I have a grey screen with only file folder and flashing?

Here we go> I have a 2005 g4 12.1 mint condition.The optical drive is mint,the problem is the hard drive not showing up,now when I go to install 10.4 Tiger Nada!,nothing shows in option just both arrows.I just shipped 4 g4's to a buyer.The lot I purchased was very nice, however 1 had a non stop kernal panic issue .Now 2005 model g4 is showing different results when I attemp a reinstall of osx.Is there any secret install key or diagnostic I can run?When I hold down d nothing happens, diagnotic disc nothing.Could the board have some other issue?Option brings up 2 arrows only with no hard drive option or osx.I had a 60gb hard drive in originally removed placed 80gb in showed when I powered down nada.I have a 40 fujitsu ,I will install to run a comparison.This hard drive was tested in a different G4.Any advice on where to go from here.What do you think about this laptop? I should install a hard drive with 10.5 pre loaded>?Or the last resort sell for parts?Alot of ?s Any advice is awesome...Thank you ,Jonathon A