Latest thriftshop adventure

[Rob Brandt]

Another "score" at the thriftshop.

Beige G3 Desktop 233, 64mb RAM.  After three days waiting for it to be priced, I
see it in front of the dumpster.  "Doesn't work", they say.  "$5" I say.  "OK,
but there's no RAM or hard disk".  I know they're clueless, so I go for it.

Of course, I crack it open and the RAM and HD are right where they should be
under the flip up power supply.  But they are right in that it doesn't boot. 
Strange stuff too, like I've never seen.  I want to get OS9 running on it before
I proceed to YDL it.

Attmept:

#1: When I try to boot up initially, the text "no bootable HFS partition" gets
repeated about a dozen times across the top of the display, then the disk icon
with a flashing question mark appears.  I try the same thing with different IDE
ribbons and a different HD, same results.

#2: Same as above, but with a OS8 system installer disk in the CD drive.  The
"no bootable HFS partition" message still comes up, but after it's done with
that it boots OK from the CD.

#3: Disconnect the CD ribbon cable from the motherboard, and plug the ribbon
cable from the HD into that socket.  This time on boot up, I get the message
"can't open" about a dozen times.  When it's finished it proceeds to boot from
the hard disk just fine.

#4: Plug the CD ribbon cable into the socket that originally had the HD cable
plugged in to it and reboot.  Back to the "no bootable HFS partition" message,
then it proceeds to boot off of the HD.

Any hints?