Target Disk Mode Installation

I have an iBook (doesn't have a DVD drive) that I would like to install Leopard on from my DVD installation disk. Since the iBook's HD only has 1 partition, is it possible to do an Erase and Install while in target disk mode using another computer's DVD drive? I am concerned that erasing the HD will have some effect on the computer's ability to stay in target disk mode.

From the host computer, launch Disk Utility.app, and select the hard drive you have in target disk mode from the list to the left. Click the Partitions tab, then Options. You should be able to select "GUID Partition Scheme". Now is also a good time to name the hard drive; name it "Macintosh HD". Click on the Partition button again to apply the changes. Quit Disk Utility, and follow the prompts from the installation disc, selecting the iBook as the destination volume for installation.

Similar Messages

  • Macbook in target disk mode locks up when trying to transfer files to another computer. Suggestions?

    A week ago I installed snow leopard on my girlfriend's macbook without backing anything up. Dumb idea I know. The installation failed multiple times. I ran her computer in target disc mode to try to save what files I could. Now when I try to transfer files it will freeze up at different times. Sometimes I can transfer a huge amount of data like 4GB's and the other times it locks up trying to transfer 4kB's. I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out. I can see the files but can not transfer them.
    Any suggestions or past similar past experiences?

    Hi Anand,
    Have you noticed when you plug the drive in whether its making any sounds? You can put your ear up to the drive on the Macbook. Its located on the right hand front sided of the top case.
    Also, check to see if the target disk mode icon is moving after a few minutes. If the firewire icon has stopped moving it usually indicates that theres something seriously wrong (probably mechanical) with the drive.
    Id definitely give Disk Warrior a try. Especially if you have a situation where you can hear the drive running or spin up but it doesn't make any sound after that. Hope this helps.

  • Power Mac G4 stuck in Target Disk Mode

    The other night I put my Gigbit Ethernet into Target Disk Mode so I could migrate my files to a newer machine (a mirrored drive door G4 with dual 1.42mhz processors). After the migration was complete (which took 9 hours), I tried ejecting the target disk but got a perpetual spinning beach ball and had to force everything off. Unfortunately, either because my newer machine came with a faulty Tiger installation, or my migration messed the installation up - the finder kept crashing and things such as "Get Info" wasn't working- I had to endeavor to get a working version of Tiger on the newer machine. I wanted to clone my older drive to my newer drive.
    Futzing around for over an hour to try to gain access to my old Power Mac's hard Disc, which was still, according to the bouncing Icon on the screen, in target disk mode, I could not access the drive at all from the newer machine. When I tried, such as by double clicking on its desktop icon, by right clicking on the same Icon, or if I went into the system preferences to change the startup disk with the gigabit ethernet attached, I got the perpetual spinning beach ball. Also, I could not access the drive from the disk utility app that is on the Tiger install DVD. Luckily, I had a pretty fresh bootable backup of the gigabit ethernet on a firewire drive that I cloned to my newer computer. I just have a handful of files that I want to transfer from the gigabit ethernet if I had my drothers.
    Am I screwed here? Is there a way to force my Gigabit Ethernet out of Target Disk Mode without hooking it up to another computer? If it's possible to get the Gigabit Ethernet to boot again successfully, I can transfer my file over my network. Any help would be appreciated.
    Cheers

    I am confused...it sounds to me like what you wish to do is to make an exact copy of the hard disk in your Gigabit Ethernet and apply that copy to the drive in your MDD, correct?
    From what I understand, you are saying you cannot access your GE's hard disk using target disk mode? Or am I mistaken? Also, can you not boot up normally on the GE's hard disk? Is there something wrong with it?
    The easiest way to clone a disk is to just make a disk image of the hard disk you wish to keep, and then apply that disk image to the destination disk. Disk utility can perform all this very easily, and pretty quickly. Of course, if you are having trouble booting in target disk mode, this can be a problem...
    I'm still kind of confused on what exactly is the problem, and what you are trying to accomplish. Could you please explain a little more and answer the questions above? Much appreciated.

