Major Start up problem 9.1

[Mangrove]

I cannot start up my G4. The folder icon flashes with a question mark. I have rebooted using the system disc and get the message that my hard disk is unreadable and do I want to initalize. Uuurh No! The Apple Knowlege Base says there is a known issue with some hard disks that give the "disk is unreadable" message when trying to install system 9.1 and suggest a work round by choosing the CD as a starttup disk from the control panel. This fine if you can boot from the hard disk but I can't. Can anyone help me please?

 

[Ecaboodle]

Have you tryed running either Norton Disk Doctor on it or Disk First Aid?

First Aid is on the system disk, Norton you would have to buy. If you can't fix it in 20 call someone who can.

 

[Mangrove]

Thanks but I tried those options. Disc First Aid came up with lots of errors and gave up saying Disk couldn't be be mounted. Norton 6 for some reason won't let me boot from CD. So since the only way I can boot is from a CD I have to use the System Disk.

 

[Greg25]

per form a clean install if you can boot from a disk
this should update the drivers for the HD and if this doesnot work
it looks as if you may have to format the HD Greg

K & G Design
kgdesign@warwick.net

 

[Zelandakh]

Several possibilities. Check the obvious stuff - is the HD located correctly and firmly attached to its connector? Has anything changed like the addition of extra hardware?

Then boot up to the CD and run disk first aid. Repair what you can and keep repairing it. Sometimes it is a cumulative thing.

If that fails you could try some other disk utilities like FWB to see if you can access the disk otherwise reformat. This may be a sign the drive is about to fail...