Mac desktops forum: iMac won't boot

(NT) It is an imac g4 17" flat panel

by bobbychuck8 - 7/10/12 11:34 AM

In Reply to: Is this an iMac G5? by mrmacfixit

Was this reply helpful? (0) (0)

Staff pick

This is an imac G4 17" flat panel

by bobbychuck8 - 7/10/12 11:39 AM

In Reply to: Is this an iMac G5? by mrmacfixit

The left mouse trick didn't work. I'm sure the left mouse setting is not activated.

Was this reply helpful? (0) (0)

Staff pick

The left mouse settings are always activated.

by mrmacfixit - 7/10/12 1:58 PM

In Reply to: This is an imac G4 17" flat panel by bobbychuck8

If you only have a one button mouse, just hold it down at start up and keep it down.
The mouse has to be a wired mouse, not wireless or bluetooth for that eject to work.

Alternatively, with the machine off, open the flap that covers the CD tray, and see if you can see the tiny hole in the tray front. If you can, put a straightened paperclip in the hole and push firmly. The tray should open.

So what you have there is a G4 iMac that has the "floating Screen" (the one on the chrome pole)
A machine which is almost certainly on Apples endangered list, if not its extinct list.
What where the symptoms that led up to the machine not starting?

P

Was this reply helpful? (1) (0)

Staff pick

(NT) It is long since dead to Apple

by Jimmy Greystone - 7/11/12 7:12 AM

In Reply to: The left mouse settings are always activated. by mrmacfixit

Was this reply helpful? (1) (0)

Staff pick

Answer Best answer as chosen by user bobbychuck8

Since the mouse button

by Jimmy Greystone - 7/11/12 7:19 AM

In Reply to: iMac won't boot by bobbychuck8

Since the mouse button didn't work, hold down the option key at boot. After a few seconds you should see a mouse cursor, maybe a button or two, around the middle of the screen, and then an icon for your HDD should show up. Give it a little bit longer and you should see an icon for the install CD show up. You can click on the CD icon, and then hit the eject button: The one on screen or on the keyboard, either should work.

If all else fails, the paperclip trick already mentioned should work, but if even that fails, then you're going to have to take the unit somewhere to be disassembled to extract that disc. It will have to be an AASP, an Apple Store will just tell you it's too old. This is also one of Apple's least DIY friendly units because of the narrow stem for the display. That can be bent or broken very easily, plus it means the weight distribution of the unit is very lopsided when you try and lay it down, so you can't just have it hang off the edge of a table or something. Apple sold a special positioning block for these units, and unfortunately you probably won't find any places that have those around anymore since the iMac G4's are a nearly extinct species.

Was this reply helpful? (1) (0)

Staff pick

Got the endangered computer to launch ... but

by bobbychuck8 - 7/11/12 12:31 PM

In Reply to: Since the mouse button by Jimmy Greystone

Thank you to all that helped. Installed the system but can't get by the users login page. My login will not work. I know what it is but it won't take it. Is there a workaround? Sorry to be a bother but I'm making progress.

Was this reply helpful? (0) (0)

Staff pick

After you installed the system,

by mrmacfixit - 7/11/12 2:55 PM

In Reply to: Got the endangered computer to launch ... but by bobbychuck8

you must have created an account and given it a password.
That said, the auto-logon feature is enabled by default.

What did you do after you installed the system?

P

Was this reply helpful? (0) (0)

Staff pick

Boot from the installation DVD

by mrmacfixit - 7/11/12 2:56 PM

In Reply to: Got the endangered computer to launch ... but by bobbychuck8

again and choose Utilities from the Menubar when it appears.

It should appear after you have clicked next/continue a couple of times.

Reset the password from there

P

Was this reply helpful? (1) (0)

Staff pick

reset the password, entered it on the login screen, ...

by bobbychuck8 - 7/12/12 10:30 AM

In Reply to: Boot from the installation DVD by mrmacfixit

After entering the new password I am dumped into "Darwin/BSD (Chucky.local. ) (console)" and asked again for login and password.

None seem to work?????

Was this reply helpful? (0) (0)

Staff pick