IMac G4 won't boot, go into target mode, or verbose, or single-user.

Hi, I am completely flummoxed.
Yesterday I had my iMac G4 networked (via FireWire cable) to my MacBook Pro. I was copying about 14 GB of data from the MBP to the G4. The MBP indicated the copy operation was finished, but the G4 went into a spinning beachball, from which I could not escape -- couldn't force-quit, change applications, open terminal, or anything. So I (reluctantly) did a hard power-down.
When I went to restart the G4, I got a grey screen of death -- for about 2 minutes. Then the screen goes black for a second, then goes grey again, this time with the alternating folder-and-question-mark icon. Bad news.
Here is what I have tried so far:
* Won't boot into target mode -- if I hold down T at startup, the screen stays black (never gets to the grey screen, or to the FireWire icon).
* Won't boot into single-user or verbose mode -- if I hold down cmd-S or cmd-V, computer stays grey.
* Won't boot in safe mode -- ditto.
So my next idea was to try booting from a startup disk. But how to open the optical drive tray? (This is a tray-loader, not a slot-loader.) I pulled down the white external door manually, but do not see an emergency open pinhole inside. But there must be one, right?
Does anybody have any other ideas on how I can break into this thing, or what might have gone wrong with it?

So my next idea was to try booting from a startup disk. But how to open the optical drive tray? (This is a tray-loader, not a slot-loader.) I pulled down the white external door manually, but do not see an emergency open pinhole inside. But there must be one, right?
I'm not at a G4 iMac right now, but other tray-load drives of that generation had a hole but ti's very low in the opening. Probably need a good light to see it.
Try starting the computer and holding the mouse button down while it's trying to boot. This is a startup shortcut to open the drive but may require that the system start to load, something with which yours is obviously struggling.
Does the iMac have the original Apple keyboard? Some third-party keyboards may not support the startup combos for safe mode, single-user, etc.

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