Power Mac G4 (933MHz) boot problem

[hideki]

Hihi

Model: M8493 according to the sticker on back

Had this machine given, arrived sans HDD and with a dead battery

Fitted a small IDE disk (only 10GB, I'm not awash with IDE disks these days but I got this one to try MorphOS), hasn't changed the behaviour though

When powered on, it starts up, makes the Boing! sound and turns off...

If I hold down the button for the open firmware I get a single long beep, a power light flashing very quickly for a second or two, much too fast to count the flashes then the boing! again followed by it powering off

The keyboard does not initialise and the monitor never gets any sort of signal

I do not have the monitor/keyboard/etc., so connected a standard USB keyboard and SVGA display, not sure if this should matter

I still do not have a battery for it but from what I've read it will start without one but the time/date will have to be set every time

Given the only other mac I own is an SE/30, I'm at a bit of a loss with this one.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

--
Adam

 

[yusukeaoki]

It sounds like a logic board failure...

 

[Hackint0sh]

Try a battery. My mother-in-law's machine had similar symptoms until I replaced the battery.

 

[hideki]

It sounds like a logic board failure...

Ahh, which is the logic board, the main motherboard?

I assume that'd be too expensive to replace to be worth it

Try a battery. My mother-in-law's machine had similar symptoms until I replaced the battery.

Ahh, that sounds cheaper than finding a mac mini, I'll give it a go, thanks ;p

 

[yusukeaoki]

Ahh, which is the logic board, the main motherboard?

I assume that'd be too expensive to replace to be worth it



Ahh, that sounds cheaper than finding a mac mini, I'll give it a go, thanks ;p

True.
Im pretty sure Apple dont replace them anymore so if you want to do it, its either up to your own hands or take it to a shop.
And it can be pretty expensive.

 

[Nameci]

try ebay, you can find a logic board cheap. yes the logic board is the motherboard.

 

[666sheep]

99% it isn't logic board. I've had exactly the same symptoms with few dead graphics cards (long single beep + very fast blinking PLED).
OP, grab cheapest Mac ATI Rage/GF 2MX you can find (try CL maybe) and try it.

 

[zen.state]

Try resetting the PMU and a new battery. Although G4 towers will all normally start without a battery if there is a PMU issue you need the battery for the second or so that you reset the PMU.

Don't press the button more than once as you could crash the PMU and drain the battery.