iBook G3 600 ? on boot

Viral · 3 Feb 2009 at 00:26

I am trying to fix an old iBook G3 600. The screen displays a ? when the computer is turned on, is this most likely a hard drive issue? If so is it an easy upgrade to a newer drive, I have the spare 40Gb drive that came with my PS3, (I upgraded to 250Gb in the PS3). Which is the latest Mac OS that can be installed onto the system if I have to upgrade the HDD?

Will_3rd · 3 Feb 2009 at 00:40

Should find an answer here: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440?viewlocale=en_US

Doubt the hard drive that came with your PS3 would work with the iBook as it uses a SATA interface. The old iBooks use IDE/PATA for hard drives.

As for the latest OS support it would be 10.4 Tiger.

Viral · 3 Feb 2009 at 05:30

So if I want to install Tiger 10.4 is that downloadable from Apple or do I have to go to the store and buy it?

Thanks for the other info?

Will_3rd · 3 Feb 2009 at 10:51

You'll have to buy it, should be able to get it at a relatively low cost off fleabay.

FreeStream · 3 Feb 2009 at 14:15

Will_3rd said:
You'll have to buy it, should be able to get it at a relatively low cost off fleabay.

You say that but I sold my copies of 10.3 AND 10.4 for more than 10.5 was new, each :eek:

ginger_pat · 3 Feb 2009 at 15:17

You'll have to buy it, should be able to get it at a relatively low cost off fleabay.

Well i looked for ages for me to get mine for my exact same ibook and the ones i did i got for £30 and these were ones that came with an ibook g4 and didn't work as they would only work with that model. I upgraded the ram as well, spent about £140 and it doesnt work.

So to the op wacth out for what you get.
If anyone knows if these disks can work please could you tell me.

thanks pat

Will_3rd · 3 Feb 2009 at 16:13

Concorde Rules said:
You say that but I sold my copies of 10.3 AND 10.4 for more than 10.5 was new, each

Really? Everytime I've looked they've been around £30 mark max...

I'll go have a peek.

Viral · 6 Feb 2009 at 17:43

Well I had the ibook and no ? mark was appearing on boot, trying to fix for a friend but unable to replicate error. Gave it back to them and 2 days later its erroring out again with the ? I have read the directions on the link and it looks like I need a cd to perform repairs, is there anywhere to download this from as not sure my friend even has it.
I called a local Apple specialist and he said you cannot repair it and would need to buy OS 10.5 Leopard and install that to a new HDD, sounds a bit over the top to me.

FreeStream · 7 Feb 2009 at 01:51

Will_3rd said:
Really? Everytime I've looked they've been around £30 mark max...

I'll go have a peek.

Yup got £52 from 10.3 and £62 from 10.4.

Was in Nov 2007 mind.

Will_3rd · 7 Feb 2009 at 11:07

Viral said:
Well I had the ibook and no ? mark was appearing on boot, trying to fix for a friend but unable to replicate error. Gave it back to them and 2 days later its erroring out again with the ? I have read the directions on the link and it looks like I need a cd to perform repairs, is there anywhere to download this from as not sure my friend even has it.
I called a local Apple specialist and he said you cannot repair it and would need to buy OS 10.5 Leopard and install that to a new HDD, sounds a bit over the top to me.

10.5 wouldn't even install on that machine, finding a retail copy of 10.3 or 10.4 is your best bet.

Viral · 9 Feb 2009 at 19:11

Thanks for the info, I guess he was just trying to sell me something I dont need, typical store policies.