G4 iMac stuck in Endless Loop

[Deano]

I decided to upgrade the OS on my G4 iMac from Tiger to Leopard, just as I have done on my G4 PowerBook. But the tarnsartin' thing refused to boot on the Install DVD, just sitting with the Apple logo and the spinning gear.

I have tried the Command Control Start button Force Restart, but it just returns to the same situation.

Any ideas anyone? 

TIA!

[Col]

Too late I'm sure, but in this case, hold down the power button for 15 seconds and it should shut down.

Then start up the computer with the mouse button held down to eject the install disk.

A possible cause is that the DVD drive in the iMac may not be able to read dual-layer DVDs, or the drive itself may be defective.

A possible solution might be to connect a similar computer already running OS 10.5 and clone that drive's contents to the iMac.  Or try an external CD/DVD drive.

[Deano]

Thanks Colin.　What I did in  the end was simply pull the plug out. I then restarted as normal and was able to eject the Install disk. It seems to be happy with Tiger, so we'll leave well enough alone...

[yiwai]

MacTracker says iMac-FlatPanel comes with 7 models.

All comes with either Combo (DVD-Read) or Super (DVD-Read&Wright) drive, but can read it Dual-Layer DVDs?

If you are serious about the machine, upgrade would be an option -- provided that it can go up to total of 2GB of memory altogether (user-accessible slot and internal slot) -- with the following:

-- 1GB PC-2700 SO-DIMM (user accessible) and 1GB PC-2700 184-pin SDRAM

-- 500GB or larger capacity IDE/ATAPI hard drive: hard to come by these days, or
    -- 3.5" SATA hard drive with SATA-IDE adapter [never tried myself] if space fits:
http://www.clevery.co.jp/eshop/g/g4515345141050/?utm_source=recomend&utm_medium=4515345141050

-- Faster DVD drive (IDE/ATAPI), hopefully RPC-1 friendly:
http://tdb.rpc1.org/
http://dvrflash.rpc1.org/

refs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S72X9Gjy5WM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP92GaJOizA&feature=related

http://www.club6100.net/?TuneUp%2FiMacG4%A5%CF%A1%BC%A5%C9%A5%C7%A5%A3%A5%B9%A5%AF%A4%C8%A5%E1%A5%E2%A5%EA%A4%CE%B8%F2%B4%B9
http://www.eonet.ne.jp/~kekepiepontarip/iMac%20G4%20Flat%20Panel%20/iMacG4%20Flat%20Panel.html
http://bunkai2010.web.fc2.com/imac_g4.html
http://remodeling.macfriends.jp/index.html

Y