Can not exit open firmware

Question

Can not exit open firmware

Power Mac G4 533.
1gb of RAM and 2 160gb mirrored drives with OS X Server on it.
I tried booting my desktop from a homemade OS 9 boot disk. Apparently it's not working.
After machine would not boot up from this disk I popped the disk out of the drive and machine gave me flashing question mark upon restart. Reset PRAM and now machine is stuck in open firmware. I've tried resetting nvram and reset all. Nothing. I've gone and pressed the shiny grey button they call the PMU. Still no luck. When I type mac-boot the message I get:
DEFAULT CATCH! code=700 at %SRR0: ff80a790 %SRR1: 0000b030

Anybody? Ideas? Please help!

Thanks much,
brett

Posted on Oct 11, 2005 9:12 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 11, 2005 11:39 AM in response to brett polakowski

PowerMac G4 Quicksilver 933MHz 3x512Gb 2x160GB Drives (RAID)
MacOS 10.3.9
Similar boot message.
2-4 wks ago started freezing with "Reboot your Mac" message. Was advised by third party to Reset PRAM, reset PMU, and reset NVRAM. Now on power-on get the white screen as follows:
DEFAULT CATCH!, code=300 at %SRR0: ff84755c %SRR1: 0000b030
Apple Power Mac3,5 4.3.3f2 BootROM built on 12/21/01 ....
Welcome to Open Firmware, the system time is .....
To continue booting, type "mac-boot"....
To shut down, type "shut-down" ....
ok
0 >

When I enter mac-boot with a CR the screen goes gray then to white again with the a message similar to the first "DEFAULT CATCH!" except that "code=700"

I have checked the battery - tests at 3.61 volts.
Booted from 10.2 Install Disk and ran repair and permissions repair on boot disk.

What's the prognosis, doc?

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Answer 2

Oct 11, 2005 1:25 PM in response to brett polakowski

I've tried booting to a cd but since it can't get past open firmware, it can't see the optical drive to do something with.
Holding down the "C" key only gets me a message to release all keys.
The code after typing in mac-boot is slightly different this time. It says "code=400" instead of "code=700" so maybe it's getting more better? (j/k)

Thanks,
brett

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Answer 3

Oct 11, 2005 2:08 PM in response to brett polakowski

Hopefully,

This will help;

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=42642

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Answer 4

Oct 11, 2005 2:13 PM in response to brett polakowski

Oops,

You already tried the pram/pmu.

Then my advice is to do a more thorough reset of the pmu.

Unplug the battery, unplug the mac from power, press the power on button, press the pmu button.

Check the battery or watch tv or whatever. Just let it sit a while before putting the battery back in, plugging in and powering up.

Sometimes I have had luck leaving the computer sit over night with no power or battery. On those macs where this happens, it is a problem that occurs more frequently with time and booting becomes more of an issue. My take is that it is the motherboard ram (that holds the firmware and pram) going out.

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Answer 5

Oct 11, 2005 2:14 PM in response to Carl Jerris

tried that already. no go. Like I said before, I have even gone and reset the PMU and still I can not get past open firmware.

Please someone help me bring her back to life. PLEASE!!!!

Thanks,
brett

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Answer 6

Oct 11, 2005 2:17 PM in response to Carl Jerris

Thanks. I'll try that and leave it out for the night. Get back to you tomorrow.

brett

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Answer 7

Oct 11, 2005 3:33 PM in response to Carl Jerris

Thanks for the advice. I didn't wait between steps as you suggest. I'll do it overnight.

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Answer 8

Oct 12, 2005 12:35 AM in response to brett polakowski

Hi -

It may also help to do an NVRAM reset via Open Firmware commands -

- Start the computer and immediately hold down Command-Option-O-F

- When the computer starts it should open into a prompt screen (Open Firmware).

- Press Return, you will see OK.

- Type reset-nvram include the dash, here and below.

- Press Return

- Type set-defaults

- Press Return

- Type reset-all

- Press Return

The system should restart. If not, try typing exit or shutdown, or you can manually restart the system.

Note - some machines may return "unknown word" in response to the reset-nvram instruction; if that happens, try init-nvram instead.

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Answer 9

Oct 12, 2005 10:35 AM in response to brett polakowski

Alright, this computer is going to take a swim in a river.
I let the battery sit over night. Hit the PMU button before I put it back in and it goes right to open firmware. Reset nvram and reset all and it continually goes back to open firmware. Then if I type mac-boot it gives that DEFAULT CATCH error reported above. The only thing I can get it to do under my command is to shut it down.
I'm getting frustrated. 8 years of working with macs and this is the first time this is happening.
Anything else that can be tried? I just got this computer out of the shop last week for a new power supply ($236.00) I'd hate to waste this money and call it a day.
HELP!

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Answer 10

Mat

Level 1

45 points

Oct 12, 2005 6:12 PM in response to brett polakowski

I have a QuickSilver 867. I also have the DAFAULT CATCH problem. I feared it was my motherboard and took it to an Apple Store. I won't go into the details what a horrible experience that was other than to say I will never go back into one. Two weeks later (11days past my promised due date) I took my still broken computer home. For around $500 you can order a new motherboard from www.techrestore.com. They have a 6month warranty on your new board and overnight shipping is included in the price. I think I've seen tech shops with a 1year warranty but I don't remember any names. I'm going to wait and pick up a new G5 when they come out I personally don't think it's worth it to drop more money into a nearly 4 year old computer.

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