# IMAC WONT BOOT!!! Help me please



## clmowers (Jun 20, 2005)

Hello, I have a Imac G3. I just bought it from someone at work. I replace the hard drive as there wasnt one in it. Now that i have a hard drive, I thought i could just boot up. Well it wont. I hold down "c" and i get nothing. I just get a folder that alternates between a "?" and that little mac guy. with a grey screen. It org came with OS 9.1, but im trying to load 10.3 on it. Any ideas to what to do. im really really new to macs, so please be easy


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## Serge_N_Gin (Sep 7, 2004)

Hi, do you know what format you chose for the new HD?


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## clmowers (Jun 20, 2005)

Well it was org formated in NTFS as it was a one of my old windows HD. I then threw it back in the computer and formated it as Fat32. I was told that you could format the hard drive when loading the OS like windows, but i cant get that far.


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## Serge_N_Gin (Sep 7, 2004)

Is there a large X on the label of the Panther (10.3) disc? I'm trying to ascertain if you have the model specific install disc or the retail install disc ... you need the retail version. So at the moment there's no OS on the G3? Or does it have OS 9.1 on it still? Just for clarification sake ..


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## clmowers (Jun 20, 2005)

Yes, the cd look just like that one. It doesn't have a OS currently installed. Also i have the org disc that came with it, I tried to boot off of them and still the same thing


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## Serge_N_Gin (Sep 7, 2004)

Another way is to connect to another Mac via_* Firewire Target Disc Mode*_ and install the OS from the other Mac onto yours .. I was just reading an earlier post of yours and wonder if your internal needs to be re-formatted as HFS+ instead of FAT32 ??? Usually FAT32 is for external HDs that are shared between Windows/Mac OS ... You could even reformat the drive whilst connected via Firewire TDM ... just a thought.


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## clmowers (Jun 20, 2005)

The only thing is, I dont have another mac to use. also my mac doesnt have a firewire port


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## Serge_N_Gin (Sep 7, 2004)

I just want to get one thing clear in my mind ... have you tried to start your G3 with the original or the tiger disc in the drive, pressing the "C" key when you hear the startup chime?


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## clmowers (Jun 20, 2005)

Yes, I have tried both cds while pressing "C". The CD-ROM spins and sound like it wants to boot off of it, it just doesnt


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## Serge_N_Gin (Sep 7, 2004)

Try resetting the PRAM:

1. Shut down the computer.
2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
3. Turn on the computer.
4. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
5. Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
6. Release the keys.​
After you've done this, try to boot from the disc again ...


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## clmowers (Jun 20, 2005)

I have tried that. I also did the command-option-f-o and did a set-defualt and a reset-all.
Im starting to thing that this thing is hosed


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## Serge_N_Gin (Sep 7, 2004)

What about starting up as normal, but with the disc in the drive and holding the Option Key to bring up the Startup Manager (not sure about your G3 and this).

I think you just need to get that HD reformatted as a Mac Disc instead of FAT32.


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## clmowers (Jun 20, 2005)

Not sure about that, i will try that when i get home. Is there any way to format it as the HFS or HFS+ while outside that mac?


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## Serge_N_Gin (Sep 7, 2004)

AFAIK, you can only format the HD as HFS+ while attached to a Mac ... I just PM'd you too ...

It's late here and I'm going offline now ... I'll check back here tomorrow.


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## clmowers (Jun 20, 2005)

Ok I will post back later when i get home


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## clmowers (Jun 20, 2005)

Hey, I was checking ebay out and i found a imac g3 for 10 bucks. The motherboard is shot in it. So i going to get that and use it for a space part machine. He said the hard drive is in great shape. So i going to try that one to see if its the mac it self or the hard drive


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## clmowers (Jun 20, 2005)

Just to update this post, Come to find out that the cd-rom was bad in it. So i guess that way it wouldnt boot from the cd!!!!!


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