Ok.

I have used my trusty PowerMac Digital Audio, now with an OWC 800MHZ G4 processor for a little while now with NO problems.

Now my system hangs on start up (after log-in) - I can hear the drive "ticking" and then it stops, with a spinning beach ball. This also happens when I open more than one app at a time, while I browse or even opening up a word processor.

Thoughts?

Failing drive :( ....I can safely assume you are fully backed up? :D

There is a slight possibility you have overlapped files. :cool:

I suspected a failing drive. So...

1. Started up with my OSX Start-UP CD and ran Disk Utilities
2. Discovered some major corruption on my start up disk.
3. I have a 60 Gig Maxtor internal drive, partitioned into 20 gig sections. My start-up disk was in question.
4. Ran D.U. several times. Indicated that disk could not be repaired. Then on the fourth attempt, everything showed A-ok.
5. Ran D.U. another few times and disk was repaired. No issues. However, D.U. spent some time looking in the system "Lost and Found" directory? WTF?
6. Could not boot back into my OSX system on the start-up disk.
7. Had to boot into OS 9.2.2 (Thank goodness for a dual boot machine!!!!!).
8. Copying all essentials on to another partition. I have an external 120GIG which I will back up everything to.
9. Will reinstall system on to drive since the drive seems to be ok. Can't buy a new drive at this time. Will install a fresh new system on to start-up partition.
10. Final option: buy a new drive and install fresh system.