Two bootless iMacs

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-Wallstreet-'s picture
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Joined: Dec 26 2003 - 16:21
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Two bootless iMacs

I've got two iMacs here, a 333Mhz 6GB 192MB lime and a 350Mhz 10GB 256MB. Neither will boot. The 333, whether boot off the HD or a Panther disc, shows the grey apple screen for about 3 seconds and then goes into a text based screen, where it says "/etc/master.passwd: No such file or directory". I've tried zapping the PRAM, but not much else. It worked until I put a different HD in. Should I try a CUDA reset?

The DV shows the grey apple screen and then the apple changs to a grey circle with a diagonal line through it. This is something I've never seen before and it appears google hasn't either. Any suggestions?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Eudimorphodon's picture
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Suggestons...

I'd try different hard drives in both of them.

First the 333Mhz: All the "tray load" iMacs have a really lousy, picky hard disk controller. It's also possible it's being confused by some data already on the drive.

The DV: I've seen that grey circle bit on my G3. It seems to be a generic "I don't like this disk, but I'm not going to tell you why I don't like it." message. I was getting it from a Western Digital 80GB hard disk, on which OS X would install successfully, but then never boot from. Swapping it for a 40GB IBM Deathstar, er, Deskstar fixed the problem. Odd, really, because switching to an IBM drive is usually *causes* problems. :^b

Does the DV boot successfully off the CD drive?

--Peace

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suggestion

Yah, a CUDA reset most always brings a dead mac back to life, and if nother else works I will buy one of them of you! Acute (probably the 333mhz)

-Crosby :coolmac: :macos:

-Wallstreet-'s picture
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The CDROM is broken, this cam

The CDROM is broken, this came from an elementary school, so I'm guessing some idiot kid stuck something in the slot and damaged it. I'll swapping the drives to see what happens, and I'll try CUDAing the 333.

Thanks!

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