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droberts97470 · Jan 30, 2006, 04:34 PM

I got it turned on. Loaded the software for a Logitech mouse which was working fine. (I bought this iMac at a garage sale so I don't know what kind of shape it is in.)

A screen came up with a picture of a harddrive and a persons name under it.

I am not sure if I double clicked the harddrive or right clicked it but when I did my screen went to gray with a black apple in the center and a small hairy circle under the apple.

I rebooted it several times and it keeps coming back to the same screen.

It has osX

What does this mean?

parsec_kadets · Jan 30, 2006, 05:27 PM

If that circle is animating it means the system is booting. After awhile it will bring up the aqua GUI and a progress bar. This is normal. Now, if that circle isn't animating or goes for eons (more than five minutes depending on the machine) you would have a problem. We need more information here before we can tell you if you even have a problem.

droberts97470 · Jan 30, 2006, 06:08 PM

Well, it was animated for a long time. Now it is not.

What kind of information could I give you to help me?

Ganesha · Jan 30, 2006, 07:08 PM

Things to answer...

Where are you hanging (if you are it all)? The screen with the Apple and spinning cursor or the login screen (which may be what you are referring to as screen came up with a picture of a harddrive and a persons name under it.)

If it is the login screen, then you need to provide the user password. If you do not have a password then you will need an OS Install/Restore disk to reset the password.

droberts97470 · Jan 30, 2006, 08:14 PM

It has not gotten as far as the login screen since I clicked on the harddrive and rebooted it.

Ganesha · Jan 30, 2006, 09:36 PM

Sounds like something is going wrong during startup...

Do you have an OS install CD, or hardware diagnostic CD? If so try starting up from one of those by holding the C key during startup...

If not, see if you can start up in 'safe mode', hold down shift when you here the tone.

mavherzog · Jan 31, 2006, 12:55 AM

If you got this from a garage sale, best bet is to reinstall and start "fresh"...

thiagofll · Jan 31, 2006, 03:33 AM

Originally Posted by droberts97470

It has not gotten as far as the login screen since I clicked on the harddrive and rebooted it.

Try reinstalling the Factory OS that came with the computer. If they did not give you one, look it up on Ebay, you will always find someone selling the Factory Restore CDS. Make sure you get the one compatible with your iMac...

Good luck...

droberts97470 · Jan 31, 2006, 09:39 AM

OK, I'm pretty sure I can get a system disk from the seller. Does it install automatically when inserted into the CDR drive?

Are there any utilities that a new owner should have to keep it tuned up?

How big are the harddrives typically in these things? If it is bad is it as easy to install another as it is in a PC?

Zubir · Jan 31, 2006, 03:31 PM

When you get an OS X install disk, restart the computer while holding down the "c" key. This boots from the optical drive, and will allow you to wipe and reinstall.

JKT · Jan 31, 2006, 04:35 PM

The first thing to tell us is what kind of iMac it is - there are many, many different types. We can't provide expected hard drive info etc, without a description. Some models are exceptionally easy to replace the hard drive in (the first revision G5 iMac for instance), others less so. So is it a fruit coloured CRT iMac, a G4 iMac (the so-called iLamp) or a flat panel G5 iMac? If you know what speed the processor is that would help too.

Also, depending on the version you have bought, the install/software restore CDs may be for an outdated version of Mac OS and could even be for OS 9 and earlier if it is a really old model.

droberts97470 · Jan 31, 2006, 04:49 PM

It's blue.

parsec_kadets · Jan 31, 2006, 06:04 PM

I highly recomend that you check out Apple's support website. Searching around there may provide you with some of the answers you're looking for faster than waiting for a reply here. You could start by learning how to format the drive and install the OS. In fact, there's an enitre site there dedicated to just that. Take a look at what this PDF has to say about installing OS X:
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Tig...etup_Guide.pdf

The tip others have provided about holding down the C key during startup will allow you to skip step one.

droberts97470 · Jan 31, 2006, 09:36 PM

The reinstall process has stopped at a screen saying select adestination disk to install to.

