On Jun 6, 2011, at 4:17 PM, [email protected] wrote: > So i decided to try to reinstall OS X using XPost Facto. This time the DVD > read the disk and I chose the "Archive and Install" option. This worked. Now > I downloaded the 10.4.11 combined update from Apple and attempted to install > it, but the installer only completed a partial install and gave me a message > to drag the installer from the Trash and re-run it. This was not successful; > the installer crashed every time I tried to re run it.
That means it's a bad installer. Re-download the installer for later. You can do this on your wife's system. > Now, when I try to start up in OS X, I get a black screen with the message > "DARWIN/BSD (computer name.loc) (CONSOLE) and a log-in prompt. I have no idea > what the log-in should be; I've tried ROOT and it asks for a password. I have > no password, as I am the only user of this computer. After a couple of tires > of this, it goes to the MAC OS X log-in screen, which looks just as it > normally did, but any attempt to log-in at this point fails also, and I am > taken back to the black console screen. Your installation of OS X is hosed. Unfortunately this means that another archive&install may not work, BUT it's *probable* that your data is ok. If you have backups of your data, then there's not an issue: reformat the hard drive and start from scratch with OS X. Get the system working, restore your data and go on. If not, it's going to be a yugly recovery. Get another hard drive. Remove the one with OS X and your data, and put it away safely. Install OS X 10.4 on the new drive, and confirm that it is working. Update it with the re-downloaded installer. Now you'll either need an external drive enclosure for your old drive, or one of these: <http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=2020-OTB&cpc=SCH> (and the USB card to support them) Connect your old drive and copy your data back to the new one. > I can reboot back into OS 9, but can't do anything further in the way of > upgrades or reinstalls, as my DVD drive is now not working in OS 9! It is a > Pioneer DVR-109AB, according to the label on the drive, but System Profiler > reports it as a DVR-127D. It is on the ATA bus. > > This computer is essential to my work and it is vital that I get it running > again in both OS X and OS 9. I am at my wit's end. Help! > Well, frankly, if this is truly 'essential to your work' you REALLY need to have a fool proof disaster recovery plan; very few people rely entirely on computers that are in excess of ten years old to do 'essential' stuff. Simply upgrading to a G4 or G5 system (I've seen G5's advertised on the swap list for < $400) would be a prudent thing to do. Also having an 'essential to my work' system dependent on a third party hack to run an unsupported OS is a risky proposition,no matter how well behaved the computer is. Also, some advice that's only useful for the future: when you're in a hole, STOP DIGGING! The first thing to do if a system won't boot into OS X is to try a safe mode boot: hold down the shift key where while it's booting up. If that doesn't fix it, boot from the system disc and use Disk Utility to check it. -- Bruce Johnson University of Arizona College of Pharmacy Information Technology Group Institutions do not have opinions, merely customs -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
