Open Firmware security iBook G4- will not boot from OS X install disk

[spike702]

Hello everyone, long time lurker, first time poster here. I've been an avid Mac user for about 17 years now and have used this forum to search for answers to technical problems many times through the years. This is the first time I've been truly stumped by something and I'm hoping someone here can help me out.

Last week I bought three iBook G4s on eBay. The seller described them as taking over two minutes to boot up to this screen for which they did not have the password:

The iBooks arrived yesterday and I took one and tried booting from a iBook OS X Install disk while holding down the C key. The iBook immediately spit the disk out. I then tried booting from an OS X Tiger DVD. Same result- rejected. I realized it's probably an Open Firmware password so to reset it I installed a RAM DIMM, reset PRAM (three chimes) and was then able to boot into Open Firmware. Once in Open Firmware I reset-nvram, set-defaults, and reset-all. The iBook now boots in seconds instead of minutes, but STILL refuses to boot from an OS X install disk although it DOES boot from an Apple Hardware Test disk.

BTW- I've gone through this same procedure with all three iBooks and have yielded the same results except one will not boot into single user mode.

I'm stumped.. anyone?

 

[pigoo3]

I then tried booting from an OS X Tiger DVD.

Is this a "black" disc with a big "X" on it? Does it say "Drop-In" or "Upgrade" DVD on it?

Hopefully you're not using a "gray" disk...unless you're 100% sure it's the original disk that came with one of the iBooks.

Can we assume that all three iBooks meet the minimum system requirements for 10.4 (which are actually pretty low):

- 256 meg ram
- 3 gig free HD space
- DVD drive

Thanks,

- Nick

 

[spike702]

Is this a "black" disc with a big "X" on it? Does it say "Drop-In" or "Upgrade" DVD on it?

Hopefully you're not using a "gray" disk...unless you're 100% sure it's the original disk that came with one of the iBooks.

Can we assume that all three iBooks meet the minimum system requirements for 10.4 (which are actually pretty low):

- 256 meg ram
- 3 gig free HD space
- DVD drive

Thanks,

- Nick

Yep, it's a full version of 10.4, not an upgrade disk. And I've also tried using the gray disk which did come with that model. No go. The disks get spit out immediately.

And yes all three are 1.2GHz G4/256MB RAM/30GB HD/CD-RW/DVD. I've upgraded each iBook to 768MB RAM while attempting to reset the Open Firmware but still cannot boot from the OS X install disks.

Greg

 

[MacDude121]

Now are you trying to reinstall the OS, or just trying to get by the password?

 

[spike702]

Now are you trying to reinstall the OS, or just trying to get by the password?

Ideally I'd like to wipe the drive and reinstall the OS but I'd settle for any sort of progress at this point.

I was able to mount one of the iBooks in Target Disk Mode on my Mac Mini and format the hard drive but still cannot boot from the Install DVD, the disk is immediately ejected.

 

[MacDude121]

Try this to try and get by the password:

1. Reboot

2. Hold apple + s down after you hear the chime.

3. When you get text prompt enter in these terminal commands to create a brand new admin account (hitting return after each line):
* mount -uw /
* rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
* shutdown -h now

4. After rebooting you should have a brand new admin account. Then you should be into the laptop at least. From there, we can see if the iBook will accept the disk.

 

[spike702]

Try this to try and get by the password:

1. Reboot

2. Hold apple + s down after you hear the chime.

3. When you get text prompt enter in these terminal commands to create a brand new admin account (hitting return after each line):
* mount -uw /
* rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
* shutdown -h now

4. After rebooting you should have a brand new admin account. Then you should be into the laptop at least. From there, we can see if the iBook will accept the disk.

It's funny just before you replied I tried the above trick and much to my amazement it worked! Super stoked. I had actually tried this yesterday after resetting the PRAM but to no avail.

Okay so now I've created a new admin account.. I'm going to try and reboot from the install DVD

 

[spike702]

Okay, tried inserting the install DVD while the iBook was still running.. it spins up for a moment, then ejects the disk- much like it did when trying to boot from the DVD. Other disks (AHT, iTunes) seem to be accepted and mount fine.

Perhaps there is something in Open Firmware that prohibits the insertion of system restore DVDs on this iBook? Is there a way to reset the OF aside from what I've already tried?

 

[MacDude121]

Okay, tried inserting the install DVD while the iBook was still running.. it spins up for a moment, then ejects the disk- much like it did when trying to boot from the DVD. Other disks (AHT, iTunes) seem to be accepted and mount fine.

Perhaps there is something in Open Firmware that prohibits the insertion of system restore DVDs on this iBook? Is there a way to reset the OF aside from what I've already tried?

