Startup disk problem

[iBook315]

I hope someone can help.

From OS 10.3, I switched to Mac Os 9 classic to use an application (Art Explosion).
All I got was a gray screen and a floppy disk with a pulsing question mark.

I tried booting from the original (came with computer) OX 10. Since it is an older version, it couldn't be installed.

I tried booting from OS 9.2 CD and was able to get a smiling Macintosh.

But that's it.

Can anyone help me get back to OS 10 or at least open the classic environment?

Urgently needing help,
iBook315

 

[Ric]

Hi there and welcome,

do you have a 10.3 install disk ?

Have you tried restarting holding down the option key ? That should allow you to switch back to OSX ?

regards

Ric

 

[iBook315]

Ric,
No- don't have 10.3 Install disk.
Tried holding option key down and it shows a circular arrow, my hard drive icon and a right arrow. Clicked right arrow and disc tray popped open.

 

[Ric]

What happens if you click your Hard drive icon ?

Can you explain a the cahin of events from before..."I switched to Mac Os 9 classic to use an application "

Did you just double click Art Explosion so that classic should launch or did you go to the System Preferences and select OS 9 as the startup volume ?

regards

Ric

 

[iBook315]

ooopsy...
Clicked on the circular arrow and clock showed ticking for a few seconds and then ...nothing.

Thanks in advance.

 

[iBook315]

Let me recall....
I double-clicked on a Word document (w/c automatically opens the classic environment) I inserted the Art Explosion disc and I clicked on it but nothing happened. So I went to Systems Pref and chose OS 9. That when I got a floppy disk with a pulsating question mark.

 

[Ric]

So I went to Systems Pref and chose OS 9

...and then restarted ?

 

[iBook315]

Yup, then restarted>floppy disk with question mark.

 

[Ric]

OK,

It's a little tricky without the OS Install disk.

Try restarting and hold down the command and s key this should boot you into single user mode...

Let us know if this boots...you should see a lot of text and end up with a prompt.

regards

Ric

 

[iBook315]

Hi, Ric.

Did what you asked. I pressed restart while pressing command and s. Gray screen came up showing the finder icon for a second and that went and changed into floppy disk with flashing '?'. Stayed like that for a minute or so then screen went black.

Should I get the OS 10.3.9 install disk then?

Thanks.
Vera

 

[iBook315]

OK,

It's a little tricky without the OS Install disk.

Try restarting and hold down the command and s key this should boot you into single user mode...

Let us know if this boots...you should see a lot of text and end up with a prompt.

regards

Ric

Hello, Ric.

Followed your instructions and I am seeing a lot of text ending with "localhost#__" It looks all so technical!!!!
Now what should I do? What can I do???

Thanks.
Vera

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

now that you are in the terminal we can try and run a disk repair utility thats built in...


At the prompt...

type

/sbin/fsck -fy

Theres a space after the k

then press return

This will manually run FSCK...then once it has finished (it may take a while) type

reboot

and press return.

Then lets see what happens !t

regards

Ric

 

[iBook315]

Ric,
A gray screen with smiling macintosh in the middle popped up and a spinning colorwheel appeared on top left corner. While cd is making lots of noise, blue screen shows with OS 10 installer opened.

Do I install this OS 10 that came with the iBook even if it has been upgraded to 10.3.9? I think I got to this part previously and got a dialogue saying it cannot be done.

Should I have removed the OS 10 before restarting while pressing command+s?

I'll check in later. Have to catch zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs.

Thanks.

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

did FSCK appear to run okay ?

If it did then eject the CD and restart holding down the option key, thyis should give us a list (icons) of possible startup volumes on that Mac...

What does it list ?


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have any way of getting the 10.3 install disk, this would be your easiest plan...

1) Pop 10.3 install disk in computer.

2) Restart hold down c key

3) Run the Installer but select "Archive and Install"
this will preserve your user data and Applications.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let us know how you get on...

regards

Ric

 

[iBook315]

Hello, Ric.

did FSCK appear to run okay ?
I guess. I got to my usual OS X (blue) screen. A box asking what language I want, showed. But I could only go so far because it kept warning me that a newer version is already present in my iBook.

If it did then eject the CD and restart holding down the option key, thyis should give us a list (icons) of possible startup volumes on that Mac...

What does it list ?
a button with circular arrow, my hard drive with a OS icon superimposed on it and
a button with a right arrow. By the way, the hard drive button appears to be pressed down already.

Clicked on the right button and it went back to the floppy disk with flashing "?". I guess I have to get my hands on that 10.3 install disk.

Thanks for your patience and time.

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

did FSCK report that the disk was okay ?

If you got to a box asking what language you want then the chances are that you have either 'accidently reinstalled OS X' or you still have the CD/DVD drive in.;

Check that the disk is out, then reboot, and let us know what you see.

regards

Ric

 

[iBook315]

Hello,Ric.

did FSCK report that the disk was okay ?
If FSCK is the repair of the vomume header, it's done and everything is ok.

Check that the disk is out, then reboot, and let us know what you see.
While holding C, restarted and saw flashing globe followed by folder with Mac OS icon>floppy disk with flashing arrow.



Thanks.

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

disk out ... no holding down keys ... just restart ... what happens ?

regards

Ric

 

[iBook315]

[disk out ... no holding down keys ... just restart ... what happens ?


The exact same thing.

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

Sorry for the delay, how are you doing ?

Have you had any progress ?

regards

Ric