Re-installing and re-formatting a Mac!

[:: JJ ::]

Hello all wonder if anyone can help?

I've formatted and installed 9.2 and OSX before but recently my eMac CD-Rom has gone bust. I'm using an external CD-Rom now but it doesn't want to read or boot up using it!

I've spent hours trying to get the damn thing to pick up but I'm running out of will power!

Anyone?

[jimking]

What brand? USB or firewire? Does the CD-rom see other disks?

[Silence04]

the external cd-rom drive must not be a bootable drive, it should say in the manual.

[jimking]

That's true. Also, those disks are DVDs I believe not CDs. You'll need a drive that reads both.

[PrintDriver]

Stupid question but you are holding down command C on startup, right?

[:: JJ ::]

The drive is a DVD/CD-RW and connects to the computer through Firewire with its own power supply, sorry should off mentioned earlier.

Yeah I've tried holding down "C" on startup, nothing except a grey folder with an alternating finder logo and question mark.

[urstwile]

Two things.

Have you tried using the disk on another computer? Does it mount? If not, that could be a sign that the disk is damaged, which leads to the second thing...

I believe there's a phone number you can call at Apple to furnish replacement install disks for your computer (at no charge). I had to do this with a refurbished computer a while back, that didn't come with the install disks. They shipped it in a couple of days. Sadly, I don't know what that number is, but I do know I got the number from Small Dog Electronics, you might be able to find it on Apple's site.

Or you could throw down for a new operating system disk, if step one seems to show that the disk is damaged.

You could also try holding the option key down directly after you restart, but on Apple's support site, e-Macs are not among the computers supported by this. I'd give it a shot anyway though.

Is your computer hosed? If you can start up the hard drive, you could also try switching the startup disk in the System Preferences.

[Gromit801]

Have you tried booting from a utility like Disk Warrior or Tech Tool Pro?

[Patrick Shannon]

This thread is dated but if you never solved the problem and your external drives are not bootable, there's a round-a-bout way of reinstalling the OS...if you have access to another Mac.

Just hold down T to start up Firewire mode on the bad Mac and connect a firewire cable between the two Macs. Put the installation CD in the good Mac and follow the prompts as it reboots, then simply select the Firewire "bad" Mac for the installation location. When the install is done, just restart the bad Mac and you'll have a fresh installation on it.

I had to do with when my DVD drive on my old Pismo went out. Thank god the drives were removable on that thing, a damned good little laptop it was.