G3 with OSX3 having problems after updating QuickTime

Question

Recently updated a G3 with 10.3 and when I did the software update, it had an update for QuickTime and when the machine restarted after update, it sat on a grey screen. Tried restarting with extensions off and got nowhere. Computer worked fine until the update. Any ideas?

Answer 1

You may have to start the computer from the Installer disc, with that disc
in the optical drive and hold the C key down, so as to access the native
Disk Utility as found in the Installer's menu bar options. From D.U. you
may be able to attempt to Repair Disk. And also may as well run the
Repair Disk Permissions as seen there in the First Aid section of the
Disk Utility; direct your attention to the Macintosh HD as shown in the
utility's left-hand sidebar, by clicking on that name to do these.
Usually it does help to use Repair Disk Permissions (from the computer's
Disk Utility; shortcut is to use GO in Finder menu bar, see Utilities Folder,
and then find Disk Utility in that folder) before and after each update or
any/all software installations. Was the 10.3 system updated to 10.3.9 and
disk permissions repaired at each step? There are several others items
that get installed for 10.3.9 not referred to in Software Updates until the
Combo 10.3.9 file is installed. Several older items are not needed if the
last Combo is arrived at first; but all Java updates, last security updates,
and then items such as Quicktime. Adobe Flash & Shockwave players
and a modern browser such as Camino (Mozilla) are advised as well.
IF the system has failed, you may be able to see if you can reclaim any
thing (if any) from the hard disk drive by use of FireWire Target Disk mode
in that Mac, and it may be accessible through a second Mac & FW cable.
There is a chance there is a hardware issue behind this matter. In fact,
depending on the history of the specific computer and whether or not it
previously had OS X installed, what version, and if it required a Firmware
Update to be applied prior to running OS X, the fix could be involved.
Good luck & happy computing!