Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

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"You Must Restart Your Computer" Prompt at Startup

yet another non-boot question for the board here. Last night I ran a repair permissions in Disk Utility because I like to do it every few months to keep everything running smooth. After it ran I reset and about 10 seconds into booting a screen pops up that says I need to restart the computer. After restart it pops back up. Its happened countless times now. I reset the PRAM and it still does it. I've tried starting in safe mode (by holding shift) but I'm not sure how long I have to hold shift for to get it to start in safe mode. I held it for a while on the gray apple screen, not sure how long its supposed to be held for though. I ran fsck since I bought this laptop off my old roommate and don't have the restore disks. Its ran its things, repaired a few things and said everything was successful. After a reboot, i still get the restart prompt. I have OS 9 installed on there as well. Can I boot up in 9 by using keys at start up to see if that will load successfully, and if so how do I do it. Everything was working good before this. I never should have repair the permissions I guess. Help me folks, because I can't afford a new computer and I use this thing for a lot of stuff and there is a lot of documents and such on there that I need to have handy.

iBook 500MHz PowerPC G3

Posted on May 2, 2008 7:47 AM

40 replies

May 5, 2008 6:22 AM in response to Nightfighter

1-Highly doubtful. In the 5+ years I've been reading and posting on Apple Discussions, I have never known repairing permissions to foul an installation.

2-Again, doubtful.

3-Yes. This is possible.

4-Not likely.

5-Possible.

6-It could be the logic board. The hard drive could check out as physically okay even though it is overly full, so a too-full hard drive still could be the problem. Look over Dr. Smoke's article on _Resolving Kernel Panics_ again for further possibilities.

Nightfighter Author

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May 5, 2008 6:50 AM in response to Ronda Wilson

Well, I know there is around 3 gigs free on the hard drive. I try to keep it around there or a little higher since I know that an overly full hard drive can cause problems. I got a 60 gig external along with the computer off my roommate so any big projects or files go on there.

With the airport, it was working, albeit slow. So, could the airport antenna wire be sheared in the hinge like the backlight cable tends to do in this model, causing the problem (keep in mind the airport is turned off right now as I didn't turn it back on before restarting)? I had to replace the backlight cable a few years back due to the hinge pinch.

After posting my previous list I thought of something else- firmware. Is there any way the firmware got screwed up some how, or was there any updates recently?

And of course any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

May 5, 2008 7:05 AM in response to Nightfighter

If the AirPort antenna gets caught in the hinge, it merely results in spotty (or non-existent) AirPort reception. It doesn't keep the iBook from booting.

There are no firmware updates available for an iBook G3 (Dual USB).

Nightfighter Author

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May 7, 2008 11:20 AM in response to Nightfighter

Well, I took the computer apart today. Waste of 2+ hours. I saw nothing loose or anything that looked burned out or anything. I still haven't heard back from my old roommate regarding the discs. I really want to run a hardware test to make sure the hard drive is ok, and if the RAM is ok. Other than that, if there are any other suggestions out there I'd like to hear them.

I found out there is an independently owned apple place near me, I was wondering if anyone thought that maybe they would have the hardware test CD or any other way to test to find out about the RAM, hard drive and/or logic board so I know what I'm dealing with. Is this possible?

May 7, 2008 11:39 AM in response to Nightfighter

The only way to know is to ask them.

Good luck.

cornelius

Level 6

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May 7, 2008 1:36 PM in response to Nightfighter

Nightfighter:

You can download AHT (iBook) 1.2.4, burn it to disc and run it. I have never done it this way, but it might be worth a try if you are not able to get the disks from your former room-mate.

Cheers 🙂

cornelius

Nightfighter Author

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May 7, 2008 2:01 PM in response to cornelius

I will try this tonight. Thanks.

Nightfighter Author

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May 8, 2008 7:14 AM in response to Nightfighter

So, I downloaded the link and burned it to a CD. No luck. I hear the DVD/CD-RW drive spinning, but holding down the C key or the D key (I wasn't sure which one would work as it is a combo drive) does nothing. I'm not sure if its just a bad CD burn, the fact that I used a PC to make the CD, A bad download, or if the Combo drive is just not working. Any clues?

