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jrw046
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Q: Powerbook 100

Hi
Like Gail I have two powerbook 100's both are doing the same thing. They both will start to boot up . I can hear the hard drive spin up , it then make a series of clicks pauses then start to click again . After a couple time it stops and you get the question mard disk . If you boot form a floppy it comes boot all the way up . I have tried to run the hd setup program but it reports that it cant find the information for the hd . I have tried 3 different drives in both of the 100's. I also have done both of the resets and replaced the batteries ( the big one and the 3 smaller ones )to no avai.

I have a hard time thinking that both of these powerbooks are bad seeing how they were working a couple years ago when I put they away.I'm looking for any ideas or help .

Joe

G4 400 POWERBOOK 100, Mac OS X (10.0.x)

Posted on Apr 4, 2008 5:19 PM

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jrw046

Q: Powerbook 100

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  • by Jan Hedlund,

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Apr 4, 2008 10:15 PM in response to jrw046
    Level 6 (9,901 points)
    Apr 4, 2008 10:15 PM in response to jrw046
    Joe,

    Have you been able to verify that the 2.5" SCSI hard drives are working (e.g., by installing them into yet another PowerBook)? It could, although it sounds unlikely, be something wrong with all three hard drive controller cards. By "both of the resets" I presume that you mean the Power Manager and the PRAM.

    One cause could possibly be some time-related issue, for instance, electrolytic capacitors (in or near PowerBook circuits handling signals to the hard drive) leaking and/or drying out. It might be a good idea to carefully inspect the boards.

    Jan

  • by Appaloosa mac man,

    Appaloosa mac man Appaloosa mac man Apr 5, 2008 5:32 AM in response to jrw046
    Level 5 (4,330 points)
    Apr 5, 2008 5:32 AM in response to jrw046
    jrw046,

    Make a copy of a boot floppy with hard drive setup. Boot from it and see if drive setup can see the drive and format it. That will tell you how far along the diagnostic trail the CPU is going. Can disk first aid see the drives?

    Jim

  • by jrw046,

    jrw046 jrw046 Apr 5, 2008 5:35 AM in response to Jan Hedlund
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 5, 2008 5:35 AM in response to Jan Hedlund
    Jan

    Thanks for the reply. I have three s.5 dirves that I have rotated through the two powerbooks . All the drives do the same thing in both books . I remember that the first Mac had a problem if they were left on for a long time then shut off the hard drives would stick . I thought that might be the problem here but I dont really think so because they sound like they are spinning up . The disk controller card that you talk about , where is that . Is that the daughter card next to the memory?. I have a hard time thinking that I have 3 dirves that are bad in the same way but I also find it hard to believe that I have 2 powerbooks that went bad the same way too . Very confusing .

    Joe

  • by Appaloosa mac man,

    Appaloosa mac man Appaloosa mac man Apr 5, 2008 5:43 AM in response to jrw046
    Level 5 (4,330 points)
    Apr 5, 2008 5:43 AM in response to jrw046
    jrw,

    We seem to be on at the same time. Years ago I spent several hours on two PB100s to get them back in shape. Sometimes simple connectors do not seat properly so start checking connections if Disk First Aid and Drive Setup do not see the drives.

    Jim

  • by Jan Hedlund,

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Apr 5, 2008 6:57 AM in response to jrw046
    Level 6 (9,901 points)
    Apr 5, 2008 6:57 AM in response to jrw046
    Hi Joe,

    The disk controller card that you talk about , where is that .


    I was thinking of the controller in the hard drive itself.

    Circuits in the PowerBook controlling the hard drive are not on a separate board.

    I agree, this is confusing. All three hard drives being bad is not very likely. Two bad PowerBook computers; also unlikely. Software on several hard disks suddenly changing during storage; unlikely. However, obviously something has happened. Electrolytic capacitors and batteries are just about the only components affected by time, and you have replaced the batteries.

    So, you would have to proceed step by step. Test another disk utility on a floppy. Test the existing hard drives in another PowerBook. Alternatively, test another (known) working hard drive in your PowerBook computers.

    Jan

  • by jrw046,

    jrw046 jrw046 Apr 5, 2008 2:57 PM in response to Jan Hedlund
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 5, 2008 2:57 PM in response to Jan Hedlund
    Thanks again everyone for all the ideas . I have another question . Does anyone here have an idea on how to test the 2.5 drives outside of the powerbook .
    I can hook up a scsi drive on the scsi port on the rear of the powerbook and build it and have it boot the powerbook up but I can't figure out how to test the 2.5's outside of the notbook .

    Joe

  • by Jan Hedlund,

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Apr 5, 2008 7:50 PM in response to jrw046
    Level 6 (9,901 points)
    Apr 5, 2008 7:50 PM in response to jrw046
    Joe,

    The drive can be externally attached to a SCSI port, but you would need a suitable 2.5" connector and a power supply. There were portable enclosures (with DB-25F output) available for such drives; typically with said hard drive connector, a SCSI ID switch and a power jack (an external supply provided 5 V DC).

    You could make a Network Access floppy from the download here, if you have access to another older Mac (with a built-in floppy drive). This floppy is bootable. It can be modified to hold Apple HD SC Setup 7.3.5 (here) or Drive Setup 1.7.3 (here).

    You could also use the Network Access floppy unmodified as intended. A Mac printer cable MiniDIN-8M to MiniDIN-8M can be connected between one of your PowerBook computers and the other machine (the Printer Port). If you boot the PB 100 (with its non-working hard drive installed) from the Network Access disk, you could then use programs (e.g., various disk utilities) placed on the hard disk of the other computer, and should thus be able to run further tests. Alternatively, you could of course use the other SCSI drive that you mentioned above for all this.

    Jan

  • by Niteshooter,

    Niteshooter Niteshooter May 22, 2008 9:53 PM in response to jrw046
    Level 2 (454 points)
    May 22, 2008 9:53 PM in response to jrw046
    How to test an old PowerBook SCSI drive? Way way back you could buy external cases for these drives. APS used to sell them, they came with an RC car 7.2v battery so they could run portable without AC. Not sure if/where you could find these now other than in a box in our basement...

    But it sounds to me like the drives have crashed, that clicking sound is the clue. Although I have seen this with Portables and it turned out that the stock dongle was not putting out enough juice 2A vs 3A of later dongles for the 165c/180c so the drive would not spin up.

    PowerBooks weren't an exact science back then and I have a feeling that the designs needed the extra kick from a good battery when plugged into the wall.

    Kevin