I guess I was right... (URGENT HELP!)

tigerwoods99 · June 17, 2002 12:36PM

I'd posted before about problems with my dual GHz Quicksilver, and guess what. This morning I boot up the computer.........and nothing works. What happened when I booted up is on the startup screen I got an image of like a disc (looked like a floppy sort of) with a flashing question mark inside it. While this is going on I hear a noise inside the computer. I opened the case up and it seems as if the noise is coming from the hard drive. My thought is that the hard drive has gone caput and that the question mark thingie means it isnt recognizing any hard drive as being in the computer. I don't know what to do now....I have a lot of important stuff on the HD, some of it NOT backed up. I don't expect a $3000 few month old computer to just suddenly FAIL on me.

I am SO ****ing sick of this **** happening to me all the time....

thuh freak · June 17, 2002 1:45PM

ur write about the icon, the flashing question mark on a disk means it doesn't see/recognize the drive. there are several possible reasons for it, and hopefully (for your sake) it's not phuq'd. i suggest you chk the cables, there should b 2 pluggin into th' back of the harddrive. 1 is a power (which, since the hd is making noise, is probably already good), the other is the ata/ide, which might be loose. try un + replugging the ata/ide wire (it should have a longer conn' than th' power cable).

u might wanna try 'n' borrow a friend's comp (or an extra comp if u got it) and try pluggin the hddrive into there (power+ide) and see if that comp sees the hddrive after a restart. even if it doesn't initially see it, you may be able to get some kind of software diagnostic (like techtoolpro) which can scavenge the bad disk and rip the innards out.

if u already have 2 hddrives on ur pmac, both with some vers of macos, then u may not need to borrow some1 else's. u can unplug the faulty drive. goto control panels and set the xtra drive as the startup, and shutdown and replug the baddie, and restart. from there u migth be able to do soft diagnostics (like ttp).

hope this helped.

jrego · June 17, 2002 1:50PM

Can you start up off a CD? Using a DiskWarrior CD would be my recommendation, but if you can start up off any Mac OS disks (like your OS 9 installer), you may be able to see your hard drive and choose a different system folder, or install a new one. It sounds like your system may have been corrupted somehow. My second drive had some issues with its BTree nodes, and I've heard that will cause the same sort of problem if you have only one startup drive. DiskWarrior will do an excellent job of fixing that, if that is the case. OS 9 will have a much better chance of starting up off the drive, so try using that if you can start up off something and get to the Startup Disk control panel.

tigerwoods99 · June 17, 2002 2:15PM

I can't start up off a CD because the drive won't open either. One thing I tried (I looked in the manual) was Command+Option+P+R but all that did was give me the chime again and the same startup. I was thinking of perhaps borrowing someone else's hard drive if they have an extra. I only have the stock one in my G4. The thing is, I can't exactly get to a tech who can repair it because my parents are away for another few weeks, and I don't have a car. Hmm, I'll try checking all the power/chords out again. Thanks for the help so far. I appreciate it.

matsu · June 17, 2002 2:28PM

How long does it take to get from Cleveland to New York on foot? <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />

Just breaking your balls a little, see your duplicate thread.

tigerwoods99 · June 17, 2002 2:42PM

It's all good.

tigerwoods99 · June 17, 2002 5:17PM

Mods, thank you for locking the other thread.

I think I might just go to CompUSA or somewhere (get my brother to drive or take the rapid somewhere) and just buy a new hard drive. I mean I doubt Apple is going to do anything, they didn't help us last time. Obviously god doesn't want me to have anything good (my G4, G3, my girlfriend).

bodhi · June 17, 2002 5:51PM

You can always start up holding the mouse button down. That will open the optical drive. The hard drive failing hs absolutely nothing to do with Apple, Apple doesn't make hard drives. But it is covered under your one year warranty.

graphiteman · June 17, 2002 5:52PM

<a href="http://204.68.168.161/scene/?id=3658"; target="_blank">http://204.68.168.161/scene/?id=3658</a>;

They had a similar experience.

applenut · June 17, 2002 6:44PM

[quote]Originally posted by TigerWoods99:

Mods, thank you for locking the other thread.

I think I might just go to CompUSA or somewhere (get my brother to drive or take the rapid somewhere) and just buy a new hard drive. I mean I doubt Apple is going to do anything, they didn't help us last time. Obviously god doesn't want me to have anything good (my G4, G3, my girlfriend).<hr></blockquote>

what don't you understand. you are under warranty. what are you scared to talk on the phone? Call AppleCare. tell them what happened and more likely than not they'll replace the drive if needed.

By your refusal to do that it makes it seem more like you did something wrong yourself.

tigerwoods99 · June 17, 2002 6:54PM

Yep, that would be the one. I'm gonna read through that and do everything exactly as they did. First I need some food though.

aquatic · June 17, 2002 6:55PM

hold the mouse down and use DiskWarrior. I've come to rely on DiskWarrior, maybe even more than I should!

tigerwoods99 · June 17, 2002 6:56PM

applenut: When we had a problem with our beige G3, my dad did call Apple. They were not helpful,and didn't do anything about it.

tigerwoods99 · June 17, 2002 6:58PM

I don't have any disk utility programs. Shouldn't need em either!!!

eman · June 17, 2002 7:25PM

[quote]Originally posted by TigerWoods99:

applenut: When we had a problem with our beige G3, my dad did call Apple. They were not helpful,and didn't do anything about it.<hr></blockquote>

So you have one bad experience and that's it? Call them and see what they say.

eman · June 17, 2002 7:26PM

[quote]Originally posted by TigerWoods99:

I don't have any disk utility programs. Shouldn't need em either!!!<hr></blockquote>

You're right, no one should need sick utilities, but stuff happens sometimes.

applenut · June 17, 2002 7:27PM

[quote]Originally posted by TigerWoods99:

applenut: When we had a problem with our beige G3, my dad did call Apple. They were not helpful,and didn't do anything about it.<hr></blockquote>

well I don't know what you're problem was with that machine but this problem seems pretty basic and obvious. you're under warranty. what's the problem. you'd rather spend money on a replacement than make a toll free call to try and get a free replacement? doesn't make sense

pasta · June 17, 2002 8:08PM

There's really only two likely problems with your machine. One is the HD has failed, and will need to be replaced. The second is that some info on the HD has been corrupted, and this is preventing it from booting.

Before you call Apple and get a replacement drive, please try the following:

start machine holding down mouse button. This will open the CD drive. Insert the OS 9 CD that came with your machine. Restart machine. Hold down 'C' key. Machine will boot off of CD. Try the disk first aid utility on the CD. It may be able to fix it. If not, try the drive setup utility. Does Drive Setup see your drive? If no, then call Apple, get replacement. If yes, then you can do the following:

1. reinitialize the drive. You will lose ALL DATA if you do this. Reinstall OS.

2. Get a program like disk warrior or Norton Utilities and try one of these. They're usually more effective than the Disk First Aid program.

Good luck, I hope it works out for you!

tigerwoods99 · June 17, 2002 8:22PM

Ok, if this works I will be sooo damn happy.

tigerwoods99 · June 17, 2002 8:38PM

Bingo. I just fixed it on my own.

Everything there.

bodhi · June 18, 2002 1:44PM

[quote]Originally posted by TigerWoods99:

I don't have any disk utility programs. Shouldn't need em either!!!<hr></blockquote>

Hard Drives fail. Car engines fail. Pens run out of ink. It happens and you need to protect yourself.

I guess I was right... (URGENT HELP!)

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