Updates failed and the laptop won't start up

Question

I started to download the Apple updates today and half way through the laptop just close down. It now won't start up again.
It goes throught the Login window and sticks on the bluw screen with the cursor static in the top left corner.
Can anybody help with a suggestion?

Answer 1

Graham M.,
In order to resolve your problem, please provide additional info.
1) Were you on battery or AC power?
2) Are you using dial-up, DSL, or Cable broadband?
3) Are you connected to the Internet by Ethernet cable, Airpt. Extreme/Expr?
4) What version of Panther .... 10.3.9?
In the meantime, completely shut-down the PowerBook and disconnect the AC power and carefully remove the battery; unplug ALL power sources to any of the above (2) and (3).
Wait about 20 minutes, then reinstall the battery and plug-in the AC line to the PB.
a) Insert your Panther install disc #1
b) Press the power button, while holding down the C key until the Install window appears.
c) From the Apple Menu Bar select Disk Utility and run Repair Disk only. Do NOT Repair Permissions from the disc; it will be outdated.
d) If RED text is displayed, run the Repair Disk a second time even if the repair was completed.
e) After the second run, eject the Install disc and RESTART the PB from the Apple contextual menu.
f) Using Disk Utility (from Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility) run Repair Permissions.
If everything looks OK at this point and you have the above peripherals:
reconnect power to any external modem ... wait 5 minutes, reconnect power to the Airport ... wait 5 minutes, reconnect any Ethernet cable.
Assuming your good to go, update to 10.3.9 from the COMBO updater on the Apple Support Downloads web site and run Repair Permissions again.
Consider installing a very good maintenance program like Macaroni.
http://www.atomicbird.com/
I hope all this helps; let us know.