Apparently I fried my logic board and now the sleep mode does not work- to replace it would cost $900.00 CND. So they say it's not worth to fix. I have taken computer to another shop and they have seconded the opinion of awrecked LB. It's a relatively new computer and it seems to still work execpt for the sleep thing.. What would you do... they say I can live with it but it would be nice to have it back fully functional.😕
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G4 Quicksilver Logic Board
- Thread starter panzerfaust
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applemacdude
macrumors 68040
The motherboard is not fried if its working. This might work or not. Get your motherboard and wrap it around in aluminum foil. put it in your freezer for at last one week. This supposedly hard resets the motherboard. (At least it reset the the bios on x86 motherboards) 😀 😉 🙂 (Somehow the smileys didnt show up and peopel took me seriously) 😀
This sounds like witchcraft...
When I first read it I thought you were going to say put the tin foil on my head🙂 but I guess I can try it? The thing is, even with this crippled Mac - how could I go through a week withdrawl?.. hoping that it would work and then if it didn't. It sounds like you are setting me up. I'm open to crazy ideas... anything to get it back to normal but why, physically, would this work? The basic problem is that last weekend, thinking that I was doing my computer good.. I finally went out and spent $220.00CND on the Norton System Works set. I installed it but for some reason, and I can't remember the exact series of events, I ended up having a computer that would not wake from sleep,in my ignorance and thinking I knew what I was doing I pushed the reset button,(Kudo?) on the inside to kill the power so I could push the start button and it would start. I did this many times, while the unit was still plugged in, because I could not get sleep to work... So I guess I blew the time management section of the Logic board..I'm really not to knowlwdgable abot the inner workings but the techs I've talked to say that the problem is unfixable without spending 9 hundred dollars. Not worth it they say I've got a 933 G4 and its my first.Part of the problem is the battery (PRAM) does not recharge? so no point putting another one in as it will just drain and at 10 bucks each it's expensive and a major nuisance- It was suggested to remove and replace battery when in use but that's crazy compared to just being able to hit a key on the key board and having access to the computer. I guess for some reason the computer does not recognize that it is plugged into AC?😕
When I first read it I thought you were going to say put the tin foil on my head🙂 but I guess I can try it? The thing is, even with this crippled Mac - how could I go through a week withdrawl?.. hoping that it would work and then if it didn't. It sounds like you are setting me up. I'm open to crazy ideas... anything to get it back to normal but why, physically, would this work? The basic problem is that last weekend, thinking that I was doing my computer good.. I finally went out and spent $220.00CND on the Norton System Works set. I installed it but for some reason, and I can't remember the exact series of events, I ended up having a computer that would not wake from sleep,in my ignorance and thinking I knew what I was doing I pushed the reset button,(Kudo?) on the inside to kill the power so I could push the start button and it would start. I did this many times, while the unit was still plugged in, because I could not get sleep to work... So I guess I blew the time management section of the Logic board..I'm really not to knowlwdgable abot the inner workings but the techs I've talked to say that the problem is unfixable without spending 9 hundred dollars. Not worth it they say I've got a 933 G4 and its my first.Part of the problem is the battery (PRAM) does not recharge? so no point putting another one in as it will just drain and at 10 bucks each it's expensive and a major nuisance- It was suggested to remove and replace battery when in use but that's crazy compared to just being able to hit a key on the key board and having access to the computer. I guess for some reason the computer does not recognize that it is plugged into AC?😕
iJon
macrumors 604
hold up, dont go putting things in the freezer. putting your mobo in the freezer does not reset your bios, removing the cmos battery does, but not freezing it (unless someone can prove me wrong, which i would greatly and impressivly take back my words.). ok time for your question, im a little confused. in your second post it seems like you are talking about a laptop with the ac and battery talk. but if you are still talking about the quicksilver you may have just messed up the power management. if your logic board was damaged i believe you would be having way more problems than just sleep. i think you set reset your power manager. its been a while but i will explain it, if i explain wrong someone will correct me. at start up hold down option apple o f. then at the command line type "reset all" i believe thats it, give that a try, i really dont think 900 dollars is your only choice. hope that helped, let us know how it goes or if those key commands are wrong.