I wonder, since it only has one disk, and that if the computer can't find it, perhaps the disk is toast?

ciparis · Jan 31, 2006, 10:03 PM

Are you certain that you booted from the CD? Two things that would prevent it from installing to a hard drive are:
1) it booted from that hard drive
2) the hard drive is not functioning properly

If it won't let you select it, try going into the menu at the top and running Disk Utility (I can't remember exactly which menu it's in, but it shouldn't be hard to find), and try to get Disk Utility to Repair the hard drive. Then reboot (holding down C) and try installing again.

droberts97470 · Feb 1, 2006, 02:21 AM

There is no option to repair. It's grayed out. I could erase it? But I'm a little leary.

mavherzog · Feb 1, 2006, 04:21 AM

Originally Posted by droberts97470

There is no option to repair. It's grayed out. I could erase it? But I'm a little leary.

That's what you WANT to do. Erase the contents/reformat and do a fresh install.

JKT · Feb 1, 2006, 06:13 AM

Originally Posted by droberts97470

It's blue.

If it's blue it must be a cathode ray tube G3 iMac (probably an iMacDV if it is navy blue) which would have shipped with either Mac OS 9 or maybe Mac OS X 10.0. If you find that you need to do it, you can find out how to replace the hard drive from the manuals here. It isn't that difficult but does require a reasonable amount of disassembly. I'm assuming it is a slot-loading iMac (the CD drive is a thin slit on the front of the iMac?). If so, you will need the manual for the iMacDV (without further info about the processor speed of your iMac it isn't possible to say which of the two available manuals for the iMacDV at the site I linked to would be the right one).

Also, if it only came with OS 9 or OS X 10.0 install disks, you will seriously want to upgrade to 10.4 (or 10.3 at the least). I imagine second-hand 10.3 discs would be pretty cheap to get hold of.

parsec_kadets · Feb 1, 2006, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by droberts97470

The reinstall process has stopped at a screen saying select adestination disk to install to.

I wonder, since it only has one disk, and that if the computer can't find it, perhaps the disk is toast?

You say it stopped, but I don't quite understand. Did it not find any hard drives? Did it find one but indicate that you couldn't install to it?

ghporter · Feb 1, 2006, 10:43 AM

The install process doesn't assume you want to install on the internal hard drive-you can install on an external drive too, so that point is where you would say "Oh I'd better plug in the external drive" or "yes, go ahead with the internal drive." If the internal drive is shown as an option, select it and you should be on your way.

droberts97470 · Feb 1, 2006, 12:28 PM

Well folks, I hit erase and got a screen saying "setting up partition map".

That was about 3 hours ago. The blue & white animated bar is still going around.

Does anyone have any idea how long this should take?

It's only a 12 GIG drive.

ghporter · Feb 1, 2006, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by droberts97470

It's only a 12 GIG drive.

It's also a relatively slow computer. Three hours is indeed a long time, but be patient... As long as the progress indicator is still moving, the computer hasn't stalled or frozen so it's doing something.

droberts97470 · Feb 1, 2006, 04:53 PM

7 hours now.

JKT · Feb 1, 2006, 05:06 PM

Did you chose to write all zeros when erasing the drive? If so, it will take a long, long time.

droberts97470 · Feb 1, 2006, 05:32 PM

I did not see any option like that.

droberts97470 · Feb 1, 2006, 10:06 PM

HD is toast.

What type of HD in these machines? SCII or IDE or something else?

acuthbertson · Feb 1, 2006, 10:59 PM

Pretty sure it's a standard IDE drive, you could crack the case open and check it out for yourself. Even with all this hassle, still sounds like you've gotten a pretty good deal considering how cheap HDs can be found for these days; although it would have been nice to spare the headache.

Chinasaur · Feb 2, 2006, 07:51 AM

Do NOT go into that iMac. Even experienced people do it with extreme caution. There are lethal voltages in there, and as a newbie, you don't even know where they might be.