  • How-To: Install Bundled Apps to another MacBook Pro using Target Disk Mode

    Recently, I replaced the dead hard drive on my wife's computer. All the data was previously backed-up so all I needed to do was reinstall the original OS. Oops! Those disks disappeared over two years ago...perfect, right? No poblem, I already had the boxed install DVD for Snow Leopard and installed the core OS. But what about those bundled applications? Aha! That is the marketing coup Apple doesn't really talk much about. You see, you get the entire suite of Apple branded apps with the original install disks but not with a boxed OS install disk. It's just something that you have to find out for yourself...the hard way.
    My requirement: restore all the iPhoto data to the reimaged machine running Snow Leopard. But that data has no application that can read it. Solution - Reinstall iPhoto from another source.
    So I developed this workaround I hope the rest of you find amusingly simple, wildly helpful
    Here's how I restored iPhoto on my wife's computer:
    1)  Get two Laptops side by side. In our case we both have macbook pro 2008 computers (Wife's and Mine)
    2)  Power both down and direct connect a firewire 400 cable (or 800 if you have it) between the two
    3)  Start the Wife's laptop in Target Disk Mode: Press "T" immediately after engagin the power button, hold it down until you see the "fanned" firewire symbol floating across a grey screen - it's quite large, about the size of your hand making a "stop" gesture
    4)  No start the Mine laptop by pressing the "option" key (two keys to the left of the space bar)
    5)  You will presented with a pair of hard disks to boot from, choose the Wife's laptop hard drive
    5a) you'll notice now that the Mine laptop is booting the OS system files of the Wife's laptop (Her desktop, her preferences, etc...)
    6)  On the Mine laptop, insert the original Mac OS Install Disk (#1) that came with the Mine laptop (usually any OEM install disk will work, though)
    7)  Double-click on the DVD icon on the desktop when it mounts and look for a shortcut that reads, "Install Bundled Applications Only"...launch it
    8)  Now choose install bundled applications but make sure to press the "Customize" button in order to specifically choose which OEM software you want. In our case, just iPhoto
    9)  Follow the installer prompts all the through to completion and exit (you will be prompted to insert disk #2 along the way).
    10)  Remove the install disks, power down
    11)  Power down the Wife's laptop too
    12)  Disconnect the Firewire cables from both laptops
    13)  Power up the Wife's laptop normally
    14)  Launch the FInder and drill down to Applications. Look for iPhoto and launch it
    15)  iPhoto will either pickup the "iPhoto Library" that was previously restored after reimaging with Snow Leopard or you may be prompted to manually associate a library with iPhoto.
    16)  Once complete, you'll se all the restored pictures and data from when before the original hard drive crashed. Wife will be pleased and you'll look like a Genius
    This is a really handy trick for troubleshooting a lot of install and restore related issues.
    Hopefully you'll find other uses for it too.
    Good Luck,
    TheHighSierras

    I think the problem is that you can't install an older OS X version onto a system running a newer OS X version. So I would try the following:
         1. have an external disk or create another partition on an internal drive to use for the Mountain Lion install (you might have to shrink an existing partition to make room for another)
         2. Create an external bootable USB thumb drive with the Mountain Lion OS on it (do a search on the web for this - for example see http://www.macworld.com/article/1167857/how_to_make_a_bootable_mountain_lion_ins tall_drive.html
         3. Reboot Yosemite and then boot from the USB thumb drive by holding down the option key
         4. run the mountain lion installer and install on the new disk/partition you created in step 1 - it will also create another recovery partition from this same part of the disk
    Now your Mac system will have both a Mountain Lion install as well as the Yosemite install. You won't be able to use Migration Assistant to move things from Yosemite to Mountain Lion because it will see that you're "going backwards" and won't allow you to.
    Have a good backup of everything before starting in case there are problems.
    Good luck...

