[cenutrio]

Hi folks,
My G4 powermac shows a question mark when staring up. I found a weird thing in the Apple System Profiler “the startup device has been chosen; however, Apple System Profiler can’t determine which ATA bus device it is”. My system only has a hard drive.
Do you know if there is any relationship? And Do you have suggestions to fix the problem?
Thanks,

[MacMatt]

What is checked in the Startup Disk control panel?
If a startup volume is selected which doesn't have a valid System Folder, you will get a flashing question mark...and then your Mac will look for a volume with a valid system folder...and start up if it finds one.

Matt

[sek929]

If it isn't reading your system, go into the system folder in your HD, find the system suitcase and open it. Feel free to click around a bit. This re-blesses your system folder as a valid startup volume. Restart and it should work fine.

(all booting off the CD of course, use the system restore CD and hold down c as you start up).

start up from the system cd, take the finder and the system out of the sytem folder drop them on the desktop, then drag them back in... that blesses the system folder...

Originally posted by sek929:
<STRONG>If it isn't reading your system, go into the system folder in your HD, find the system suitcase and open it. Feel free to click around a bit. This re-blesses your system folder as a valid startup volume. Restart and it should work fine.

(all booting off the CD of course, use the system restore CD and hold down c as you start up).</STRONG>

[Cipher13]

Bless the system as described above, and then select the HD as your startup volume.

[sek929]

Originally posted by Cipher13:
<STRONG>Bless the system as described above, and then select the HD as your startup volume.</STRONG>

Hmmm, funny my way worked for me all the time.......

[Guest]

I had a similar problem on my iMac 500Mhz DVSE.
Sometimes, when the computer freezes, and I used the reset button on the side, it starts up showing a question mark. When I booted from the CD, I couldn't restore the system, because the hard drive wasn't recognised, it just didn't appear in the list or on the desktop.

After a while I found out that I had to use the power-on button on the front of the computer, and push it for a few seconds. Then the computer shuts down, and when I restart, everything is OK again.

Maybe this helps…

btw, I had this problem in OS 9.x, I haven't had it since I moved to OS X.

[Fragicula]

If the suggestions above don't work, run first aid. I had the problem that my Mac didn't find a System at all. A problem in the disk catalog or so. Booting from the cd and repairing helped.

Fragicula

[Cipher13]

Originally posted by sek929:
<STRONG>

Hmmm, funny my way worked for me all the time....... </STRONG>

Oh yeah, I meant above as in either of the two methods

I personally do the latter, but it makes no diff.

Hmm. Yeah, running Disk Warrior over the drive would be a good idea... Disk First Aid is quite useless, but should diagnose a problem, even if not repair it.

DiskWarrior rocks.