enabling audio in safe mode?

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Level 1

8 points

enabling audio in safe mode?

I've posted this once before, but thought I'd give it another try.

My Powerbook G4 has recently been experiencing huge problems. It can no longer start up in normal mode (I get the normal grey start up screen, then either a blank blue screen with no cursor, or another grey screen with lines all across it).

I've been able to start up in Safe Mode.
I've fixed all permissions.
I've verified the harddrive (no fixes needed).
I've zapped the PRAM.
I've done the fsck thing (no fixes needed).
I've created a disc image of the hardware test, and got an "invalid memory access at %SRR0: 00032ed8 %SS1: 003030" message.
I don't have the start up discs with me as I'm current traveling and didn't think to pack them.

For the time being, I'm running the machine in Safe Mode, but only until I can get it looked at by a pro. The trick is, I'm currently traveling and won't be in any one place long enough to have it looked at for several more months. So the question I have is this:

Is there any way to turn on sound when running the machine in Safe Mode?

I know that's kinda the point of safe mode, but nothing else seems to work, I don't have any start up CDs with me, and I'd really like to listen to music on my machine in the meantime.

cheers,
tim

Powerbook G4, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on May 8, 2009 1:57 AM

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Answer 1

Limnos

Level 10

411,259 points

May 8, 2009 7:38 AM in response to TimInOz

Audio is probably one of those things disabled by Safe Node. The drivers haven't loaded. I tried a web search but couldn't see any reference to loading them using Terminal, and it may be something that needs doing during the boot process.

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Answer 2

TimInOz Author

Level 1

8 points

May 8, 2009 10:18 PM in response to Limnos

Thanks for checking, Limnos. I'm a bit less tech savvy than some (which means that the following question may have an obvious answer), is there any way that I can affect the boot process to get sound to turn on in Safe Mode?

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Answer 3

Limnos

Level 10

411,259 points

May 10, 2009 6:16 PM in response to TimInOz

This is beyond my familiarity with the details of the OS. The difference between SM and normal boot, I believe, is a bunch of other files loading which enable certain features. You'd have to find somebody who knew which files those were, and a way to load them from Terminal. It may also involve hoping files don't need to be loaded in a certain order, and that there isn't too much interdependence between the audio drivers and other things you don't want loaded, especially if those other things are loading items that are involved in the problems in the first place. I imagine if you were booting in verbose mode and could compare a full boot and a safe boot you could make a list of the differences and then experiment with the ones that might be involved with audio.

An easier thing to do might be to try and track down the source of the problem. Do you have crash logs for the computer when doing full boot?

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