iMac G3 won't boot

[TGOTR]

I have an iMac G3 Bondi Blue that won't boot up. It had OS 9.2 installed, but now it won't see the drive. I was trying to boot it today it kept on locking up on the "Welcome" screen, forcing a reboot each time. Now it won't see the drive (question mark folder) nor will it boot from the CD rom drive. I don't even hear either drive spin up. I dunno what's going on with it.

[supernova777]

download the AHT apple hardware test cd + boot to do a diagnostic + report the errors

[TGOTR]

download the AHT apple hardware test cd + boot to do a diagnostic + report the errors

I need one in ISO format that I can burn in Windows. None of my other macs have optical drives.

[supernova777]

http://macintoshgarden.org/apps/apple-hardware-test-cds

just rename the .toast file to .iso + burn it

[TGOTR]

I finally got it to boot from a CD, and it's giving me a bus error. Not to mention the screen is garbled. Pics included

[supernova777]

boot the AHT cd and it will tell u whats wrong with the computer.

i would guess that the cdrom itself may have a problem?

[TGOTR]

boot the AHT cd and it will tell u whats wrong with the computer.

i would guess that the cdrom itself may have a problem?

It wasn't booting. I did find my OS9 CD, and that is what I got. I also found the CDs that came with the machine, and it booted into OS 8.5 just fine. I am installing that now. To be safe, I wiped the HD, pulled it out, connected it to my IDE to USB caddy on my WIN7 machine, and found no issues with the drive.

It's just when I try to go into OS 9 that it gives me guff. Well...no big loss if I can't install OS 9, nothing I do with the machine requires OS 9 anyway.

[supernova777]

this is where some members of the board have different opinions..
i personally think that starting from the imac u have + the g3 B+W that these USB macs have SPECIFIC INSTALL CDS that are tweaked to work properly on these machines..

other members here think that its ok to use any later version.. (ie: using the same 9.2.2 for every machine)

there are a large number of installs that are "Specific" to a certain machine. and its very confusing because they dont really specify that on the labels..  in general i think its best to use the cd that was initially intended for the machine and upgrade using updates if you must. the thought behind that being that apple would have code in the updates to update the mac os rom correctly + patch whatever files specifically for that machine & os combination

in the end we have no definitive answer as to what is right + what is wrong so we can only speculate... and make theories based on whats worked for each of our own personal experiences.

according to everymac (which is not always 100% correct) the bondi blue shipped with mac os 8.1 or 8.5.. http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac_ab.html
if u have 8.5 working then GREAT!! be happy u have a workin bondi blue with its original os intact

[TGOTR]

Well it was running OS 9 before. And I tried booting from the same disc that I installed OS9 from before (an orange universal one). I am running another Hard Disk check, just to be sure.

[TGOTR]

After tracking down a NOS IDE hard drive, the CD wouldn't load. I got a spare IDE cable out...nothing, got a new one for a grossly inflated price of $15, nothing. I am going to assume the IDE controller on the Logic Board has given up the ghost.

The CRT is still good, I wonder if there is a project I could do with it.

[supernova777]

what was the first thing i told u to do.. boot from the diagnostics cd..
if it didnt boot the diagnostics cd.. u are using the wrong diagnostics cd and need to find the correct one

if it installs 8.5 fine.. and has problems installing 9.. something is up..
u might need a firmware update or something
those are quirky old machines.. the first usb mac

how could u assume the logic board is dying when it installed mac os 8.5 fine
remember that machine only supports ATA-3(EIDE) which is older + slower then ATA-4 (ata-33) + ATA-5 (ata-66) so your problems could be something to do with compatibility with the lower ata standard either by your IDE cable or IDE drive


anyway im getting frustrated trying to help u here because u arent making logical sense
u said u tracked down a "NEW OLD STOCK" IDE drive.. u dont specify what size...
then you say the CD wont load.. ?? wtf? does the cd have to do with the IDE drive??? u dont explain what u did .... so.. u are on your own pal.. learn to communicate more logically + effectively in the future if u want help.

go back and re-read your posts here - they make little sense

the orange "universal" os9 cd is for LATER VERSIONS of imacs.. and is NOT for use with the imac that u have.. and would cause strangeness u are experiencing.. we have tons of installers for download on this site.. DO NOT USE any orange os9 install cd thats probably the reason for your problems

u need to use the exact versions of cd discs that were shipped with your imac (version 8.1 for imac233 or version 8.5 for imac233) or you need to use a later universal retail install.. of which i think there was only 9.0 + 9.1, there never was a 9.2 retail cd.. but we have many 9.2 installers here on the site u can download from the public downloads section that should work fine.

