New 15" Powerbook Owners having this problem?

[PieMac]

My new 1.67 15" PowerBook (superdrive) boots just fine off of the install CD that came with it, but if I try to boot off of any other bootable CD, it will kernel panic. No attached peripherals when trying to boot off the CD either.

I have reset the PRAM, run FSCK, repaired permissions and disk while booting from the install CD. Still panics...no change.

I've run ToolTech Pro, as well as the Apple hardware test, and everything appears to be in order. I'm thinking this is probably a software issue, but I really don't want to have to do a reinstall of the operating system just yet...I just got it a week ago and I'd really hate to have to start over with installing everything. I just want to make sure that this isn't a hardware issue (if it is, I can exchange this PowerBook for another).

Anybody else having this problem?

 

[varmit]

My new 1.67 15" PowerBook (superdrive) boots just fine off of the install CD that came with it, but if I try to boot off of any other bootable CD, it will kernel panic. No attached peripherals when trying to boot off the CD either.

I have reset the PRAM, run FSCK, repaired permissions and disk while booting from the install CD. Still panics...no change.

I've run ToolTech Pro, as well as the Apple hardware test, and everything appears to be in order. I'm thinking this is probably a software issue, but I really don't want to have to do a reinstall of the operating system just yet...I just got it a week ago and I'd really hate to have to start over with installing everything. I just want to make sure that this isn't a hardware issue (if it is, I can exchange this PowerBook for another).

Anybody else having this problem?

Which CDs? Are you talking about OS X cds that came with other Macs? You are able to boot the Hardware Test CD right. Let us know what we are working with here.

 

[Peterkro]

Its not a Tiger beta by any chance is it. Well known problem and there is a work around but as its illegal (possibly) I won't go into it.

 

[PieMac]

Which CDs? Are you talking about OS X cds that came with other Macs? You are able to boot the Hardware Test CD right. Let us know what we are working with here.

I tried to boot from my other half's OS X install CD that came with her 12" PowerBook (she just bought a Rev. C about a month ago). I also tried to boot from a Jaguar upgrade install CD that I have, a CD that I made with BootCD (that worked fine on my Rev. C 17" PowerBook that I recently sold), and I also tried a Norton Utilities CD (version 6 I think-I don't use Norton's anymore...just wanted to see if it would boot from it). All either caused a kernel panic or it would just bypass over the CD all together (even though I was holding down the C key) and boot from the hard drive like normal.

The only CD it will successfully boot from is the OSX install CD that came with it.

 

[26139]

Uh....

Um, who cares? It will boot from the internal hard drive and the disks it came with...so what exactly is the problem?

 

[PieMac]

Um, who cares? It will boot from the internal hard drive and the disks it came with...so what exactly is the problem?

The problem is that it is limiting and it shouldn't be kernel panicking. Not to mention that I would like to be able to run programs such as DiskWarrior when/if needed which require booting off the DiskWarrior CD to run. Too, when Tiger comes out, I don't want to be concerned about whether it will boot off of the install disk or not.

 

[therevolution]

Sounds to me like a hardware or firmware problem. If you had a completely blank hard drive, you should still be able to boot from these CDs, I would think, so I wouldn't expect an OS reinstall would solve anything. If you can exchange it, I say go for it, or have it diagnosed and repaired by Apple or an Apple-certified technician.

 

[veedubdrew]

Sounds to me like there's some drivers (or other OS elements) in the old OS X cds that don't sit well with your new PB. For one, it won't have the proper drivers for the scrolling mouse or perhaps the new sudden motion sensor. Probably not for the Bluetooth 2.0EDR either. All of those things are brand new and not on the versions required for the Rev. C PB cds you're trying to use.

I seriously doubt anything's wrong with your PowerBook, you're just trying to run an OS that's too old for it. Install 10.1.5 on a Dual 2.5GHz G5 and I bet you'd see the same thing. The old OS wouldn't have the right drivers for new equipment that wasn't around when the OS was written. If I'm not mistaken, the new rev PowerBooks had a special version of 10.3.8 that shipped before the OS update was available to the rest of us. I'd imagine that's the lowest build you'd be able to use successfully.

-Drew

 

[PieMac]

Sounds to me like a hardware or firmware problem. If you had a completely blank hard drive, you should still be able to boot from these CDs, I would think, so I wouldn't expect an OS reinstall would solve anything. If you can exchange it, I say go for it, or have it diagnosed and repaired by Apple or an Apple-certified technician.

