Question : Problem: iMac G4 new HDD and Tiger OS install Stalls

17-inch
widescreen LCD
800MHz PowerPC G4
1GB RAM
SuperDrive
(DVD-R/CD-RW)

Original Problem:
What seems to be Kernel Panic.  System Failure .... (Corrupt stack)
Machine boots up but stalls at the desktop or get that System Failure message black boxes across the screen.

I have:
-reset PRAM and NVRAM
  -Command, Option, P and R
  -reset-NVRAM
  -reset-all
-replaced user replaceable RAM
-replaced hard drive

I have not:
-replaced battery
-replaced internal RAM
-replaced microprocessor (I hope I don't have to)
-Reset PMU (symptoms don't suggest need to)

The system board was replaced by Apple about a year after I bought the machine...that's a different post and the machine worked like a champ for a long time after that.

After installing the new hard drive I powered on the system and let it boot it came to the folder which is good because it sees no OS and it should not.  I restarted the system and this time I pressed "c" and it looks like it is reading the install DVD (I had purchased Tiger Install DVD a little after the original problem started) but it gets to a gray screen with a black box in the middle of the screen.  Doing some research on Mac OS, do I need to format the HDD before trying to install?  The new drive is a Seagate like the one I replaced but twice the capacity.

I did Apple hardware test a while ago from my original Panther disks and it was not really helpful.  I have not purchased TechTool as I have seen recommended...is that accurate enough to diagnose my symptoms?

I am not worried about opening up the machine as I have already done so.  I am pretty comfortable around computers.

I am exasperated.  I really like this system and want to use it as my music repository, plus it still looks good.

Hopefully that is enough information to start.  I have started keeping a log of everything I try, replace, test.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Answer : Problem: iMac G4 new HDD and Tiger OS install Stalls

Mac won't start at all now...fan comes on but that is about it closing