I'm going to call the Mac shop I found later this afternoon and find out what they think. Hopefully something.

Nightfighter Author

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May 8, 2008 11:17 AM in response to Nightfighter

Upon reviewing this thread I realized that I originally said that I reset the PRAM. I confused the PMU with the PRAM. I never did reset the PRAM. Is this a possible fix? Should I try this or will it erase something important? I still haven't heard if my friend could find the system discs.

cornelius

Level 6

17,826 points

May 8, 2008 6:57 PM in response to Nightfighter

Nightfighter:

Should I try this or will it erase something important?

Resetting the PRAM will not erase anything. However, the clock settings may be reset to a default date on some computers.

Try this:
• Shut down the computer.
• Locate the following keys: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously later.
• Turn on the computer.
• Press and hold the Command + Option + P + R keys immediately after the startup chime.
• Hold keys down until you hear the startup chime for the third time.
• Release the keys and immediately hold down Shift key to start up in Safe Mode.
• Log in and empty Trash.
• Restart normally and log in.

Please post back and let us know if it made any difference.

Cheers 🙂

cornelius

Nightfighter Author

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May 9, 2008 6:39 AM in response to cornelius

Followed your directions. When I tried starting in safe mode it definitely tried loading longer but a few minutes in it kernel panics again.

cornelius

Level 6

17,826 points

May 9, 2008 7:15 AM in response to Nightfighter

Nightfighter:

Sorry about that. There is one more test of the software system you can perform without the install disk. Try the procedure outlined in the article Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk Utility and fsck

Good luck.

cornelius

Nightfighter Author

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May 9, 2008 8:53 AM in response to Nightfighter

Finally got a chance to make it to that independently owned apple shop. The girl there ran verbose mode and from the codes that came up determined that the processor is indeed toast. Crud.

So here are my options since I can't afford a new machine-
1- find a cheap used/reconditioned one on e-Bay or other places. (I like the iBook and would probably stick with one of those or something similar in price)

2-Buy a replacement logic board and install it (I really don't want to take the thing apart again, and the only replacement ones seem to only be like 25-50 dollars cheaper than a fully functional iBook on eBay. But its a possibility)

3- Find a functional iBook that needs a hard drive, remove mine and install that in there.

4- Hope I win something in the lottery tonight and just get a brand spanking new Macbook.

Once again, thanks Rhonda and cornelius for all the help.

cornelius

Level 6

17,826 points

May 9, 2008 9:51 AM in response to Nightfighter

Hope I win something in the lottery tonight and just get a brand spanking new Macbook

Hey, that's my line 🙂

Sorry about the processor. I think the idea of replacement rather than repair is probably more cost effective, as repairs are not cheap.

If I may, I suggest that you look at the PowerBook G3 aka Pismo. It is eminently serviceable, expandable, replacement parts are inexpensive, it has many great features.

In terms of your HDD, it can be pulled and put into any PPC Mac you buy.

Cheers 🙂

cornelius

Nightfighter Author

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May 18, 2008 11:57 AM in response to Nightfighter

Ok now I've had it. I went on e-Bay after my visit to the store and my posts here last week and I found an 500Mhz 128MB logic board for the iBook, fully tested and functional from a reputable dealer for 50 bucks. Got it yesterday and spent a ton of time installing it. It was the full logic board with the modems and AC in all there. All I had to do is wire in the hard drive and combo drive and reassemble everything.

Anyway, I go through a few hours of work, put everything back together, fire the bad boy up and BAM! Kernel panic after 10 seconds. Same problem.

So, could it be that my hard drive is in fact bad or even frying the logic board? Or something else entirely? I've pretty much given up trying to get the discs from my old roommate since I haven't heard from him in 2 weeks. Is there a way to get these some place else?

SO frustrated.

"You Must Restart Your Computer" Prompt at Startup