Member Avatar for jpate

i've got a power mac G4, and i've already had my hardrive replaced once before. about a month and a half ago i was getting the little folder with the question mark on it, but i just ignored it and went on using my computer since it wasn't stopping me. today, i attempted to start my computer and the only screen i get is this light grey screen with a dark grey applein the middle and the turning wheel at the bottom. i'm freakin' out, someone has to help me!

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The two symptoms mentioned are useful clues. The earlier folder-with-question-mark usually means the firmware could not find a bootable system; the current gray Apple with spinner shows the Mac is trying to start macOS but getting stuck partway (filesystem errors, a corrupt system, or failing disk/electronics are common causes). and pointed toward disk checks and repair tools; the list below expands on ways to isolate hardware vs filesystem problems and to salvage data before attempting repairs.

Try these boot-time checks in order: hold Option at power-on to see whether the internal drive appears in the startup manager; try Shift (Safe Boot) to force a directory check; Command-V (Verbose) to watch where the boot hangs; and reset PRAM with Command-Option-P-R at startup (hold until the startup chime repeats). If the drive shows up in the startup manager or in Verbose messages, that suggests filesystem corruption rather than total hardware failure.

If the drive still looks usable, avoid running invasive repairs until data is backed up. Use FireWire Target Disk Mode (T at boot on G4s) or a drive enclosure/adapter to mount the disk on another Mac and copy important files off. If the drive makes no sound, clicks, or does not spin, it is likely a physical failure; in that case mounting it externally will often fail and professional recovery or drive replacement is the practical route.

Quick hardware checks: power off, unplug, and carefully reseat the drive power/data cable (ESD caution). Try swapping cables or a known-good drive to determine whether the logic board or the drive itself is the issue. If files are critical, prioritize imaging the disk (read-only) to a file before attempting repairs. These steps expand on and by focusing on isolation and safe data-salvage tactics before repair attempts.

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Member Avatar for kc0arf

Hello,

It is possible that you lost the hard disk... this is why backups are so important. Things like this can happen anytime anywhere -- on linux, on Mac, on Windoze.

Try booting from the CD-ROM with the OS disk that came with your computer. I am guessing it is OS X. You will be prompted to install... instead go to the upper left hand corner and click on the blue Apple. From there, select Disk Utility. Go into that program, and repair the hard drive. Check for permissions and also for general issues.

Restart without the CD. It should boot.

Christian

Member Avatar for yellow

If repairing from the CD/fscking doesn't work, you can always try some disk repair software like DiskWarrior or TechToolPro. Do NOT use Drive 10. It sucks.

As noted above, this is one major reason you should get in the habit of backing up, even if you forget and do it infrequently, at least you have SOMETHING to fall back on.

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