Powerbook Error?
I just bought my Girl some new memory for her Powerbook 12inch 1G for x-mas. Once I installed the memory all hell broke loose.
First, the computer booted up fine, I ran a simple software update, and tried to restart as usual. The computer never restarted? I ran the disk utility from the osx disk and found out there was a "keys out of order error" and "the disk could not be repaired" When I try to start up with out the osx disk, it shows a flashing network "globe? icon then switches to the missing startup disk icon "folder with ? mark and os face", it goes to the startup "apple w/ pinwheel" screen, tries for a bit then turns off.
I've read in other forums that disk warrior is about the only solution for the ?keys out of order? error. I thought about trying to reinstall the os but I can't even choose the HD to install on. Same with backing up the computer, I tried to back up the computer using the firewire in target disk mode, but the HD doesn't show up.
Am I screwed? Any suggestions? Was the problem caused by the new memory, if so can I go after those bastards? Please help!
Thank you all.
First, the computer booted up fine, I ran a simple software update, and tried to restart as usual. The computer never restarted? I ran the disk utility from the osx disk and found out there was a "keys out of order error" and "the disk could not be repaired" When I try to start up with out the osx disk, it shows a flashing network "globe? icon then switches to the missing startup disk icon "folder with ? mark and os face", it goes to the startup "apple w/ pinwheel" screen, tries for a bit then turns off.
I've read in other forums that disk warrior is about the only solution for the ?keys out of order? error. I thought about trying to reinstall the os but I can't even choose the HD to install on. Same with backing up the computer, I tried to back up the computer using the firewire in target disk mode, but the HD doesn't show up.
Am I screwed? Any suggestions? Was the problem caused by the new memory, if so can I go after those bastards? Please help!
Thank you all.
Comments
> I ran the disk utility from the osx disk and found out there was a "keys out of order error" and "the disk could not be repaired"
> I thought about trying to reinstall the os but I can't even choose the HD to install on.
In what order did you do these? If you can get disk utility (from os x install cd) to see the disk, you should be able to format the disk before reinstalling the OS. The installer may not be able to see the disk if it's in that screwed-up state though. The "keys out of order" is a filesystem problem. DiskWarrior should be able to take care of that if you really want to keep her data.
Failing that, it sounds like you might be getting her a new hard drive as well. How old is the PowerBook? Flakey memory can cause all sorts of weird freezes and such but I'd say that wasn't the root cause. I'd chalk it up to coincidence where you just caught the HD at a bad time where it's already on its way out.
If you're handy with a screwdriver you might want to try removing the hard drive and then putting it back in (essentially "reseating" it). When you had the machine apart to install the memory it's entirely possible something else got messed up... but ultimately if disk utility can't see or format the disk it's probably shot...
In what order did you do these? If you can get disk utility (from os x install cd) to see the disk, you should be able to format the disk before reinstalling the OS. The installer may not be able to see the disk if it's in that screwed-up state though. The "keys out of order" is a filesystem problem. DiskWarrior should be able to take care of that if you really want to keep her data.
Failing that, it sounds like you might be getting her a new hard drive as well. How old is the PowerBook? Flakey memory can cause all sorts of weird freezes and such but I'd say that wasn't the root cause. I'd chalk it up to coincidence where you just caught the HD at a bad time where it's already on its way out.
If you're handy with a screwdriver you might want to try removing the hard drive and then putting it back in (essentially "reseating" it). When you had the machine apart to install the memory it's entirely possible something else got messed up... but ultimately if disk utility can't see or format the disk it's probably shot...
I ran the disk utility first. I can't see the HD in the os install screen. Should I run restore from the disk utility screen? By reformatting the disk what steps should I take?
Thanks for your help.
If this succeeds, then you can go back to the Mac OS X installer and it should see the hard drive. Note that this will wipe everything so if you want to keep her data, I would skip the formatting step and try a utility like disk warrior.
Boot the PowerBook from the Mac OS X installer CD. Open up Disk Utility. If thehard drive doesn't show up, then you're screwed. If it does show up, click on it; then from the Erase tab you can format the drive.
If this succeeds, then you can go back to the Mac OS X installer and it should see the hard drive. Note that this will wipe everything so if you want to keep her data, I would skip the formatting step and try a utility like disk warrior.
Great, I do see the HD in the disk utility; I'll give your advice a shot.... Thanks again for your help.