Your best bet is to ask around and find a Mac savvy friend to help you, or, return to seller.

If you do keep it, you might start reading up on your new computer here - http://lowendmac.com/imacs/index.shtml

Searching this forum for threads on - G3 imac - would be a good place to start.

Luck

droberts97470 · Feb 2, 2006, 09:24 AM

"If you do keep it, you might start reading up on your new computer here - http://lowendmac.com/imacs/index.shtml"

Thanks for the link. Looks like there are some other updates that need to be installed b4 the OS X is installed on a new HD.

Can anyone give me a rough estimate of how much an "Updater" (is that what an Apple technician is called?) would charge to make this cute blue thing work?

JKT · Feb 2, 2006, 10:04 AM

Assuming you are reasonably competent with a screw driver you can safely ignore Chinasaur - the only lethal part of your iMac voltage-wise (assuming you aren't stupid enough to plug it in while disassembled!) is the cathode part of the CRT and you will not be removing the shielding or plastic cover of that component to replace the hard drive.

As I said before, and with the help of the Apple Service manual for your model that I linked to above, it is relatively straightforward to replace the hard drive of the slot-loading G3 iMacs but it does require a bit of disassembly before you can do so. The most hair-raising part of it all is getting the bottom plastic housing off and that is only because there is a loud pop as the plastic tabs that hold it on are disengaged:

Just be sure to print out the relevant parts of the manual and read up on how to do it before making a start so that you know what to look for and in what order to do it. Also, make sure you have discharged any static on your body before handling components like RAM and the motherboard.

FWIW, the iMac G3s took IDE drives. My recommendations for running OS X on it would be:

At least a 40GB, 7200rpm hard drive if you are going to use iTunes and iPhoto on it. Even larger if you plan on using iMovie.
768 to 1GB RAM (your iMac will hold a maximum of 1GB).
OS X 10.3.x (or 10.4 if you can afford it).

The one thing to make absolutely sure of would be that the firmware has been updated to the last version for the G3 iMacs (Firmware version 4.1.9) before running OS X on it.

droberts97470 · Feb 2, 2006, 04:49 PM

I did it. I replaced the HD, loaded the OS and I'm on my way 8^)

Thanks all of you for your help

By the way your forum was recommended by another bunch of great guys at PC ASK

http://forum.worldstart.com/

ciparis · Feb 2, 2006, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by droberts97470

I did it. I replaced the HD, loaded the OS and I'm on my way 8^)

Nicely done

congrats!

ghporter · Feb 2, 2006, 08:20 PM

Congratulations! Good work!

I have been one of the people who has cautioned people against messing around inside a CRT iMac, primarily because they mention "how do I discharge the CRT so I can..." This is not a good thing for the inexperienced to do; dangerous and lethal voltages abound around a CRT.

On the other hand, since the hard drive is on the bottom, (along with other potentially user servicable things like RAM), that's a totally different story. It's kind of like Apple thought about where to put things users might want to have access to...

droberts97470 · Feb 3, 2006, 07:51 AM

Yes, it was quite easy to get at the HD and RAM.

Now that I have it running I downloaded and I am playing the game GO which is free from this site.

www.Sente.ch

Look for games and it's called "Goban"

This was really the reason I wanted the machine. This Classic game is only available for Apple computers. But a 400Mhz machine takes longer to think than I remembered.
So.....
Can I replace the CPU with a faster one given the other bits and pieces? Or will they keep every thing running at the old speed?

JKT · Feb 3, 2006, 11:14 AM

Congrats on the hard drive upgrade. You may still be able to upgrade the CPU but it requires sending the entire motherboard to a company whose details I forget (and that's if they are still doing it, which I highly doubt). Quite frankly, it isn't worth the money as you could probably buy a faster second-hand Mac for the same cost of the upgrade. Unfortunately, a 400MHz G3 is not much of a speed demon - your model iMac is getting on for being ~5 to 6 years old and it wasn't all that fast even when it was brand new