iJon
iJon
I tried the option apple f o key thing and it was cool to restart and have the code for the computer sitting there! never seen that before. I typed in reset all but it said no word as reset-- then I noticed to continue boot it said Mac -boot , a hyphon so I typed that-(reset-all)- and the computer shut down and started up. I tried the sleep mode again from the menu bar-the screen went dark the fan stopped whirring but the light on thefront of the tower just went out . There was no intermittent ebb and flow in the glow. The computer would not wake when prodded. so hmmm.... what else can we try, Thanks by the way for taking the time to answer my query- if we get it working you will have made me a very happy camper. 🙂 here is the info on my computer
iJon
macrumors 604
ah yes, the dash, forgot about that. well im sure of anything right now, its 430 in the morning so i cant really think straight. ill think some more and we can take a look at what others have to say, if no one else has any advice i will find out more for you on tuesday.Originally posted by panzerfaust
I tried the option apple f o key thing and it was cool to restart and have the code for the computer sitting there! never seen that before. I typed in reset all but it said no word as reset-- then I noticed to continue boot it said Mac -boot , a hyphon so I typed that-(reset-all)- and the computer shut down and started up. I tried the sleep mode again from the menu bar-the screen went dark the fan stopped whirring but the light on thefront of the tower just went out . There was no intermittent ebb and flow in the glow. The computer would not wake when prodded. so hmmm.... what else can we try, Thanks by the way for taking the time to answer my query- if we get it working you will have made me a very happy camper. 🙂 here is the info on my computer
iJon
Dont Hurt Me
macrumors 603
i think you should state more info on your machine,whats in it what you run and what made this happen, i had a very similar experience one time with a lightning strike. turns out my ethernet card was burned up and gave me similar issues. anyways put out the details of your quicksilver.
lastest work order and some info
I'm not to sure what is on the inside as far as cards and stuff- Its basically used for Photoshop and Internet and iPhoto. It's got a dvd burner and...? I'm pretty stupid about the inner workings. Is there a list of things maybe I can ask the dealer on Tues.,(Labour Day holiday on Monday) about?😉
The guy said it's because I pushed the little button on the inside too long or too many times or while the compy was plugged in.
I'm not to sure what is on the inside as far as cards and stuff- Its basically used for Photoshop and Internet and iPhoto. It's got a dvd burner and...? I'm pretty stupid about the inner workings. Is there a list of things maybe I can ask the dealer on Tues.,(Labour Day holiday on Monday) about?😉
The guy said it's because I pushed the little button on the inside too long or too many times or while the compy was plugged in.
Geez... rookies... putting things in the freezer. hah!
Remove all PCI cards that did not come shipped with the computer as it came from Apple. Some PCI cards do not let the computer go to sleep.
Remove all devices, other than the keyboard and mouse, and VGA monitor. Just easier to diagnose the problem that way.
Take out the battery from the computer. Make sure you know which way its pointing for when you put it back in. You only need the battery when you want the computer to keep time WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE IT PLUGGED INTO THE WALL OUTLET.
Unplug the computer from the wall, this should reset the power manager chip since it would lose power until you plug it back in.
Press your power switch on the front of the computer, feel if its sticking or not. If it is, then that could be your problem.
Plug the computer back into the 1950s-vintage electrical power grid of the Northeastern United States. 😀 (Plug it back into the wall.)
Power up the computer via the power switch on the front of the computer. As soon as you do, press and hold down apple-option-O-F on the keyboard. Keep holding it down until you get a screen with some text on it.
At the ">" prompt, type reset-nvram, then hit the return key.
Follow this up with shut-down, then hit the return key.
This should reset your PRAM, as well as shutdown your computer.
Power up the computer again, and let it go to the operating system. When its at the Finder, select 'SLEEP' from the Apple menu (or the Special menu in OS 9).
If its still acting the same way, there is a 10 pin cable near where the hinge of the computer door is. Its near the airport slot. WITH THE COMPUTER UNPLUGGED, try taking this cable in and out. It should be pretty simple. When you have gotten the knack of taking it in and out, put it back in, plug the computer in, power it up and get back into the operating system.
Now, this is where we really void your warranty. DON'T DO THIS IF YOU THINK THERE IS STILL ANY CHOICE. You could either fry something, or not. Mostly likely not, but you have been warned. I've done this to a lot of systems, and have not been burned since, but you might not have the same luck as I do. 😛 When the system is at the operating system, yank out that 10 pin cable. Your power switch should be disconnected, and your power light should go off, but the system should still be on... hopefully.
Now, try and put the system to sleep via the keyboard/mouse. You should be able to wake it up too, using the keyboard and mouse. If that works, then your problem is NOT the MLB, but on the front power switch board.
Good luck... don't forget to get some horseshoes and rabbit's foot. 😀
Remove all PCI cards that did not come shipped with the computer as it came from Apple. Some PCI cards do not let the computer go to sleep.
Remove all devices, other than the keyboard and mouse, and VGA monitor. Just easier to diagnose the problem that way.
Take out the battery from the computer. Make sure you know which way its pointing for when you put it back in. You only need the battery when you want the computer to keep time WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE IT PLUGGED INTO THE WALL OUTLET.
Unplug the computer from the wall, this should reset the power manager chip since it would lose power until you plug it back in.
Press your power switch on the front of the computer, feel if its sticking or not. If it is, then that could be your problem.