  • Help: Windows XP on MacBook Pro Boot Camp Partition via Target Disk Mode

    Firstly, let me lay out my situation. I have an old MacBook Pro (2,2) with a broken disk drive. It was dropped in its youth and can no longer read from or write to CDs or DVDs of any kind. I have just recently bought a new MacBook Pro to replace it (6,2) and am currently trying to convert the old computer into an XP machine through Boot Camp. I'd like to be able to do so without having to buy an external disk drive.
    After a clean install of OS X (10.6.3) onto the old machine, I successfully partition 85GB of space (although I previously attempted the same with a 32GB file system to no avail as well) for XP to be installed upon. Because I cannot boot my XP install disk directly from the broken disk drive, I then close Boot Camp Assistant and shut down the computer. I start it up in Target Disk Mode to be accessed from the new MacBook (6,2).
    Once the old MacBook is connected, I insert my XP install disk into the new MacBook (6,2) and boot from the disk. After allowing the XP (Professional) boot to load the install files, I arrow-key down to my 85GB partition (FAT32, named standard as "BOOTCAMP") on the old MacBook (2,2)'s hard drive and select it as the partition I would like to install to. This is where I am directed to a new boot window that tells me in a series of paragraphs that the XP installer cannot reach the selected partition for what seems to be a number of reasons. What it seems to be trying to say to me is that it cannot do a remote install of XP on a Target Disk Mode-connected machine, while not "knowing" that I am trying to do so. It's a similar message to the one that Boot Camp Assistant shows when one tries to create a Boot Camp partition on a machine that is being accessed via Target Disk Mode (Apple puts it much more clearly than Microsoft).
    I'd be perfectly content, albiet slightly vexed, to conclude here that it is not possible, shuttle over to the nearest Best Buy, and purchase an external disk drive if it weren't for one thing: I tried the same thing two weeks ago with Ubuntu 10.10 and it installed perfectly on the Boot Camp partition I had created then (I have since wiped all and installed OS X cleanly on the laptop).
    Here comes the point/questions:
    If the Ubuntu boot disk can access the partition, why can't the XP boot disk?
    Is there some way to convince the boot system that the drive is local, rather than being accessed via Target Disk Mode?
    Is there an easy solution that doesn't even require that, and will allow me to install to the disk over a firewire connection?
    If anyone's knowledgeable and/or brave enough to tackle this one, I'll be eternally grateful. Heck, I'll be grateful if anyone even attempts to tackle it.
    Thanks,
    -Alec Page

    Windows XP will only install from the optical drive. Target Disk Mode does not work with Windows volumes. Windows will not install from any external device.

  • Using Target Disk mode to reinstall OS-X

    I have a PPC G5 Dual 2.0gHz which failed the other day. All the fans were running full and a red LED showing on the logic board (it's just a warning I think). Since then the machine cannot be started up. It will begin the startup process normally but will hang on the Apple logo screen (no spinning gear wheel).
    The same thing happens when attempting to start up from the install disks and also when started in safe mode or with Option pressed down at startup.
    The logical assumption (given the original failure) is a hardware problem but I'm not entirely certain that's the case and cannot get it to a technician right now. I can run Apple Hardware Test and it passes that. I can also mount the G5's drive in Target Disk mode using a PowerBook G4 as a host so the drive itself appears to be okay. All the data is there and can be transferred.
    Is it possible that this is software not a hardware issue? The normal startup chime is there, the relay clicks at startup and it does begin to access the drive and all the normal noises can be heard. Just stops loading at the Apple logo screen. I'm wondering if some OS files were corrupted in the original crash (which happened overnight so I don't know what caused it) and if there is some way to eliminate the OS as the problem before going to a technician.
    As I can mount the drive in target mode, is it possible to use my PB as a host and reinstall the G5 OS-X that way? They're different machines so I don't know if that would work or the PB would reject the installation. Alternatively, if it could be just corrupted OS system files would it make sense to try to 'guess' the most likely to have been corrupted and manually replace them, again using the PB as a target host?
    I'm really stuck without this machine but just can't get it to a workshop for at least a couple of weeks so I'll try anything!

    Boy, I love these forums, and I love Macs (most of the time). I was so convinced this was hardware but it seems (fingers crossed) to be fixed. Yay!
    You guys were both right in a way. Roam's solution would clearly have been the easiest but because I had tried it before without success I didn't expect it to work. And, trying it again with the G5 install disk, it didn't. Same problem as before. But Graham's reminder of using the original multi-machine Tiger disks in target mode made me wonder. So before trying Target Disk mode I tried just restarting the machine using the Tiger DVD instead of the G5 disks -- and it booted into the installation dialogue!
    I figured I'd need to reinstall 10.4 (and, if it worked, go through the whole update drag to get back to 10.4.10). Before I did that though, on a whim, I tried quitting the installer and selecting the normal G5 system as the startup disk. Restarted and voila -- there it was, all back to normal, everything sweet and no data lost!
    I didn't even need to repair the disk. Disk verify shows no problems. Even repairing permissions was just a couple of minor changes. I'm amazed. And delighted.
    I might be jumping the gun and there might still be a hardware problem that will repeat the original failure and I'll find all the fans going full blast and nothing working again tomorrow but, if Murphy is having time off, for the moment I'm back in business.
    I would love to figure out what caused the problem in the first place. I suspect a big power surge overnight did it but I have no idea exactly what it did to cause these symptoms.
    My grateful thanks guys.

  • Can a Mac Pro boot off a MacBook Pro in Target Disk Mode?

