iMac G4 (M8535. Mac OS9 Compatible) won't install any OS

[Theretrogamingroom]

I have an iMac G4 (15", 800MHz, 60GB, 768MB, Superdrive, Airport) that I recently wiped and tried to reinstall the OS. I have tried many versions of Mac OS including 9 (Which is in fact compatible with this model), 10.0, 10.2, 10.3 and 10.5 (Which isn't compatible, but I tried anyways). I tried 10.4 and it seems to work, but I don't have all of the installation CDs for this so I can only run one of the other OS's. The computer won't do anything other than show a flashing question mark, even after inserting any of the before mentioned OS's. I have also tried reseting PRAM, NVRAM, etc with no avail. Hardware Test runs and says that the computer is fine, so I have no idea where the problem is. Firmware shouldn't be a issue, as the iMac G4 supposedly doesn't need updating. So, what can I do to get this running again?

Thanks

 

[spiceyokooko]

You need to get it to boot off one of the install disks - why is it not booting from them? Is there something wrong with the Superdrive? Are the CD's original Install disks for that machine? Have you tried holding down the C key whilst trying to boot from CD Rom?

That machine should be able to boot OS 9 and OSX 10.1 – 10.4. Once you get it to boot off the CD Rom, you should set the installation to format the hard disk before installing the OS.

 

[Theretrogamingroom]

Nope, nothing is wrong with the Superdrive, as Hardware Test, 10.3 Upgrade and 10.4 seem to have read. The disks are official Apple Install Disks, not meant for any specific machine. Also- I tried another version of 10.2 (10.2.3 to be exact) and that didn't work either...

 

[spiceyokooko]

Have you tried rebooting whilst putting a CD in and holding the C key down? You could also try resetting the Power Management Unit, although the symptoms you describe are not typical PMU issues.

 

[Theretrogamingroom]

Yes, I have both held down and not held down the C key for over 5 minutes. I have tried installing from another mac, as well as from an external Disk Drive with both USB and Firewire Ports. I know that the Internal Superdrive and External Disk Drive works. Firmware is not an issue. I have tried installing with nothing connected to the iMac. I have reseted the PMU, VRAM, PRAM. I have tried numerous keyboards. I have left it alone and tried again later. I have tried different versions of OS's, of which 10.2 and below don't work.

I have exhausted all of my options. This thing simply refuses to install, no matter what. I have done everything above with both copies of 10.2 (Which were tested on another mac).

Any other suggestions?

 

[spiceyokooko]

Have you tried booting the imac as a target disk via a firewire cable to another mac and mounting the disk that way? You have to hold down the T key when booting the imac.

If you can get the iMac HD mounted on the desktop you can install onto it. You could also try it the other way round and try and get the iMac to boot off another mac in Target disk mode.

The flashing question mark, as I'm sure you're aware, is the system telling you it can't find a system to boot from. If it had a flashing X it's telling you it can't find a bootable device with a system on it. So it's seeing the HD, it just can't see the system to boot from, presumably because you formatted or erased it. But why it won't boot from a known good CD is a mystery. If the machine can't see a System to boot from on the internal drive it'll look to the CD Rom drive next for one.

Yet the hardware test shows the CD Rom as good and the System CD's are known to be good too.

My next step would be to check and confirm these knowns, by opening up the machine and reseating the connections to the CD Rom. If I had the facility I'd also pull the CD Rom and check it works by putting it in a different machine. I'd want to know for a certainty that CD Rom was working.

Because if it was working correctly - it would boot those install CD's if they're known to be good.

You did reset the PMU from the switch in the base of the unit yes?

 

[trag]

Back in the days before OSX, Macs would not boot from some third party CD-ROM drives, although there were work arounds.

Do newer ATA based Macs have the same issue? Is it possible that the internal optical drive was replaced with a not very compatible model, from which the Mac won't boot? What does System Profiler say about the optical drive?