G3 iMac not recognizing HD

I have an older G3 Indigo iMac that was given to me by an acquaintance to repair. At the time, it wouldn't even turn out. It had been unplugged and dormant for over a year and a half. I replaced the little PRAM battery, and it at least powered up then.

It will only boot from the OS install disc, however. The machine will not acknowledge that there is a HD or anywhere to install an OS to. I am limited to running from the basic CD and nothing more. I can't install OS9/10, create and save a file, or make any sort of changes to the machine. I know next to nothing about computers, and Mac support is difficult to find. I opened the thing up, and made sure everything was connected. That's what I'm limited to doing.

Through my searching, I have not come across a solution anywhere or even the same problem with an answer. I was hoping someone here may point me to a solution.


The machine was left to me to do with as I please (he doesn't want it if it's broken), and I'm hoping to get it running so my stepsister can use the Internet. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Originally Posted by Nomi

I have an older G3 Indigo iMac that was given to me by an acquaintance to repair. At the time, it wouldn't even turn out. It had been unplugged and dormant for over a year and a half. I replaced the little PRAM battery, and it at least powered up then.

It will only boot from the OS install disc, however. The machine will not acknowledge that there is a HD or anywhere to install an OS to. I am limited to running from the basic CD and nothing more. I can't install OS9/10, create and save a file, or make any sort of changes to the machine. I know next to nothing about computers, and Mac support is difficult to find. I opened the thing up, and made sure everything was connected. That's what I'm limited to doing.

Through my searching, I have not come across a solution anywhere or even the same problem with an answer. I was hoping someone here may point me to a solution.


The machine was left to me to do with as I please (he doesn't want it if it's broken), and I'm hoping to get it running so my stepsister can use the Internet. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Hard drive, kiddo. :) Go buy a 20gb ata on the cheap, set it to master and toss it in there.

What?!?! a mac having a problem? Thats Un-Possible. :)


But yeah, like Mike said...sounds like a pooped HD. Make sure its plugged in correctly and the power cable is seated in all the way.

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Originally Posted by Mike

Hard drive, kiddo. :) Go buy a 20gb ata on the cheap, set it to master and toss it in there.

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Where can I get one/about how much does it cost? I asked at CompUSA and Best Buy before, but as expected, 'Oh, PC stuff won't work in a Mac. You'll need to send it to Apple for repairs.'



And I did make sure everything was plugged in. I know to do that much, at least.

You should be able to get get any ide drive and plop it in. Do a google on imac hard drive replacement, and I found a bunch of sites with a step by step. seems pretty simple.

get an ide drive from newegg. youll pay out the ass at bb or cc.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nomi

Where can I get one/about how much does it cost? I asked at CompUSA and Best Buy before, but as expected, 'Oh, PC stuff won't work in a Mac. You'll need to send it to Apple for repairs.'

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1) Go in, grab a 20GB IDE hard drive off the shelf.

2) Find the busiest guy in the tech area at the place.

3) Wait patiently for him to help you.

4) Hit him upside the head with the box and say, "YOU ASSWAD, THIS WILL WORK ON MOST MACS, ESPECIALLY MY IMAC!"

5) Give him my e-mail address.

Fucking god. Morons.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike

1) Go in, grab a 20GB IDE hard drive off the shelf.

2) Find the busiest guy in the tech area at the place.

3) Wait patiently for him to help you.

4) Hit him upside the head with the box and say, "YOU ASSWAD, THIS WILL WORK ON MOST MACS, ESPECIALLY MY IMAC!"

5) Give him my e-mail address.

Fucking god. Morons.

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I've done this, more or less, without the physical assault. The idiots at CompUSA just don't understand some things. Not [i[everything[/i] on Mac and PC is so different. I need basic help a lot, and they roll their eyes because 'You silly Mac person, PCs aren't like that!'


I'd asked about this problem before, and was suggested that my motherboard was dead, so and so wasn't transmitting the correct data, blah blah blah. I was hoping it wasn't a hardware failure problem, though.

If I ever find a spare 20 gig HD, I'll test it. Don't want to buy anything right now. Thanks for the help.

I popped in the 40GB HD I intended to use for my new PC to test this out, and it works just fine. However, I still kinda want to use that HD and I'd feel guilty suckering my father into buying another HD.

Since stores don't sell small-capacity HDs anymore, does anyone have a spare? I really only need one ~10gigs or so, as long as it's the standard physical size. If anyone has one, I can toss up a few bucks for it and all that goodness.

i have a spare 4-gig lying around. might even have a 10 gig, id have to check but i know i have a 4 for sure.