[Rayfe]

Having a problem with my Powerbook booting into Darwin instead of the OS.

Took it to Genius Bar, they ran diag on it and said there wasn't anything for them to do. Checked various forms for similiar problems and even Apple Help. The solutions that were given didn't have anny effect on my comp.

I can't just format the computer, because the CD is not working (have to get that fixed). I also can't format the computer because I have about 3 years of pictures saved that I wasn't able to backup before the problem cropped up.

I was going to try to install Mac OS on an external HD and use it to boot into my comp and backup all my needed files. But to install the OS on an external HD, I need to get into an OS, correct? Or need to have a working CD drive that can install to an external HD.

My only other system is a PC. So ... is there any way to install my Mac OS onto an external HD using my PC?

I've found a few programs that will let me burn my OS CD into an img, but that doesn't help me to run the install program.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[roller]

While I don't have an answer for you, you might check on Macfixit.com. Ask in the forum there.

[C.A.T.S. CEO]

Originally Posted by Rayfe 

Having a problem with my Powerbook booting into Darwin instead of the OS.

Took it to Genius Bar, they ran diag on it and said there wasn't anything for them to do. Checked various forms for similiar problems and even Apple Help. The solutions that were given didn't have anny effect on my comp.

I can't just format the computer, because the CD is not working (have to get that fixed). I also can't format the computer because I have about 3 years of pictures saved that I wasn't able to backup before the problem cropped up.

I was going to try to install Mac OS on an external HD and use it to boot into my comp and backup all my needed files. But to install the OS on an external HD, I need to get into an OS, correct? Or need to have a working CD drive that can install to an external HD.

My only other system is a PC. So ... is there any way to install my Mac OS onto an external HD using my PC?

I've found a few programs that will let me burn my OS CD into an img, but that doesn't help me to run the install program.

Anyone have any suggestions?

What Mac do you have? Id say buy a new Mac and put the old Mac's HD in a external enclosure and move your photos and whatever else to your new Mac.

[mdc]

Do you have an external HD and a friend with a Mac? If so you can use their Mac to install Mac OS onto the external drive and then boot off it on your Mac.

I think that's the easiest method. Would an external DVD be bootable? If so maybe that would be easy?

[Rayfe]

Originally Posted by mdc 

Do you have an external HD and a friend with a Mac? If so you can use their Mac to install Mac OS onto the external drive and then boot off it on your Mac.

I think that's the easiest method. Would an external DVD be bootable? If so maybe that would be easy?

first, thanks for the replies guys. I have a PowerBook 15" bought in 2005, just 1 month before they announced the new MacBooks. Sucks. Anyways.

mdc, I had just this thought and so I scoured the complex looking for someone with a Mac. Bought a Western Digital MyBook 250gb external HD. I installed OSX onto the external HD everything went well. Until I tried to boot using it on my comp. When I hold down the option key to get into the screen that allows me to select the drives to boot from, it doesn't "see" the external HD.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I'll ask on that other forum like someone suggested.

Thanks, guys.

[BLAZE_MkIV]

If you can borrow a friends computer for a few hours then try booting into firewire target disk mode. The you just copy the contents off the powerbook and then reinstall the os.

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by Rayfe 

I had just this thought and so I scoured the complex looking for someone with a Mac. Bought a Western Digital MyBook 250gb external HD. I installed OSX onto the external HD everything went well. Until I tried to boot using it on my comp. When I hold down the option key to get into the screen that allows me to select the drives to boot from, it doesn't "see" the external HD.

Did you make sure your external HD has the corect partition scheme for booting with a PowerPC-Mac? It might have automatically selected the wrong one, if the Mac you formated the drive with was Intel-based.

[mdc]

I have never tried, but can PowerBooks (PowerPC Macs) boot off USB? I know they can boot from a firewire drive, but I've never tried USB.