[jlemons]

I have a friend that has an eMac that is flashing the folder with a question mark in it. This is what I have done. I have made sure all third party divices are unplugged; I have restarted numerous times; I have done the reset-nvram and reset-all commands, I have started up from the OSX install disk and it does recognize the HD, and I have ran Hardware Test and the HD passed. Why will it not recognize this HD at startup? It is recognizing it in the OSX cd. It allowed me to repair permissions. I followed the install until it allowed me to click on the HD to install the software. I don't want to re-install the software because there are so many programs on this machine. Please, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also, she was trying to set up a new printer in OS9 when it froze and it has been a question mark since. Has it lost it's path someway?

She is running 10.2.8

[Krusty]

Yes, its sounds like it has lost its path (or, more directly its startup volume has been changed indadvertently.

Do this. Boot from CD, load up System Preferences from /Applications on your internal hard drive. Look for 'Startup Volume' preference. It will take a couple of seconds but will list all system-bootable devices. Click on the system folder that corresponds to your internal hard drive and hit Restart. You have now told your computer where it should boot from by default.

Or you could just hold down the Option key when booting and a list of bootable volumes should appear. Select your internal hard disk. Boot up ... and then follow the instructions I gave above about resetting you Startup Volume to your internal drive.

[Detrius]

does it show up if you boot up holding down the option key?

Did you try to repair the directory structure? Have you run Disk Warrior? Have you tried the startup disk control panel?

[jlemons]

it does not show up if I hold down the option key on startup. It only show up if I start-up from the install cd.

Please explain or send me to a site that explains how to repair the directory structure, and what is the start up disk control panel

Ok, I hate to sound dumb Krusty but I am in this subject. How do I load up sytem preferences in the Applications from a startup disk.

Thanks for the help.

[Detrius]

Originally posted by jlemons:
...Ok, I hate to sound dumb Krusty but I am in this subject. How do I load up sytem preferences in the Applications from a startup disk. ...

You don't. The OS X boot CDs don't have a Finder for you to do that.

If the machine came with an OS 9 install disc, you can boot from that. In the Apple menu, go down to control panels. Then choose startup disk. The rest should be obvious.

To repair the directory structure: boot from the OS X install CD. In the application menu (the one next to the Apple menu), choose Disk Utility. Then click first aid. Then click repair disk. Unfortunately, the 10.2 startup disk does not have a startup disk control panel. You will likely need another machine or hard drive to boot from just so you can set the startup disk. If you have a 10.3 install disk, there is a Startup Disk option in the application menu.

[jlemons]

Thank you so much Detrius. I will try this tomorrow