Powerbook G4 1.67 kernel panic-- won't boot

Nova77 · Mar 28, 2012

:S Need help, my powerbook wont boot! kernel panic everytime..

I tried to remove 1 RAM bar, and then the other, nothing happened.

I tried a diff OS that was on same HDD... same

I reinstalled (clean install) of Tiger on an external firewire 800 drive, and it won't boot either.

What do I do?

zen.state · Mar 29, 2012

Nova77 said:
:S Need help, my powerbook wont boot! kernel panic everytime..

I tried to remove 1 RAM bar, and then the other, nothing happened.

I tried a diff OS that was on same HDD... same

I reinstalled (clean install) of Tiger on an external firewire 800 drive, and it won't boot either.

What do I do?

Can you please give more specifics of exactly what happens when you try to boot and how far it gets before the KP. Is it consistently at the same time in the boot process? Is the KP instantaneous?

Nova77 · Mar 29, 2012

zen.state said:
Can you please give more specifics of exactly what happens when you try to boot and how far it gets before the KP. Is it consistently at the same time in the boot process? Is the KP instantaneous?

Thanks for response.
Well the computer boots to the progress bar, it loads, the user window shows up, and then you have 3 seconds to type in the start of your password... then BOOM. Kernel panic, sometimes with weird flashing colors.

It happens exactly at the same time everytime in the boot process.

The computer boots in safe mode, but this is unsuable since everything is turned off.

I don't see how this could be an OS problem because I freshly installed Tiger (using my MDD) on a firewire drive, put it on the laptop and still... same Kernel panic, same time in the boot process.

zen.state · Mar 29, 2012

Sounds like it could be an extension issue. Make a new bare bones Admin account and if it boots fine then I am 99% sure it's an extension something 3rd party added that has become corrupted.

Could also be something like the sound controller or something along that line. If thats the case then the KP would be because the extension can't access the hardware it controls.

Nova77 · Mar 29, 2012

zen.state said:
Sounds like it could be an extension issue. Make a new Admin account and if it boots fine then I am 99% sure it's an extension something 3rd party added that has become corrupted.

Thats what I first thought... But how do you explain it won't boot from a clean install?

zen.state · Mar 29, 2012

Nova77 said:
Thats what I first thought... But how do you explain it won't boot from a clean install?

Read the 2nd line I added after your quote. It's possible that one of the controllers on the logic board is dead. It's certainly not a power issue.

Nova77 · Mar 29, 2012

zen.state said:
Read the 2nd line I added after your quote. It's possible that one of the controllers on the logic board is dead. It's certainly not a power issue.

Ah... sorry. I read too fast.

What can I do if one of the controllers on the logic board is dead?
Does that bascially mean my computer is dead?...

zen.state · Mar 29, 2012

Nova77 said:
Ah... sorry. I read too fast.

What can I do if one of the controllers on the logic board is dead?
Does that bascially mean my computer is dead?...

First you should run a proper hardware test on it. Do you have the original test disk? I have images of every test disk ever made if you need it. As a certified tech I can legally give them away.

Nova77 · Mar 29, 2012

zen.state said:
First you should run a proper hardware test on it. Do you have the original test disk? I have images of every test disk ever made if you need it. As a certified tech I can legally give them away.

Thanks but the Apple Hardware test is already running. I have all original DVDs. Yesterday I run the "fast test" and it passed everything. I'm running the other one now.

zen.state · Mar 29, 2012

If the hardware test finds nothing then you will have to try removing each extension one by one and attempt a boot to really narrow it down. It will be grueling but should find the issue.

If you have to do the above mentioned then create a temp folder outside of the user folder to hold each one as you try to boot without it.

Nova77 · Mar 29, 2012

zen.state said:
If the hardware test finds nothing then you will have to try removing each extension one by one and attempt a boot to really narrow it down. It will be grueling but should find the issue.

If you have to do the above mentioned then create a temp folder outside of the user folder to hold each one as you try to boot without it.

The hardware test found nothing.