[TGOTR]

what was the first thing i told u to do.. boot from the diagnostics cd..
if it didnt boot the diagnostics cd.. u are using the wrong diagnostics cd and need to find the correct one

if it installs 8.5 fine.. and has problems installing 9.. something is up..
u might need a firmware update or something
those are quirky old machines.. the first usb mac

how could u assume the logic board is dying when it installed mac os 8.5 fine
remember that machine only supports ATA-3(EIDE) which is older + slower then ATA-4 (ata-33) + ATA-5 (ata-66) so your problems could be something to do with compatibility with the lower ata standard either by your IDE cable or IDE drive


anyway im getting frustrated trying to help u here because u arent making logical sense
u said u tracked down a "NEW OLD STOCK" IDE drive.. u dont specify what size...
then you say the CD wont load.. ?? wtf? does the cd have to do with the IDE drive??? u dont explain what u did .... so.. u are on your own pal.. learn to communicate more logically + effectively in the future if u want help.

go back and re-read your posts here - they make little sense

the orange "universal" os9 cd is for LATER VERSIONS of imacs.. and is NOT for use with the imac that u have.. and would cause strangeness u are experiencing.. we have tons of installers for download on this site.. DO NOT USE any orange os9 install cd thats probably the reason for your problems

u need to use the exact versions of cd discs that were shipped with your imac (version 8.1 for imac233 or version 8.5 for imac233) or you need to use a later universal retail install.. of which i think there was only 9.0 + 9.1, there never was a 9.2 retail cd.. but we have many 9.2 installers here on the site u can download from the public downloads section that should work fine.

I was quick to point out that it installed fine. It started the install fine, but it ended up crashing the machine, and then would not boot any CD again. I ran the HDD through a disk checker, and as I ran the test, it started clicking. So I tracked down a New Old Stock Hard Drive (50GB), and attempted to boot 8.5 again, and nothing. The CD drive would spin up and down, but just sit on the folder screen never finding a thing. I replaced all the IDE/CD drive cabling at great expense to be sure that wasn't an issue.

I did clean the CD drive lens, and it still gave me guff.

Not even the Diagnostics CD would boot.

Since everything runs off that one IDE controller, and everything else is new...and working on other machines...it's a pretty good assumption to say the IDE controller doesn't work anymore.

[supernova777]

from what u have said here it looks like u know very little of macs
did u even try to reset the nvram? pram? did u even try to access
the openfirmware interface?

i dont think u have the knowledge or skills to fix it.
but is it fixable? probably

u need to boot up holding CMD-OPT-O-F

[devils_advisor]

from what u have said here it looks like u know very little of macs
did u even try to reset the nvram? pram? did u even try to access
the openfirmware interface?

i dont think u have the knowledge or skills to fix it.
but is it fixable? probably

u need to boot up holding CMD-OPT-O-F

and yes you need both hands for that (cant cross two fingers behind your back)

[supernova777]

its also possible that the battery inside the imac needs to be replaced

it also could be that the ram has gone bad
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/100SO256168L/

[TGOTR]

I can get it into the Open firmware, the battery is good, and the ram was tested in other machines, and work. I reset the PRAM as well.

[devils_advisor]

Thats odd can you install anything on it when you start this rig in target disk mode and use another mac to install the os? Or is the disk still missing?

when you turn it on does it chime normal?

[TGOTR]

It's an iMac without Firewire

[devils_advisor]

I dont know i prefer desktops and hardly look for anything older.
does it chime like every mac should?

[TGOTR]

Yep it chimes. I am a PC guy but OS9 Macs are pretty useful for things NT based versions of Windows cant do in terms of Win9x compatibility, namely software that was made and released with both Windows and Mac versions on the disc.