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PowerBook CD Boot Problems
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Status:
Offline
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Hello,
I have a month-old top-of-the-line 15-incher with a SuperDrive. All is well, except for the fact that I don't seem to be able to boot off certain CDs that I know are bootable.
For example, the machine won't boot off a regular Panther Install CD or won't boot off my AppleCare TechTool Deluxe CD. However, it boots off my Software Install/Restore DVD just fine.
Whenever I try to boot off the mentioned CDs (either by holding down C during startup with one of the CDs in the drive, or by setting one of the CDs as the startup disk and restarting), it spins the disk for a while, and then the gray Apple logo appears, only to suddenly move several pixels to the left and the right, surrounded by colored pixel artifacts. Then nothing happens.
I've honestly never seen anything like this on a Mac before.
DVDs and CDs are read without problems during normal usage, and CD writing works as well, so I don't suspect the drive to be damaged.
Now, having been around the block a few times, I obviously tried turning the computer on with one of the CDs in the drive while holding down the option key.
Doing this showed me the internal hard drive and the CD that was in the drive. Choosing to boot off the CD during the option-induced selection screen results in the computer displaying a big gray circle with a line through it (sort of like the No Parking signs in Europe).
Could it be that both CDs are damaged? I find this unlikely; they're both scratch-free and the AppleCare CD is brand-new. (In fact, I discovered this issue when I was trying to boot off the AppleCare CD after it arrived, and then checked the Panther Install CD to find that the same thing was happening.)
Any suggestions, thoughs? I have run the full diagnostics off the Restore DVD and it said everything was peachy. Should I take the machine in to the store for a checkup, or ask for a new AppleCare disk?
I'm out of ideas. Any help appreciated.
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: The O.C.
Status:
Offline
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techtool deluxe will not boot if you have the latest os.
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MacBook 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo | Clamshell iBook G3 366MHz | 22" Cinema Display | iPod Mini | iPod shuffle | AirPort Express | Mighty Mouse
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Status:
Offline
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Originally posted by teknopimp:
techtool deluxe will not boot if you have the latest os.
How's that? What qualifies as "latest"? Why does Apple ship it alongside brand-new PowerBooks with AppleCare if you can't boot it?
And that still doesn't explain why the Panther Installer exhbits the same behavior...
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Senior User
Join Date: Nov 2002
Status:
Offline
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Originally posted by m01ety:
How's that? What qualifies as "latest"? Why does Apple ship it alongside brand-new PowerBooks with AppleCare if you can't boot it?
And that still doesn't explain why the Panther Installer exhbits the same behavior...
Very simple actually. Of late, the latest computers will boot only with the then current version of the OS. So let's say that is 10.3.4 for your 15" Powerbook. Only 10.3.4 or greater will boot it. Your Panther disk is 10.3.0 and will not work. So right now, your restore disk is the only one which should boot it. Now when 10.4 comes out, any Tiger disk will boot your Powerbook. As for utility disks such as tech tool and DW, you will have to buy an upgrade from the manufacturer when they become available.
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Happily using a Mac since '89
MacPortable: 16Mhz 1meg/40meg System 6.0.8 - 16lbs Yeah baby!
Powerbook 17" 1.33Ghz 2GB/100GB 8x Superdrive
Powerbook 12" 867Mhz 1.125GB/80GB 2xDVD-R RPC1
MacbookPro 17" 2.33Ghz
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Status:
Offline
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Originally posted by Tomster:
Very simple actually. Of late, the latest computers will boot only with the then current version of the OS. So let's say that is 10.3.4 for your 15" Powerbook. Only 10.3.4 or greater will boot it. Your Panther disk is 10.3.0 and will not work. So right now, your restore disk is the only one which should boot it. Now when 10.4 comes out, any Tiger disk will boot your Powerbook. As for utility disks such as tech tool and DW, you will have to buy an upgrade from the manufacturer when they become available.
Aha! Thank you. Actually, as far as TechTool goes, I paid good money for AppleCare and I expect to have a working disk. I'll call Apple for a replacement. 
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Status:
Offline
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Well, I popped the AppleCare CD into an old iMac, and lo and behold, it booted. Same for the Panther disk.
After a little research, here's what I concluded:
AppleCare CD - 10.3
Panther CD - 10.3
PowerBook Software Restore DVD - 10.3.3
And a look at the logs in Console.app shows that the PowerBook shipped with 10.3.3. So I need to get a version of the AppleCare CD that has at least 10.3.3.
Looks like the problem is solved. Now I just have to hope Apple sends me the correct disk. 
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