Catch me before I cry!

[ldg40]

So I just did the new MacOSX 10.4.3 (I think thats the one) on my G4. Now no matter what I try the computer won't start back-up. Goes to the gray screen that says to hold down power button to shut off. I tried to perhaps revert back, by putting the Tiger cd in a boot from that. But still the gray screen.
I am absolutly beside myself. Anyone have any advice?

[Scott]

Grey screen with white text in several languages?

[Silky]

Oh geez, Linda...I'm sorry! I haven't updated to the 10.4.3 because I read about so many people having issues after updating.. I've been too chicken to do the update. Scott did though...maybe he'll have some advice for you.

[Scott]

Any external drives connected?

[ldg40]

Yep gray screen with all the languages. No external drives connected.

Thanks Silky...I've never had a sick MAC before :(

[Scott]

Okay.. It's just a kernal Panic.

Disconnect everything except the keyboard, mouse and monitor, insert the Tiger CD, hold down the C key and boot.. does it boot up?

[ldg40]

It boots up, but just to gray screen. I'll try what you've suggested.

[Newby]

And this is another reason why Macs are EVIL :D

[Scott]

[QUOTE=Newby]And this is another reason why Macs are EVIL :D[/QUOTE]

I updated two systems... no issues. Just reset the Priority RAM on one of them.

[Silky]

[QUOTE=Newby]And this is another reason why Macs are EVIL :D[/QUOTE]

And I'm sure Linda doesn't really need to hear this right now. Let's be supportive instead of dissing the Mac.

[ldg40]

Okay it's booted. I am to the welcome to the MACosx Installer. Should I just select continue?

[Scott]

Okay.. from the menu pick Tools (I think it might be utilities) > Disk Utility. Select your hard drive on the left. Then check repair disk... let it run.. then check repair permissions. Then restart.. see if it boots

[ldg40]

I have this message in a pop-up, after the repair disk was ran."The underlying task reported faliure on exit."

Within the first aid window it says in red: "The volume untitled could not be repaired" Also "1 volume could not be repaired beacuse of error"

Should I run the Repair disk permissions anyway?

[Scott]

Oh that's a very bad sign, Linda. At this point, I'm hoping you have backups of all the files on the drive.


Run repair disk again and see if it reports the same issue.

[Dave]

Supportive mode - GO Tiger!

[ldg40]

[QUOTE=Jolt]Oh that's a very bad sign, Linda. At this point, I'm hoping you have backups of all the files on the drive.


Run repair disk again and see if it reports the same issue.[/QUOTE]

Nope no back-ups. Only one job with completed stuff. I'll have to do a re-build. I can live without that, but not my G4. Remember when I lost power last week? Took a big lightening strike, lost my usb hub, but everything else ran fine, could it be this as well? Does homeowners Insurance cover this kind of thing?

The first red message in the first aid is "Illegal name" Just finished everything is the same as before. I'm screwed aren't I?

[Scott]

Okay illegal name means there's a file with an odd character in it somewhere. You can try going back to the installer. Click to install and choose the ARCHIVE AND INSTALL option and choose to retain user and network info. This will reinstall the OS and leave your files in tact. This may get you around the illegal name.

[ldg40]

Okay, in the process of a install. I'll keep you posted. I have no words to express my gratitude, just walking me through this is a tremedous help, whether it fixes it or not.

Okay..it says error installing. Should I try the "Erase and install" now?

[Scott]

Well if you erase and install all your data is gone.

Did the repair disk every report a clean disk? Or did it always have errors?

Did you get an Apple Hardware Test CD with the Tiger purchase?

From the looks of it erase and install maybe your only option. But you will lose all data.

[ldg40]

Nope no hardware test CD. Never a clean report on the disk repair. I'll try the erase and install.

[TrinityOfOne]

Hardware test should be on one of the Tiger CDs (or whichever OS shipped with your system).

[Scott]

No, there's an actual Apple Hardware Test CD that ships separately. I wasn't sure if it came with the Tiger retail pack.

[TrinityOfOne]

As far as I know, you only get that with Applecare. My G5 shipped with Panther which had 3 CDs, the first 2 are the install discs and the 3rd is the Apple Hardware Test.

[ldg40]

Well there it is like a virgin, so to speak.... Thanks to you Jolt, I at least have my G4 back in working order. (thank you everyone else for your kind words and support) I've lost everything from the end of June 05 and on. I can deal with this, but could not deal with the purchase or repair of a new computer. This surely would be the straw to break this camels back. Who knows how much $$$ you've saved me Jolt! Your are priceless for sure.

