Apple Mac Tower

[learninmypc]

I've never dealt with an apple mac so bear with me, please. A friend stopped by last night & told me he bought it for $10 & we think its 13 years old. Neither the keyboard or mouse that came with it work adequately so I have to use mine.
Booting it up, I get a gray screen with tiny box that goes between a question "?" mark & a face.
No way to shut it down with out pulling the power plug/power button. Not sure, but I think this is it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Mac_G4
TIA

 

[DelJo63]

"?" implies the HD is not bootable OR the system can not be properly found.

You need the Apple Tools CD to verify the disk is good (similar to windows CHKDSK).

 

[learninmypc]

You're talking about a separate CD? Since it was bought at a garage/yard sale, I doubt that came with it. Would trying booting into safe mode work or not?

 

[cliffordcooley]

Maybe these tool CD's can be downloaded.

 

[learninmypc]

If its a free download, I could try it. Otherwise it might be the first apple mac I get at a toy to play with cause I know if it don't work, I doubt he'll want it back.

On 2nd thought, even if I could download it for free, how would I be able to make the usb boot first or whatever? I haven't tried booting into safemode,yet. Will try that shortly.
"EDIT" No safemode using f8.

 

[learninmypc]

Bummer, I just noticed a sticker on the back side of this tower showing a local college name on it. Will that void this thread? I was trying to find out how to gain entry to the inside when I saw it. It is open now.

 

[terry5880]

Are u looking to format it ?

 

[DelJo63]

Hmm; think. Joe Doe wants to sell a system and NOT let any personal data go with it to the new user - - HOW to do that? REFORMAT the drive.

The Mac has a special sequence to get into the Mach Kernel ( I forget just now ), that will NOT boot a system so it doesn't really matter.

The Apple Disk Tools is a purchased item.

If you want to invest in an Apple Install CD, then you could get the system to run again, but make sure of the Processor on it. There was a PowerPC and then an Intel and new installers for the PowerPC are no longer available.

 

[terry5880]

Right ok .. turn mac on when u see white screen and hear the bong hold down the aplle key then press s. a black screen will appear with boot etc. then follow these steps exactly as written

/sbin/mount -uw /
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone
reboot


at end of each line press enter so after uw / press enter then after applesetupdone press enter then type reboot and press enter this should factory reset the hole mac

 

[learninmypc]

Ok, when I turn it on, I hear no bong sound, just a few almost inaudible tick tick tick, maybe more & then the gray screen with tiny box showing a ?mark & face in it. Nothing more.
I'd have to ask the owner if he wants to invest that $$$ . How much might it be?

 

[terry5880]

Ok soon as u turn on try holding down the apple key and pressing and holding s key 1 second after try couple times it should take u to a black screen with boot etc

 

[terry5880]

Ok soon as u turn on try holding down the apple key and pressing and holding s key 1 second after try couple times it should take u to a black screen with boot etc

holding both down together untill u see black screen

 

[learninmypc]

Right ok .. turn mac on when u see white screen and hear the bong hold down the aplle key then press s. a black screen will appear with boot etc. then follow these steps exactly as written

/sbin/mount -uw /
rm /var/db/.applesetupdone
reboot


at end of each line press enter so after uw / press enter then after applesetupdone press enter then type reboot and press enter this should factory reset the hole mac

Did I forget to say the mac keyboard don't work? It don't.

 

[terry5880]

Ah I think u might of mentioned it ..ok sorry I cant help . if u do get 1 then try what I said

 

[learninmypc]

Ok. Thanks for trying.

 

[learninmypc]

I don't know what I did, but I now have this on my Mac screen

Tried using my mouse to click it, but it don't show on screen.

 

[learninmypc]

I'm also hearing numerous clicking sounds from the tower. What might that mean? Its not continuous,its off & on.

 

[cliffordcooley]

From my perspective, clicking sounds are usually mechanically related. Clicking might be related to HDD read and write errors. HDD issues can cause the mechanical parts inside to act strangely.

 

[learninmypc]

Should I leave it on or shut it down? I read online earlier Mac's have a built in fixer type thing if they're online. So for the fun of it, I just hooked it up to my DSl to see if anything good might happen.

 

[learninmypc]

I'm going to contact the owner so I'm wondering about how much it might cost to get The Apple Disk Tools?

 

[terry5880]

Do u mean the disc to format like same as a windows 7 disc etc . if u do u will still need a keyboard and mouse as u need to press certain keys through the process ..

 

[learninmypc]

Yes,I do mean the disc to format . I wasn''t sure the Mac KB was working but I'm using it to type this.

 

[terry5880]

Ok u should be able to do what I said above

 

[learninmypc]

Ok, I''d stilll need to know a priice, even a guess is ok.

 

[terry5880]

A price for what bud I must of missed that part