I have a Powerbook G4 Ti laptop 867Hz, on OS 10.2.8 which has been a trusty friend since 2005.
Now I have a strange thing happening involving the screen after startup.
Sometimes, but not always, on startup the screen "splits" - on the gray screen with the apple, two spinning wheels appear and not one. Then when the desktop display appears it is fracture, with lots of horizontal lines and "mess". I can press the power button and by careful manipulation of the mouse on the trackpad, I can click on "SHut Down" and then start over again. The arrow is often hidden/hiding in a small square which moves when I use the trackpad. Very puzzling.
The laptop may or may not be ok the next time I press the power button. This has been happening now for about three days.
Another observation I can make is the pointer (but not the I cursor) has a tiny square outline beneath it and sometimes any open window develops a thin line outlining it - rather like what can happen when you select and drag. It looks like a kind of "echo".
I have tried Disk Utility and verifying and repairing permissions. (I even used the Startup disk to run Disk Utility.) I always use MacJanitor on closing and when something like this happens, I run Disk Utility as well before closing in the hope that cures it.
What do you think? Is it a software or a hardware problem? I have disconnected the mouse I have been using for years in case it was that but the problem recurs.
Neither Pogue's "Missing Manual" or William's "OSX Jaguar Edition" have any help.
Also, I am not experienced in using the Terminal.
Can anyone offer a suggestion?
Happy New Year, all,
MMB
Australia
On Thursday, Jan 7, 2010, at 20:10 Australia/Sydney, [email protected] wrote:
Today's Topic SummaryToday's Topic Summary
Group: http://groups.google.com/group/g4books/topics
• TiBook no power [6 Updates]
• Looking to buy a G4 'Book — suggestions? [1 Update]
Topic: TiBook no power
Al
Resetting PowerBook and iBook Power Management Unit (PMU)
Info here --->
On 06/01/2010, at , John Carmonne wrote:
John Carmonne
On Jan 6, 2010, at 3:42 AM, Al wrote:
> Resetting PowerBook and iBook Power Management Unit (PMU)
> Info here --->
Thanks but the TiBook 400 500 VGA is not motioned on this site. Also I think I have done all these things and would like to know how to isolate a PMU board problem.
The TiBook 500 doesn't have a DC in board so I will probably need a PMU or logic board, but I wish I knew which one first.
> To leave this group, send email to [email protected]
> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g4books
> Support for older Macs: http://lowendmac.com/services/
John Carmonne
Yorba Linda USA
Bruce Johnson
On Jan 6, 2010, at 6:28 AM, John Carmonne wrote:
> isolate a PMU board problem.
> The TiBook 500 doesn't have a DC in board so I will probably need a
> PMU or logic board, but I wish I knew which one first.
The TiBook 400/500 is the original "Powerbook G4"
"PowerBook G4 and PowerBook G4 (Gigabit Ethernet)
• If the computer is on, turn it off.
• Press and release the reset button located on the rear panel of the
computer between the external video and modem ports.
• Wait 5 seconds.
• Press the Power button to restart the computer. "
--
Bruce Johnson
University of Arizona
College of Pharmacy
Information Technology Group
Institutions do not have opinions, merely customs
[email protected] Jan 06 12:40PM -0500 ^
-----Original Message-----
From: Bruce Johnson
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wed, Jan 6, 2010 7:42 am
Subject: Re: TiBook no power
On Jan 6, 2010, at 6:28 AM, John Carmonne wrote:
>>
> Thanks but the TiBook 400 500 VGA is not motioned on this site. Also
> I think I have done all these things and would like to know how to >
isolate a PMU board problem.
> The TiBook 500 doesn't have a DC in board so I will probably need a >
PMU or logic board, but I wish I knew which one first.
The TiBook 400/500 is the original "Powerbook G4"
"PowerBook G4 and PowerBook G4 (Gigabit Ethernet)
• If the computer is on, turn it off.
• Press and release the reset button located on the rear panel of
the computer between the external video and modem ports.
• Wait 5 seconds.
• Press the Power button to restart the computer. "
I did this numerous times and the machine is still dead. How can I
check for power to the PMU or logic board?
John wtmm
Yorba Linda USA
Al
To make sure of an effective reset I would press and hold the reset
button for 5 seconds. I might even remove the battery and power
adaptor as well while doing the reset. If it's still unresponsive
then a
replacement PMU (about $50) maybe the next step. ifixit
have some really great walk throughs to assist with take apart/repair.
Al
John Carmonne
Begin forwarded message:
> Logic boards are a little scarce at what I can afford.
> John Carmonne
> Yorba Linda USA
Well I fried my logic board so has anyone got a board for a TiBook 500 for sale cheap? It burned in the corner by plug J10. I can see it and smell it. I have to repair this it's one of my best kids.
I wish I knew why it shorted out like that.
John Carmonne
Yorba Linda USA
Topic: Looking to buy a G4 'Book — suggestions?
mythmaker18
Like many of the others here, I, too, would have to recommend an
Aluminium Powerbook G4. If you have any desire to run 10.5, it would
seem to be a no-brainer as Al 'books have the fastest video cards of
any of the pre-Macbooks (twice the VideoRAM).
Also, as many have said, iBooks in general (be they G3 or G4) suffer
from more motherboard-related deaths than their Powerbook
counterparts.
You CAN find bargains, though. I managed to snag a 17" 1.33GHz Al for
less than $300 (admittedly, a rare opportunity and I was in the right
place and the right time). I also bought a 15" 1.25GHz Al for my Dad
and after adding an additional 1GB of RAM and a brand new battery,
spent about $325 shipped on it.
None of these newer ones will be as rugged as your Pismo, though. If
standing up to abuse if your #1 priority, you might just look for the
G4 upgrade for your Pismo (though that does nothing to address the
video card's shortcomings).
Best of luck to you in your search!
Andy
--
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From your description, I suspect your graphic processor has gone bad. The symptoms you describe are not consistent with a simple video cable problem or LCD panel fault. The graphic processor is integral with the logic board, and the cost of this repair probably exceeds the residual value of a TiBook.
Just to make sure, hook an external monitor or TV screen onto your machine with the appropriate display adapter (presuming you still have the one that was shipped with your laptop). If you get the same fractured image on both screens, the graphic processsor is the culprit.
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