[gangaspeed]

How do I set up the dashboard in order to use widgets and what not?

I have the PB G4 800MHz

[Big Mac]

You click the Dashboard icon in the Dock or press the Dashboard key (by default F12) to go into Dashboard mode. To load widgets you click the big plus icon to view the widget dock. To download new widgets you use Apple's widgets site. If you want to disable a widget, you click the manage widgets button that appears when you click the big X.

[TETENAL]

Apple - Mac OS X - Theater - Dashboard

[gangaspeed]

That is the problem when I press F12 nothing happens, and there is no dashboard in my dock.

[TETENAL]

Do you have Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger installed on your PowerBook? If not, then your system does not yet have Dashboard. If you do, then you can find the Dashboard launcher symbol in the Applications folder and you can customize the shortcut key for it in System Preferences->Keyboard & Mouse->Keyboard Shortcuts (where you can simply click the "Reset defaults" button).

If you have purchased your PowerBook used and you have a retail copy of the Tiger DVD, then I would suggest you format the hard drive and make a clean install of the system for an optimal experience. If you don't have any data on that machine yet.

[gangaspeed]

I do have Tiger 10.4 installed, how would I know if I have a retail copy of the Tiger DVD? Since it is not in my Apps Folder.

[TETENAL]

This should be in your Applications folder. You can use it to launch Dashboard. If it's not, then the previous owner maybe wasn't a fan of Dashboard and deleted it. He probably also changed the keyboard shortcut for Dashboard, but you should be able to reset it like I described above and launch Dashboard that way.

I would strongly suggest making a fresh install of the system for any used computer one buys. You never know how the previous owner messed around with the system. So at least do an "Archive & Install" of the system (if you have the right Tiger DVD) or better yet format and make a clean install (if you have the Tiger DVD and the system restore DVD for the bundled apps).

How are the DVDs that came with your computer labeled?

[gangaspeed]

I have one disk labeled Powerbook Recovery Disk.

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by gangaspeed 

I have one disk labeled Powerbook Recovery Disk.

This disk should contain the system and bundled applications that originally cam with your Powerbook, ie. pretty old versions of both.
Try whether resetting the keyboard shortcuts in System Preferences->Keyboard & Mouse->Keyboard Shortcuts makes F12 work again for Dashboard. If so, I would live with that until fall and as soon as OS X 10.5 Leopard is released get that and make a clean install of the operating system. It's probably not worth it buying a Tiger DVD so soon before Leopard. At least not if Dashboard is the only apparent issue right now.

[moonmonkey]

don't touch it, that disk is an older OS version.

Click on your Apple menu and select "System Preferences"
then click "Dashboard and Expose" and set the key to F12

Edit: TETENAL beat me to it.

[gangaspeed]

Ok tried both of those versions of getting the Dashboard to work, neither worked. Dashboard has been completely wiped from the system.

[peeb]

I doubt that - you got this machine second hand? You might want to try creating a new user account - most likely you will find that that has dashboard set up. As others have said - reinstalling when you get a machine second hand is a good idea.

[frdmfghtr]

I understand that the question has already been asked and answered, but let's double-check...

When you click the Apple menu and select "About this Mac," what version number is displayed? (I ask only to make double-sure that you really have 10.4.)

[peeb]

+, are we convinced that his install discs are not 10.4?

[bballe336]

It is possible that a previous user disabled dashboard through the terminal and deleted it. I know I do it on my machines since I find dashboard to be a useless frill.

[peeb]

Have you tried looking for it with Spotlight?