New here, PowerMac G4 Quicksilver random shutdown

[RDM]

Hey guys, go easy on me with this, I am NOT computer savvy in the least bit, I'm a mechanic and can teardown an engine but know virtually nothing technical about a computer. Here's the rundown.

I have a G4 Quicksilver model M8667LL/A, Dual 1.0 Ghz, that I use at home. I believe it's running OS X 10.4.1, I have a browser on it and that's basically it. I use it strictly for email and web browsing, I don't do anything else with it like run anything big, I store all my data on an external hard drive so the machine is not over worked in the least bit.

Recently it began to freeze up on me, requiring a shut down, once cooled down for a bit I could restart it but would get a 'restart' screen soon after. Once restarted a second time it would work fine but I noticed a considerable amount of heat coming from the bottom of the case. I downloaded Temperature Monitor and have seen as high as 116.7 F, obviously too hot.

Both fans are working but don't seem to really move that much air, the aluminum heatsink on the top side of the door when opened is hot enough to cook on.

I've emailed two local places for repair quotes, one told me my computer was outdated junk and not worth repairing, the other said it was an easy $50 fix, bring it in.

I would like to get more ideas on this problem before doing anything, obviously $50 is fine if that will indeed fix the problem, I also considered throwing another stick of RAM in it while it was in for repair (it's a three slot, two slots have 512 in them) but if this thing really is junk I don't want to put money into it.

Again, I don't run an office or have a ton of programs loading it down, Mozilla, iPhoto, and Adobe for PDF files is really all it has. I've searched around on here a bit for tips on repairing or diagnosing an overheated machine but didn't find anything common to my unit.

Any thoughts?

 

[TDM21]

The lockups and freezes could be a number of problems; either software or hardware. the 116.7 degrees Fahrenheit isn't uncommon inside computers. Many laptops regularly run hotter then that. The Quicksilver's case is also designed to push air out through the power supply and bottom of the case so the hot air at the bottom is normal. If heat is causing the issues with your system, try leaving the system door open and wait to see if it freezes again.

There also could be a problem with the hard drive. It may be failing. The easiest way to test it is to use Disk Utility. If you look in the Applications Folder > Utilities you will find the program. You can then select your hard drive from the list on the left. Click the tab labeled "First Aid" and then the button labeled "Verify Disk". This will check to see if the file structure of you hard drive is ok. The results will either say the hard drive passed or failed.

I would try those two tests and see if anything changes. From there more steps can be taken.

 

[RDM]

Well, that seems to have worked. I verified then repaired the disk and it seems fine now, temps have actually gone down a few degrees too. Cool.

So about RAM, will another stick of 512 speed anything up or help the unit do anything better, or is it a waste of time for an older machine? I've found them pretty cheap, they're easy enough to install, I figure it can't hurt, right? The other two spots already have 512 sticks, I think this one will accept the full 1.5GB, correct?

 

[TDM21]

You are correct, the QuickSilver PowerMac can accept 1.5GB of RAM. For just browsing the Internet, and checking email 1GB of RAM should be fine. The extra 512MB would only benefit if you were running some heavy duty applications (like Photoshop) or run many applications as the same time.

If you do decide to add another stick of RAM to your PowerMac there are a few things to lookout for. You need to make sure the RAM is PC133, SDRAM, and Low Density. Much of the SDRAM sold on ebay is high density and is meant for servers. If you go to websites like Newegg or OWC then you won't have to worry about the high/low density problem

 

[n8mac]

I know the word 'Junk' used here is relative, but that machine is not junk and that first person you talked to was an idiot. For your purposes that machine can handle more than you need. Don't worry about overworking it. That is where Mac's shine (assuming you have enough ram). Some suggestions...

Clean it.
It's possible that the inside has dust covering the components which can wear down the parts and cause overheating problems. I clean all my systems at least once a year. Use compressed air to gently blow that dust off the parts on the inside including the fans.

Update Tiger
Go to > software update and get your system up to 10.4.11.

These two steps will keep your system running smooth without spending a dime. I have a G4 older than yours that I keep up to date and clean and it runs great. Plus you can get Leopard (10.5) if you want.

n8

 

[RDM]

Thanks guys, I found this RAM on macsales.com :

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/133SD512328/

I assume that's the correct stick. I blow the unit out once a month as I have two cats, they like to shed hair a good deal so everything gets a good cleaning, even the TV. I have the machine on top of my desk because there's not a lot of floor space and most of the cords are pretty short, but I thought about building a small side shelf to sit it on so that's it's still off the floor, but not right in my face. I think maybe the heat rising *could* cause more issues, but since the hard disk repair it's been fine.

Thanks for you guys' input, good to know I can come here with my seemingly moronic issues without getting flamed. I posted this on another computer forum and got abused heavily for asking such 'remedial' questions.

 

[11miles]

the damn dim curtain

had trouble installing leopard on it, although it was not the lowend G4 model.

anyway its working now on leopard 10.5 and have the G4 idle for about 20/30 minutes, than the dim curtain falls on the computer saying i need to restart manually, holding down the button.

Is it the same problem?

i had it opened and had this problems, even during the installation, sometimes at booting.
Did a clean disk erase and install so the disk is fresh and running no prob.

...the curtain...

should i go back to Tiger? Would that solve the problem.

I initially had to do a 10.2 install first. Tweaked around a few hours, before installing leopard on it.
I dont think i had any problem with the curtain....

 

[n8mac]

Your welcome RDM. I have two cats myself and always have to wipe off their hair from my keyboard and desk . It's good that you keep your tower clean as many people don't.

@11miles
It might be better if you start your own thread with more details. I don't know what you mean by "curtain".

 

[11miles]

Problem solved.

Took out bar of 512 RAM, model Nanya VM 512MB PC333 DDR.

now working only with 512. i must say its very responsive.
Was on for the last 2 days, non/stop, no problems....

Can somebody please suggest me type of RAM that works flawlessly with the quicksilver on LEopard?