Blinking ? Folder at startup--PLEASE HELP!

I have a G3 iMac (500Mhz, 64M memory) that I purchased from our school when they went to all PC's. I believe that it came out in last 2001.
Mine is working fine, but I'm trying to fix another teacher's. Her computer won't start up. All I get is the blinking question mark and folder.
I replaced the battery. No luck.
I've reset PRAM. No luck.
I purchase the original system CD's off the internet and I CAN get it to book from the Software Install CD.
I've reblessed the system folder (even though it appeared to already be blessed) and hoped that would fix the issue. No such luck. I have the CD's that I COULD reinstall the system with. But I'd like to be able to save the programs and data first. Many of the programs are educational ones (from the school) that I don't have install discs for.
I can't even try to burn the applications folder to CD's (assuming that this computer will write to CD), because I can only get it to boot with the system CD, so the CD drive is always occupied.
Any suggestions on getting this to boot from the internal system folder without having to do a clean install? Or a way of "rescuing" my current programs/data?
I don't currently have it hooked up to the internet (working on it in my living room), but I could if I had to. I guess I could figure out a way to daisy chain it to MY iMac and somehow copy over the necessary files (to the working computer) and then move them back afterwards. Is this possible? What cables would I need and would it even work?
I also have a G4 Powerbook if there's anything that I can do from there. I'm hesitant to hook it to my new computer, because I once made the mistake of plugging my flashdrive into my OS 9.2 iMac and it populated it with tons of Finder files.

"Blinking folder icons at start up are always an indication of a hard disk problem."
Not always. See the following Knowledge Base Article:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=31355 Mac OS: Flashing Globe When Computer Turns On or A folder that has an alternating flashing question mark

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Hey peawok,
The following document goes over troubleshooting steps for when you encounter a folder with a flashing question mark during startup:
Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570
Welcome to Apple Support Communities!
Take care,
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What is the NAME of your hard drive? Does it (or any
intermediate folder)
contain unusual characters (apostrophes, parentheses, etc.)?
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Adobe Community Expert
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.projectseven.com/go
- DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs,
Tutorials & Resources
==================
"mikrokosmonaut" <[email protected]> wrote
in message
news:gkpsts$b9t$[email protected]..
> Hi there. I wonder if anybody could help me!
>
> I am using CS4 but this problem still occurred in CS3.
When I set up a new
> site in Dreamweaver I go through the usual motions
selecting the local
> root
> folder and images folder. Then when I go into the new
site it creates an
> initial site cache as usual. After this (when I try to
upload anything for
> example) the cache seems to have disappeared (i.e. all
local files
> disappear in
> DW). It tells me that I should go through setting up the
site process
> again but
> this only ends up going round in circles!
>
> Curiously, when I look at my HD in finder, Dreamweaver
has created a new
> folder named "Macintosh HD" and inside it follows the
exact same file
> structure
> as the "real" local files except the website files do
not exist inside the
> root
> folder!
>
> I can not understand what is going on here. I suspect it
might be
> something to
> do with the locations of files and relative / absolute
linking on the HD?
>
> Please help if you can! Thanks.
>

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DP-K
****Click the White thumb to say thanks****
****Please mark Accept As Solution if it solves your problem****
****I don't work for HP****
Microsoft MVP - Windows Experience

Blinking ? Folder at startup--PLEASE HELP!

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