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Question
when i turn on my ibook its goes to this gray screen and then right in the middle there is a folder with a blinking mac fac and a bliknking question mark and then it will freeze. and i've tried restrarting it but nothing works and the it will say like access denied type mac-boot for normal booting and i will type it but nothing happens!!whta should i do?what is wrong with it?
Dear Chelsea,
Sorry for taking so long, but I was hospitalized and then had to move right afterwards, so I'm catching up as fast as i can.
There are two likely problems: One is that is it booting into OPEN FIRMWARE, a highly technical control area that you can control the way the computer processes commands, boots, etc. This problem seems to be occurring because the computer cannot read the OS X system startup (which is because either the system is corrupted or the drive itself is failing). Try these things and GET BACK TO ME, okay?
1) Do a PRAM reset by hitting the power button (it should make the startup sound) and immediately holding down the APPLE, OPTION, P and R keys all at once. Keep them down and if you did it right, you will hear the startup sound once, twice, then a THIRD TIME. As soon as it chimes the 3rd time, release the keys and see what happens. If the thing then starts up and you can see the blinking mac with the question mark, just shut it down and start it up again, but hold the OPTION key down this time.
2) You will see a screen with two boxed arrows inside them. On the left is a curved arrow and the right there is an arrow that goes straight to the right. Wait until the cursor turns back into a pointer (it will be a small clock/watch). You should see a startup drive between/above the arrows--just click on that and you can start up. If it freezes again, you may want to try running a boot disk in the cd drive. Just put the startup disk in (the disks that came with the computer or any OS X install disk). Put that in, restart the iBook, and then hold the OPTION key down again as soon as you press the power button.
3) When the boxed arrows come up this time, there should be a box with the disk inside it. Click on that disk when the clock on the cursor/pointer goes away and it will startup. Once it starts up, if it is an OS X disk, you will see Disk Utility in one of the pull-down menus on the page after you select English for your language. In the later versions(10.3 Panther, 10.4 TIger, and10.5 Leopard), it is under the UTILITIES pull-down and it is in one of the other pull downs in earlier versions (10.1, 10.2 Jaguar,).
In Disk Utility, select the hard drive when it shows up in the left hand column. You should be automatically in the First Aid tab. Just choose REPAIR DISK. If that checks out okay, choose REPAIR DISK PERMISSIONS. Once you are done and it has repaired, try to restart and it should start up. If it doesn't start, startup with the CD again and INSTALL a new System of OS X. You do that by selecting Install and choosing the disk. Once you do that, there is a button on the lower left of the window called OPTIONS. Choose Archive and Install to save your old files, programs, and settings but replace the system.
If the First Aid cannot repair the disk or it encounters problems that have to do with drive malfunctions, then a new hard drive is in order. This should cost a few hundred dollars or less (no MORE!), but you should decide if it is worth it to put more money into a G3 iBook or not. Let me know how you make out and I will advise you how to proceed, okay?
Thanks for your patience and please let me know if you need any clarification.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Wrobel
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Answers by Expert:
Jeffrey J. Wrobel
Expertise
I can answer OS compatibility questions, from OS 7 to OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. Living in Rhode Island with family near Cape Cod, Mass has proven to be a bit lacking in Mac popularity (Yankees are slow to change), but momentum is building for Apple.
Experience
I studied electrical engineering, video technology, and computers in the early 80s, coming into contact with the very first Apple machines. Unlike many Mac technicians, I also have an excellent working knowledge of the Windoze platform. This has allowed me to work in many different computer environments and has made my company, Lazarus Communications, much more desirable for many small businesses and mixed Mac/PC homes. I do point-of-sale installations, design systems and networks for unique business and creative settings. I have 25 years experience in software installation, use, and troubleshooting as well as all aspects of high level hardware repair. Any questions about peripherals and their Mac-compatibility are also welcome. I am very current in all aspects of the Max OS, while having an excellent breadth of knowledge of older machines. My work keeps me in constant contact with Mac suppliers, products, and problems, enabling me to not only draw on my past experience, but also to add to that experience every day.
Publications
I have authored specialized repair manuals for technicians that I distributed through my server to anyone who asked for them. Numerous Mac forums, essays and editorials featured in the Media Awareness Project, and I've contributed too many newspapers and blogs to count. LazCom,com and JeffWrobel.com, which are my websites for my company and professional photography, respectively.
Education/Credentials
Studied in the early 80s with students from Worcester Polytech Institute and learned Basic, Pascal, and other programming languages. Found myself to be more creative than a number cruncher, so I went to UMASS to study Philosophy, English, and Psychology (Major, minor, minor). Loved learning the theory of knowledge, language, and ethics. Found the philosophy education to be superior in the amount I learned (and how much was required of me) and went into psychology after college, working with the criminally insane, mentally ill, and head-injured. Eventually, found that I could make a better living and enjoy the work more, if I was working with people to help them find and use computers that fit THEM individually, instead of the prevailing wisdom of one-size-fits-all strategy of the Microsoft crew. Also, was very disturbed at the predatory nature of Microsoft, as they swallowed up small creative and innovative companies and sucked up their original ideas. Was amazed that what Microsoft brought to computing and computers was greed and no substance. They gave up security for monopoly, innovation for homogenization, and they profited on the backs of so many businesses and individuals that they destroyed. The ethics were clearly lacking and because of their size and tax outlay, the US government overlooked information theft that was engineered into their programs.
Past/Present Clients
My life experience has taken me from the US Army to working with the criminally insane. Pursued a philosophy degree while working in psychology, then ended up doing graphic design, marketing modular construction products, and ultimately starting the computer business that I now own. At 41 years old, I plan to make my triumphant return to college and get a master's degree in philosophy.
Clients include a multi-million dollar international manufacturing firm, a nationwide jewelry/gemstone distributor, numerous town libraries, 2 school districts, a few celebrities, a famous author, a prominent film maker, Brown University & RISD faculty and students, and numerous small businesses and individuals in Rhode Island, Cape Cod, and Boston. I also have a nationwide Powerbook/iBook/Macbook repair program and I sell refurbished Mac parts. The growth of my company, which was a record-breaker in 2008, has been a direct result of my customer service and the experience gained through helping the folks that use All Experts.
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