Grey screen lockup after re-install.

I've got an Aluminum PowerBook G4 that just had a hard drive failure. I've purchased a new Samsung drive and installed it with no problems. Next, I booted from my OS X 10.3 install disks and partitioned the drive. The install went smooth with no errors of any kind. After the reboot at the end of the install I get to the gray apple screen and the wheel spins for about 20 seconds and then locks up completely. I then ran disk utility to verify the disk and permissions with no errors to be corrected. I've also cleared the PRAM a few times with no success. Anybody out there got any suggestions?

Hello Again pegasusroscoe!
As you previously had Jaguar 10.2.x installed, was this an Upgrade installation to Panther 10.3.x?
To install, did you use a Full Retail Version, of the Panther Install CDs?
The discs should look exactly like the images in the above links, and not say Upgrade, CPU Drop-in DVD, or "This software is part of a hardware bundle purchase - not to be sold seperately." on them.
If you did not use those type of discs, that may explain why the install was unsuccessful.
Additional info in these links.
Using OS X Install CDs/DVDs On Multiple Macs
What's A Computer Specific Mac OS X Release
Software Update, Upgrade: What's The Difference?
If you do not have the correct discs, repost for suggestions.
ali b

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House3917 wrote:
I started the Macbook with the OSX Leopard install CD...
Leopard is done for, call Apple via phone and order the 10.6.3 white retail disks and use those.
Use these install instrcutions for best operation and performance.
How to erase and install Snow Leopard 10.6

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Tried to repair the disk via disk utility using an install CD, no go, couldn't repair, so, did a clean install.
New install went fine, computer worked for about 3 days and then stuck on the spinning wheel again.
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The Apple Hardware Test doesn't always detect all errors.
Next time you get the gray screen/spinning wheel, try booting into the Safe Mode to see if it will boot.
Shut down the computer and then power it back up. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.
Safe Mode
Safe Mode - About
Startup Gray Screen
Startup Issues - Resolve
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Javier's problem is that the system requires a PRAM reset - otherwise systems that start in verbose mode would then subsequently revert to normal startup automatically.
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Once you are booted to the installer disk, instead of attempting an install, open Disk Utility in the Utilities menu. If the drive doesn't show up on the left, it is not correctly installed, and you will need to open the system up again and check that it is connected correctly. If it shows up in Disk Utility, you need to partition and format it correctly. To do that, click on the drive in Disk Utility to select it, then click the Partition tab. Under 'Volume Scheme, select a single volume, then click the Options button to bring up the partitioning choices. For a G4 mini, you want to select Apple Partition Map. Click OK to confirm and it will partition the drive and should also format it as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Once that is done, you should then be able to run the MacOS installer which will then recognise the drive and allow the install.
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Intel Macs (including later minis) require GUID partitioning and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) formatting.

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Because I've had strange problems with past system update downloads, I now always get my system updates from http://support.apple.com/downloads/
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Hi,
I've recently purchased a your (MSI) Radeon 4870 1GB video card from Newegg. And I've installed it and I have the latest drivers (from windows) for it. But ever time I try and install the MSI CD on my computer the screen goes black (could possibly freeze but I don't know cause the screen is black) when installing it or upon the restart my computer. Do you have a solution for this problem? I've tried pretty much everything I can think of so far. I have SP2 Vista, I've tried to install it with and without anti-virus on also. I know this is the problem because when I go into safe mode and uninstall it my computer works fine again. I also built this computer a couple of weeks ago too FYI. On another note when the MSI CD is not installed the graphic are spectacular and very game that I've tried works at full setting.
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Quote
And I've installed it and I have the latest drivers (from windows) for it
Quote
On another note when the MSI CD is not installed the graphic are spectacular and very game that I've tried works at full setting.
Well if its working very well for you, then don't install from the CD.

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mattn wrote:
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I believe the default settings for labels and text in Finder windows, if that's what you mean, is 12 point. You you can change font size through View Options. Text sizes for menus, etc. is fixed; I don't know what the size is specifically. For Firefox, text size for web pages is specified by the web site generally, but you can change the size Firefox will default to in the Firefox Content preferences.
I hope I've answered the question you were asking. Regards.

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I have erased and rinstalled about 6 times now. Works fine then eventually falls apart (freezes, safarie quits, then dies) and will not start as ball spinning with grey bar filling then shutdown wh about 1/3 through. Apple store did 2 of the reinstalls and sold me a back up disk. This is great as now I can rease and reinstall weekly without much loss. Also replaced hard drive under apple recall. But now same problems. Cannot repair disk as it goes so far and tells me to erase and reinstall. Not sure but getting close to tossing the machine. Already spent $600 on repairs with no progress. Apple store said har drive was fine and we were installing bad software, but we dot havemuch more the basics plus MS office
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The chime is generated in software after millions of instructions have been executed. It indicates that if an appropriate Boot device can be found, booting is likely.
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Help! I think my 27" i7 iMac just died!
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After second round of computer restart/disk utility, the computer started displaying green lines running vertically down the grey screen.
After around a minute and a half, the screen became grey only, no green lines- no apple logo.
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BrBea wrote:
I have to have my serial number to give them to start the call. I have no way to access the serial number on the computer because I cannot advance past the grey/blue screen to access it. Is there a way to get the serial number on this computer off of the hardware itself?
Look on the bottom of the stand, Apple used to print them there I don't know if they still do or not. Also if you have the original box it's printed on that too.
In addition if you click about this Mac and click the version of OS X installed a couple of times the serial number will appear. In addition you can run System Information and get the serial number there too.
Finally it's not going to do much good to call Apple, you need to take the machine in for repair at your local Apple Store or AASP. I suspect your graphics card has failed.

Grey screen lockup after re-install.

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