PowerBook 100

Hello all,

I have had a PowerBook 100 for a while, but I've been studying it recently (because I just found the floppies to start it up). The Lead-Acid main battery is shot (this computer spent 10 years in a basement) and I believe the PRAM batteries are shot. Whenever I plug the AC adapter in, I get the dark screen problem (a bluish screen with the backlight on). I press the two buttons on the side simultaneously and the screen shuts off. I can power on the computer and hear the hard disk spinning and see the cursor (which responds with the trackball), but the PB needs the floppy drive with Disk tools to startup.
Once the PB is started up, it can run pretty well. But when it's loading items from the floppy drive, the screen flickers when the floppy is reading info unless I set the screen to maximum brightness. It's not a big problem to me, but is that supposed to happen?
I would just like to see if there are any ways I can revive the HD and get it recognized to reinstall the OS without having to buy a new HD. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Compaq Presario v2000, Windows XP

Posted on Sep 4, 2009 10:21 AM

21 replies

Sep 8, 2009 12:26 PM in response to Niteshooter

If you want, I can send the sound to the email address on your website.

Sep 8, 2009 3:36 PM in response to PowerBook 100

Sure that would work.

Sep 8, 2009 5:17 PM in response to Niteshooter

Okay, I sent you the email. But after the spinning sound I heard (look in the email for more info) stopped, I opened up the Apple HD SC Setup. Then, for some reason, it said "Unable to locate suitable drive connected to SCSI port." Did the Mac just take a step back from where it used to be? And when I heard the spinning again, I thought I heard like a screech (very quiet) from the drive. Thanks in advance, I hope this problem can be solved.

Sep 9, 2009 6:57 AM in response to PowerBook 100

Heard your file, I sent you an old file that might help. If it can't see your hard drive then based on what I heard it's shot.

Heard it spin up, made the high pitched whine common with really old scsi drives when their bearings go. The fast clicking are the heads searching the platters for data. So if you can't reformat the drive or even see it with formatting sw then you will have to replace the drive.

Kevin

Sep 9, 2009 1:17 PM in response to Niteshooter

Oh, well thanks for telling me.

Sep 11, 2009 6:51 PM in response to PowerBook 100

Sorry about the lack of replies for all who are following this topic. We will post info later.

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PowerBook 100