No volumes on HD, how to upgrade to 10.4

Question

i have an ibook g4 12". in an attempt to upgrade to 10.4, i screwed something up. i got an odd screen with typed writing on it. i think it may be kernal panic. now i only get ? on startup. when trying to reinstall software, it doesn't show any volumes. in disk utility no disk to repair (only the cd-rw). in disk warrior- no directory. what can i do to reinstall or upgrade any operating system?
thanks

Answer 1

robert:
now i only get ? on startup.
That indicates that the computer is not able to find a startup volume
when trying to reinstall software, it doesn't show any volumes.
When trying to install it should show you a formatted disk to which you can install. If nothing shows up, the news doesn't sound good.
in disk utility no disk to repair (only the cd-rw). in disk warrior- no directory.
Same story again. Even if you have no formatted volume, Disk Utility should show the HDD with manufacturer ID. If that does not show up, it means that the HDD is likely no longer viable. DW will only find a directory if there is a formatted volume.
My suspicion is that your HDD is dead. Your computer was released in April 2004, which makes it going on 5 years. The average life of these drives is 3 to 5 years, meaning that yours has served you well and you need to replace it.
Your computer will support a 2.5" ATA/IDE HDD up to 250 GB. Here is a list of available drives for your computer. Use the filters in the sidebar to screen for capacity and manufacturer. You can compare drives by checking the box to the left of each drive then clicking the Compare button at the top of the page. When you have found the drive you like, click the Compare Prices button for a list of vendors and prices.
Installing a HDD in an iBook is a royal pain, but it is doable with average skill with simple tools, patience and concentration. You will find step by step directions at ifixit. Here are few tips you may find helpful:
• Print out the ifixit directions as well as the screw guide ahead of time.
• Be sure you have the right tools. You don't want to damage the screw heads or you may never get them out. And the Torx 8 screw driver is critical.
• Picking up on one user’s suggestion, I printed out the pages of each step in which screws were removed. I poked holes in the paper where the screws were removed, poked the screws in the holes and stacked the pages in order in which there were removed. Reassembling was a lot easier. No cups to tip over and spill. No guessing. Each screw was exactly in the right place. You can use an ice cube tray, egg carton, dixie cups etc. I previously used small medicine cups one for the screws in each step. I nested them so that the last ones out and the first to go back in are on top. (Some users report cutting up the screw guide and placing the applicable section in each container.)
• Be very careful pulling out leads. Hold the lead as close to the plug as possible and wiggle (the plug ) to loosen its grip. Don’t hold the wires and pull as that can damage the cable, or worse, in some instances pull the wires out of the plug. Indeed, some users have pulled the socket off the logic board! Use needle nose pliers or tweezers if you can access the plug, or nudge the plug with a small instrument to help loosen its grip.
• Use force gently in removing parts. Separating upper and lower case takes some doing. Use a plastic tool (spudge) so as not to leave marks.
• Refer to the screw guide when reassembling computer. Putting longer screws in the wrong place can perforate the circuit board.
cornelius