iBook problem. Spinning beachball on startup.

[weapon]

Friend sent me an iBook (older version 733 I think). No apple care.

On startup it just will not load. I get the grey screen with the apple logo but it will go no further.

I tried booting from leopard universal install disc and it does the same.

what do you think the problem could be? Hard disc? Mother board?

I don't know where to start...

[C(-)ris]

Can you see the drive in TDM and copy data to and from? If so the HD is good. 10.5 might be a bit much to run on that iBook esp. if it has the stock config of ram. Try and load 10.4. If that fails..Remove HD and ram and pitch in electronics recycling container. Those aren't worth fixing anything on.

[weapon]

Throwing away her only computer is not really an option.

Since I can't get it to boot then I do not know what the specs are for the iBook.

any other suggestions?

[C(-)ris]

Sure, try and boot from the original restore media from the iBook and reinstall the OS. If it works you are good, if not, run the hardware test that came with the iBook. It is on either the last disk of the restore media or a separate disk. Replace whatever failed the test. However, I think you will find that any one part far surpasses the value of a G3 iBook.

[C(-)ris]

Specs are under the keyboard.

[weapon]

no original install discs. She bought it used and never got them.

Specs are 700, 256, 30GB combo. Not sure if there were any upgrade until I can get OS to boot.

It should in theory be able to boot off leopard disc even if I am not going to install it (all I have at work).

[weapon]

Works in target mode...

[C(-)ris]

I don't think a G3 700 with 256mb of ram can run 10.5.... You are going to have to find a 10.3 or 10.4 disk. Or if you can target mode a computer running 10.3 or 10.4 and select that disk from the iBook to start up from.

[weapon]

It will not boot from the disc. In theory, it should be able to boot off leopard disc even if I am not going to install it. Shouldn't it?

Either way, I will try it with 10.4 when I get home.

Thanks for the help so far.

[C(-)ris]

weapon wrote:
It will not boot from the disc. In theory, it should be able to boot off leopard disc even if I am not going to install it. Shouldn't it?

I'm not so sure about that. I had trouble with an iMac G5 I couldn't get to boot the installer DVD with a low amount of ram. It also could be that the DVD drive is failing/failed.