I'm starting this thread to converse regarding PowerPac repair, and service. This is a thread for anecdotes, not 'help requests'. Fee free to discuss any stories that you have to share here, and, assuming that others participate, to learn some valuable information.
Try to constrain yourself to stories, and information; please post specific help requests in their own threads.
The Case of the Haunted TiBook
One of my more recent projects was to set up a lab of networked Titanium G4 systems, of different configurations, including VGA and DVI models. This works via a Netboot configuration, and mopst of the units are diskless, meaning that they use a shadow disk on the network for storing files.
One unit, out of the lot, refused time, and again, to boot from the Tiger, or the Panther Netboot images. It would pass POST, and the spinning globe would appear, followed the the usual spinning circle. After about thirty seconds, the unit would inexplicably power itself off!
I zapped the PRAM, and reduced my Netboot Server down to the Panther Netboot image, and the process repeated itself. I then switched so that only the Tiger netboot was active, and had the same result. Next, I enabled only the Panther NetInstall, and instead of powering off, the system kernel panicked, giving the Shut Me Off' message screen, which is at least an improvement over a self power-off.
My expectation here was one of two things: Corrupted PRAM, from loading one of the other Netboot images, or faulty physical RAM. I decided to ty zapping the PRAM once more, and to load the Panther NetInstall.
Lo! It works! The system reached the installer screen, without problem. It could still have faulty RAM, but I think that it was a PRAM corruption, and that one zap simply was not enough. Why it rejected the same Netboot images that the other systems gladly accept, is still a mystery to me.
The simple fact that a multi PRAM-Zap helped, leads me to believe that the official Apple propaganda, that one zap is enough, is false. I suggest a triple-zap, any time that you encounter some odd conundrum, as the fist step in diagnostics. I have held this philosophy for decades, and it has saved much of my valuable time.
Otherwise, I would officially declare this TiBook as haunted.
Feel free to share your own stories, and include any technical knowledge that you think others would find useful to others.
Try to constrain yourself to stories, and information; please post specific help requests in their own threads.
The Case of the Haunted TiBook
One of my more recent projects was to set up a lab of networked Titanium G4 systems, of different configurations, including VGA and DVI models. This works via a Netboot configuration, and mopst of the units are diskless, meaning that they use a shadow disk on the network for storing files.
One unit, out of the lot, refused time, and again, to boot from the Tiger, or the Panther Netboot images. It would pass POST, and the spinning globe would appear, followed the the usual spinning circle. After about thirty seconds, the unit would inexplicably power itself off!
I zapped the PRAM, and reduced my Netboot Server down to the Panther Netboot image, and the process repeated itself. I then switched so that only the Tiger netboot was active, and had the same result. Next, I enabled only the Panther NetInstall, and instead of powering off, the system kernel panicked, giving the Shut Me Off' message screen, which is at least an improvement over a self power-off.
My expectation here was one of two things: Corrupted PRAM, from loading one of the other Netboot images, or faulty physical RAM. I decided to ty zapping the PRAM once more, and to load the Panther NetInstall.
Lo! It works! The system reached the installer screen, without problem. It could still have faulty RAM, but I think that it was a PRAM corruption, and that one zap simply was not enough. Why it rejected the same Netboot images that the other systems gladly accept, is still a mystery to me.
The simple fact that a multi PRAM-Zap helped, leads me to believe that the official Apple propaganda, that one zap is enough, is false. I suggest a triple-zap, any time that you encounter some odd conundrum, as the fist step in diagnostics. I have held this philosophy for decades, and it has saved much of my valuable time.
Otherwise, I would officially declare this TiBook as haunted.
Feel free to share your own stories, and include any technical knowledge that you think others would find useful to others.
