iMac G5 Power PC Proble

[Republik]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone couldshed some light on a problem my parents are having with their iMac G5.


Since crashing last weekend I have not beenable to get back into Tiger. Once I getpast the grey Apple logo screen I am greeted with a black screen and whiteflashing text which says the following:


Hfs_swap_HFSPlusBTInternalNode: catalog key#18 invalidlength (0)

Node= 471 fileID = 4 volume = device=roof_device


Hfs_swap_HFSPlusBTInternalNode: catalog key#18 invalidlength (0)

Node= 471 fileID = 4 volume = device=roof_device


Hfs_swap_HFSPlusBTInternalNode: catalog key#18 invalidlength (0)

Node= 471 fileID = 4 volume = device=roof_device


Dyld: Library no loaded:usr/lib/libcurses.5.4.dylib


Reference from: /bin/sh


Reason: image not found


After 30 seconds showing this error the fankicks in at full speed.


Things I’ve tried so far are:



Startups using the shortcut keys to resrtmemory and so on.

Switching and removing RAM modules. None have worked.

The furthest I’ve been is to use the OSTiger startup CD, loading the computer via the CD. But I’m not able to verify the disk or cleaninstall Tiger.

Also tried using disk utility to repair and get the following.

I get the scrolling list saying:

Repaiting disk " "

Checking HFS Plus volume

Checking Extents overflow file

Checking Catalog file

Keys out of order (highlighted in red text)

Rebuilding Catalog B-Tree

The volume could not be repaired (red text)

Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit (-9972) (red text)

Repair attempted on volume


0 HFS volumes repaired (green text)

1 volume could not be repaied (red text)

I then get a pop-up message saying

Disk Utility Stopped repairing "" because the following error was encountered.

The underlying task reported failure on exit.

Any clues?

[mattley]

Hard Drive's cattle trucked.

It looks like the surface is failing faster than repair util can rewrite the corrected sectors.

New HDD and your data is almost certainly toast, sorry

[Republik]

mattley said:

Hard Drive's cattle trucked.

It looks like the surface is failing faster than repair util can rewrite the corrected sectors.

New HDD and your data is almost certainly toast, sorry

I had suspected that was the problem. I don't mind about the HDD Drive as luckily they've backed most of it up on external HD.

Can you point me in the right direction of a replacement? I believe they are as easy to fit as the RAM is.

[mattley]

Republik said:

Can you point me in the right direction of a replacement? I believe they are as easy to fit as the RAM is.

I was about to disagree but it would appear you're right

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/imacg5_17inch_har...

It's just a 5 1/2" SATA Drive so anything will fit. I rate Hitachi units but I suspect they're all much of a muchness these days, also I'd buy a can of Air Duster and give it a good clean while I had the back off.

[Republik]

Fantastic! I owe you a virtual beer. Thanks so much for your help!

[Republik]

Ok, Hard drive installed and partitioned. Now I've run the OS X installer which then completes, gets to the language installation and quits when it gets to Korean. I'm left with a blue screen and the spinning gears then nothing happens.

Any clues?

[PJ S]

Sorry I missed this before now - first port of call would've been a combo of DiskWarrior & TechTools Pro 5 or Drive Genius to scan the drive before or once DW rebuilt the file index.
That you're having issues with the new drive not installing, are you using the original CDs supplied with the iMac?
before installing a new drive, I'd have installed OS X on it first via FireWire in an external enclosure, made sure it booted fine, and then put your various User folders/files back on it.
Once happy everything was as it used to be, then swap drives.

I can't see how, but I'd boot into Open Firmware, reset NVRAM, then reboot.
When you get to the Installer panel, go to the menubar, and open Disk Utility, then make sure the drive is formatted for HFS+ with Journalling active.
Quit out of that, then straight install, unchecking the various printers you don't have, etc, so you just install what's needed, not everything & sundry.

[Republik]

Ok, I've followed the following:

booted into Open Firmware
reset NVRAM,
reset all
rebooted
Partitioned the drive but could only do it as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). My other options were Mac OS Extended, UNIX File System and Free Space.
Deselected the printers and languages and managed to get further than before.

I got to Processing Base System Part 2, writing files with 14 mins remaining, then it froze.

I opened the installer Log. Under errors it presents me with pax: could not read compressed data: Unknown error: 0

Where do I go from here?!

[PJ S]

Hmmm......wonder if your optical drive has a potential issue?
Can't fathom why it's stalling, other than possibly CPU or logic board problem, maybe due to overheating?
Diagnosing this blind and remotely, is very difficult - might be one to seek advice from an Apple Authorised Service Provider, or jump on Apple's Support board, and see if they can shed any light on the reason.
If I can think or come across anything else, I'll post it up - and if you find out what the reason is, do likewise. Might be useful in the future for other members or a Google search.