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Q: Mac powerbook g4 15" Auminum, on startup has a black screen and no signal to external monitor

Powerbook G4 1.5 Ghz 15" Aluminum

After watching a dvd, I turned the laptop off and closed the lid before the screen was completely dark. I also forgot to take the dvd out. The next day I get a start up chime and a black screen. Will not work with external monitor. Will not let me do pram reset as I couldn't see the picture anyway. Hard drive appears to be fine. I tried swapping the two ram modules. Took the lower one out and still no results. My main question is, before I just geek out and put a new logic board in, what are the possible loose connection  (cables) causes?

PowerBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8), Aluminum 15" 1.5 Ghz

Posted on Feb 22, 2015 8:13 AM

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Q: Mac powerbook g4 15" Auminum, on startup has a black screen and no signal to external monitor

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  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Feb 23, 2015 3:25 PM in response to Uused2BGreat
    Level 6 (14,224 points)
    Desktops
    Feb 23, 2015 3:25 PM in response to Uused2BGreat

    This issue is not unfamiliar among PowerPC G4 users, in desktop or portable models.

    The cause may vary and so when looking through incidents of a similar nature, try to

    be patient and get past duplicate-sounding experiences as referenced by the sources.

     

    There are more than a few in this search thread that sound like your situation:

    https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=powerbook+g4+black+screen+on+startup

     

    Depending on the PowerBook model, some have clock battery/capacitor on logic board

    that once it fails, there can be startup issues as a result... So that's one to check. And

    then there are the connections that may have come loose on the logic board, over years

    of handling and small movement, these could finally have failed to contact finally. Or the

    DC-in Board may have chosen to fail, so power may be unable to get past a circuit.

     

    Troubleshooting based on a few symptoms can be... troublesome, tedious; or costly.

     

    The iFixit.com guides have sections where people asked questions, such as:

    https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/131619/PowerBook+g4+has+startup+chime+no+ima ge

     

    The keyboard shortcuts to attempt to force a computer to start may be of no avail if

    the hardware has defects, or if wires have come off their necessary junctions inside.

     

    If you have time and some money, companies who specialize in repairing Apple

    portable computers could restore its function & warranty their work. wegenermedia

    is worth contacting if the computer is one you want to keep around while. They did

    a repair for me on one of my Apple portables, and I'd probably go that route again.

     

    So, anyway, if the unit uses a clock or PRAM battery, it may need replacement.

    Or in another direction, issue could be a power related circuit failure; or worse.

     

    There are graphic display components that fail at a point where an external &

    internal display both won't light up. These are mapped out in iFixit guides or in

    others online, depending on the model G4 PowerBook they show.

     

    Good luck & happy computing!

  • by Allan Jones,

    Allan Jones Allan Jones Feb 24, 2015 9:52 AM in response to Uused2BGreat
    Level 8 (35,000 points)
    iPad
    Feb 24, 2015 9:52 AM in response to Uused2BGreat

    If the DVD is still in the drive, press and hold your mouse bar during boot. That usually ejects anything in the drive.

     

    Once it is ejected, find you system disks or a known-good retail OSX installer compatible with your PowerPC computer. Put it in the drive and boot while holding the c key. See if you get a startup.

     

    When you watched the DVD, was it on the external monitor? If so, did you have the PowerBook in "clamshell" mode (lid closed)? If so, you may have heat damage.