. The following link is to safeboot or safe mode:
•Try 'safe mode' if your Mac doesn't finish starting up - Apple Support
Since Tiger 10.4 is essentially obsolete several of the system references portray later terms
and the articles now available don't exactly apply. Some older web sites such as MacAttorney
or The XLab.com site may have points of reference closer to the Tiger OS X 10.4.x era...
•Resolving Disk, Permissions and Cache Corruption:
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/repairprocess.html
{from http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/faqs.html}
•OS X Maintenance and Troubleshooting: see 'clickable' table of contents
(note: author's cautions; & links go to new articles)
http://www.macattorney.com/ts.html
This last link is a general reference; some of the links were updated or go to new content
at Apple Support, whereas before the update, they went to more vintage content. Note the
link about •Try 'safe mode' in blue, -- it is more applicable to Tiger 10.4 or Leopard 10.5,
than where later link to SafeBoot in Yosemite 10.10 is concerned. Essentially they're similar.
Perhaps if I had time earlier, more of this may have been posted; some of my old links
were not adequate and required double-checking their viability. Hopefully this helps as
a point of reference, or should someone happen along and wonder about this thread.
In any event...
Good luck & happy computing!
Posted on May 10, 2015 11:36 PM