    Summary: "Are you able to boot a Mac Pro off of a Mac Book Pro in Target Disk Mode?" OR "Will a Mac Pro boot off an OS X install that was made on a MBP?"
    Details:
    I'm finishing a music project that was created on a PPC G5 Quad computer and going to a studio in Santa Monica to complete the final mixdown. My 3rd party software plug-in configuration is unique, and the studio doesn't have all of the software instruments that I do on their 8 core mac pro. My G5 software installation is mirrored to my MacBook Pro, but the MBP doesn't have enough CPU power to play the project back.
    Is it feasible to have the studio's 8 core Mac Pro boot from my MacBook Pros hard drive? Essentially, we'd be using my OS and software on their powerful CPU / hardware. I figure, since they are both Intel builds of OSX, this should be do-able.
    I don't have access to the Mac Pro until I show up to start working.
    Thanks for any input / suggestions!

    The MacBook Pro boots fine in 10.5.8, and loads the Logic project without any faults. The only issue is that a CPU shortage occurs when you attempt to play the sequence.
    Like you suggested, I performed separate UB installations of all the needed software on the MBP solely so I could move Logic projects from one computer to the next without a hitch. (Actually, DropBox does this for me). Migration assistant was not employed in this process due to the PPC / Intel issues you noted.
    I didn't need to mention the G5 as it appears to have caused some confusion based on Kappy's reply, but I did want to explain my work flow thoroughly.
    It sounds like booting the MacPro from my MBP is feasible. I'll mark this topic 'solved' and head over to the studio tonight. I'll post here any anomalies from the session (if any).
    THANKS~!

  • Superdrive/target disk mode question revisited

    My mbp has a broken superdrive. I have connected my mac mini to my mbp and am running the mini in target disk mode. my problem comes with installing software -- when the software asks me to insert the dvd, and i put it in the mini, it does not recognize me as having inserted the dvd, and i can't progress in the installation without inserting said dvd. is there a setting i need to change to have it read the mini's superdrive as default? thanks!

    Hi dmmd,
    What model of "mini" is it, and what OS version does it have running on it?
    There are now ways of using another mac's optical drive for software installation and the like which don't actually require TD mode to be used.
    Have a look at http://manuals.info.apple.com/enUS/Snow_Leopard_InstallationInstructions.pdf for a good example.
    Cheers
    Rod

  • Installing over Target Disk Mode using Grey (OEM-type) Discs

    I have a set of Tiger grey install discs labeled for use with a Power Mac G5. I would like to use them to upgrade our eMac, but they obviously don't allow this. I have some family who own a G5, and was wondering if it would be possible to connect the eMac to their computer under Target Disk Mode, then install on the eMac by running the installation on the G5. Anyone have any experience trying something smilar?
    I know some will probably say doing this would be a violation of the EULA, but I have looked through the license agreement that came with the discs and haven't seen anything that would prohibit such an installation. It is my understanding that starting with version 10.4.4 of OS X, Apple added a clause to the EULA stating that the grey install discs were only permitted for use with the computer they originally shipped with, but prior to this there were no such prohibitions (these discs are labelled as version 10.4.2).
    Thanks for any help

    Hi sjpetrick, and a warm welcome to the forums!
    Physically that would work to install, BUT whether the iMac will Boot/Run thinking it's a G5 is questionable, and even if it does boot, It won't have some needed drivers for the eMac.

  • Target Disk Mode Backup

    The hard drive on my 12" powerbook g4 is failing and I need to do an emergency backup. I've pulled all the important data off and now I'd like to make a disk image backup so that I don't lose my preferences, fonts, etc, etc.
    I'd thought to do this by putting the powerbook into target disk mode, mounting the disk on a friend's powerbook, and then using her disk utility feature to create the new disk image on another, external drive. Her internal drive isn't large enough to hold the disk image.
    But reading the apple how-to, it seems like you can't have another firewire connection active when you've got a computer hooked up in target disk mode. Is this so?
    Is there any way I can create this disk image backup and get it on my external drive without booting up the failing powerbook?
    powerbook g4 Mac OS X (10.4.6)
    powerbook g4   Mac OS X (10.4.6)  