Plug the computer back into the 1950s-vintage electrical power grid of the Northeastern United States. 😀 (Plug it back into the wall.)
Power up the computer via the power switch on the front of the computer. As soon as you do, press and hold down apple-option-O-F on the keyboard. Keep holding it down until you get a screen with some text on it.
At the ">" prompt, type reset-nvram, then hit the return key.
Follow this up with shut-down, then hit the return key.
This should reset your PRAM, as well as shutdown your computer.
Power up the computer again, and let it go to the operating system. When its at the Finder, select 'SLEEP' from the Apple menu (or the Special menu in OS 9).
If its still acting the same way, there is a 10 pin cable near where the hinge of the computer door is. Its near the airport slot. WITH THE COMPUTER UNPLUGGED, try taking this cable in and out. It should be pretty simple. When you have gotten the knack of taking it in and out, put it back in, plug the computer in, power it up and get back into the operating system.
Now, this is where we really void your warranty. DON'T DO THIS IF YOU THINK THERE IS STILL ANY CHOICE. You could either fry something, or not. Mostly likely not, but you have been warned. I've done this to a lot of systems, and have not been burned since, but you might not have the same luck as I do. 😛 When the system is at the operating system, yank out that 10 pin cable. Your power switch should be disconnected, and your power light should go off, but the system should still be on... hopefully.
Now, try and put the system to sleep via the keyboard/mouse. You should be able to wake it up too, using the keyboard and mouse. If that works, then your problem is NOT the MLB, but on the front power switch board.
Good luck... don't forget to get some horseshoes and rabbit's foot. 😀
What mean kung - fu? I haven't done the last thing on the itinerary as I'm not totally confident I won't make things worse.🙁
What lewdvig was referring to was a line in "The X Files" series. There was one episode where Frohikey and Langley were arguing about who's kung-fu was the best. You needed to be fan of the series to have remembered that.
You ought to just try the cable yanking advice, if its really just a front panel switch board. Thats cheaper than a MLB.
Re: This sounds like witchcraft...
But, I'm sorry to say, you proceeded to make it much worse:
My condolences!
WM
It sounds like this is where your problems started. Norton probably didn't fry your motherboard (AKA logic board), and maybe it has nothing to do with the problem. Maybe something coincidentally went wrong right at that same time.
But, I'm sorry to say, you proceeded to make it much worse:
Pretty close, actually. In the earlier days of Mac hardware that switch reset the Cuda chip, and the switch took on the name of its function, I guess. 🙂
OK, the reset switch doesn't kill the power, it simply resets the PRAM (parameter RAM, which maintains the preferences, so to speak, of the low-level software [Open Firmware] that runs on the motherboard). The correct way to force your computer to shut down is to hold the power button down for about five seconds until it shuts off. Or you can unplug it for roughly the same effect. 😉
Yes, you most likely fried the PMU99, which is the power management chip in all recent Macs. (My guess is that the acronym basically means "the power management unit that was introduced in 1999.") If the owner's manual mentions that reset switch (it may not), I'm almost certain that it also says not to press it more than once or you'll crash the chip, and then the internal battery will run down very quickly (which, you say below, is what the tech told you is happening).
It looks like Frohickey is trying to determine if the problem is with the power switch and/or its assembly. I suspect that it's not--that you really have fried the PMU. In which case I don't think there's any way around ponying up the $1000 for a new motherboard (unless you can live with the symptoms of a non-working PMU). You've probably fried a chip that can't be replaced, and...that's about it. The only way to get a new chip is to get a new motherboard.
My condolences!
WM
What are the symptoms that I will have to live with? I thought it was going to be real bad at first- but everthing thing seems to be okay except I just have to shut down or leave on the computer. Will the computer get more worse and more symptems as time goes on? If it stays the way it is I can live without the sleep mode... but maybe I don't understand the full extent of the damage or potentail problems. Thanks everyone who has taken the time to respond to my enquiry- What's the G5's look like? You know they shouldn't have told me about that button when I had the drive go kaput earlier on when under warranty and I called the Apple support 1-800 line.... live and learn$$$$
Did you even do the first things in the post, such as reseting your nvram?
I should charge you double. 😛
yep -I did everything except the last thing and the problems remain- maybe when I feel my luck is better I will try the cord thing. Thanks 😀
No, I don't think so. I expect that whatever you're experiencing now will simply continue.
However, one of the functions of the PMU is to put things to sleep when they're not needed (even while the computer seems to be fully awake). The processor, for example, has an "idle" mode that is invisible to the user. I'm not sure how this would be affected by not having a PMU; if it's disabled, that might shorten the life of the processor and/or other components.
OK. You also said that the $10 battery is running down very quickly, right? That will probably continue as well.
HTH
WM