Apple iMac G3 (Original) - Manual (Page 61)

Reinstalling Your Computer’s Software 61
The files on your hard disk disappear when you start up from the CD.
m If no files appear on the hard disk except for a single document called “Where have all my
files gone?”, you started up your computer from a CD with system software earlier than
Mac OS 8.1. To see the contents of your disk, you must start up your computer from a disc
with Mac OS 8.1 (or later).
You can’t install or restore software.
m Make sure your computer started up from the software install CD. See Chapter 3,
“Starting Up From a CD,” on page 45.
The Installer cannot repair your hard disk.
m If you see a message that the disk can’t be fixed because a file is open, quit all programs. If
file sharing is on, turn it off. Then try installing again.
m Use Disk First Aid or a third-party disk repair utility to see if it can repair the disk.
Note: Before using a disk utility from a manufacturer other than Apple, see the
documentation that came with the software or contact the software manufacturer to
make sure the program is compatible with your computer and the version of Mac OS
installed on your computer. Apple cannot guarantee the performance of software from
manufacturers other than Apple.
If you don’t have a third-party utility, or if that utility can’t repair the disk either, you may
need to reinitialize the hard disk. See “Initializing a Hard Disk” on page 49. After you’ve
reinitialized the disk, try installing the system software again.
The Installer cannot update the hard disk driver.
m If you don’t have an Apple-brand hard disk, or if you’ve updated your Apple hard disk
with a non-Apple disk utility, use that disk utility or the one supplied by the disk’s
manufacturer to update the drivers on your system. Make sure to get the latest version of
the utility.
m Some hard disks must be reinitialized before you can update the driver. See “Initializing a
Hard Disk” on page 49.
You see a message that there’s not enough memory to use the Installer.
m Make sure you are starting up the computer from the software install CD.
You see a message that the System file cannot be modified.
m You may have virus-protection software installed that guards against modification of the
System file. Make sure you are starting up the computer from the software install CD.
Drag any virus-protection software out of the System Folder and try installing again. You
can put the virus-protection software back after installation.