    Hi, oligopisto. Welcome to the Discussions.
    The instructions for Target Disk Mode are very specific. I've not tried using a FireWire drive while having another Mac connected in Target Disk Mode. While Apple doesn't state the reason, I'd take them at their word. If the instructions state not to do it, I'd follow their advice.
    I presume you only have one FireWire drive, that it's not partitioned, and that you've used that drive to save the data you've backed up from your PowerBook?
    If that's the case, then here is a suggestion for an emergency backup procedure:
    1. First, using your friend's Mac, see if you can create a disk image of the data on the FireWire drive that you can save on her computer. You need to do this to save the info you've already backed-up to the FireWire drive before proceeding.
    2. Open the Get Info window for the FireWire drive and see if the "Ignore ownership on this volume" checkbox is selected in the General pane. If so, uncheck that checkbox.
    3. Eject the FireWire drive from your friend's Mac (drag its icon to the Trash), then power off the FireWire drive and disconnect it from her computer.
    4. Connect your FireWire drive to your PowerBook and power-on the FireWire drive.
    5. Startup from your Tiger Install DVD.
    6. Select Language.
    7. After the Installer window opens, select Utilities > Disk Utility. You should see both the FireWire drive and the PowerBook's startup disk (e.g. Macintosh HD) in the column on the left side of the Disk Utility window.
    8. In Disk Utility, select Macintosh HD.
    9. Select the Restore tab.
    10. Drag the Macintosh HD icon from the left column to the Source field in the Restore tab.
    11. Drag the icon of the FireWire drive's volume to the Destination field in the Restore tab. Your FireWire drive will show up in the left column as:<pre>FireWire Drive Device Info
    FireWire drive's volume</pre>The FireWire drive's volume is below and slightly indented with respect to the FireWire Drive Device Info. It's listed with the name of your FireWire drive. That's what you want to drag to Destination.
    The first a screen shot in this article will give you some idea of what things should look like.
    12. Select Erase Destination. Note: This option will result in the FireWire drive being erased after the next step.
    13. Click Restore. Disk Utility begins to copy your entire Macintosh HD to the FireWire drive's volume. This may take several hours depending on how much data is on your PowerBook.
    14. When Disk Utility has finished, Quit (Command-Q) Disk Utility.
    15. Quit (Command-Q) the Installer. When prompted, select Shutdown to shutdown your PowerBook.
    16. After your PowerBook shuts down, power off and disconnect the FireWire drive.
    17. Check the files on the FireWire drive using your friend's Mac. If done correctly, you may even be able to startup her Mac from the Backup using Startup Manager. However, given that your PowerBook's hard drive is dying, you'll need to be satisfied with whatever you can get off of it. For example, if the OS on your PowerBook is corrupted, you might get your data files, but the drive won't be bootable.
    18. Copy the disk image from your friend's Mac, created in Step 1, to the FireWire drive.
    19. Eject the FireWire drive from your friend's Mac (drag its icon to the Trash), then power off the FireWire drive and disconnect it from her computer.
    Your FireWire drive should now have both a copy of whatever could be recovered fro, your Macintosh HD and the disk image you created in step 1.
    After you get your PowerBook's hard drive replaced, I suggest you implement a comprehensive Backup and Recovery solution. For advice on the backup and recovery solution I employ, see my "Backup and Recovery" FAQ.
    Good luck!
    Dr. Smoke
    Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X
    Note: The information provided in the link(s) above is freely available. However, because I own The X Lab™, a commercial Web site to which some of these links point, the Apple Discussions Terms of Use require I include the following disclosure statement with this post:
    I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.

  • Firewire target disk mode install leopard

    Does anyone know if it is possible to install Leo via dvd to another computer booted in target disk mode?
    My work computer somehow lost some important OS files during an system update, and now I can't get past single user mode, nor can I seem to boot from CD (although I haven't tried in awhile, may not have had a bootable disk at the time). What I want to do is wipe the HDD, and install the OS.

    Leopard OS Disks are universal (ppc and intel), so it was irrelevant to include that information.
    No it wasn't. I see many posts where people are trying to use installer discs that come with another computer to install the OS on a second model. TDM is a popular way of trying that. Since you did not provide full information in your question as to which discs you had I could not rule this out.
    You also don't say anything about the computer models, which would help in answering your questions. The question immediately comes to mind, why don't you just boot from the installer DVD?
    Anyway, put the newer computer into TDM with the two connected, you should hopefully be able to see the DVD in the drive on the TDM computer and select it as a startup disk on the older computer. Another way is to hold down the option key while booting, but some computers don't have that capability.
    Message was edited by: Limnos

  • OS Upgrade Using Target Disk Mode

    Is this possible?
    I have a 700 MHz eMac with CD-RW drive running Panther and I want to upgrade it using a Tiger DVD. If I put the eMac in Target Disk mode using my Intel iMac, is it possible to upgrade the OS on the eMac?
    My concern is that once I put the DVD into the Intel iMac and launch the installer, the iMac will restart and break the Target Disk connection with the eMac. If this does occur, is there any way to put the eMac back into Target Disk mode once the installer takes control of the iMac?
    TIA

    Are you intending to upgrade to Tiger using the disk that came with your Intel Mac?
    Not possible. It has Intel architecture and your eMac is PPC. Do not attempt it. If it starts installing it will hose your e-Mac. To upgrade the e-Mac you need a
    Retail Tiger disk.
    The Apple store still sells them.
    DALE

  • How do you install Tiger using target disk mode?

