[nedcook]

I have a third generation iMac G5. I've always been able to use file sharing both ways with this computer and the others in my home (a MacBook, MacBook Pro, and PowerMac G4 MDD). However, several weeks ago sharing from the iMac G5 broke. What happens is that it appears in the Finder of any of the other Macs but when I click on it's name and go through the process to connect to its hard drive, it acts like all is going well, but then as the disk is mounting on my desktop (or a few moments thereafter), I get a spinning beachball for a little while and then it disconnects. I go to the System Preferences of the iMac and note that Personal File Sharing has been turned off. I turn Personal File Sharing back on. Rinse and repeat with the same results. Does anyone know what's going on. I'm running Mac OS X 10.4.10 on all my Macs.
I should add that I have just completed my second "archive and install" on this iMac. About a month or six weeks ago it would not start up properly--just got to a grey screen with a rotating gear and wouldn't go any further. Archive and install fixed it. I just did that again today because that same startup problem occurred. One would assume that any problem with File Sharing that existed previous to an archive and install would be fixed, but it appears not to be the case.
I just got through running all Tech Tool Pro's tests (including surface scanning the hard drive) and everything came out OK.
Any help much appreciated.

[dougoftheabaci]

Have you noticed any network issues with your G5?
You might want to try resetting your PRAM.

[nedcook]

Network problems have been limited to the file sharing problem noted.
At your suggestion, I reset the PRAM, but this did not solve the problem. Thanks for trying though!

[dougoftheabaci]

And it happens no matter which of the other computers you try to connect with? You might have to do a pure re-install of OS X to solve the problem.
I doubt it's a hardware issue, as the problem wouldn't be limited to just file-sharing, I wouldn't think.
Question: After the beach-ball of doom does it eventually tell you the network device was unplugged or something along those lines?

[FranksterOne]

Hmmmmm lets try and narrow this down..
1. Is this wireless or plugged into a router or switch?
2. Elaborate on your setup, how do all the computers see each other? A central router or is one of the macs sharing its internet connection?

[nedcook]

Quote:

---

And it happens no matter which of the other computers you try to connect with? You might have to do a pure re-install of OS X to solve the problem.
I doubt it's a hardware issue, as the problem wouldn't be limited to just file-sharing, I wouldn't think.
Question: After the beach-ball of doom does it eventually tell you the network device was unplugged or something along those lines?

---

It doesn't matter which computer I try to connect with....same results.
Yes, after the beach ball, it says the device was unplugged or disconnected.

[nedcook]

Quote:

---

Hmmmmm lets try and narrow this down..
1. Is this wireless or plugged into a router or switch?
2. Elaborate on your setup, how do all the computers see each other? A central router or is one of the macs sharing its internet connection?

---

OK I have a Linksys router plugged into an 8 port Netgear Gigabit switch. The two laptops connect wirelessly, the iMac and G4 are connected through the Gigabit switch using ethernet cables. My satellite modem is plugged into the Linksys router.
Thanks for trying to help me. I'm really lost on this one.

[dougoftheabaci]

Another question: Does the same thing happen when you try to connect to the other computers?

[nedcook]

Quote:

---

Another question: Does the same thing happen when you try to connect to the other computers?

---

No. It only happens when I try to connect to the iMac G5.

[dougoftheabaci]

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Another question: Does the same thing happen when you try to connect to the other computers?

---

No. It only happens when I try to connect to the iMac G5.

---

Sorry, let me rephrase, does your iMac G5 have the same issues when connecting to other computers? I've been doing some research around the net and people who have similar problems, it tends to be related to the routers, not the machines themselves.
Easiest way to confirm everything though is to just reinstall your entire OS, not an archive and install. Burn off/backup all your files, but leave all preferences, applications, everything. This way you'll know it's not some small file that's carrying over that's causing your computer to mess up.

[nedcook]

OK sorry. The answer is that the iMac can connect to any of the other computers and stay connected. The issue only arises when I try to connect to the iMac from another computer. Looks like you're saying the only fix is to backup everything, reformat the hard drive, and then do a clean install. Thanks for all the help.

[dougoftheabaci]

Well, if it's a settings issue, which it sounds like it is, then that should fix it. With an Archive and Install you could still be carrying over some bad settings as part of an Archive and Install keeps network settings and the like, which is where you'd expect the issue to be anyway.
Keep us posted as to whether or not this fixes the issue. Good luck!