PowerBook won't start: white screen with lines across the middle

[swindmill]

I put my PowerBook to sleep and left home with it about an hour ago. I just opened it and it woke up but the screen was black. I turned it off and back on. The white screen with the apple and progress wheel came on for a normal period of time, but then the screen went all white and there were several uneven horizontal lines across the middle and froze there. I forced a restart and the same thing happened but this time I got the semi transparent window that says need to restart. I did that and I got the same screen without the message. Any knowledge, help, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[NtotheIzoo]

I put my PowerBook to sleep and left home with it about an hour ago. I just opened it and it woke up but the screen was black. I turned it off and back on. The white screen with the apple and progress wheel came on for a normal period of time, but then the screen went all white and there were several uneven horizontal lines across the middle and froze there. I forced a restart and the same thing happened but this time I got the semi transparent window that says need to restart. I did that and I got the same screen without the message. Any knowledge, help, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

You have the same PB I have and mine just died.

I recommend running the hardware "checker" on the install discs.

Also, try these boot procedures:

Shift Boot into "Safe Boot" mode, which runs Disk First Aid and temporarily disable login items and non-essential kernel extension files (Mac OS X 10.2 and later). A reboot will be required afterward.

Command-Option-P-R Reset Parameter RAM (PRAM) and non-volatile RAM (NVRAM)

Press R during startup Force PowerBook screen reset

Press Command-V during startup Start up in Verbose mode.

*Edit: More Boot-up Options here

 

[KD7IWP]

Sad. I hope NtotheIzoo's recommendations help.

 

[swindmill]

Thanks for the advice on boot options. Unfortunately, I tried them all and nothing worked. When I booted into verbose mode, it started normally and then all the text just blurred out and it froze. The screen has, a couple of times, gone black after the intial apple/progress screen, rather than white with the lines. I just now booted off the install disc and ran the quick hardware test. It is reporting that everything except the video RAM passed. It says "Error detected" next to vram. Is this test reliable? And if so, what kind of problem am I looking at with bad vram?

Edit: I wanted to add that the hardware test reports the error code as 2NYD/1/4: 2122

Edit: This is sort of consuming me...Anyways, if I'm not mistaken, the vram is part of the logic board and logic boards cost close to what this powerbook is worth. Meaning, this computer might be goner after 2.5 years.

If this is true, can I take the hard drive out and put it in a firewire enclosure or somehow get the data onto another computer? I backed up the entire system folder about 2 months ago, but I'd like to get a more recent back up if its not too much trouble

 

[NtotheIzoo]

Edit: I wanted to add that the hardware test reports the error code as 2NYD/1/4: 2122

That looks like the almost same error I got. I found a couple places on the internet that say they will fix it for much cheaper. I found one that quoted me 100-350 for the fix. I havent decided if I'm gonna fix yet or not.

If this is true, can I take the hard drive out and put it in a firewire enclosure or somehow get the data onto another computer? I backed up the entire system folder about 2 months ago, but I'd like to get a more recent back up if its not too much trouble

I dont see any reason why you wouldnt be able to do this. Maybe someone else can explain why this wouldnt work.

 

[swindmill]

What places have you found that will fix it for that price? Do they replace the logic board for that price, or somehow replace the vram?