[G4] How to check my drive?

[Steve Goldstein]

At 7:20 PM +0000 2/20/07, Celia Lawton-Livingstone wrote:
>Hi, I'm new to the list and new to Macs, although I'm a qualified PC technician.

Hi, Celia,

I think you got one good answer already, but I was busy with pressing matters and did not have time to respond until now.

>I've just been given what I believe is a G4 PowerMac, a later G4/400 Sawtooth I think as reading through the specs it doesn't appear to have an internal firewire port.  The only one which doesn't.


I am not sure myself, but you might find good info at:

http://www.apple.com/support/powermac/g4/

and

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58418

The latter one says that the Power Mac G4 (PCI Graphics) model supports FireWire through an auxiliary card.  It has four PCI slots, and I have previously installed both FireWire and USB 2.0 cards in PCI slots (be sure to buy Mac-compatible cards). 

>
>At the moment it will boot up, but then I get a flashing question mark on the screen which I know means it can't find the system folder.  I have no backup discs.  Is there any way I can find out if the drive is not being recognised for some reason or has been wiped, short of slaving it to another computer to have a look? 

If you can slave it to another computer, why not?  That sounds like the easiest way to find out.

>All the cables appear to be connected OK inside.
>
>I don't believe there is a CMOS Setup Program in the BIOS as PCs have, but I have seen a hardware diagnostic disc online, however would a recent one of those work on this Mac?

Sure.  There is a firmware ROM, but not BIOS like a PC. 

>Also what OS's will work on this it?

I think you already got that answer from another reader.  If you are to install anything, I would recommend MAC OS X, though you may be able to get by with a cheaper copy of Panther (10.3) rather than the latest Tiger (10.4). 

> I have actually sent off for a copy of the Ubuntu for Mac CD which would at least let me see that everything is working OK, but it's not a long term solution as the whole idea of having a Mac is to be able to use the Mac software and learn about how about they work.

Of course! 

>
>Thanks for your help in advance,
>
>Celia


--Steve