iBook start-up issues, complete with Open Firmware!
Lately my computer has decided it doesn't like starting up. I press the power button, get a chime, and then one of three things will happen. 1) I'll hear the drive noises and the computer will start up normally. This is becoming increasingly less common. On occasion, the gray screen with the Apple logo will suffer a kernel panic part of the way through loading. 2) The screen will remain black and nothing will happen. The computer will still be on, however, as to try again I have to force it to shut down. 3) It'll go into Open Firmware and report that there's been some illegal instruction. If I try to use Mac-Boot from here, it won't find a system folder and, if I have my install disk in, it won't show up if I try to choose a start-up disk by holding 'C'. The only way for it to recognize the start up disk is to pray it boots normally.
What I'm finding strange is that Disk Utility reports no problems, Hardware Test reports no problems, resetting the PMU, NVRAM, Open Firmware, etc. does nothing, and when the computer gets past the gray screen with the apple logo, I experience no further trouble at all. Consequently, I've been avoiding shutting down my computer, instead closing it so it goes into standby mode. I'm certain this isn't good for the long term health of the computer since a proper shut down does helpful things such as the self-test, but I'm uncertain about my computer having a long term based on this behavior.
The only thing I haven't tried to do would be to run an Archive and Install or an Erase and Install, since I'm rather dubious about it being related to OSX since my bad start-ups don't get that far and the system acts just fine once I get to the blue "OSX is starting up" screen. I've read that hard disks have a life span of about 3-5 years, though I'm not entirely sure that's it either. I got this computer in spring 2006, I'm still below the three year mark.
Ideally, I'm looking for a solution that isn't money intensive. I'm looking to advance to a new Mac Book early next year thanks to all the newer games demanding Intel chips, despite, to my annoyance, my computer being otherwise powerful enough to run them. So I just need something to keep this machine running for a few more months at worst without denting my wallet.
What I'm finding strange is that Disk Utility reports no problems, Hardware Test reports no problems, resetting the PMU, NVRAM, Open Firmware, etc. does nothing, and when the computer gets past the gray screen with the apple logo, I experience no further trouble at all. Consequently, I've been avoiding shutting down my computer, instead closing it so it goes into standby mode. I'm certain this isn't good for the long term health of the computer since a proper shut down does helpful things such as the self-test, but I'm uncertain about my computer having a long term based on this behavior.
The only thing I haven't tried to do would be to run an Archive and Install or an Erase and Install, since I'm rather dubious about it being related to OSX since my bad start-ups don't get that far and the system acts just fine once I get to the blue "OSX is starting up" screen. I've read that hard disks have a life span of about 3-5 years, though I'm not entirely sure that's it either. I got this computer in spring 2006, I'm still below the three year mark.
Ideally, I'm looking for a solution that isn't money intensive. I'm looking to advance to a new Mac Book early next year thanks to all the newer games demanding Intel chips, despite, to my annoyance, my computer being otherwise powerful enough to run them. So I just need something to keep this machine running for a few more months at worst without denting my wallet.
iBook G4, Mac OS X (10.4.11)