So I think this is an OS issue, and the optical drive may be broken and thats why I cannot install OSX on it, but i was wondering if someone could tell me what this means when I boot. It will not boot to CD and it will go into target mode and I have already zapped all the rams.

6/8/2007 9:56:40 AM

well, i don't know macs at all, and plan to keep it that way.

the most insightful thing i can mention is:

http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

someone else may have a better idea though.

6/8/2007 11:10:06 AM

it's idiot bar, at the one in Southpark, Charlotte. They couldn't help my mom with about 9/10ths of her problems, and they kept on repeating things as if by template.

6/8/2007 11:26:08 AM

yeah, i figured being trained by (insert_head_company_name_here) meant they pretty much knew very basic things, like how to copy and paste.

had no idea what would be the result.

6/8/2007 11:35:44 AM

well see the thing is, you walk into the apple store at South Park Mall in Charlotte, and they're trying to go for the young "hip" age group so everyone is wearing hip clothes, and have thier little nanos around thier necks, and they're explaining to everyone how it's so "revolutionary" that you are now able to actually put photos on your computer, and make movies and even play games(the 1 in 1000 they actually support) !!! Then you ask them a question about the file system or something photo related and they have no clue what you're talking about.

6/8/2007 11:37:59 AM

If I had to guess, I'd say it's a hardware issue.

6/8/2007 12:07:07 PM

The SMU is the system management unit that controls power and fans and various low level things in your computer. Have you tried resetting the unit yet? If not, try apple.com/support and search for how to reset the SMU. Find your model iMac and follow the directions. Also, if you can boot to target mode, you can try cloning your drive to an external and see if it boots from there.

6/8/2007 1:50:50 PM

the heck did u do to the thing

see post before me, sounds like one of the few in this thread with a dang clue.

6/8/2007 2:23:57 PM

That's a kernel panic. It's an system software issue. The cause for the kernel panic is generally at the top of the panic (you posted the bottom).

The common way to fix this issue is to reinstall the OS, or fix what's causing the panic.

If it doesn't happen immediately after boot, but a couple of seconds in to boot, then it's probably fixable, you just have to know what's causing it. If you boot in to single user mode (command-s at boot), you can at least run some repair tools, and if you know what's causing the panic, move/repair the bad files.

6/8/2007 2:58:49 PM

can you boot/install OSX from external dvd drive? Does it have to be firewire?

6/9/2007 6:34:24 PM

actually, mac geniuses are pretty knowledgeable.

i got offered a position as one at the southpoint store but turned it down 'cause i got offered something better.

6/11/2007 5:26:51 PM