iBook goes to grey screen - won't boot

[jroc]

I have seen this talked about a fair bit, but i thought i'd start my own thread because it seems slightly different.

To start, when the computer was last running, the (what sounded like fan) started making a terrible noise, then stopped, and the computer turned off.
After that, when booting, it just goes to a grey/blue screen and sits there.

I have an iBook G4, 1064mhz, 256/30.
I dont know what model that makes it, but from the Mac website, I have tried to reset the PRAM to no avail. All of the methods listed do not seem to do anything on my ibook.

I tried using this link to reset the http://http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14449#faq9

I dont know which one is for my model, but i see no reset button under the keyboard, or on the case. There is a little tiny hole on the case beside the LCD???
I have tried the shift-ctrl-opt-power but it doesnt do anything.

As well, i did hold down the "option" button when booting, and it brings me to a screen which shows an image of a hard drive with a green "x"

I dont know if the green means good or the X means bad..

I have read that resetting PRAM and/or changing the resolution seem to help the problem, but I do not know how to do either.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Cheers

 

[jroc]

Anyone?

This seems to be a farily common issue, and there appear to be fixes, I just dont know how to do a PRAM reset or change the display options.

 

[Chundles]

It's either the HDD or the logic board. Have you tried booting from your OSX restore discs? (put disc 1 in and hold down C when rebooting)

If you can boot from the disc, go to the Utilities menu and then run Disk Utility to check the HDD. If nothing's wrong with the disc then it's something else and should be looked at.

If you can't boot from the disc your machine is buggered.

 

[Warbrain]

That definitely sounds like it's more of a logic board issue than anything else.

Did you see any strange colors or lines on the screen before it died on you? Or did the screen do anything funny at all? When my logic board lost it's connection on my iBook, it should just show solid colors on the screen. It couldn't even show the desktop.

 

[jroc]

I will try with the disc tonight.

As for the colors, I dont believe it did.
It comes up to a blue screen now.

Can i open this thing up and look for VISIBLE signs of damage to either the logic board or the HDD?

Or would it be a guess and test method?

Thanks

 

[IJ Reilly]

Don't try to open the iBook, is my advice. Visible damage is most unlikely, and there are quite a few things to look into before cracking the case.

You can also run the hardware test CD, which should have come with the Mac.

 

[jroc]

Don't try to open the iBook, is my advice. Visible damage is most unlikely, and there are quite a few things to look into before cracking the case.

You can also run the hardware test CD, which should have come with the Mac.

Righto, i'll give it a row with the CD's.

Would reseating the ram do anything?

My main purpose for wanting to take it apart was that there *was* an awful gratey sound coming from what sounded to me like the fan.

If that guy is melted/non operational might it have something to do with it?

 

[IJ Reilly]

Righto, i'll give it a row with the CD's.

Would reseating the ram do anything?

My main purpose for wanting to take it apart was that there *was* an awful gratey sound coming from what sounded to me like the fan.

If that guy is melted/non operational might it have something to do with it?

If you heard an actual sound before all this started, then I'd join with those who suspect a failing hard drive. Not much in the computer makes audible sounds. Check that item first, as suggested above.

 

[patrick0brien]

Failed HD agreed.
You'll get the x'ed HD icon when the machine can't find a boot partition.

 

[jroc]

Failed HD agreed.
You'll get the x'ed HD icon when the machine can't find a boot partition.

Hrn, that only seems to happen when i actually do the check for the hard drive. Otherwise it just goes to the blue screen.

Is that normal action?

And if its the hard drive, is it possible to test for sure if its hard drive or logic board?


Thanks

 

[madmaxmedia]

And if its the hard drive, is it possible to test for sure if its hard drive or logic board?
Thanks

If you can boot from a restore disk, then that pretty much tells you that your logic board should be okay.

Also, no hard in re-seating RAM sticks (you mentioned earlier), especially if you CANNOT boot from a restore disk.

 

[patrick0brien]

-jroc

I agree with madmaxmedia. Pop the install disk in to the optical drive, press 'c' on the startup 'bong' and see if it boots.

With a foobed HD, you could get a lot of strange behaviour, it is a mechanical device and can get different reads every time it tries, ergo regular boots, half-boots, a "Hi I'm here and that's all you'll get out of me" response, or nothing at all.

 

[madmaxmedia]

With a foobed HD, you could get a lot of strange behaviour, it is a mechanical device and can get different reads every time it tries, ergo regular boots, half-boots, a "Hi I'm here and that's all you'll get out of me" response, or nothing at all.

I had a PB hard drive fail on me, but found that if I tilted the PB about 30 degrees it would still work. Very fortunate, as it gave me a chance to transfer all my data before replacing the drive!!

 

[patrick0brien]

That's the wierdest solution I've heard all day...

 

[Warbrain]

Don't try to open the iBook, is my advice. Visible damage is most unlikely, and there are quite a few things to look into before cracking the case.

Does anyone else feel like taking out 40-odd screws to just get to the internals today?

 

[findpankaj]

I had a PB hard drive fail on me, but found that if I tilted the PB about 30 degrees it would still work. Very fortunate, as it gave me a chance to transfer all my data before replacing the drive!!

I tend to agree with you buddy. For me, moving the machine is not required to get the kernel panic but I have noticed this quite a number of times, when I tried to place my Laptop on the floor (may be 45 degree tilt), I got the error. (opposite to your situation).