Hmm, I'm not sure. It appears that you've done pretty much everything that I can think of that would reset the firmware. We had somebody else post a problem with their G4 iMac spitting out an install disk, and it turns out that a printer that they had connected was the issue. You don't have any accessories connected to the iBook while attempting to boot do you? Such as external mice, keyboards, printer. Etc?

 

[spike702]

No, nothing else is connected at all. One thing I noticed- when setting up a new Admin account it said something about being connected to a network and asked for a user name and password. It did allow me to continue but there are a few folders on the HD that I have no access to.

 

[MacDude121]

No, nothing else is connected at all. One thing I noticed- when setting up a new Admin account it said something about being connected to a network and asked for a user name and password. It did allow me to continue but there are a few folders on the HD that I have no access to.

Hmm.. Now that makes me wonder if this iBook was possibly in a school at one point. I know that schools used (and some still do use) iBooks for students. And I know what schools FILL up the laptops with every blocker that you can imagine, so that students don't mess them up or use them for anything but school. I'm not sure what kind of blocker that this could possibly be though, whether it's firmware related or not I don't know. You already tried wiping the HD on one of them correct?

 

[spike702]

I think you're right about the school thing.. just looking through the Applications folder looks like these iBooks were used by students at some point.

And yes, I was able to mount one in Target Disk Mode and erase the drive, but even after swapping RAM, resetting the PRAM, and resetting open firmware it still will not accept an install DVD. It will boot from an Apple Hardware Test disk, though.

 

[MacDude121]

I think you're right about the school thing.. just looking through the Applications folder looks like these iBooks were used by students at some point.

And yes, I was able to mount one in Target Disk Mode and erase the drive, but even after swapping RAM, resetting the PRAM, and resetting open firmware it still will not accept an install DVD. It will boot from an Apple Hardware Test disk, though.

Hmm, I just realized something. You created a new admin account right? Like with a new password and username? If so, go into (System Preferences) (Accounts) then if there's other accounts in there, delete them. They might still be interfering with your account and the iBook's settings.

 

[spike702]

Hmm, I just realized something. You created a new admin account right? Like with a new password and username? If so, go into (System Preferences) (Accounts) then if there's other accounts in there, delete them. They might still be interfering with your account and the iBook's settings.

Alright, in accounts I found four other Admin accounts, I deleted them all. No changes though, still won't read the disk.

 

[spike702]

This might be a longshot but do you think there is some security measure installed in the optical drive's firmware thats preventing it from reading any type of OS install disk? That's the feeling I get.. Initially OF wouldn't allow me to boot into single-user mode or anything but after zapping the PRAM and swapping the RAM, I can now do everything EXCEPT boot from an install disk.

 

[MacDude121]

Alright, in accounts I found four other Admin accounts, I deleted them all. No changes though, still won't read the disk.

WOW...This is one annoying little iBook huh? I'm really out of ideas, any other info that you could offer? Is it possible that these iBooks came with CD drives and you're using a Tiger DVD? ...

 

[spike702]

WOW...This is one annoying little iBook huh? I'm really out of ideas, any other info that you could offer? Is it possible that these iBooks came with CD drives and you're using a Tiger DVD? ...

Yeah these things are seriously driving me nuts.. this thing is a little fortress.

It turns out this does only have a CD drive but I've been using the original install disks and I've also tried Panther CDs. No go.

Thanks much for your help, though.. I'll keep this thread updated with any progress (or lack thereof).

 

[MacDude121]

Yeah these things are seriously driving me nuts.. this thing is a little fortress.

It turns out this does only have a CD drive but I've been using the original install disks and I've also tried Panther CDs. No go.

Thanks much for your help, though.. I'll keep this thread updated with any progress (or lack thereof).

Good Idea. Keep us up to date. Who knows, maybe one of our other members will chime in with a miracle solution. Good Luck.

 

[pigoo3]

It turns out this does only have a CD drive but I've been using the original install disks and I've also tried Panther CDs. No go.

Yupp...that's why I asked (all the way back in post #2) if all these iBooks had DVD drives.

But if those Panther CD's aren't working...

...whether CD's or DVD's...maybe the optical drive is busted!

- Nick

 

[MacDude121]

Other disks (AHT, iTunes) seem to be accepted and mount fine.

Yupp...that's why I asked (all the way back in post #2) if all these iBooks had DVD drives.

But if those Panther CD's aren't working...

...whether CD's or DVD's...maybe the optical drive is busted!

- Nick

We can rule out a busted optical drive Nick, since the other disks worked fine...