So to evaluate the situation:
1. Did the lightning strike have anything to with this drama?
2. Is the latest Tiger upgrade safe for users with an older MAC?
3. If you make your living on your computer, then you are a complete and total moron if you do not back up to disk, cd, whatever!
4. I am assured there will Pixel Addiction when I get to Heaven :)

Again, Thank You :)

[Silky]

Linda...I'm so sorry you lost so much of your work, but on the bright side, you still have your computer to work on. I'm glad things weren't as dire as they could have been. :hug:

[ldg40]

Thank you Silky! Just glad at least all my PA work is tucked safetly away here. I am off to set up the new system now. It's the 8 page webpage I built for a client, that disturbs me the most. Rebuilding should be good practice, but I don't look forward to it!!

And the hugs are just what I need right now :)

[Scott]

It was most likely a coincidence with the upgrade Linda. I seriously doubt the upgrade caused the issue. It probably just made an existing issue more prominent. Recheck the drive with "Repair Disk" if the errors are still there, start shopping for a new hard drive and start keeping regular backups. IDE drives are pretty cheap anymore. You can probably get one the same size for around $50 and the installation is very very easy. You can do it yourself.

[ldg40]

[QUOTE=Jolt] You can probably get one the same size for around $50 and the installation is very very easy. You can do it yourself.[/QUOTE]

Very, very easy!?? I'll just submit this smiley in response! :jump: Ya wanna know how to get that nasty stain out of your shirt, well then that is easy! But as always, I will trust you on this Jolt! Just send a link to where I should get it and it will be in the mail tomorrow. I am at your mercy! :) (well, yours and the puters!)

To anyone else out there... this G4, ya just pop the lever and the whole thing lays out to you like a Christmas present, completely mind-boggling. So I must admit. it does look easy, no screws or nothing! I LOVE my MACs, always do, always will! :)

EDIT: An additional recap: Disk repair is not available anymore (not clickable, wonder why?) however I did a disk permission thing and all appeared to be well. Never-the-less, I've lots of CD's for back-up!

[Thnx4altehFish]

Wow; sure glad I missed all this Drama yesterday - I would've
been biting my nails all nite at work wondering if ya got your
Mac back up! Knock on wood - mine has yet to hiccup.

I have yet to try the newest update to OS X - my little G4 PB
is my only link to the net right now.
The discussion forums on the Apple site are usually where I gauge
my decisions as to updates, and how fast I jump into that fray.
At last count I'm showing at least 6 items to update; a time consuming
task on a 56k dial-up.

My G3 B/W box opens like the G4, and they really are easy to
open and work on. Good luck with that L.

Three cheers for the PA/Jolt quick fix;
how true it could've been a whole lot worse.

I usually run disk utility (repair permissions) and Onyx to tidy up
and re-set everything, plus backup to an external Maxtor, before I
try to update anything.
(Does that plan sound pretty good to you guys?)

[down2earth2]

Reading this was more nerve-racking than any suspense thriller I've seen lately.

[Scott]

[QUOTE=ldg40]Disk repair is not available anymore (not clickable, wonder why?) however I did a disk permission thing and all appeared to be well. Never-the-less, I've lots of CD's for back-up![/QUOTE]

You must boot off another CD/Disk to repair the disk. It won't work on the disk you're using the application on.

[ldg40]

Well here's the final recap. I am finally up and running on a brand spanking new hard-drive. I even splurged on a new mouse while I was out. After rebates the hard-drive will only be approx 35$. (thank you dearly, to you know who for the excellent link to the hard-drive). The only thing that tripped me up was after the new hard-drive was in I had to "erase" it before I could use it. It was certainly a breeze after that. If I could do it, anyone can. :)

Just wondering now if it would be even possible to take my old hard-drive to some guru to try and retrieve any old files? That is after, I did the complete erase and new OS install.

My thank you's to everyone for your support! And especially to Jolt for holding my hand through-out this entire ordeal. I could never have come through this in one piece with out you!:)

[Newby]

I don't know if this will work for you, but you can always give it a shot, :D

Here you go (http://www.datarescue.com/photorescue/)

[ldg40]

Thanks for the link Josh, but it seems you need to still have to have the hard drive in your computer? Mine is sitting in the corner with a "dunce cap" on sulking.

