Sorry, I couldn't figure out where to ask for help on this. It's too late for tech support and I can't sleep until I'm confident my comp (700mhz G3 iBook) is fixed.

My friend sent me 3 files (.dmg)which he said were the Gold versions of Panther. Me being an idiot, installed them and nothing happenned. So I restarted. When it came back my mouse wouldn't work at all. I figured out how to use the keyboard to sort of navigate windows, but not too well. I went into system prefs. and opened it, but couldn't figure out how to select the "Keybord anf Mouse" button without the mouse. So then I tried to reinstall OS 10.1 from the CD. I opened the CD tray and inserted it. But it didn't detect any CD. And worse, the tray won't open anymore so I can't get teh CD out. None of the inputs except teh keyboard seem to be working. I can't addjust volume, I can't change brightness, nothing. Please help me. My life is on that comp and I have midterms next week.

Im not a computer expert, but... can you take out the HD, and put it in a mate's iBook to get the data off it? Or would tha mean destroying it? 0.o

try holding c when you are starting up your comp with the cd in the drive, if it loads up successfully then go to sysem prefs and choose another startup disk

Panther still hasn't been released. While it's true it's out of pre-release status, I doubt he has the version that'll be boxed and sold on the 24th of October. In fact, nobody has!

Figure out a way to get that CD tray to pop open. Hold down the mouse button when starting up. That's supposed to eject any CDs during startup.

The next thing I'd try is to get your friend to make that disk image (dmg) into a bootable CD using Toast. Once that bootable CD is made, stick it in your iBook and hold down "C" while starting up. That will allow you to reinstall Panther.

If that doesn't work...

You mentioned a mouse... did you try unplugging ALL your USB and firewire devices? Did you try using the trackpad instead?

Did you buy AppleCare with your iBook? If not, is your iBook still under the 1-year warranty?

Are you willing to disassemble your computer? While I couldn't find any PDF documents on Apple's support page, I'm pretty sure the iBook has a CUDA reset button on the motherboard. Your search may turn up more successful, so you may want to look into that.

If all else fails...

It's time to see a technician or buy a new computer. You may have some luck on salvaging your hard drive contents via firewire target disk mode, while hooked up to another computer via cable. But other than that you got yourself a shiny, white paperweight.

I tried the mouse and trackpad, no luck. I'll try holding C while opening.

Hold down the option key and select the CD.

Now I'm guessing your friend prolly stole this off the internet and is a crappy "build" if you are having so much trouble. Apple may make some crappy software sometimes but they wouldn't release an OS that makes your mouse fail. If they did...well that will cause the world some problems.

Like Arolte said: "I doubt he has the version that'll be boxed and sold on the 24th of October. In fact, nobody has!"

"Now I'm guessing your friend prolly stole this off the internet and is a crappy "build"
-Yea, when I Know. Damn my impatience.
I booted from the CD and tried to install OS 10.1, but it said it couldn't install on top of a newer version of OS X. Now I have to wait 3 or 4 hours until everyone else in my dorm wakes up so I can borrow someone's OS 10.2 CD. If that fails, then I guess I'll have to wait and buy Panther. Or wipe my HD clean.
Does anybody want to teach me how to transfer files over a network or AIM using only my keyboard?

" Apple may make some crappy software sometimes but they wouldn't release an OS that makes your mouse fail."
-I know. My guess is that the first CD didn't install. Just restarted my computer and since it was a dmg and not a CD it couldn't boot from it. So when I installed the other 2 CD's it must have not installed some of the system files.
I never have small problems with apple. It's always huge issues. And always my fault. At least with XP I can bitch about MS. But I can only hate myself for this. :-(.

Hi Magus,

If you know someone else in your dorm with a mac:
Shut down your iBook
Get a firewire cabl and run it between your mates mac (this is on) and yours (off), Now start your computer holding down "t" and your iBook will boot with a firewire symbol on the screen
In a few seconds your iBooks HD should mount as an external firewire drive on your mates machine
Get all important files off and do a clean install of 10.1 - 10.2.
(this is called target disk mode or something)

I think this should work ;)

laters

yeah it is. But make SURE you unmount your ibook drive on his computer before shutting down, or you'll lose mucho data.

Well, it's fixed already. But I will wipe the HD when I install Panther, so I'll keep that in mind when I do.

That's what you get for pirating software! :P

I've learned my lesson. Don't pirate software until after it is released.
;-)

Or just develop a concience. It's a bit harder though. :-(


Sorry for the excessive use to smileys ;-)

Yarrr!

Edit: Yarrr, simondearsly pirated me idea! ;)

12 days and 17 hours until panther is released!