thiby_2

Q: Powerbook g4 doesn't boot

Hello,

I have a 17 inch 1.33ghz powerbook g4, i bought it recently in very good condition. But when it artived it wouldn't boot, if i push the power button and then the caps lock key it lights up but that is realy the only thing that happens. I already tried to reseat the ram sticks, with no effect. Is there someone who knows what i can try to fix this computer?

PowerBook

Posted on Jan 16, 2016 2:05 PM

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Q: Powerbook g4 doesn't boot

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  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Jan 16, 2016 5:53 PM in response to thiby_2
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 16, 2016 5:53 PM in response to thiby_2

    Do you get a startup chime? If so reset the PMU.  https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT1431 And pram.  https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204063 reset the PMU anyway. Do you get a screen of any kind. If you turn it over the battery on the bottom has a button on it . if you push the button it should show 4 lights. Does it? Do you have the right power adapter for it. If it is the original apple one. The ring on the top where it plugs into the computer should glow when connected. May need to be charged or replaced. Were you told this Powerbook works?

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Jan 16, 2016 9:09 PM in response to thiby_2
    Level 6 (14,279 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 16, 2016 9:09 PM in response to thiby_2

    Depending on the vintage and build model of "PowerBook" some models have a clock battery

    or PRAM battery which is separate from the main rechargable battery; this, if no longer able

    to hold a charge would need to be replaced or perhaps disconnected from the logic board. A

    few replacement PRAM batteries are still available for those models which need them.

     

    https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/PowerBook+G4+Aluminum+17-Inch+1-1.67+GHz+PRAM+Batte ry+%26+USB+Board+Replacement/249

     

    see: PowerBook G4 1.67 won't start issue

     

    Lack of a PRAM/clock battery, or one that is dead, can affect startup in those where needed.

    You could see if OWC macsales has the replacement PRAM battery, they have a few. Some

    for the 17-inch PowerBook models were available not long ago. Some are not.

     

    PowerBook G4 Aluminum 17-inch repair guide - iFixit:

    https://www.ifixit.com/Device/PowerBook_G4_Aluminum_17%22

     

    Troubleshooting Guide PB 17" guide:

    https://www.ifixit.com/Wiki/PowerBook_G4_Aluminum_17%22_Troubleshooting

     

    The iFixit.com  repair guides for Mac have information on specific models on how to do this.

    The powerbookmedic site may have parts, so should the iFixit site. Not sure if anyone is

    providing new cells to install where there are none direct from the computer maker now.

     

    Good luck & happy computing!

  • by thiby_2,

    thiby_2 thiby_2 Jan 16, 2016 11:09 PM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 16, 2016 11:09 PM in response to my ginger

    I do not get any start up chime, or any thing on the screen. I do have the correct charger and it does seem to charge my battery, because all the lights show when i push the battery button. I was told this computer came out of a working enviroment a couple of years ago. But it has been a couple of years in storage and wasn't tested.

  • by Allan Jones,

    Allan Jones Allan Jones Jan 17, 2016 9:36 AM in response to thiby_2
    Level 8 (35,044 points)
    iPad
    Jan 17, 2016 9:36 AM in response to thiby_2
    But it has been a couple of years in storage and wasn't tested.

     

    That likely killed off whatever life remained in either battery. My 2003 PowerBook G4 needs either a working main battery or a working PRAM battery to boot. It will not boot if both are dead. My PRAM battery is dead but, fortunately, I was able to get a new main battery from Apple not long before they discontinued those batteries a couple of yeas ago.

     

    Sometimes you can pump just enough life into the PRAM battery to get a boot by removing the main battery, turning the computer off, and leaving it attached to wall power for 24-48 hours. A long shot but it has worked for me in the past.

     

    The trick K Shaffer mentions about disconnecting the battery from the logic board only applies to certain models of the powerBook G3, whose PRAM battery conveniently has a plug that attaches to the logic board directly under an easily lifted keyboard. Most G4s have the PRAM battery integral with and soldered to the right-side USB board--hard to access and even harder to disconnect.

     

    Were I in your shoes, I would first consider contacting the seller, especially if the computer was advertised as "working." As it sounds like it was in a corporate environment, maybe they have others that actual work. Otherwise ask for a refund.

     

    If you cannot do the above, then OWC, whom K Shaffer has already recommended, is you best resource at this point for a new main battery:

     

    http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/BAP17AL62RS/

     

    The PRAM battery he links for the 17-inch 1.67ghz PBG4 is the only one they have. I have searched since getting my old PowerBook in 2008 and cannot find new replacement PRAM batteries for any pre-1.67Ghz Powerbooks. The links to batteries for sale on the iFixit site redirect to eBay, where the batteries are described as "used." Used batteries sound about as appealing as used chewing gum to me. However, the battery is supposed to be rechargeable to some extent so, as the prices are now a fraction of what they were three years ago, you may wish to take a chance on one if you are up to the non-trivial task of accessing and replacing the right-hand USB board.

