PM G5 won't get past spinning wheel...

[pdpfilms]

My hard drive had some hiccups today. It ended up getting to the point where it couldn't boot... just got stuck at the white screen with the gray spinning wheel/gear.

I assumed it was a problem with permissions, maybe a small disk error. I popped in a backup boot drive, and ran disk utility... fixed the permission errors, but there were disk errors it couldn't repair. I tried running DiskWarrior, which appeared to remedy the problem: Disk utility no longer reported any errors of any sort.

When I attempted to boot from the original drive again, it hung once more on the white screen/gray wheel.

To sum up, the drive appears to be in perfect condition. But I still can't boot from it! Any suggestions?

 

[liketom]

you've not just installed 10.4.3 have you ?

Zap Pram maybe ?

 

[pdpfilms]

you've not just installed 10.4.3 have you ?

Zap Pram maybe ?

Nope, had 10.4.3 for a long time. The hiccups started after downloading some Monk episodes in iTunes... it all began with choppy playback, then freezing, then a few kernal panics. How does one zap the pram again?

EDIT: just found it.... command + option + p + r on startup... but i can't do this, i only have a wireless keyboard... is there another way to get my zap on?

EDIT 2: I'm thinking PRAM doesn't have to do with it, as I can startup fine with another HD.

 

[liketom]

thats scary - have you backed up your HDD

does your HDD have a clicking sound BTW

 

[pdpfilms]

thats scary - have you backed up your HDD

does your HDD have a clicking sound BTW

Yeah, everything important's been backed up. The drive is only a few months old... I'd be very surprised at a failure this early. There are no odd noises coming from the drive, and I have really no reason to believe it's faulty (other than tonight's incident).

I could always reformat it, but it takes so much time to reinstall and reload important files back on... half the time i miss the really important ones too.

 

[pdpfilms]

Just took this:

EDIT: And tried to boot from the disc again. Hard drive makes normal noises as if it's going to boot, then sticks on spinning wheel. ARRRGH.

https://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=36434&stc=1&d=1133950414

 

[liketom]

thats a big HDD you have there -

if none of the normal stuff has not worked then yes try re-installing the OS on it.

nothing to do with the size i wonder ? mmm

i will look it up on apples support site

 

[pdpfilms]

thats a big HDD you have there -

if none of the normal stuff has not worked then yes try re-installing the OS on it.

nothing to do with the size i wonder ? mmm

i will look it up on apples support site

God, i love macrumors.

But I feel like the solution is so simple and so close, as the drive appears to be OK. Reinstalling the OS is my last resort here.

Edit: I've been using this HD flawlessly for the past few months. I don't think the size should be an issue...

 

[pdpfilms]

This is really getting on my nerves...

Found any solutions, Liketom?

 

[moonislune]

Just a few considerations...

Nope, had 10.4.3 for a long time. The hiccups started after downloading some Monk episodes in iTunes... it all began with choppy playback, then freezing, then a few kernal panics. How does one zap the pram again?

EDIT: just found it.... command + option + p + r on startup... but i can't do this, i only have a wireless keyboard... is there another way to get my zap on?

EDIT 2: I'm thinking PRAM doesn't have to do with it, as I can startup fine with another HD.

1) What is this business about another hard drive? It works fine with another but not this one? Are the jumper settings on the problem HD correct? Do both hard drives load the same software - > drivers. Have you added any hardware recently and installed software for it on the nonworking drive? I'd definitely check USB devices - printer, scanner, usb tv card. If you've added any pci cards, they could also be culprit.
2) Check you hard drive cables and ram. Make sure both are well seated and connected.
3) If you haven't added any hardware, can't solve the problem by removing some of it, what programs do you have loading at boot?
4) Keep me updated. I want to know how you solve this.

 

[pdpfilms]

1) What is this business about another hard drive? It works fine with another but not this one? Are the jumper settings on the problem HD correct? Do both hard drives load the same software - > drivers. Have you added any hardware recently and installed software for it on the nonworking drive? I'd definitely check USB devices - printer, scanner, usb tv card. If you've added any pci cards, they could also be culprit.
2) Check you hard drive cables and ram. Make sure both are well seated and connected.
3) If you haven't added any hardware, can't solve the problem by removing some of it, what programs do you have loading at boot?
4) Keep me updated. I want to know how you solve this.

Good thoughts.
1.)I can get my PM to boot from a seoncd drive that has 10.4.2 installed. It works in both drive bays, and the first drive won't boot in either bay. From this, I know the cables are all intact and this is not the issue.
2.) Cables OK. RAM is also fine. Again, I'm 98% percent sure the issue is contained within the HD itself, as the computer functions normally when it's booted with a different drive.
3.) I can't check which programs are set to load at boot, as I can't boot to check the preferences. I DID make changes to this before it was unable to boot, however i'm pretty sure i didn't do anything but remove an application or two from the list, which were not necessary for startup. But I think this might not be the issue. When you set applications to run at login, the don't start before you rech the login screen, correct? I would think they only begin to run once you've entered a password and initiated the login process, though I may be wrong. Again, the computer is sticking at the white screen, even before it shows the "Mac OSX Starting" progress bar on the blue background.
4.) I also want to know how to solve this.

New thought: The HD is still fully functioning and readable. Is there any way I can simply clear all the OS files and reinstall it without manually copying and replacing files after a fresh install?