[kev8pt]

My G4 Powerbook barely functions...It's been working beautifully for years, but I've been letting my 6 year old use it occasionally to play web based educational video games(PBSKids). Now, it barely boots up in OSX(running 10.3.9) or OS9. When it does boot, it goes super slow, and will not shut down.
I have backed up and deleted large folders(mp3, etc) to free up HD space. While doing that, I found an OSX upgrade folder and some OSX upgrade files inside a folder that contained music. I suspect ther'es been a little more than educational video games going on.
I have verified and repaired permissions, and verified the disc. I also ran a hardware test and everything passed.
I'm attempting to re-install OS 10.3, but I can't since "a newer operating system already exists" on my HD(10.3.9). The last thing I want to do is nuke my HD and start over.
It looks like I need to downgrade my OS, then re-upgrade the OS. But I don't know how. The original install discs have earlier versions of my OS(OS 10.1.2). Any chance an archive and install will work with those discs? And if not, does anyone have any other tricks that might get me back to where I need to be?
Thanks for any and all help.

[Typhoon14]

You say it has the same problems when booted in OS 9? That doesn't sound like a software issue to me . . .
Curious, what happens when you try to shut the computer down?

[kev8pt]

I tried starting up in 9 today and part way through the routine a message came up indicating that a/some file(s) were missing. Boot up was much slower than usual. I didn't do much more than that, just assumed both OSs were having the same problem due to OS files missing or misplaced.
When I try to shut down, nothing at all happens. The beach ball of death spins for a while, then...nothing. I have to push and hold the power button for a while until it shuts down.
Not sure if it's related, or means nothing at all, but the computer gets very hot nowadays where the power cord plugs in while the computer is on. The cooling fan kicks in and the whole thing struggles to execute the most basic command.
When copying mp3 files to an external HD this morning, several of the files wouldn't copy because a message would pop up telling me there was something wrong with them. Usually it was one song out of a whole album that had been imported using iTunes.
It's all very strange, and very wrong.

[likely_Mc]

Hi kv8pt,
It sounds like your HD may be on it's way to the grave. You had better back up everything you need. Then you should get out your Disk utilities install discs and check up on things very quickly. Run the hard ware test; everything diagnostic.
regards,
M

[kev8pt]

Thanks for the reply. I was able to reinstall OS9.2.2 from the original OS CDs that came with the computer, and now 9 is back up and running perfectly.
I was completely unable to install a lower version of OSX, however. So I went to the Apple web site and downloaded the OS 10.3.9 Upgrade, which I attempted to install over the current, cpompletely dysfunctional OS 10.3.9.
The install goes smoothly until I am told to restart the computer to finish the install. This computer WILL NOT shut down or restart at all when it's in OSX. Functions beautifully in OS9 now, but I can't complete the upgrade install of OS 10.3.9 because I can't restart or shut down the computer without pushing and holding the power button, at which point the install does not complete, and I'm back where I started.
Is there an operating system component that governs shut down/restart that I can search for to see if it's in the wrong place? Does anyone know of a work around for shutting down/restarting when conventional methods don't work? I desperately want to see if reinstalling 10.3.9 will solve the problem before I go ahead and nuke the HD.

[Randy_B_Singer]

Quote:

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I was completely unable to install a lower version of OSX

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Have a look at:
Mac OS X: How to reinstall a prior version
http://docs.info.app...ml?artnum=25404

[kev8pt]

The artile you linked to provides some hope: It looks like it is possible to do an archive and install of 10.3 over 10.3.9. The install discs I have for 10.3 are Upgrade Discs, not the full OS. I'm guessing that the upgrade discs don't allow me to archive and install. When I insert the 10.3 Upgrade Disc into the computer, I get a red ! over the picture of the HD and a message telling me that I can't install 10.3 because a newer version of the software already exists. My only option then is to quit the install.
Is there an archive and install option with the 10.3 upgrade discs that I'm just not seeing? Or is that an option that is only available with the full OS dsics?

[Randy_B_Singer]

Quote:

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Is there an archive and install option with the 10.3 upgrade discs that I'm just not seeing? Or is that an option that is only available with the full OS dsics?

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You must actually have the OS X installer disk(s) to install OS X. The upgrade disks will only allow you to upgrade an existing installation of OS X.