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[LostAngeles]

My ignorance knows no bounds!

I run an older G4 with these specs:
Machine Name: Power Mac G4 (AGP graphics)
Machine Model: PowerMac3,1
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (2.9)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 500 MHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 1 MB
Memory: 512 MB
Bus Speed: 100 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 3.2.4f1

Some time ago when I was still using system 9, I was running out of space on my hard drive so I deleted some items to make room. Shortly thereafter, whenever I put it to sleep and started it up again, about half the time the cursor would stick and I would have to re-start.

Then I installed Tiger 10.4 thinking it would solve the problem. It didn't.

I installed an external hard drive and moved most of my stuff over to it, but did not delete anything.

A couple of days ago I received a software update 10.4.11 and told it to install the system update and a QuickTime update (Flip4Mac).

On re-start all icons on the desktop mover to the far right stacked up on top of each other from top to bottom and no programs can be opened. I cannot open my hard drive.

I inserted my Tiger disc and ran First Aid. I have run 'repair permissions' and 'repair disc' to no avail.
I went back to system 9 and ran Norton. Nothing works.

I finally gave up and decided to archive and re-install Tiger. The problem no is that it wants almost 4 gigs of space and I have only about 3 and I cannot get to my hard drive to throw anything else out (which started this whole mess anyway!)

The only thing working is Nutscrape 7.2, which is how I'm able to access the web. That is on the dock, but Safari, which is on the dock also, does NOT work. Strange!

Any help would be very much appreciated. I am ready to toss it and go buy a new machine. Hmmm... not a bad idea!

Mucho thanks!!

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

I run an older G4 with these specs:
Machine Name: Power Mac G4 (AGP graphics)
Machine Model: PowerMac3,1
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (2.9)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 500 MHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 1 MB
Memory: 512 MB
Bus Speed: 100 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 3.2.4f1

Some time ago when I was still using system 9, I was running out of space on my hard drive so I deleted some items to make room. Shortly thereafter, whenever I put it to sleep and started it up again, about half the time the cursor would stick and I would have to re-start.

Then I installed Tiger 10.4 thinking it would solve the problem. It didn't.

I installed an external hard drive and moved most of my stuff over to it, but did not delete anything.

A couple of days ago I received a software update 10.4.11 and told it to install the system update and a QuickTime update (Flip4Mac).

On re-start all icons on the desktop mover to the far right stacked up on top of each other from top to bottom and no programs can be opened. I cannot open my hard drive.

I inserted my Tiger disc and ran First Aid. I have run 'repair permissions' and 'repair disc' to no avail.
I went back to system 9 and ran Norton. Nothing works.

I finally gave up and decided to archive and re-install Tiger. The problem no is that it wants almost 4 gigs of space and I have only about 3 and I cannot get to my hard drive to throw anything else out (which started this whole mess anyway!)

The only thing working is Nutscrape 7.2, which is how I'm able to access the web. That is on the dock, but Safari, which is on the dock also, does NOT work. Strange!

Any help would be very much appreciated. I am ready to toss it and go buy a new machine. Hmmm... not a bad idea!

Mucho thanks!!

AFAIK, you need 15% of your Hard Drives total space for Tiger or any OS to function properly. So if you have the 27 GB Hard Drive (which I think you have on your AGP Power Mac G4) then you would need more than the 3 GBs you say is left.

Try this .... Select everything on your desktop and go to Finder ~> View ~> Clean Up, does this sort your desktop icons so you can see them properly?

Can you get to your HD contents by pressing Command + A for the Apps folder and Command + H for your Home directory?

If you get into your Apps folder, try to launch Safari and other apps directly from there.

If all your personal files/data is already backed up on the external HD, then I'd suggest you may need to do a fresh install of OS X but when you are about to format the drive, go into Options and select "Zero Out" the data. This will totally erase everything by writing zeros over everything.

Hopefully this will get rid of whatever it is that is plaguing your Power Mac and you can start over again.

Another option you may want to try first is to use FireWire Target Disc Mode. This involves hooking your Power Mac up to another compatible Mac using a 6 pin to 6 pin FireWire cable and you can then gain access to your Power Macs Drive which will be mounted on the "Host's" or other Macs desktop just like any external Drive is. That way you could clean out some stuff to make more room.

Another thing is that I've seen a few issues around about that 10.4.11 update but I'm not sure if Software Update was a part of the problem there. Anyway, you can always download it directly from Apple as a standalone update, then install it without needing to run Software Update.

You would need the "Combo" update in that respect. Or you can decide not to download it too.


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