I’m selling my little G3 iMac (summer 2000 edition, I think), so I thought I’d wipe the disc and reinstall 9.1 so that it was clean for the next person.
So, I booted up with Norton and wiped my hard disc, and now it won’t let me eject Norton to install the 9.1 system disc for installation.
Worse, there was an option under Startup Disk for Network Web or something like that, so I selected it as the startup disc, and now when I try to start the computer I get a flashing globe.
Yes, I know I’m an idiot, but can someone help me?
Well, I’m not a Mac person, but I do know you can manually eject the CD drive tray on most drives. There should be a small hole in the bezel someplace, usually right below the tray. You can unbend a paper clip and insert the end into this hole, press in, and the tray should eject. Hopefully, if you now put in the OS 9.1 CD, close the tray and reboot, you’ll be able to complete the reinstall.
No tiny hole for manual eject; I checked. Besides, I think what I’ve done is more serious. I can’t eject the disc while it’s on because the disc, essentiall, IS the computer; I have to turn the computer off, eject, then insert the 9.1 disc, boot up on that disc and install (I think) but I have no idea how to get my computer to spit out the disc when it’s off.
Not to doubt you, but are you sure? Sometimes the hole is located right IN the seam between the tray and bezel–it looks like a small discontinuity of the seam. Easy to overlook if you’re not expecting it there. If not that, then hopefully Nanoda’s links will help you. Good luck!
Hey, thanks! That first link suggested holding down the mouse at startup, and that worked! I’m installing 9.0 onto the hard disc right now. Keep your fingers crossed.
Yeah, I don’t know why some drive manufacturers insist on putting the eject hole there. I can only imagine it’s cosmetic, so as not to have the unsightly hole in the middle of the bezel. Silly design engineers.
