Cloning

Sp00n

Sp00n

Sp00n

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
18,296
Location
Brighton
I have been handed a G4 powerbook with a failing hard drive, it still boots up (eventually) but it beeps all the way to the desktop.

I managed to take it apart yesterday to find out what type of hdd i needed to purchase and i was wondering, can i just use some cloning software in windows so clone the current hard drive over to the new one or is there some specific software i need to use?
 
I doubt PC software would work. Perhaps Ghost 2003 might in sector copy mode (requires a command line switch).

Carbon Copy Cloner and Superduper are the usual Mac apps for disk copying. Not used either so I can't recommend one.

Based on PC experience of failing drives, you need to catch them quick. If it's too far gone you'll still get lots of new errors from data corruption. Clean install is probably the best way, then import the user data and apps from the unhealthy drive.
 
Um... bugger it.

Removed the old hard drive and put in the new one, put the powerbook all back together and booted it up, now i have a flashing question mark folder with a mac face.

Googling says it cant find a valid boot folder or something, but it won't let me boot of the cd either by holding down C.

Have i broken it? :(
 
In Mac OS or OS X, how can I boot from a CD or DVD and/or ignore my startup disk?

Normally, to set an alternate startup volume, such as a bootable CD or DVD, you should use the Startup Disk system preference or control panel. However, if your regular boot disk is damaged or if you can't set the CD or DVD as a startup device from the system preference or control panel, try one of the following options:

* Restart your computer and immediately press the Option key. Icons for all available startup volumes will appear. Click the one you want to boot from, and then click the right arrow button to complete the startup process.

* Restart your computer and immediately press Cmd-Option-Shift-Delete. You must press all the keys at once. The computer will start to boot from the CD or DVD drive. If there isn't a bootable disc inside the drive when you begin the reboot, the computer will attempt to boot from another partition or drive.

* Restart your computer and immediately press the c key. The computer will look for a bootable CD or DVD and, if it finds one, will use it as its startup device.
 
Ah, turns out it was the disc anyway, called the guy back up and managed to get the DVD disc off of him after a load of hassle trying to find it, currently reinstalling :D

Why is it such a bloody faff though? Its ridiculous, with my laptop its just 2 screws and then remove the drive from the caddy.

With this powerbook G4 io properly had to plan it out, draw myself a screw map as there must have been 40+ screws to un-do!

Nightmare!
 
The harddrive isn't classed as a user replaceable part in the Powerbook / MacBook Pro.

If Apple do upgrade the design, here's hoping they rectify that, as they've done for the MacBook.
 
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