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Tried everything within reach for my iBook...

A

Abacinate

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 14, 2010
4
0
Boston
Hello, I'm a new member but I have lurked around here in the past for ideas on how to fix problems. :eek: So with that introduction, I'll get right to it.

Last week I dropped my iBook G4 on its side, and it wouldn't turn on without Kernel Panicking after a few seconds of booting. I thought "Fine, it's my fault, I can deal, I'll just get it fixed." That I did, and it worked like a charm, with an upgraded OS to boot(10.4.11 to 10.5.8 was a pretty nice leap). Since it was fixed I'd just been fine and dandy, making sure not to drop it or treat it too roughly, and it even turned on normally a few hours ago, but now the situation is different.

At first there wasn't even a chime, but after a few rounds of PRAM it now does, and even goes for a full 15 seconds before Kernelling.

I tried Command-V, and it freezes after System Uptime In Nanoseconds, which is no help to me.

Left-shift safe start does NOTHING, and I've PRAMed it 7 times in a row, and nothing's working. I've removed the battery and will re-insert it after a few hours, and I'm desperately trying to wake it up so I don't have to get it fixed again and have to re-put all my music in once more... it's a pain.

Does anyone have any suggestion that doesn't involve re-installing the OS(which I don't have on-hand at the moment) or anything similarly painful? Thanks in advance! :)
 
12 inches, 128 MB of RAM(I believe), 120 GB hard drive. That's as much info as I have at the moment.
 
You were running Leopard on 128mb of memory :eek::eek::eek: lol wow!

I'd start up Disc Utility and verify the hard drive. Repairing it may require to boot off the install CDs or another partition. Maybe the drop caused some physical damage to one of the components. Something could also be loose like memory, the optical drive, or there could be a problem with the airport/bluetooth card(if installed) that could be causing the kernal panics.
 
The fix I mentioned just involved a data backup and installing the OS, no biggie, but since the problem re-occurred I'm betting it is something out of place. The main concern is that this'll be a bigger fix where the IT guys will have to play doctor and it might actually cost money. :(
 
OrangeSTVguy, back me up on this, but I don't think any iBook G4 ever shipped with only 128mb of ram.

Maybe an iBook g3, not g4.

How would you even run Tiger?

Minimum for Tiger was 256mb ram.


Anyway, the reason I asked for specs was I had the 14" iBook 1.33ghz w/out sudden motion sensor. Dropped it on the corner. Froze the hard drive.

It eventually worked again but that was a nightmare w/out sudden motion sensor.

OP, it's impossible to diagnose your problem without exact specs.

What is listed under keyboard or inside battery compartment? Should have specs.
Do no pay anyone to fix an iBook of any kind. Not worth it. Try to fix yourself.
 
I don't have exact specs as is, and I didn't know I had to have a certain amount of RAM to run a certain OS... :rolleyes: It was a gift from my dad bought off a random guy and it originally had around 20 until he fixed it to have 120! And plain as day, it is an iBook G4, and I did find it odd that it could run the same OS as the more powerful desktop my mom bought years ago. Maybe it's not meant to be running the kind of system currently installed on it? :confused:
 
Abacinate said:
I don't have exact specs as is, and I didn't know I had to have a certain amount of RAM to run a certain OS... :rolleyes: It was a gift from my dad bought off a random guy and it originally had around 20 until he fixed it to have 120! And plain as day, it is an iBook G4, and I did find it odd that it could run the same OS as the more powerful desktop my mom bought years ago. Maybe it's not meant to be running the kind of system currently installed on it? :confused:
Click to expand...

What i am interpreting here is you are talking about a hard drive, not the ram.

You cannot 'fix" ram to be more than the little memory chip is.

You can delete files off a hard drive soas to have more space available.

Anyway, look under keyboard or inside battery compartment (Take the battery out physically of the bottom of computer) and see if there is a sticker there with the original specs of the machine listed. Or should be under keyboard. Go to the ifixit site to see how to lift your keyboard. VERY SIMPLE to do.
 
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