G4 won't boot

[Joe]

It seems I've tried everything with no luck but maybe someone can think of something else.

G4 (OS 10.4.11) won't boot. It gets to the OS X progress bar and then switches to a full blue screen and there it sits. I've tried the little microswitch on the logic board, I've removed the RAM and reseated it. I've ran the Apple hardware tests and everything tests OK. I've done fsck on it. I've booted it into Firewire target disk mode hooked to another Mac and I can access the hard drive just fine. I've ran disk utility on it and it reports the HD is good. I've deleted the loginwindow pref and the launchservices pref. I've ran the full suite of applejack and none of this helped. It still gets to the blue screen right before the login window appears and hangs.

Any ideas before I wipe it clean?

[Chilbear]

Only thing I can add is to try and "refresh" the OS install (Archive and Install) from the CD/DVD. If that fails then the install if fubared and you are correct.

[Joe]

Yeah, that will be my next step later this evening if no one waves their magic wand and enlightens me as to a fix. I've read on different sites though that even the Archive and Install didn't work for some. And I really don't want to have to wipe it clean and start over.

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

Power Supply?

[Joe]

It powers up OK. I mean it all looks OK. Looks like it's booting normally until it hits the blue screen brakes.

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

It sounds an awful lot like Jim's problem a week or so ago.

[Joe]

It sounds an awful lot like Jim's problem a week or so ago.

His wasn't getting that far was it?

[Possum]

I had a DA I had put a new hard drive in. Wouldn't install anything all the way until I pulled all but the original RAM. The newer RAM tested fine and was from OWC, but that's what did it for me. Sometimes things that don't make sense work anyway.

[gnubler]

It sounds an awful lot like Jim's problem a week or so ago.

I don't think Joe could've done all those utilities without use of a keyboard. Are you making a funnie?

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

No, I forgot about that. I remember him mentioning the power supply though. Usually when all else fails, it's the power supply.

BTW, your atrocious spelling is rubbing off on mi.

[Joe]

I had a DA I had put a new hard drive in. Wouldn't install anything all the way until I pulled all but the original RAM. The newer RAM tested fine and was from OWC, but that's what did it for me. Sometimes things that don't make sense work anyway.

Yeah, the ram tests good using the Apple Hardware tests and I've tried every combination of ram chip possible and it does the same thing no matter how they are in there or how many. 1, 2, or 3. It's the darndest thing.

[Joe]

It sounds an awful lot like Jim's problem a week or so ago.

I don't think Joe could've done all those utilities without use of a keyboard. Are you making a funnie?

 :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I've checked. The keyboard IS plugged in.

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

Do you have an alternate power supply?

[Joe]

Do you have an alternate power supply?

Nope. I'll probably try the archive & install first. If that doesn't work I'll re-format and install and if that doesn't work I'll probably throw it in the dumpster. The last G4 power supply we bought was close to $200. A G4 these days isn't worth that.

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

I know. Sad, isn't it? I paid $2600.00 for just the box back in the day. My kids use it to watch pron now.