     

    AJ

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Jan 17, 2016 10:52 AM in response to thiby_2
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 17, 2016 10:52 AM in response to thiby_2

    Even if you get no startup chime. You could still try the pram reset. Just hold down the keys for about 2 to 3 minutes. If you have the apple power adapter that comes with the Powerbook. There is a ring on the end that connects to the computer that glows green when plugged in. Since you say when you push the power button you can get the cap lock key to light up. See, by putting your ear down close to the laptop ,if you can hear the hard drive spin up. The f1 and f2 key control screen brightness, if you hear the hard drive,you could toggle these. There is a sleep light on the front of the Powerbook that should at least blink on when first powered up.As per K Shaffer's helpful post. You could have a bad or week power adapter, DC-inboard. bad or week battery,dead pram battery or bad logic board. Here are a couple of shots in the dark,but who knows.  Remove the battery and try to start up. Try starting up with command S.

  • by thiby_2,

    thiby_2 thiby_2 Jan 17, 2016 10:59 AM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 17, 2016 10:59 AM in response to my ginger

    I do not hear the hard drive spinning i can only hear a very faint noice, ot sounds like the fans or something, and the sleep light doesn't light up at all. But i just tryed plugging the compur in without battery, and the backlight came on for a fraction of a second, this is the most i'v seen it do since i've got it

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Jan 17, 2016 11:22 AM in response to thiby_2
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 17, 2016 11:22 AM in response to thiby_2

    Did you try any of the other suggestions I made? I had a problem with an Ibook, which is similar, that would not start up. It belong to my niece. Her's had a dead battery. But since at the time ,I also had an Ibook, I used my battery to power it up. And discovered that she was getting no power into the laptop. This turned out to be the dc-in board. But since I had my laptop it made it easier to troubleshoot. Normal, if you had access, you would try a know good power adapter or battery. This to test what can be removed or changed.

  • by thiby_2,

    thiby_2 thiby_2 Jan 17, 2016 11:36 AM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 17, 2016 11:36 AM in response to my ginger

    Ok, i've just tried resetting the pram, now it makes the chime, i hear the hard drive, and i have a white screen, but is it normal that i do not see anything else(no apple logo, spinning wheel....) so some progress at last

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Jan 17, 2016 11:55 AM in response to thiby_2
    Level 5 (7,580 points)
    Notebooks
    Jan 17, 2016 11:55 AM in response to thiby_2

    There may be a "reset button" to try next - http://askville.amazon.com/Mac-Powerbook-charge-lid-closed-ideas/AnswerViewer.do ?requestId=5483361 - my best guess is under the keyboard -- browser-find text " reset button " to jump to the relevant portion on the page to locate your Mac

    * my PB Pismo reset button is on the back panel = teeny button requiring a ballpoint pen to press

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Jan 17, 2016 11:56 AM in response to thiby_2
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 17, 2016 11:56 AM in response to thiby_2

    Good. two things to try. Boot holding down the Option key. you should see the hard drive. If so click on it or the link below it and see if it will boot. If this will not work, then try single user. Command S at startup. This will take you to a command line prompt. Black screen with white letters scrolling down. Now when it stops scrolling type in- fsck -fy and click enter. if you get the (name) hard drive was modified. Run the command again until it comes back as OK. Then type reboot and click enter. Remember the space between  k and - It will take a little bit of time to run the drive repair program. This is the same as check/ repair hard drive from disk utilities. On a side note  Since this is an older laptop you could see if installed two drives show when using the option at startup. that would mean it has the OS 10 operating system and the older ones which could be OS 9.

  • by thiby_2,

    thiby_2 thiby_2 Jan 17, 2016 12:08 PM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 17, 2016 12:08 PM in response to my ginger

    I think the battery has to recharge before i can do anything else, because it won't  boot anymore so i'l leave it charging until tomorrow(because in my time zone it is 21h. I've contacted the seller and unfortunately he told me he has formatted the hard drive, so i think i will have to re install the os,  and is it normal that i do not have a spinning wheel or something?

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Jan 17, 2016 12:20 PM in response to thiby_2
    Level 5 (7,580 points)
    Notebooks
    Jan 17, 2016 12:20 PM in response to thiby_2

    http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powerbook_g4/specs/powerbook_g4_1.33_17.ht ml

    ...

    Pre-Installed MacOS:   X 10.2.7     Maximum MacOS:     X 10.5.8
    Details:     This system cannot run versions of MacOS X more recent than 10.5.8.

    ...

    Some of the smarter folks than me here will know what "exact" OS X discs you will need

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Jan 17, 2016 12:58 PM in response to thiby_2
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Jan 17, 2016 12:58 PM in response to thiby_2

    You would not get a spinning wheel. Normally if there is no operating system ,you get a folder with a question mark.Here are the spec for your computer.   http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powerbook_g4/specs/powerbook_g4_1.33_17.ht ml You may need to use Ebay to find software for your computer. You would need the software for Powerbook g4 or the retail copy. Sounds like you will need a battery also. If when shut down it will not restart. That means the pram battery is not holding a charge. if the other battery does it keeps enough settings to restart But you most likely will have to do the pram reset again.

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Jan 17, 2016 1:09 PM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 5 (7,580 points)
    Notebooks
    Jan 17, 2016 1:09 PM in response to ChitlinsCC

    PowerBook G4 Aluminum 17" 1-1.67 GHz PRAM Battery & USB Board Replacement 

    https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/PowerBook+G4+Aluminum+17-Inch+1-1.67+GHz+PRAM+Batte ry+%26+USB+Board+Replacement/249

    * Parts link from eBay on the page