OS X Startup disk problem

[Love As Arson]

When I try to upgrade to OS X on my computer, which is a IBook G3, blue and white laptop, I get this message:

"An error has occurred. Startup disk was unable to select the install cd as startup disk. (-2)"

[yellow]

So this is a Clamshell that you're trying to upgrade? What are you trying to upgrade to, OS-wise? Does the clamshell meet the specs? Is the installer disk that you're using the generic one, or one that is meant for another type of Mac?

[Love As Arson]

So this is a Clamshell that you're trying to upgrade? What are you trying to upgrade to, OS-wise? Does the clamshell meet the specs? Is the installer disk that you're using the generic one, or one that is meant for another type of Mac?

Yeah, it's the clamshell, and as far as I know, it does meet the specs. I'm trying to upgrade to OS X Panther Version 10.3. It's the generic one I suppose. I mean, it doesn't say on the box that it's for a specific type of Mac.

[yellow]

OK, looks like the clamshells are supported for Panther .

Got enough RAM (min 128MB)?

Zapped the PRAM?

Tried rebooting and holding down C to choose CD as boot device?

[Love As Arson]

OK, looks like the clamshells are supported for Panther .

Got enough RAM (min 128MB)?

Zapped the PRAM?

Tried rebooting and holding down C to choose CD as boot device?

What do you mean by zapped the PRAM?

[yellow]

What do you mean by zapped the PRAM?

Google is your friend.. http://www.techsurvivors.net/faqs/pram_how.html

[Love As Arson]

What exatly does that do?

[yellow]

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86194

[kc0arf]

Hello,

ZAPPING the PRAM is akin to zapping the BIOS on the Wintel machines. Remember to go through your control panels (or system prefs) after a successful bootup to re-personalize items that may have been defaulted with the zap. Also check the time too!

Christian

[Danielclamshell]

Hi,

I just found this forum and I'm hoping for the best.

I have an ibook, pc G3 and I can't install OS X. I keep getting the prohibited error. I have zapped my stuff, gotten firmware, upgraded to 9.2.2 and done everything that is listed on the apple website with one possible exception. I have 320 ram that may be after market. Should I install the old one again and try to install OS X for the 50+ time?

Any ideas? I have two versions I'm trying to use and it just doens't get far enough to know if it will even work, it just wont' start up.

Also, my internal cd drive is fried and I'm using a Que! usb2 external drive. This worked to reinstall my os 9.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

daniel

[hubestur]

Did anyone ever resolve the original question on this thread? I get the exact same error message while trying to install OS X on my blue and white G3 tower that is currently running 9.2...

"An error has occurred. Startup disk was unable to select the install cd as startup disk. (-2)"

The CD drive works fine, recognizes the OS X disc, lets me view and click on individual items on the OS X disk, even lets me select the OS 9.2 disc as a startup disc, but no matter what I do, it won't allow me to select the OS X disc as the startup disc. Even when I go to the select startup disc function, the OS X cd only appears as a "gray" listing that can't be selected.

Any ideas? Getting desperate...

[Danielclamshell]

HI,

My clamshell issue got resoved by booting from a powerbook and loading it that way. For some reason my clamshell wouldn't load os x from my external usb disk. I think it would upgrade now from my firewire external though.

The machine took Panther and it runs great. It just wouldn't load it from my external cd. Everything seemed right and there were not changes when we did it from the powerbook but it worked on the first try then.

Daniel

Did anyone ever resolve the original question on this thread? I get the exact same error message while trying to install OS X on my blue and white G3 tower that is currently running 9.2...

"An error has occurred. Startup disk was unable to select the install cd as startup disk. (-2)"

The CD drive works fine, recognizes the OS X disc, lets me view and click on individual items on the OS X disk, even lets me select the OS 9.2 disc as a startup disc, but no matter what I do, it won't allow me to select the OS X disc as the startup disc. Even when I go to the select startup disc function, the OS X cd only appears as a "gray" listing that can't be selected.

Any ideas? Getting desperate...

[kc0arf]

Hello,

I am thinking that the OS is not geared to load from an external USB device, probably because the drivers are not there to engage the USB file subsytem and make the drivers happy.

Older Macs could install from external SCSI devices because they had internal SCSI, and the code / support was in the firmware (ROM) of the computer.

Glad it is working for you.

CHristian

[saibertech]

Hello, I am thinking that the OS is not geared to load from an external USB device, probably because the drivers are not there to engage the USB file subsytem and make the drivers happy.

Older Macs could install from external SCSI devices because they had internal SCSI, and the code / support was in the firmware (ROM) of the computer.

Glad it is working for you.

CHristian

anyone with a clamshell that meets requirements and has no firewire or internal diskdrive that will read osx burned or otherwise, do this....
im a pc tech but i poked around and figured it out, go to the files that the external usb cd-drive pops up, then open the "utilities" folder, choose the startup disk, and make it the osx install disc that is listed in the device chooser, install away! good luck to you all and i sure am happy i like poking around in settings instead of relying wholly upon forums although they too can be a godsend.

laterz