I can return it for an exchange within 30 days per Amazon's return policy. There are also a couple of other small issues that are kind of bugging me:the lid doesn't close flush (there's a slight gap on the left side that's about 1/16 wider than the right) but I did some research on the forums and found that this is considered "normal". Also, there is a very slight shadowing in the lower right corner of the screen that I noticed upon first boot. It has improved (I've had it a week or so) but sometimes I can still see it, although it's not very noticeable most of the time. On the plus side, it checks out ok with the pixels...which is one reason I hate to exchange it.

 

[veedubdrew]

There's nothing wrong with your machine, you're trying to use an OS that's too old. Especially if you have a display with zero stuck pixels, it would be a shame to return it.

-Drew

I can return it for an exchange within 30 days per Amazon's return policy. There are also a couple of other small issues that are kind of bugging me:the lid doesn't close flush (there's a slight gap on the left side that's about 1/16 wider than the right) but I did some research on the forums and found that this is considered "normal". Also, there is a very slight shadowing in the lower right corner of the screen that I noticed upon first boot. It has improved (I've had it a week or so) but sometimes I can still see it, although it's not very noticeable most of the time. On the plus side, it checks out ok with the pixels...which is one reason I hate to exchange it.

 

[therevolution]

I can return it for an exchange within 30 days per Amazon's return policy. There are also a couple of other small issues that are kind of bugging me:the lid doesn't close flush (there's a slight gap on the left side that's about 1/16 wider than the right) but I did some research on the forums and found that this is considered "normal". Also, there is a very slight shadowing in the lower right corner of the screen that I noticed upon first boot. It has improved (I've had it a week or so) but sometimes I can still see it, although it's not very noticeable most of the time. On the plus side, it checks out ok with the pixels...which is one reason I hate to exchange it.

Yep... well, if you can live with those other flaws, I'm pretty sure the CD booting problem would be covered under warranty and you could get it fixed. I would check with Apple on that, though, just to be sure - don't trust some random person on the internet!

Of course, it's up to you whether or not to return it and try another. If those flaws bother you enough, then go for it. The gap sounds awfully trivial. The screen - couldn't say without having seen it. My feeling is that, if you look hard enough, you can find flaws with just about any PowerBook you'll get.

 

[PieMac]

There's nothing wrong with your machine, you're trying to use an OS that's too old. Especially if you have a display with zero stuck pixels, it would be a shame to return it.

-Drew

Actually, that makes a lot of sense...and that would explain why it boots successfully off of the install disk that came with it and none of the others.

I actually already ordered a second PowerBook and I was going to send this one back for a refund...if the new one had checked out. Turned out that the display had way too much yellow in it...colors were way off and calibration didn't help at all. Also, there was a small mark/blemish on the aluminum casing and, of course, a stuck pixel. Unfortunately, I sent it back before discovering the boot situation so I wasn't able to test it out.

 

[PieMac]

Yep... well, if you can live with those other flaws, I'm pretty sure the CD booting problem would be covered under warranty and you could get it fixed. I would check with Apple on that, though, just to be sure - don't trust some random person on the internet!

Of course, it's up to you whether or not to return it and try another. If those flaws bother you enough, then go for it. The gap sounds awfully trivial. The screen - couldn't say without having seen it. My feeling is that, if you look hard enough, you can find flaws with just about any PowerBook you'll get.

The gap only concerned me because of the "warping" issues I kept coming across in the threads. And truthfully, I probably wouldn't have even noticed the screen issue if it hadn't been so obvious on first boot. I'm not sure why it's improved...perhaps it's just a matter of warming up or it's just adjusted itself with time. As for the boot problem, I really hate to have to send anything in to Apple if I can avoid it. Not that I don't trust them, but I'd just rather avoid the hassle of a future problem and having to go through repairs.

My feeling is that, if you look hard enough, you can find flaws with just about any PowerBook you'll get.

I tend to agree with you on this one...perfection just doesn't exist...you just wish it did when you spend this kind of money

 

[therevolution]

I tend to agree with you on this one...perfection just doesn't exist...you just wish it did when you spend this kind of money

I sympathize completely. Mine's arriving later this week... I can't wait to find out what's wrong with it.

 

[PieMac]

I sympathize completely. Mine's arriving later this week... I can't wait to find out what's wrong with it.

LOL...knock on wood before you open the box!