[Newby]

[QUOTE=ldg40]Thanks for the link Josh, but it seems you need to still have to have the hard drive in your computer? Mine is sitting in the corner with a "dunce cap" on sulking.[/QUOTE]


I don't know how Macs work, but can you plug the bad one back in as a slave drive, boot from the new drive install the recovery program on the new drive and run the program to check the bad drive..

I hope that made sense. Any Mac user want to confirm or deny that I'm a raving lunatic :D and that this would work.

[Thnx4altehFish]

ldg40,
I think you can get an enclosure for the external (one you removed)
and be able to hook it up via firewire (or USB would be cheaper);
and you did get it to run before you pulled it (yes?).
Pretty sure I've read this can be done.
There's a company in the Mac mags that advertises they can
rescue the data off "trashed" drives. DiscRescue - or something
like that.

Just glad that ended so well; it really did make my stomach weak
to read your post there at the beginning.
I'd been in the Apple forums last nite; pondering the
overnite download of that upgrade.
Think I'll wait a liiiiiiiiiiittle bit longer.

[ldg40]

Hey All, I just want to clarify that I DID download the 10.4.3 upgrade after I had the new hard-drive working. I figured I had nothing to lose at that point! ;) Anyway, it all went smoothly and is working fine.

Thnx4 and Newby, I am still checking around on this data recovery stuff. Thank you for help! :)

[Scott]

Linda, as Josh said... you should be able to plug in the old drive as well, or use an enclosure for it. Either way. But I thought you erased that drive as well?

Don't worry about the needing to format the drive before you could use it. That's standard. Most new drives either aren't formatted or are formatted for PCs.

[ldg40]

Yeah Jolt, I did an "erase and install" which is why I was wondering if data retrival is even possible. (they say nothing is really gone)

[Scott]

True, but chance of recovery is slim and the cost for anyone who could actually recover the data would kind of be prohibitive.

[ldg40]

[QUOTE=Jolt]the cost for anyone who could actually recover the data would kind of be prohibitive.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that's kinda what I thought as well. I guess I'll have to have a positive attitude when re-building the things that need to be done. Just think of the practice-right? Besides, I feel like a have a brand new computer again! It could have all been sooo much worse.

[1cowabunga]

ldg... I'm so sorry for your loss. I've been talking about doing a backup for like a year and have been puting it off. I finally saved a bunch of stuff and put it on a dvd last night. Thanks for the reminder!

[ldg40]

1cowabunga, if this thread serves only the purpose to allow people to remember to BACK IT UP! Then in a small way, this whole nightmare was worth it. :)

[Chris49]

I don't know about that Linda, I've always said- It's better it happened to you, then me. :D :D :D :jk:

[snowflakejen]

I feel your pain!!! Hard drive crashed back in August. I was forever getting it back together and lost a great deal of work. I now back up faithfully. It is a verry hard lesson to learn.

Best wishes to you Idg40.

[Bill E Goat]

It's very painful indeed losing hardrive info. I had this happen to me many years ago and since then I have always had a dual hardrive pc, my backup software only takes 6 minutes to do a full archive of my C drive partition using Acronis True Image scheduled for once per week, 10 minutes to do my D drive 35,000 images and media files there. Losing that would take forever to recover from. :-(

I am that paranoid I even have an external USB hardrive that I use to keep yet another copy of my Media drive, that I keep seperate from my pc and office once backed up. If you have a spare hardrive laying around collecting dust consider purchasing an external USB case, these are cheap and very simple to setup, basically plug and play just like the pen drives many people have nowadays.

Speaking from a Windows perspective, backup and hardrive recovery software is a great investment. The software I use allows for a complete restoration from either your boot screen or rescue disks. Plus you have the added benefit if you somehow mangle a program or lose a file you can restore the said individual file or folder from the backup drive within the OS. Hardrive storage is relatively cheap nowadays and for peace of mind it's a lifesaver.

[ldg40]

Hey Bill- Lots of useful info you given! I am considering an additional hard drive. I should have purchased one at the same time. Just too scrambled to think of it at the time.

Paranoid is my new nick name! My current clients gladly re-submitted files to me today. They were surprisingly understanding :). I am getting back on my feet now, while never forgetting the lessons I've learned along the way. I've two cd's with back-ups just today!

[Redneck]

Hard drive failure is the pits. I also have an external drive that I use for backups very cheap insurance. I try to backup once a week so I will loose a minimum of data. Invest, you'll be proud you did.