My mac doesn't start

TStudiosGandA · Post by **TStudiosGandA** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:21 am

So every time I try to start my powerbook g4 laptop, it stays at the beginning loading screen and freezes. The strange thing is whenever you tap on the space under the laptop's keyboard, it makes a weird buzzing sound. Is there anything I can do to fix this?

CMTony · Post by **CMTony** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:23 am

Wow, that sounds like a bit of a pickle you have there. Have you checked the Mac website or Forums yet?... if not maybe email them or take the G4 back to your local Macstore and ask them about it?...

TStudiosGandA · Post by **TStudiosGandA** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:41 am

I've browsed through troubleshooting and forums, but I can't seem to fix it. Now it shows a gray screen with a little icon in the middle of a folder with a question mark.

nitro2k01 · Post by **nitro2k01** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 5:46 am

Congrats, it seems like your hard drive is borked and you need a new one. Don't expect to get any of the data back, (unless you hire an expensive-ass company like Ibas) but as a last resort you could try booting it with a Linux live CD. If it's a PPC mac, try Finnix.

jjhammerstein · Post by **jjhammerstein** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 7:33 am

nitro2k01 wrote:Congrats, it seems like your hard drive is borked and you need a new one. Don't expect to get any of the data back, (unless you hire an expensive-ass company like Ibas) but as a last resort you could try booting it with a Linux live CD. If it's a PPC mac, try Finnix.

I second this.

Borked hard drive.

Post by **bicostp** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 10:02 am

Folder icon = blinking question mark floppy = dead hard drive.

Throw another hard drive in it and reinstall OS X. (It should take a regular IDE laptop hard drive.)

TStudiosGandA · Post by **TStudiosGandA** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 11:17 am

O.k. I didn't really have anything important on that thing anyway. Thanks for the help!

nitro2k01 · Post by **nitro2k01** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 11:49 am

Oh BTW, a friend of mine is going through the same thing right now so I happened to have this link handy:
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac/PowerBo ... 4/8/Page-1