[PreciousBbird]

I was getting my sister set up with my old desktop 266 MHz G3 and since most everything she will use launches from Classic, we decided to choose the startup disk to be 9.2 instaed of 10.1. We were starting fine (but slowly) in 10.1, when we start in 9.2, all that displays is a grey screen with the mouse arrow. No smiley Mac, no splash screen, no nothin'.

Zapped the PRAM, tried starting with OS CD - still nothing.

HELP???!!!

Thank you.

[bmmp]

Your HD is most likely gone.

Argueably, there is a chance that you can recover your info with utlities like VirtualLab, Norton, or TechTools, but in my experience, they prove fruitless.

You most likely will be able to intialize your disk and start with a clean one, though. Try pulling out the HD and sticking it in another Mac. If it still doesn't pop up, use Drive Setup under Utilities (OS9) to initialise and format the drive. Pop it back in and install the OS.

[PreciousBbird]

Thanks for the reply. Fortunately, it turned out to be that I had a PC printer connected with the big connector (can't remember what it is called). Anyway, disconnected that and - surprise! - suddenly all was well. I am going to upgrade to 10.2.x (5 or 6??) and I think the printer problems will possibly go away - after we get a printer that works with a Mac. My sister had one that there is no hope for.

Anyway, thanks for the reply! Glad it turned out to be *easy*.