So... whats happening? One of the hardware components is dead and I gotta turn off the corresponding extension?

zen.state · Mar 29, 2012

Nova77 said:
The hardware test found nothing.

So... whats happening? One of the hardware components is dead and I gotta turn off the corresponding extension?

If a new account didn't work and since the hardware test found nothing along with it booting fine in safe mode tells me it's an issue with one of the less important controllers and/or the PCB connection to it.

Since I can't put my hands on it the best I can advise is a militaristic hunt for the extension that can't load.

zen.state · Mar 29, 2012

Almost forgot.. check the console on both the internal and external installs and see if any errors were posted there.

Nova77 · Mar 29, 2012

zen.state said:
Almost forgot.. check the console on both the internal and external installs and see if any errors were posted there.

The damn thing wont even boot in safe mode anymore.
Plus, it seems to crash when in target mode. I can't mount it on my MDD...

WTF???

666sheep · Mar 29, 2012

Nova77 said:
Kernel panic, sometimes with weird flashing colors.

It happens exactly at the same time everytime in the boot process.

The computer boots in safe mode, but this is unsuable since everything is turned off.

I don't see how this could be an OS problem because I freshly installed Tiger (using my MDD) on a firewire drive

It seems that graphics card was giving up the ghost and now it's fully dead.

zen.state · Mar 29, 2012

666sheep said:
It seems that graphics card was giving up the ghost and now it's fully dead.

I mostly ruled that out since the GPU seemed fine in safe mode. Could also be the video memory.

Nova77 · Mar 29, 2012

Anything I can do???....

Nova77 · Mar 29, 2012

Update: it boots on the install DVD.

Xandros · Mar 29, 2012

I know you've run hardware tests and not found any apparent problems but if you ask me, the hard disc has gone south on you - possibly backed up by the fact you can boot it off the optical but a clean install off the HDD was giving you issues.

As zen.state suggested pulling individual hardware components out and running a trial and error approach might be your only solution now, but the HDD would be my first port of call, and it's a fairly straight forward process to access it on a 1.67 G4. I mean I could be wrong of course, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to just try a known working drive in there.

zen.state · Mar 30, 2012

Any updates, Nova?

Xandros said:
As zen.state suggested pulling individual hardware components out and running a trial and error approach might be your only solution now, but the HDD would be my first port of call, and it's a fairly straight forward process to access it on a 1.67 G4. I mean I could be wrong of course, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to just try a known working drive in there.

I wasn't talking about pulling any hardware as most of it can't be pulled without making the computer unable to boot. I meant disabling it by not loading the extension. Doing that one at a time without a safe boot to see if one not being there allows it to boot without a KP. If it did boot with one disabled then that points the finger at whatever hardware it controls.

Based on the info I have I would rule out GPU or HD failure at this point at least.

Nova77 · Mar 30, 2012

zen.state said:
Any updates, Nova?

I wasn't talking about pulling any hardware as most of it can't be pulled without making the computer unable to boot. I meant disabling it by not loading the extension. Doing that one at a time without a safe boot to see if one not being there allows it to boot without a KP. If it did boot with one disabled then that points the finger at whatever hardware it controls.

Based on the info I have I would rule out GPU or HD failure at this point at least.

Update: Now it won't boot, even in safe mode. Clean install did nothing. Target mode doesn't work.

Nameci · Mar 30, 2012

Can you still hear the boot chime?

Nova77 · Mar 30, 2012

Nameci said:
Can you still hear the boot chime?

Yes, its just that kernel panic happens earlier now. Apple logo, loading, and kernel panic... It won't make it to the users selection box now.

Nameci · Mar 30, 2012

Even with booting from the install disk? If booting from the install disk boot take to install process without KP, then I am afraid that your HDD is about to give up.

Nova77 · Mar 31, 2012

Nameci said:
Even with booting from the install disk? If booting from the install disk boot take to install process without KP, then I am afraid that your HDD is about to give up.

The install process was 100% fine, but when it restarts on the clean install... same kernel panic.

Powerbook G4 1.67 kernel panic-- won't boot

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