PB G4 Boots Then Provides Shut Down Message

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mogenome Author

Level 1

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PB G4 Boots Then Provides Shut Down Message

I have the following computed purchased in June 2004:

12 Inch Powerbook G4 1GHZ/256/40/SD/BT

Original Software and Restore Discs

Part Number- M9008LL/A

Serial Number- UV ******PHL

This vintage PB boots-up and then shuts down with this message- "You need to restart your computer. Hold down the Power button for several seconds or press the restart button."

I have held down the Power button and the computer accomplishes a hard shut down. Restarts result in similar message/result.

The powerbook OS has been upgraded to the highest version the Motorola PPC chip type will accept which is a version of Lion, but I do not have a a OS software or restore disc for that upgrade. I have the computer backed-up via Time Machine.

What are my options? Thanks in advance for your help.

IMAC G4 and Powerbook G4, Mac OS X (10.5.4), Panther OS X (10.3.9) on Powerbook

Posted on Nov 25, 2014 2:58 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Allan Jones

Level 9

68,690 points

Nov 25, 2014 7:21 AM in response to mogenome

The powerbook OS has been upgraded to the highest version the Motorola PPC chip type will accept which is a version of Lion,

Someone has handed you a handful of bad information. NO PPC Mac can run any higher Mac OS that 10.5.8 "Leopard," and the processor in Mac notebooks is soldered to and integral with the logic board and cannot be upgraded. The Intel-based logic boards used for newer notebooks (MacBook and Macbook Pro ) cannot be installed in a PwoerBook, especially a 12-inch--a size unigue to he Powerbook.

The message you see is the computer telling you it has suffered a kernel panic. They can happen for several reasons but the most common are hardware faults and, among those, bad RAM is the leading cause.

We also need some clarification about some conflicting information. In your equipment profile you say the PowerBook is running OS 10.3 Panther but in your text you say you backed up the Powerbook with Time Machine. TM is not available on any Mac OS older than 10.5. So what OS in on the PowerBook?

Given that the computer was misrepresented to you and has problems, I would make the seller take it back rather than try to get this one going. Did the seller inform your that there is no new software for PowerPC macs and that they are unbearably slow for internet use due to web pages seldom being coded to help the PowerPC computers? If he told you this was a modern computer, he lied. Its is 10 years old, ancient in the world fo computers.

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