Beige G3 won't boot

[paws]

I recently conquered a beige G3 desktop from university. It's stock + RAM.

Unfortunately, I can't get it to boot. Booting from the HD which has OS9 or an OS9 CD bombs after loading one extension, with the message 'illegal instruction'. Booting without extensions just gives a blank white dialog the same size as the bomb dialog, and then freezes.

Booting from an OS8.6 CD freezes at the beginning of the installation.

The machine doesn't bong, which I think is a bit strange. I've zapped PRAM and reset the CUDA with no effect.

Any pointers?

 

[Rodus]

first thought, duff RAM/slot, try one memory stick at a time and see what happens or if there is only one then try a different stick. If that doesn't work then I'd suspect a knackered motherboard.

 

[equill]

Compare the presently-installed extensions with those that would be installed from the OS 9 CD—using TomeViewer to see the latter if you have to do so—in case what you believe to be stock nonetheless contains residues such as extensions for cards that were removed before you received the Beige G3. Conflict between Apple video extensions and third-party video extensions can produce the effects that you describe.

But then, why not just do a clean install of OS 9 and skirt around the problem?

de

 

[Charlieman]

I've installed OS 9.0 from iMac install media onto a beige G3 and experienced the same problem. The solution was to use the generic 9.0 install CD. You may be able to fix it by twiddling around with ATI extensions -- but I don't think you're getting that far.

Can you create a generic installation on another Mac and then swap the disk?

 

[equill]

There's a prior listing of offending/offensive ATi extensions in the thread:

http://68kmla.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=822&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=25

de

 

[paws]

But then, why not just do a clean install of OS 9 and skirt around the problem?

Both my 8.6 and 9.2 CDs that boot my 7500 just fine give the same error, as does starting without extensions.

 

[Rodus]

^^sounds like a hardware rather then software problem.

 

[paws]

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking of. I do hope it's the RAM, will try with some from my G4 later.

Fucks me right off too, as I scrounged this last week and there was another where I got it, but I thought one was enough and left if for the recyclers.