Uncooperative iBook G4 install

Question

To make a long story short, I bought a refurb iBook G$ that came with no install disks, and no Admin password. Not (then) knowing how to change the Admin password, I elected to buy the 2-DVD Replacement iBook G4 install disks directly from Apple Care. When I tried to install, everything went fine until the iBook ejected the first disc and asked for the second. EVERY time I tried inserting the 2nd disc, I would immediately get an error message telling me I had to try the install from square one. Did that five times, with various buttons pushed and much cursing, with no joy. I asked some questions in the iBook G4 Discussion forum, got some good information but not quite enough. Now I have a System Install dilemma. Please read on/
I found this Apple Support document (http://support.apple.com/kb/TA24615) entitled:
<< Mac OS X 10.4: Repeatedly asked to insert Install DVD Disc 2 during installation...
cutting out a lot of unnecessary verbiage, here are the important points:
If the issue persists, use another Disc 2. If another Disc 2 is not available, you can complete the installation of Mac OS X with just Disc 1; follow these steps:
1. Hold your Mac's power button until it turns off.
2. With Disc 1 in hand, press the power button and immediately insert it and hold the C key until you see the Apple logo. Your Mac should start from Disc 1.
3. Once started from Disc 1, start the installation process again.
4. When the "Easy Install on 'Macintosh HD'" window appears, click the Customize button. (If your destination volume is not named "Macintosh HD", a different name will appear.)
5. Uncheck (deselect) the item "Bundled Software". You may need to click it twice to deselect it.
6. Click the "Install" or "Upgrade" button to begin the installation. Disc 2, which contains additional bundled software, should not be needed for this installation. At the end of the installation you will have a functional Mac to use.
I also unchecked the "Language Translations," "Printer Drivers," and "Additional Fonts" . I should have been smart enough to uncheck "Bundled Software" in the first place.
At any rate, I went ahead with the install, and everything went as it should have done -- almost. When I got to the "Setup Assistant" pane, I started up my PBG4 in Target mode, had a slight glitch when the iBook didn't recognize the connection, reseated the FireWire plugs at both ends, tried again, and it started to transfer info (I unchecked "user accounts" and "files and folders," hoping to transfer just network and other settings, and applications, since my one-disk install didn't include iTunes, etc.). The Setup Assistant pane SEEMED to be OK, and started tranferring information, but the thermometer bar has been stuck at "about 30 minutes to go" for 2 hours now. So I'm still not out of the woods.
So HERE'S the problem: if this Setup Assitant information transfer is still stuck at "30 minutes to go" a couple hours from now, I'm going to need to shut it down, but as there's no "Back" or "Stop" button on the Setup Assistant pane, I don't know how to do it safely. Can someone tell me how to do this or direct me to a pertinent Apple document?
If anyone has any hot tips in the meantime -- like, does anyone think it would help to just get the basic "One-Disc Install" System up, forget the "Setup Assistant," let the system open to the finder and then get all the updates, and THEN do Migration Assistant instead of Setup Assistant? -- I'd be most appreciative for any help
Hot tip: don't buy refurb Apple computers from Computer Surplus, no matter HOW good the price looks.
Thanks for your time!
Bart Brown

Answer 1

By my usual process of throwing enough manure against the wall, I have somehow backed into grabbing victory from the jaws of defeat.
To make a long story as short as I can, I have followed many of the suggestions here and on the OS X 10.4 Discussion Installation & Setup forum, and I've apparently succeeded in producing a stable, fully functional iBook G4:
After having the problem with disc 2, I let the iBook stew all Saturday night running a 35-pass security erase, which REALLY erased the disk, and the successful completion of which yesterday morning gave what I hoped was a pretty good indication that the drive read/write heads and other HD mechanisms were working without problem.
I ran a non-"bundled software" install, which required only the first disk. When I got to Setup Assistant, I put one of my PBG4s into FireWire Target Mode, and connected the other end of the FW cable to the iBook.
As previously related: "The Setup Assistant pane SEEMED to be OK, and started tranferring information, but the thermometer bar has been stuck at "about 30 minutes to go" for 2 hours now..."
After a total of 5 hours of Setup Assistant still reading "transferring information," and the thermometer bar STILL stuck at "about 30 minutes to go," and no answer if there was a safe way to shut down the process, I said what the **** and shut down the Target Mode PBG4, disconnected the FireWire cable, and worked my way through the rest of the Install steps to completion and restart.
Upon restart, I opened the iBook's drive and read the Setup Assistant's error log: it turned out that Setup Assistant migration had transferred absolutely everything I specified except some RealPlayer components, which hardly broke my heart.
Since Install Disc DVD 1 was still in the iBook's optical drive, I option-booted to the Apple Hardware test and ran the extended version -- no problems encountered.
After I re-started from that, I ran Software Update, and wandered off to contemplate my navel while the quite large updates slowly (Comcast on a Sunday night) worked their way onto my HD.
Finished updates, ran Maintenance (permissions, etc.), which I do as a totemic warding off of evil spirits after every major update. Restarted, in a fit of OCD, booting into Apple Hardware Test, ran extended test again. No problems.
Set up my wife's account, put in the Airport network password, and it hooked up immediately, as did Safari (anyone who still runs a PC should see just this operation alone -- connecting immediately to the net, and not worrying if you have enough virus protection to protect your system for the first 11 nanoseconds you're online -- it would create more converts than a thousand Apple Guy - PC Guy ads)
Ran full maintenance suite from ICE Clean! v2.5 for OS X 10.4 ("...a powerful System Maintenance and Optimization Tool using only UNIX built-in System Tasks," says the blurb). I also use Titanium's "Maintenance" and "Onyx," because I'm anal-retentive.
After all that rannygazoo, I sat down and ran some apps, went online and dug around in my usual haunts (including here).
Bottom Line: Everything works so far. I can't find any glitches (yet), and the iBook has passed every test I've run on it.
My sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to solving this problem. Without the help here, the iBook would be sitting on the bottom of the pond across the street.
BTW, there seems to be some confusion about where I acquired this iBook. eBay was in no way involved. I bought it directly from Surplus Computer online. When I got it I found they had provided NO Admin password and NO install disks. To rectify that situation requires (according to their tech support) that you return the iBook to them, and they supposedly "change" and give you the new Admin password, charging a $25.00 tech fee to do so, and send the iBook back to you, ALL postage both ways at customer expense. Does that sound like a scam to anyone else? BBBOnline of San Jose, CA thinks so, and I'll be sending the details of this transaction to them posthaste.
On the other hand, now that I know how (and have the install discs) to get past this deceitful practice, $329 for a working (eventually!) 12" iBook G4 isn't a bad deal. Working on my 27" iMac, I thought the 12" iBook would require an electron microscope, but it's not a bad size at all, and definitely compact.
Anyway, thanks again.
Here's a greenie!