    Hi guys,
    I have an old Powerbook G4 that seems to have a dead DVD drive, so i am now trying to install Tiger using target disk mode from my Macbook Pro.
    I successfully mounted the G4 using target disk mode and the Tiger install DVD but when I double click the install icon, I get an error message saying: "Mac OS X 10.4 cannot be installed on this machine"
    Okay, fine but i want to install the OS on the G4. How do I go about selecting the G4 for installation?
    Thanks in advance for your help.

    Hi Nichola,
    Have you tried a search on the support site with the error messages you are receiving? (Maybe your computer doesn't meet the minimum requirements to run Tiger.)
    To re-initialize your disk, go into disk utilities, select 'Erase' and follow the instructions. This will erase and format your disk. Hopefully this helps, but I'm not sure if it will solve your kernel panic problem - maybe that's a different issue all together??
    Hopefully, you've already backed up your important data, but you should try to use target disk mode to do that if you are still unable to boot up the G4 using Tiger. Good luck - hope this is helpful.

  • Installing Leopard from a PowerPC mac to an Intel mac via Target Disk mode

    I've just purchased Leopard, but thanks to the common and very annoying faulty MacBook Pro disk drive, I cannot even read the DVD, much less install from it. Before, the disk drive error never affected purchased DVDs, only the ability to read and burn to empty DVDs, but now, apparently, I can't even read Apples own disks.
    As the new system disk is Universal, would it be possible to start the installer form the cd on my sister's PowerPC mac (12' Powerbook), and install the system on my MacBook Pro's harddrive, mounted as a firewire drive, or would the installer automatically choose the PowerPC version, since it is launched on a PowerPC computer?
    And, if so, is there any way to tell the installer to install the Intel version of Leopard if I run it on a PowerPC computer?

    well, looks like I'll have to install Leopard through the Firewire Target Disk mode as my MacBook can't read the DVD. I would appreciate if someone could review the steps below to let me know if I am on the right track. The MacBook is the computer on which I want to load 10.5 and the iMac G5 (PowerPC chip) is the computer on which I will insert the DVD.
    - First question: Am I correct (see above) in saying that the MacBook is the Target computer?
    - Insert DVD in Host computer
    - Connect Target to Host using FW cable
    - Turn on Target computer press and hold T to launch in target mode
    - select DVD drive from disk options
    - this is where I get fuzzy, would I simply click the Install icon? And then what? Will the MacBook know to reboot in Target Mode or do I have to hold down T again?
    - anything else I am missing?
    Thanks.

  • I put my macbook into target disk mode and now it won't start up in regular mode

    I put my macbook into target disk mode and now it won't start up in OSX. I have used my install disk and repaired the drive. I have held down the option key to choose the system. I have tried to start in safe mode with same result. The apple screen appears, but the gear just keeps turning. I can get it back into target disk mode by connecting it by firewaire to my macbook pro. It will start up in Windows when I choose that system. What can I do to get it to start up with OSX?
    Thanks for your help.

    Try this from MacFixIt as well:
    In the case of drive directory damage or problems with permissions, the solution is usually to use Apple's Disk Utility to repair the disk. Of course, you won't be able to perform this operation normally (simply launching the Disk Utility application, located in Applications/Utilities, and initiating a disk repair) if your system will not startup. So two options exist:
    * Insert your Mac OS X 10.4.x (Tiger) media (DVD or CD) and restart the computer while holding down the "C" key. Once the computer has booted from the installation disc, select "Utilities" from the menubar and open Disk Utility. Repair the disk, then quit Disk Utility and restart your system.
    * Alternatively, you can repair the disk while booted in single user mode if you do not have access to a retail Mac OS X 10.4.x (Tiger) DVD/CD. To startup in single user mode, hold down the "Command" and "S" keys simultaneously at startup. Once properly booted, type the command fsck at the prompt. Repeat these process until no errors appear.

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