Blown Tiger upgrade... need advice

shamrog12 · 07-22-2005, 06:20 PM

So someone I know tried to upgrade to Tiger by themselves. Yes, it should be simple but this person has a way of making things hard... So this person went through the install process, the disk was verified (and failed but they kept going) and they tried to do an Archive/Install and Preserve Account Settings. So naturally the install fails with errors so they try again... This time they apparently have no accounts to preserve so that's when I get the phone call. I tell them to use Disk Utility and Repair Disk and Repair Disk Permissions and try to see if that helps. I also told them to remove the Tiger DVD and make sure they can get to their Panther desktop still. The Disk Permissions and Disk Repair returned no major problems and they got the folder & question mark when trying to boot to their hard drive. So they have no current System Folder. Short of erasing the drive and installing Tiger fresh, is there anything that can be done? I told them to try a different Tiger DVD since theirs failed but I'm not sure that'll even do much.

Can anyone give me advice about what I should do/try next? Is the drive doomed at all? I'd assume it's not but I'd like reassurance.

voldenuit · 07-22-2005, 06:26 PM

If there is still data to be scraped off that disk, I'd suggest to put the machine in target mode and start the rescue operations from a known good Mac.

Once that's done, I'd zero the drive, make sure there are no fingerprints on the install media and start over.

Good luck.

shamrog12 · 07-22-2005, 06:27 PM

Ok, I was thinking along those lines with getting an external drive enclosure for the 2.5" drive in this iMac G4 (swivel display) and searching for data. What's target mode again? Hold T when the computer is booting? I'd need to connect it to another computer using Firewire? It's been a while

voldenuit · 07-22-2005, 06:31 PM

Correct. Holding T makes the computer boot in a mode where it behaves like an external hard-disk. Of course, booting the troublesome machine off a known-good installation on an external drive is just as good, as long as you have enough space somewhere for the data to salvage.

shamrog12 · 07-22-2005, 06:35 PM

In target mode I connect it to another Mac with Firewire or ethernet cable?

voldenuit · 07-22-2005, 08:14 PM

Firewire.

Twelve Motion · 08-24-2005, 09:53 AM

I got a similar problem, only going from 10.0 to Jaguar. Except for me the target disc mode isn't working... This is bad news.

07-22-2005, 06:20 PM	#1
shamrog12 Triple-A Player Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 160	Blown Tiger upgrade... need advice So someone I know tried to upgrade to Tiger by themselves. Yes, it should be simple but this person has a way of making things hard... So this person went through the install process, the disk was verified (and failed but they kept going) and they tried to do an Archive/Install and Preserve Account Settings. So naturally the install fails with errors so they try again... This time they apparently have no accounts to preserve so that's when I get the phone call. I tell them to use Disk Utility and Repair Disk and Repair Disk Permissions and try to see if that helps. I also told them to remove the Tiger DVD and make sure they can get to their Panther desktop still. The Disk Permissions and Disk Repair returned no major problems and they got the folder & question mark when trying to boot to their hard drive. So they have no current System Folder. Short of erasing the drive and installing Tiger fresh, is there anything that can be done? I told them to try a different Tiger DVD since theirs failed but I'm not sure that'll even do much. Can anyone give me advice about what I should do/try next? Is the drive doomed at all? I'd assume it's not but I'd like reassurance.

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07-22-2005, 06:26 PM	#2
voldenuit Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Old Europe Posts: 4,969	If there is still data to be scraped off that disk, I'd suggest to put the machine in target mode and start the rescue operations from a known good Mac. Once that's done, I'd zero the drive, make sure there are no fingerprints on the install media and start over. Good luck.

07-22-2005, 06:27 PM	#3
shamrog12 Triple-A Player Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 160	Ok, I was thinking along those lines with getting an external drive enclosure for the 2.5" drive in this iMac G4 (swivel display) and searching for data. What's target mode again? Hold T when the computer is booting? I'd need to connect it to another computer using Firewire? It's been a while

07-22-2005, 06:31 PM	#4
voldenuit Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Old Europe Posts: 4,969	Correct. Holding T makes the computer boot in a mode where it behaves like an external hard-disk. Of course, booting the troublesome machine off a known-good installation on an external drive is just as good, as long as you have enough space somewhere for the data to salvage.

07-22-2005, 06:35 PM	#5
shamrog12 Triple-A Player Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 160	In target mode I connect it to another Mac with Firewire or ethernet cable?

07-22-2005, 08:14 PM	#6
voldenuit Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Old Europe Posts: 4,969	Firewire.

08-24-2005, 09:53 AM	#7
Twelve Motion All Star Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 966	I got a similar problem, only going from 10.0 to Jaguar. Except for me the target disc mode isn't working... This is bad news.