[docweasel]

I have an older clamshell Ibook, around 2001 maybe.
When I boot up, it goes to blue screen, apple logo, progress bar as is loads all startup items, but after it loads it goes to gray screen with mouse pointer, and the mouse pointer isn't frozen but that's it.

I've tried all the startup keyboard shortcuts,
mac startup keyboard shortcuts

including running fsck, starting in safe mode, zapping pram, resetting nvram, starting in OF and typing in various fixes, starting in single mode etc. I don't have the startup disks or any repair utility disks.

The last person to use the computer thinks they may have deleted some System folders in an effort to get rid of a couple users. Could this be it? Can stuff in Trash be restored in Darwin mode?

I've googled my butt off and tried every solution listed on this forum in Search that I can do (having no repair disks). Are older startup disks available anywhere as freeware?

Any ideas are appreciated.

[docweasel]

I also tried these steps but it keeps reading "Read Only Filesystem" so I don't think any of them worked

Code:
#  Selecting the "Connect automatically when starting TCP/IP
 applications" option in Network preferences can sometimes cause this 
issue. You'll need to delete the preference file that holds this 
setting. This is an advanced step that will reset all of your 
computer's network settings. You will need to reconfigure them in 
Network preferences to reconnect to the Internet or a network.

   1. Start up the computer in Single-User Mode.
   2. Type: mount -uw /
   3. Press Return.
   4. Type one of the following:

      (for Mac OS X 10.2.8 or earlier)
      mv /var/db/SystemConfiguration/preferences.xml preferences.old

      (for Mac OS X 10.3 or later)
      mv /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plist preferences.old

      Tip: There is a space between ".plist" and "preferences.old".

   5. Press Return.
   6. Type: reboot
   7. Press Return.


# If your computer still starts up to a blue screen, follow these steps.

   1. Start up the computer in Single-User Mode.
   2. Type: mount -uw /
   3. Press Return.
   4. Type:
      mv /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow.plist preferences2.old

      Tip: There is a space between ".plist" and "preferences".

   5. Press Return.
   6. Type:
      mv /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.plist preferences3.old

   7. Press Return.
   8. Type: reboot
   9. Press Return.


# Reset certain privileges.

   1. Start up the computer in Single-User Mode.
   2. Check the volume with fsck.
   3. Type: mount -uw /
   4. Press Return.
   5. Type: chmod 1775 /
   6. Press Return.
   7. Type: reboot

[Lateralus]

This is the Power Mac forum.

Redirecting...

[Detrius]

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
This is the Power Mac forum.

Redirecting...

This is an OS X problem... still the wrong forum.

[Detrius]

Check /.Trashes

Also, corrupt preferences in /var/root/Library/Preferences *can* cause the machine to blue screen.

Use plutil -s <filename.plist> to validate the integrity of xml files.