[Macpartners] How to install Mac OS on formatted machine

[Kerem B Limon]

John--

Flashing question mark--there are two kinds. Is it in front of a small Mac 
or in front of a small disk/folder? That indicates whether it is able to 
find a volume or System folder it can or cannot boot from. It appears it's 
not detecting your CD as a bootable volume. It could be that you have a 
non-bootable OS CD.

Try holding down the C key (for CD) as you reboot. Watch/listen to the 
optical drive to see/hear if it is being accessed. If it is and if after 
about a couple of minutes, it doesn't find the System Folder on the CD, 
chances are it is indeed not bootable. You'll need one that is. Mac OS X 
install CDs would also work.

You can verify that the CD is bootable by trying it on another Mac, maybe 
at the office?

It could also be there is a problem with the optical drive, though that's 
highly unlikely.

Barring a hardware issue with the drive unit, Panther (10.3) will install 
on all G4 models Apple produced, and you should be able to boot from the 
first of the OS install CDs, if necessary by holding down 'C'.

Good luck,
Kerem


At 04/02/27 17:40  Friday, John Dvorak wrote:
>Hello,
>
>I just got a Mac G4.  The hard drive has been formatted, and the OS has 
>been deleted.  I get the little flashing question mark when I start it up.
>
>I have a Mac OS 9 CD and I'm trying to figure out how to install it.  The 
>machine does not recognize it when I put it in.
>
>I just ordered Mac OS X Panther and would like to install that when I get 
>it, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to do that.
>
>Can anyone provide me with some guidance on this?
>
>Thank you in advance!!!
>John Dvorak
>IT Audit Supervisor
>
>
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