Powerbook G4 12in will chime but won't boot

[katinparis]

Hello,

I have a lovely secondhand 12 inch Powerbook G4.

It won't boot but will just chime and go to a grey screen.

I can't boot to safe mode but I can get into Open Firmware

I have reset PRAM and the power manager.

I don't have the install CD but I borrowed one from a friend with the same model and it wouldn't boot from that.

Very close to giving up any help would be wonderfull,

k

 

[Dreamail]

Need a little more info

If you put in a bootable DVD, could be a retail Leopard DVD, and you boot via holding down Shift + Cmd + C + D keys, what exactly is happening?

Does the DVD drive spin up at all? Does it attempt to read the drive?


Have you checked your RAM is OK? Unplug your PowerBook, take out the battery and open the door at the bottom with the 4 screws and take out the RAM.
Although faulty RAM would likely cause a different chime, but it could still be loose.

Another thing you should try is getting a new battery, or at least borrow another battery.
The 12" PB if I remember correctly gets its power not via the mains but via the battery only, i.e. if the battery is old and weak it might not provide enough peak power to allow for a successful boot. During booting a lot of power is needed.

Does Target Disk mode work?
For more info on this check out http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661.

 

[katinparis]

If you put in a bootable DVD, could be a retail Leopard DVD, and you boot via holding down Shift + Cmd + C + D keys, what exactly is happening?

Does the DVD drive spin up at all? Does it attempt to read the drive?


Have you checked your RAM is OK? Unplug your PowerBook, take out the battery and open the door at the bottom with the 4 screws and take out the RAM.
Although faulty RAM would likely cause a different chime, but it could still be loose.

Another thing you should try is getting a new battery, or at least borrow another battery.
The 12" PB if I remember correctly gets its power not via the mains but via the battery only, i.e. if the battery is old and weak it might not provide enough peak power to allow for a successful boot. During booting a lot of power is needed.

Does Target Disk mode work?
For more info on this check out http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661.

Hello,

Thank you for the reply and sorry for the delay getting back to you (I bought a imac G3 for 25 euros and have been setting it up) feels like i've gone back in time!! The only trouble is it was advertised to have a firewire port but it doesn't.

- The drive spins and attempts to read the disc but no joy.

- I've taken the RAM out and put it back in again but no joy there either

- the battery is pretty new (around 4/5 months)

- Target disk mode works but I have no other computer to connect it to

Thanks again

k