Kenniebee
asked on
Powerbook G-4
I apologize in advance but this will probably be a little long b/c I want to try to relay everything I can about my PowerBook G4 problems so you can figure out what's wrong with it.
I bought this G4 PowerBook used several years ago. It's been a good computer, but I did have to replace the hard drive about a year ago.
A month or so ago it started making a little buzzing sound on startup that would last about 15 seconds then go away. I wasn't having any other problems and it wasn't acting erratic in any way so I didn't worry about it.
Then last night I was online and suddenly my wireless mouse quit working. I replaced the battery, reset the mouse, etc. and it still wouldn't work. I tried to do a force quit of my browser and that didn't work so I had to do a hard shut down. When I turned it back on, I heard the dong sound, but the screen was black. I tried to start up from my Drive Genius II CD, my system CD and I also tried starting up in Safe Mode, but it would never come up. I shut it down for about an hour and tried to start up again and this time it came up normally, but within 2 minutes it was frozen again. So I waited until this morning and started up using my Drive Genius CD and it came right up. I started running the hard drive repair mode and within 2 minutes it was locked up again and wouldn't come back up. The keyboard won't work, the mousepad and the wireless mouse won't work and the screen stays black. However, whenever I restart I always hear the dong and it sounds like the hard drive is doing it's job so I'm thinking it probably isn't a hard drive issue - especially since the drive is less than a year old.
Can you tell by the above information what my problem might be? It is about 6 years old so if it is fixable, do you think it is worth fixing?
Thanks a lot!
Kennie
I bought this G4 PowerBook used several years ago. It's been a good computer, but I did have to replace the hard drive about a year ago.
A month or so ago it started making a little buzzing sound on startup that would last about 15 seconds then go away. I wasn't having any other problems and it wasn't acting erratic in any way so I didn't worry about it.
Then last night I was online and suddenly my wireless mouse quit working. I replaced the battery, reset the mouse, etc. and it still wouldn't work. I tried to do a force quit of my browser and that didn't work so I had to do a hard shut down. When I turned it back on, I heard the dong sound, but the screen was black. I tried to start up from my Drive Genius II CD, my system CD and I also tried starting up in Safe Mode, but it would never come up. I shut it down for about an hour and tried to start up again and this time it came up normally, but within 2 minutes it was frozen again. So I waited until this morning and started up using my Drive Genius CD and it came right up. I started running the hard drive repair mode and within 2 minutes it was locked up again and wouldn't come back up. The keyboard won't work, the mousepad and the wireless mouse won't work and the screen stays black. However, whenever I restart I always hear the dong and it sounds like the hard drive is doing it's job so I'm thinking it probably isn't a hard drive issue - especially since the drive is less than a year old.
Can you tell by the above information what my problem might be? It is about 6 years old so if it is fixable, do you think it is worth fixing?
Thanks a lot!
Kennie
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Service with a smile!
ASKER
You are a genius! Thank you soooooooo much!
Kennie
Kennie
ASKER
Hi Strung! Thank you so much for your help yesterday with my Powerbook G4. After resetting the PMU like you told me to, my laptop ran fine for a few hours and then I shut it down thinking everything was great. But last night when I turned it back on the problems started again (black screen, keyboard, wireless mouse, mouse pad wouldn't work). I reset the PMU again like you told me to yesterday and it didn't work that time. I did it about 5 more times and it finally started working again, but only for a few minutes, before it quit again. This went on for a while and then I was unable to get it to come back up at all anymore. I am going to the Apple Store tonight to get a new MacBook Pro 17", but I wonder if all is lost with my Powerbook or if there is anything you can tell me to do to fix it and keep it running. That way I could give it to my daughter. Or maybe you might know exactly what the problem is that is causing it to be so hornery.
: ) Thanks a lot! - Kennie
: ) Thanks a lot! - Kennie
Sounds like a hardware problem. Might possibly be a bad battery. You could take it to the Apple store with you and see if they will let you swap the battery with one of theirs to see if it makes a difference.
ASKER
Kennie