I have an old powerbook G4 that will not let me un check mute button in Systems preferences. please help

The Powerbook G4 power button functions like a reset button if you hold the power button in for a few seconds until the computer powers down.

1. Hold the power button in for a few seconds (until you see the screen turn off/go black and hear the fans & hard drive stop spinning).
2. Press the power button again to turn your computer on.
3. If you have more trouble, you may need to boot in Safe Mode or "perform a Safe Boot":
   Press and hold down the "Shift" key immediately after you hear the start-up tone. Release the "Shift" key when the gray Apple icon appears on the screen.

Which operating system ??

In Windows and on a Mac, you can use an icon shaped like an audio speaker to adjust the computer's volume or mute the sound output completely.

Whichever operating system you are running, it is possible to remove the volume icon from the screen.

If you have removed the volume icon accidentally, you may not have a convenient way to adjust your computer's sound volume.

Restore the sound icon to resume using it to adjust the volume or mute your computer's sound output.

Click the "System Preferences" icon on the dock.
If you have removed this icon from the dock, click the Apple icon at the top of the screen, then click "System Preferences."


Click the "Sound" icon in the "System Preferences" window.

Place a check in the box at the bottom of the window labeled "Show volume in menu bar."
The sound icon appears at the top of the screen.
Close the window to resume using your computer.
Restoring the sound icon in Windows 7

Click the Windows Orb (Start button), then click "Control Panel."
Click "Taskbar and Start Menu."
If you do not see this icon, click the "View by:" drop-down menu at the top of the window and select "Small icons."
Click the "Taskbar" tab, then click the "Customize" button.
Click the drop-down menu next to "Volume" and select "Show icon and notifications."
Click "OK" twice and close the Control Panel.
Restoring the sound icon in Windows Vista

Click the Windows Orb (Start button), then click "Control Panel."
Double-click "Taskbar and Start Menu."
If you do not see this icon, click the "Classic View" link.
Select the "Notification Area" tab. Place a check in the box labeled "Volume."
Click "OK" and close the Control Panel.
Restoring the sound icon in Windows XP

Click the "Start" button, then click "Control Panel."
Double-click the "Sounds and Audio Devices" icon, or click "Sounds, Speech and Audio Devices," then click "Sounds and Audio Devices."
Place a check in the box labeled "Place volume icon in the taskbar."
Click "OK" and close the Control Panel.
Restoring the sound icon in Windows 2000

Click the "Start" button, then click "Settings" and "Control Panel."
Double-click "Sounds and Multimedia."
Place a check in the box labeled "Show volume control on the taskbar."
Click "OK" and close the Control Panel.
Restoring the sound icon in Windows Millennium Edition (ME)

Click the "Start" button, then click "Settings" and "Control Panel."
Double-click "Sounds and Multimedia."
If you do not see this icon, click the "View All Control Panel Options" link.
Place a check in the box labeled "Show volume control on the taskbar."
Click "OK" and close the Control Panel.
Restoring the sound icon in Windows 98

Click the "Start" button, then click "Settings" and "Control Panel."
Double-click "Multimedia."
Click the "Audio" tab.
Place a check in the box labeled "Show volume control on the taskbar."
Click "OK" and close the Control Panel.

::Look EASIEST WAY OF THEM ALL RIGHT HERE::

[1] --> Right Click the Volume Icon at the bottom right corner of your screen [The Task bar].
[2] --> Click [Playback Devices]
[3] --> Right Click the [Speakers] Icon and click Properties
[4] --> Click the [Levels] Tab; and there you will see the Microphone Volume slider (The one at the very bottom of the "HD Audio output" and "PC Beep" sliders where you can un-mute the mic playback (By clicking the unmute icon, than slide the volume up to where you prefer it... Simple I hope I was able to help someone with this...

Go to the Apple menu (top left) System Preferences > Sound click the Output tab at the bottom there is a Output volume slide bar, slide the blue upside down house all the way to the right (max volume) make sure the Mute checkbox is unchecked.

Go to the top of your keyboard. There is a button with a black sideways bell shape icon on it ( a speaker) (the f3 key)...probably four in from the left starting with esc. Toggle that on. It may be on the mute setting now. It should have waves coming out of it when it is unmuted. To the right of that button (two buttons to the right) is the increase volume control button, the (f5) key. Make sure the volume is up! If it is down all the way you will hear nothing and it will be also muted.
I am not sure why if you go into System Preferences (under the Apple icon) and scroll down to Sound and Output, the mute box cannot be unchecked. Perhaps using the function keys to unmute and increase volume on the top of the keyboard will help.

This solution is for Mac OS X go to system preferences then to the control panel Universal Access under seeing tab there is a DISPLAY Area it is probably showing up white on black change it to black on white.
Hope this helps.

Try to download the latest version of iTunes for Mac, click on this link http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/ and install, see it it works.

hey,
so not to be obvious but you have one of two problems either hardware or software. there is a way to check but you need to do a few things. first you should try creating a new user account and see if the volume problem still exists. you create a new user through system prefs/accounts. if that doesn’t work you should try a pram reset by holding down the cmd, option, r, p, key at boot. IF you have never done this before you want to hear the startup chimes at least 3 times then let the computer restart. if that still doesn’t work you should try an archive and install of the os from the discs if you still have them, and if none of that work you most likely have a hardware issue and either the logic board needs to be replaced or the speakers are bad. but either way its going to cost money if there is a hardware issue and you might consider a new computer, im just being honest.

How long before it goes dim?

Does it start strong, then dims right away?

I would start by looking in: Apple Menu>System Preferences>Keyboard & Mouse, & just check the settings for your trackpad. Sometimes if you have it set so you can tap the tracking surface, it can be too sensitive. Hope that helps.