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ShoeDg1 · Jan 26, 2004, 09:29 PM

To anyone and everyone, I am in desperate need of help. Here is my current situation on my IBook G3 900 MHz :

- AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, Limewire, ICal, ITunes, and AppleWorks will not start up. Each program gives an immidieate "Program has unexpectedly shut down" message.

- Safari is operable, but any use of the arrow keys immidieately shuts down the program.

- Pushing the eject button for the CD drive sends the computer back to the log-in screen. I have force-opened the drive, but after putting a disc in, it will not start up.

- The Finder window will not open. Clicking and holding on the Finder icon in the dock brings up "finder not running".

- My hard drive icon has also disappeared, making it impossible for me to access any disk utilities, etc.

I have ran my Apple Hardware Test (the rare disc I can run), and it showed no errors. Is the main problem that my Finder isn't running? If anyone has any ideas, please, please share them! Any and all help is GREATLY appreciated!!!

Shoe

juanvaldes · Jan 26, 2004, 09:40 PM

To help figuring out your problem what was the last thing you did with your computer before this started happening?

Did you delete anything?
Install anything?
Modify any files?
Install system update?

ShoeDg1 · Jan 26, 2004, 09:44 PM

The last thing I did was take out the battery and put it back in to restart the computer, because it has a habit of going into sleep and not wanting to wake up. After that, Norton LiveUpdate ran, as well as Anti-Virus. I also installed the new security update, as well as the QuickTime update.

Developer · Jan 26, 2004, 10:28 PM

Unrelated to your problem, but why did you take out the battery to restart your computer? You can just press the power button.

I suggest you run Disk Utility while booting from the OS install CD.

ShoeDg1 · Jan 26, 2004, 10:56 PM

I would press the power button, but it wouldn't start up. Taking out the battery when that happens seems to be the only way to remedy it. But it doesn't happen that often. How do I boot up with the Install Disk? I'm not too familiar with that...

Developer · Jan 26, 2004, 11:03 PM

Pulling the battery out of a running laptop can not be good. You should not do this. Press the power button for a few seconds and the computer will turn off.

Find the OS Install CD put it into the CD try and start up the computer while holding down the C key. When the OS X installer comes up you can chose Disk Utility from the Installer's application menu. With Disk Utility repair the disk repeatedly until it reports no more errors. Quit Disk Utility, quit the Installer, reboot.

ShoeDg1 · Jan 27, 2004, 12:10 AM

Just finished running the Disk Utility repeatedly, but still the same problems...

Developer · Jan 27, 2004, 12:43 AM

Originally posted by ShoeDg1:
Just finished running the Disk Utility repeatedly, but still the same problems...

Alright. So I assume Disk Utility is reporting no errors any more (but did since you run multiple times).

Then you should now try an Archive & Install of the operating system.

Jerommeke · Jan 27, 2004, 01:13 AM

Originally posted by ShoeDg1:
After that, Norton LiveUpdate ran, as well as Anti-Virus.

Two bad programs in one sentence

wulf · Jan 27, 2004, 09:13 AM

Originally posted by Developer:
now try an Archive & Install of the operating system.

This is the correct answer.

SMacTech · Jan 27, 2004, 09:44 AM

Originally posted by wulf:
This is the correct answer.

And please do yourself a favor and dump Norton. There is very very little need for it on OS X, well make that NO need.

ryju · Jan 27, 2004, 09:57 AM

Maybe he should make a new user to see if the problem is there too. It might just be a corrupted library.
But an Archive and Install might be easier I guess.

SMacTech · Jan 27, 2004, 10:28 AM

Originally posted by ryju:
Maybe he should make a new user to see if the problem is there too. It might just be a corrupted library.
But an Archive and Install might be easier I guess.

Always try a new user first and then if it still exhibits the problem, then reinstall the OS via archive and install.
Doing the archive and install would not fix a user specific problem unless you chose to not preserve users. I would try using Cocktail or something to do a cache file dump, or manually removed them.

ShoeDg1 · Jan 27, 2004, 12:03 PM

Okay, I woke up this morning and ran an Archive and Install. Currently, everything is working correctly, which is wonderful! However, I am unable to access any of my movies, pictures, or music from the "previous systems" folder. It says that I do not have sufficent access privileges. Do I need to enable root to get acces the files? Thanks for all the help and advice so far, I greatly appreciate it!!!

Developer · Jan 27, 2004, 12:17 PM

Select the folder in the Finder then File->Get Info. The Get Info dialog has an Ownership & Permissions pane. Use that to transfer ownership to yourself and give yourself read/write permission. You might need to click the little padlock and provide an admin password to do this.

ShoeDg1 · Jan 27, 2004, 02:59 PM

Alright, I'm back in business!! Everything is transferred from the "Previous Systems" folder into my new installation. One last question, do (or should) I delete the "Previous Systems" folder?

p.s. - Thank you all so very much for all of your assistance. I don't post on here very often as you can see, but I read the boards on a regular basis, and have learned a lot about my IBook from people like you. Thanks a million!!

Shoe

ryju · Jan 28, 2004, 07:46 AM

Well as long as there's nothing else in the Previous System you need, double and triple check to make sure, then I believe you need to be root to delete it...