Anyway, this really isn't VO related but I know there are some very knowledgable people in the community about this sort of thing. So, a few months back, one of my hard drives died. The problem is is that there are a few files I'd like to grab from the now dead hard drive. So I experimented a little. I removed my functional HD and booted up the computer. It got to the grey screen (hurrah) but would not load the OS (or acess any data I would assume). Anyone have an idea what's wrong and what I could do to get it fixed?

PS - yes, I know it's not worth the trouble, yes I know it's probably a complex and expensive solution...

It really depends what's wrong with the drive. If the drive physically works (ie spins up and is able to read data), then you may be able to hook it up as a secondary drive to a machine and just pull off what you need (assuming that your data is still intact). This is probably the case if the boot sector of the drive got damaged, so that your machine couldn't boot from the drive, but data is still on there and readable.

If the drive failed physically (motor is dead, read/write heads took a dirt nap, etc) then you're looking at an expensive solution that requires sending the drive off to a data recovery joint where they pull the drive media out and put it in a new drive housing and read everything they can onto a backup of some kind. Not as simple as it may sound, and only for those with great intestinal fortitude and vitality of wallet.

Moldy, if the drive will spin up, you might consider getting a copy of Disk Warrior
(from Alsoft). I had a drive "die" but was able to extract most of my files using this
software. Disk Warrior is significantly less than US$100. I have two hard drives so
it was relatively easy. On another occasion, a drive died and I could not get it to
run with software tools. I took it to MacMall's repair department, and they were able to recover all data on the disk. Cost: US$100 (plus tax). Not too bad really....

rattmann is right, if the OS just got damaged, then you are in good shape. installing the drive as a secondary drive in your computer is worth a try if you have the ability to do so. if not, i'd say install the drive and boot off of a cd and take a peak around. if the data appears to all be there, consider reinstalling just the system. make sure you do not erase the drive!

if this works, consider getting an external drive case.

if you don't mind me asking, what set up are you using?

Comp's in the repair shop. Looks like the motherboard/bios (whatever the hell that is) is the problem, not the hard drives.

Setup? G4 Desktop, Tiger OS, 2x 120GB HDs and 1x 60GB HD, 350mHz (grrr, bastid slowass comp), 1 GB RAM (yes gigabyte), 32 MB ATI Radeon graphics Card. Anything else or am I completely misunderstanding what you mean?

how the ******* hell..? damn, 300 total GB, and one GB of ram..and a 340mhz prosseser? damn, buy a used one that's a 1.2 ghz or better...and you've got an awsome gaming platform..

the motherboard is making your drive fail... there is something i do not come across every day using macs. well i hope they solve your issue without charging you up the tailpipe!

let us know how it pan's out.

Day Ten: I am informed that my computer has yet to begin the repair process.

I keep hearing that my Bios is the problem, not the hard drives.

CompUSA = Worst. Service. Ever.

OMG never ever ever take your MAC to CompUSA or BestBuy or Circuit City, in my experience, those people know NOTHING about the machines.

Take it to the local Apple store. OR, if that's not available. Contact your local Mac User group and find a reputable company or individual who KNOWS what they are doing and is Apple-Certified.

I'll also second RattMann's DiskWarrior solution.

What kind of drive is it, moldy? Please tell me it's not an IBM Deskstar.

you can do what leber does...

"one shot for me, one shot for my sick mac... don't worry mac, you'll feel better soon!"

hehehehe

lol

Well, they fixed it. Dunno how, since my dad (nor CompUSA for that matter) will give me a straight answer. Will just haveta avoid LimeWire >.>

Still staying sorta on the thread topic, I'm gonna need to update my computer before the summer. Here is what I'd like to get (and need to get):

Sonnet Encore/ST G4-1.4GHz Processor - $316.99
ATI Radeon 9600 Pro Video Card - PC/Mac Edition (256MB) - $178.20
Rsoewill R912E 19' LCD Mnitor - $279.99

Assorted games and stuff (can't live without teh games >.>)

Suggestions? I know Apple pats are pricey

just buy a newer used computer. With the new intel macs coming out. The market will be flooded with G4's. Upgrade cards can be problematic anyways.

As for your hard drive dilemma:

Boot from the Tiger disk (hold down C and power on the computer. Install OS X on a different HD and set it as the startup disk. When Tiger is done installing, plug in the dead drive and see if it comes back up. If it does, yank all the files off of there before you do anything else.

from the looks of the upgrades you want, totalling $774, I would definately purchase a new or newer mac. I can't vouch for them, but www.powermax.com has a lot of used macs. Ebay has more than you can imagine if you can find an honest seller.

My gf has a sonnet 1.2 upgrade in her G4 (which will be coming home from her former place of employment soon) and I've thought of buying the vid card and seeing how fast she'll go, but you still end up going through the slow bus speed of the motherboard. And since it's prolly only 100Mhz, it's not doing you any favors by putting another $700 into it.

oh, wait, I just saw that $300 of that was going to a monitor...
$180 for the vid card will prolly do wonders, but i'm still curious to see what piping all that through the bus will be like.
If you get an upgrade card, get the one with the 1 meg cache, not the 512!!!
I'd recommend the 1.2Ghz for only like $250 and save the extra $$$. I don't think you'll notice the 200Mhz difference.

I'll 3rd the DiskWarrior! It's good to have on hand even IF CompUSA said they fixed something. They prolly zapped the PRAM and charged you $200.

New Dual Core G5

2GHz Dual-core PowerPC G5
1GB 533 DDR2 Non ECC SDRAM - 2x512
250GB Serial ATA - 7200rpm
NVIDIA GeForce 6600 256MB SDRAM
16x SuperDrive double-layer (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Apple Keyboard & Mighty Mouse - U.S. English
Mac OS X - U.S. English

Still need to get a monitor, the joystick and some games, but my dad and I are working something out. It's an expensive beauty though...

Yesterday, 2 Dual 2.7s arrived here at work, and yay, I'm still on the 800mhz...
We have to wait until one of our $2700 software packages arrives to be able to use them...IT'S DRIVING ME NUTZ!!!!

My boss won't even let me open the boxes...i'd druel all over them anyways...

/me bows humbly

Sorry who? me?, you're right the Intel iMacs aren't called G5s. But I was right that the dual core G5s are, well, PowerPCs. I hope they're Intel by the time I get it in June.