Question : Problem: PowerBook G4 Issues...

Background... the first part of this note is just background on what has been going on with my G4 Powerbook for the past 5 days. Strung (from E.E.) helped me a lot in the beginning and I thought it was just an issue of re-setting the PMU, but it has turned out to be a much bigger issue (at least to me since I have no idea what the problem is). : )

I apologize in advance but this will probably be a little long b/c I want to try to relay everything I can about my PowerBook G4 problems so you can figure out what's wrong with it.

I bought this G4 PowerBook used several years ago. It's been a good computer, but I did have to replace the hard drive about a year ago.

A month or so ago it started making a little buzzing sound on startup that would last about 15 seconds then go away. I wasn't having any other problems and it wasn't acting erratic in any way so I didn't worry about it.

Then last night I was online and suddenly my wireless mouse quit working. I replaced the battery, reset the mouse, etc. and it still wouldn't work. I tried to do a force quit of my browser and that didn't work so I had to do a hard shut down. When I turned it back on, I heard the dong sound, but the screen was black. I tried to start up from my Drive Genius II CD, my system CD and I also tried starting up in Safe Mode, but it would never come up. I shut it down for about an hour and tried to start up again and this time it came up normally, but within 2 minutes it was frozen again. So I waited until this morning and started up using my Drive Genius CD and it came right up. I started running the hard drive repair mode and within 2 minutes it was locked up again and wouldn't come back up. The keyboard won't work, the mousepad and the wireless mouse won't work and the screen stays black. However, whenever I restart I always hear the dong and it sounds like the hard drive is doing it's job so I'm thinking it probably isn't a hard drive issue - especially since the drive is less than a year old.

Can you tell by the above information what my problem might be? It is about 6 years old so if it is fixable, do you think it is worth fixing?

strung:
Try resetting the PMU:  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1431

Hi Strung! Thank you so much for your help yesterday with my Powerbook G4. After resetting the PMU like you told me to, my laptop ran fine for a few hours and then I shut it down thinking everything was great. But last night when I turned it back on the problems started again (black screen, keyboard, wireless mouse, mouse pad wouldn't work). I reset the PMU again like you told me to yesterday and it didn't work that time. I did it about 5 more times and it finally started working again, but only for a few minutes, before it quit again. This went on for a while and then I was unable to get it to come back up at all anymore. I am going to the Apple Store tonight to get a new MacBook Pro 17", but I wonder if all is lost with my Powerbook or if there is anything you can tell me to do to fix it and keep it running. That way I could give it to my daughter. Or maybe you might know exactly what the problem is that is causing it to be so hornery.
: ) Thanks a lot! - Kennie


strung:
Sounds like a hardware problem. Might possibly be a bad battery. You could take it to the Apple store with you and see if they will let you swap the battery with one of theirs to see if it makes a difference.

Hi strung,
The Apple Store was mobbed when I went Friday night and there were no more appts. available at the Genius Bar so I was unable to get my PowerBook battery checked. I am not sure when I will be able to get back down there, but at some point I will definitely do that.

In the meantime is there anything else you can suggest that I try to see what exactly the problem is with my G4 Powerbook? I hate to just toss it b/c it has been a really good laptop.

I did purchase a 17" MacBook Pro Friday night and I love it! It's an awesome machine!

Anyway, please let me know if you can think of anything else I can try from home to resurrect my G4 and I'll try it.

Thanks so much for all your help!!!



More problems and clues! ... I just re-set the PMU on my G4, and with the battery removed, but the power cable connected I restarted the computer using the TechTool Pro CD as my startup disk. It came up just fine so I started running the hardware tests and again... bang! About 2 minutes into the test my computer locked up again. So... I'm assuming that means it must not be the battery. Am I correct in assuming that? Does this help give you any more ideas about what the problem could be?

I let the computer rest for about 30 minutes, re-set the PMU and started up again without the battery installed. It ran fine for about 30 minutes, but as soon as I tried to move it off of my lap it locked up. Wierd! Before it locked up though it completed the TechTool Pro check and according to that everything was fine.

I re-started and ran fsck -fy and that said everything was fine with the G4. But all is not fine! lolol

I then took the G4 apart and removed the RAM, then re-installed it. I cleaned out the inside and made sure all my connections were tight and then put it back together. I started the computer without the battery installed, but connected via my power adapter. It worked fine for over an hour, even when I moved it and then I just shut it down. I was elated thinking maybe the problem was solved; however, this morning when I tried to start it I got the dreaded black screen with the message saying I needed to re-start the computer. Since I had to leave for work I just shut it down.

So... does this mean that this might be a software issue after all? Does anyone have any idea of what the problem might be?

Please help me! I'm going crazy!!!

Thanks!
Kennie

Answer : Problem: PowerBook G4 Issues...

Have you tried different RAM?  This is most likely a memory issue.