I was going to make some notes about a desk I want to build and launched the wrong version of Macdraft on my PB 5300c. It crashed the system. On reboot, the hard disk wouldn't boot. I tried to repair with a couple of versions of Norton, but, there appears to be a severe problem with the system file on the disk. I tried to replace the file from my repair disk, but just trying to copy over the damaged file locked up the system.

I'm now thinking that I need to copy my data off the hard disk and reformat it. Any one have a better idea?

emaq123

First, I assume that you tried zapping the PRAM (I cant see how it can help in the crash-on-copy problem, but everyone seems to swear by the ol' zap-the-PRAM trick as a magical cure) . You might also try deleting System/MacOS/Finder preferences.

Did you try a "clean install"? This is were you create an entirely new System Folder with new copies of everything in the folder (new Finder, new control panels, new extensions, etc.). In the process, you rename the old system folder so the Mac does not find it on boot up. Of course, this presumes that you have a set of install disks or bootable installer on CD.

Otherwise, it is time to copy and reformat. BTW, if the drive if big enough, then try creating a second very small partition that can contain a minimal copy of the System and utility apps. This gives you something to boot from if the first, main partition or system files become hosed (just select the second partition in the Startup Disk control panel). You can even hide the second partition so that it does not mount under most circumstances. A second partition copy of the OS is no proof against a hosed partition map or a hardware fault, but it can provide the tools needed to resurrect an unhappy machine in many cases.

I wish you the best of luck!

G4From128k

At least it wasn't mine. It was the local Authorized Apple dealer's iMac.

They restored it soon enough. But it was very odd. I have seen rare cases of a system getting nuked from a rogue application that probly sent the wrong datagram at the right time.

My archives has a toast image of Norton Utilities, if you have a PC or another mac you can burn it with, you can boot from that CD and repair your hard disk.

Failing that, try and do a disk copy backup of your drive, so you keep all needed stuff. Then you can wipe it clean and re-do it all if that's what it takes.

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lucky we got the install CDs with that one!!!

Due to lack of sleep I started rebuilding the 5300 at around 3am this morning. I use compact flash cards as boot disks so I had no problem accessing the disk and plenty of tools. Everything was fine unless you touched the system folder. Due that and the mac locked up. I had an old version of Norton try to fix the problem. It would die on the system file. The newer versions would just say a serious error was there and abort.

I archived my documents and reformated the drive. I re-installed 7.6.1 from compact flash and the 5300 is happy again. I've got a bunch of apps to reload but everything is fine again. I would have liked not to reformat, but I didn't see a choice. Trying to re-install over would lock up also.

It was an ugly problem. I don't know what it was, but the only fix I had was to start over.

On a better note, I got up to the Apple store in Seattle today. I got to see the new iPods. The are nicer then the 5 Gig one I have. I have no plans to change, but that touch wheel _is_ slick!

emaq123

I like to keep backups of all my more "volatile" computers on the best computer I have, with the biggest hard drive... that way all my documents from whatever computes are backed up... it's really easy to do if you have a network and at least one computer with a REALLY BIG HARD DRIVE

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