ibook reformatting question

[beatifik]

ok, so my girlfriend got an old ibook from work for free. the problem is that the computer requires a login before i can even get to the desktop.

i've tried reinstalling the OS but i can't get it to read the cd because it goes directly to the login thing.

is there any way that a computer illiterate person like me can reformat or reinstall the OS so that she can use the computer. we'd rather not pay a store ~$100 for a computer that's not worth much more than that.

thanks.

 

[td741]

Keep hitting "C" on the light-grey boot up screen to load the OS installer directly from the CD/DVD drive.

Edit:
Apple tends to keep all documentation for all of their computer versions on line (even the old 68K computers).

Here's the iBook manuals: http://www.apple.com/support/manuals/ibook/ .

 

[Nesagwa]

Hold down C while booting.

Or hold down Option.

 

[BoriquaSNK]

We should probably make clear that you need to hold down c at start-up with the disc in the optical drive.

 

[kernow]

jesus this shit is complex and spurious

hold down C... why?

 

[Nesagwa]

jesus this shit is complex and spurious

hold down C... why?

Holding C is complex?

Come on kern, just go back to chat and touch my nipples some more.

 

[playboycougar]

There's also a util on the OS X install disk to reset passwords (depending on the version of the OS). Boot the CD... Utilities>Password Util (or something like that).

 

[Xian Xi]

We should probably make clear that you need to hold down c at start-up with the disc in the optical drive.

I thought you also had to keep touching the screen in the bottom right hand corner while you hold C.

 

[BoriquaSNK]

I thought you also had to keep touching the screen in the bottom right hand corner while you hold C.

No idea what you're talking about man.

 

[Xian Xi]

No idea what you're talking about man.

 

[kernow]

Holding C is complex?

Come on kern, just go back to chat and touch my nipples some more.

why is it .. C ?

 

[Rade K]

iBooks are a joke - throw it out asap.

r

 

[68k]

C is for CD

yeah the new OSs are on a DVD, but they never changed it.

 

[Nesagwa]

why is it .. C ?

for CD maybe?

Shut up kern. Every OS has boot command keys.

 

[kernow]

'Linux' doesn't ..

sure. grub might have some, and INIT might also call a script or two on initialization that might ask you to press I or something for an interactive startup, but no , linux doesn't



unless you're talking about the magic sysreq key which is not at boot anyway

fuck I'm a geek

 

[playboycougar]

for CD maybe?

Shut up kern. Every OS has boot command keys.

It's really not the OS that you're passing the key combinations to, it's the Open Firmware (PPC mac) or EFI (Intel mac). That would be the equivalent to the BIOS on your run of the mill PC.

 

[Nesagwa]

It's really not the OS that you're passing the key combinations to, it's the Open Firmware (PPC mac) or EFI (Intel mac). That would be the equivalent to the BIOS on your run of the mill PC.

 

[RabbitTroop]

Lot of responses, but Nes had the right answer. Don't use C when booting to CD, I don't care what Apple tells you to do. Option at startup brings you into firmware. You can then select your starting device. C, a lot of times, gets bypassed by system settings in the Startup "control panel." If you're having any other trouble, start zapping pram option-apple-p-r at startup. You'll hear it chime, let it do it about three times then you should be good to go with any quirks the machine throws at you.

 

[kernow]

lol

 

[OrochiEddie]

why is it .. C ?

for cookie

 

[beatifik]

yeah, thanks guys. i've tried that hold c thing, but no go.

it could be that the cd drive is busted, or it could be that the os cds aren't working.

it just goes straight to the login thing. this isn't like a normal login, it's from an office. does anyone work in IT or similar in an office environment? as the computer boots it says something like:

"loading radex..."

that's not the exact words, but it's similar. i can get the exact wording when i get home from work tonight.

thanks.

 

[Nesagwa]

Sigh.

yeah, thanks guys. i've tried that hold c thing, but no go.

it could be that the cd drive is busted, or it could be that the os cds aren't working.

it just goes straight to the login thing. this isn't like a normal login, it's from an office. does anyone work in IT or similar in an office environment? as the computer boots it says something like:

"loading radex..."

that's not the exact words, but it's similar. i can get the exact wording when i get home from work tonight.

thanks.

Hold OPTION!

 

[beatifik]

Hold OPTION!

yeah, i tried that too...hmmmm.....

i'm guessing the cd-drive is busted. would i be able to boot it from an external drive?

 

[playboycougar]

yeah, i tried that too...hmmmm.....

i'm guessing the cd-drive is busted. would i be able to boot it from an external drive?

Yup. external USB CDROM. When you hold option (hit it right after the chime) you get a chance to select what to boot from right?

 

[RabbitTroop]

yeah, i tried that too...hmmmm.....

i'm guessing the cd-drive is busted. would i be able to boot it from an external drive?

Option doesn't look for CD, it changes to open-firmware! If that doesn't work I'd say your keyboard is probably broken, lol.