Member Avatar for andalublue

My 2005 PowerBook G4, 1.25GHz with a Fujitsu HD has been funny for a while. I flattened it and reinstalled OSX 10.3.4, didn't improve things so bought Leopard. Wouldn't install. Now won't open at all, just get grey screen, Apple logo and revolving clockface. Makes clicking sounds but does nothing. Is my HD dead? I've got my data backed up but is there anything I can do?

You guys all know tons more than me and I'm completely stumped. I'm currently having to use a PC 24/7 but I miss my baby Mac. Please can someone help?:(

Cheers,

Andalublue

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by steven woodman

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A quick, practical summary and next steps based on the thread: the pattern of installer hangs plus intermittent clicking almost always points to a failing mechanical drive rather than an OS problem. ’s test of booting from an external drive was the right diagnostic move, and ’s suggestion to connect the drive to another machine is exactly the next step for confirmation and recovery.

Concrete diagnostic checklist:

  • Boot the PowerBook from an external disk or installer DVD and run Disk Utility’s Verify/Repair on the internal disk. If Disk Utility reports irreparable/fatal errors, that indicates physical or severely corrupted media.
  • If another Mac is available, try FireWire Target Disk Mode (hold T at boot) so the failing drive appears as an external disk on the other machine. For PCs or laptops, use a 2.5" HDD enclosure or a SATA/IDE-to-USB adapter to inspect the drive externally.
  • Listen carefully to the sound: repetitive, rhythmic “click-click” usually means mechanical failure (heads/actuator or bearings). Avoid repeated power-cycling if a mechanical click is heard — that can worsen damage.

Recovery and next steps:

  • If backups exist, replace the drive and reinstall/restore the system. For Leopard-era installs, format the new drive as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) before restoring. Consider an SSD upgrade for much better responsiveness in an older PowerBook (confirm physical/interface compatibility first).
  • If important data was not fully backed up and the drive is clicking, stop attempting repairs and consult a professional data-recovery service; DIY attempts can reduce the chance of successful recovery. If the drive mounts but has read errors, create an image (ddrescue or cloning tools) from the failing disk before any repair attempts.

Final note: proactive backups (Time Machine on Leopard and later) and occasional SMART/health checks save a lot of grief. The thread shows the right process — isolate with an external boot, test the drive externally, and if Disk Utility gives a “fatal” result and clicking persists, plan replacement or professional recovery.

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Member Avatar for andalublue

Hi Guys,

Just tried something different.

Tried a hard reboot with the Leopard installer disc. Held down the C key and the installer launched. Selected destination, clicked Install, skipped the DVD check as it did it the last time I tried it. Up came the Installing screen saying "Installing Mac OSX on the volume Macintosh HD" and below the moving blue and white bar it says "Time remaining: Calculating..."

After 3 minutes the blue and white moving pole changed to the progress bar, still says "Time Remaining: Calculating..." Intermittent clicking sounds. Also the sound of the DVD operating.

After another 3 minutes, with the blue on the progress bar having reach only about 1/20th of the way from left to right I get a box come up saying "You need to restart your computer. Hold down the Power button for several seconds or press the Restart button." in 4 languages. That's as far I seem to be able to get. I can hear the fan whirring but no other activity seems to be going on inside.

I reckon it must be an HD problem, no?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Andalu

Member Avatar for steven woodman

Yes, you may be caorrect there. The clicking is usually caused by a harddrive error. If you have another computer you can take out that hdd and run a disc check. There are many utilities for checking discs out there.

Hope that helps.

Member Avatar for andalublue

Steve, it does help. But how would I connect my dismantled HD to another computer (I've got an HP Laptop) to do that check?

I'm going to Google to find a disc checking utility right now.

Thanks!

Andalu

Member Avatar for andalublue

Dear Steve,

Thanks for this. I think I've got to the bottom of the problem. Yes, the HDD is dead. I installed OSX onto my Lacie external drive and then used that as my startup disc. I checked the disc utility and my Fujitsu HD in my PowerBook has a fatal error. I feared as much. I'm going to have it replaced. Fortunately, I backed up my data not so long ago and so I've lost nothing.

Thanks so much for your advice.

Andalu

Member Avatar for steven woodman

Glad to hear you backed up your data. thats always a good idea.

Well hdd problems are an easy and relatively cheap fix, it could be worse.

Good luck

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