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Macjaime · 09:47 PM

Hello.

This forum was recomended by a friend, so here I am.

I've got a G4 Graphite Sawtooth Powermac running a Newertech MaxPower 2.0MHZ processor upgrade for about 3 years. It is running Leopard (10.5.8) system.
I've also installed a Seritek 1S2 card with a 500GB Sata disk.

Some days ago I've started to notice that sometimes when I did Log Off or Shut down the Mac cleaned all the desktop icons but then nothing happens.
Also, it started to freeze sometimes doing some tasks like open apps or working on Photoshop.
Today the Mac refused to boot on the main system disk (I have a secondary 80GB disk with Tigger installed on it).
Then I ran TechTool Pro Disck scan and it gave me an error on scanning the main disk.
I've booted into the Tiger disk (a 80GB one) and think to myself if this could be something to do with the Seriteck card or driver, or something related to it...
I've loaded the Seritek install CD and click the install firmware of the Seriteck disk, then I've booted and... it stucked on Open Firmware forever.
It is on the welcome screen of the open firmware and I can't do anything.
It says" To continue booting, type "mac-boot" and press return", but I can't type anything because it looks freezed. My keyboard don't respond.
I've tryed the firmware boot (that one with the long beep pressing the programmer button) at no avail.

I'm desesperate. I'm a freelancer and I've goot importante work to deliver to clients and I can't get my Mac to to boot into the system.

Tried to remove the battery from mainboard.
Tried to reboot from install disk pressing option+command+shift+delete.
My keyboard is not respondig. I've pluged the keyboard into the several USB imputs.

At this point I just want to boot normally into Tiger, Leopard, whatever.
I just need to boot and recover my works.

See screenshot of Open Firmware screen here:
ImageShack&amp;amp;#174; - Online Photo and Video Hosting

Can someone please help?

Thank you for your time,
Macjaime

reader50 · Apr 14, 2011, 10:03 PM

Your initial symptoms suggest a developing problem with the main HD, or possibly the cable. I'd have investigated both of those before flashing a new firmware on the card.

Check the cooling fan on the Newertech CPU card. Likewise any other fans, such as on the graphics card or the SeriTek (if those have fans). A stuck fan will cause something to overheat, and any of those components can cause a system freeze.

If the SeriTek card is the problem (ie - a bad flash) remove the SeriTek from the system, then attempt to boot from the backup drive. I assume the backup is a PATA drive, running off the motherboard controller.

ps - since you're running Leopard, do you have a Time Machine backup of your data?

Macjaime · Apr 14, 2011, 10:11 PM

I'm getting something...

The 80GB disk is the original main disk and have Tiger installed on it.

I've removed the Seritek Sata card and system rebooted without stuck in the open firmware’s default catch screen

But as I type these words I'm waiting for the boot to complete and system to load.
I Saw the initial Apple logo.
About 10 minutes past and nothing.
The spining counter disapeard after 10 minutes.
I got nothing more yet.
Still waiting looking at a empty blue screen...

reader50 · Apr 14, 2011, 10:32 PM

Boot from the optical disc, run a check on the Tiger drive. And you can use the utilities to select the Tiger drive as your startup. Since you've zapped PRAM, the system will not have a startup device specified.

I'd try to stabilize the system on the Tiger drive, before going after the SeriTek and main drive. And you haven't mentioned if you have a TM backup.

Macjaime · Apr 14, 2011, 10:57 PM

Thank's for the advice reader50.

After an initian long waite I managed to finish boot and load Tiger.

I then tryed again to connect the Sata disk and the Seritek card but again comes the Open Firmware screen.
So, it's prooved to be something with the Sata card, disk or cable.

I do have a Time Machine backup.
Can I install Leopard over my Tiger system and use time machine to recover all the info form the other disk?

reader50 · Apr 14, 2011, 11:28 PM

If space allows, yes. But I wouldn't do an OS install just yet. That might introduce new problems.

Assuming you've selected the Tiger disk in the Startup Disk pref pane, does the system reboot into Tiger normally now? ie - no long wait. If all things seem stable, put the SeriTek card back in, with nothing connected to it. Often flash instructions for interface cards say to disconnect all the drives from the card.

If you can boot into Tiger with the SeriTek card installed, you could try reapplying the flash update. Better yet, get the latest flash update from the FirmTek site - the version on your install disc may be outdated. It's possible you had replaced a later firmware with an earlier one.

Let us know what you try, and the results.

Macjaime · Apr 15, 2011, 03:36 AM

Once more, thank's for the advice Reader50.

I've done that.
Now that the Tiger system is stable on my 80GB disk, I've placed the SeriTek card in place with no disk attached into it and reboot.
I get the Open Firmware screen back...

Spheric Harlot · Apr 15, 2011, 04:08 AM

It would seem like a good idea to replace the SeriTek card.

I assume the most urgent topic is getting at the data on the S-ATA disk.

Get a Firewire external hard drive enclosure - it won't be nearly as fast as the seriTek card, but it will be bootable, and at least you can work off it (if the drive is okay).

The fact that your machine took over ten minutes to boot Tiger off the internal disk indicates some more problems, though. It could be the internal disk, as well, or possibly the computer's main logic board starting to get weird - which may have ruined the firmware update, as well. FWIW, I would not entrust my livelihood to a twelve-year-old pimped-up Power Mac without a VERY solid instant backup plan.

It may be time to re-assess your situation.

reader50 · Apr 15, 2011, 05:42 AM

He hasn't said if the delay went away on the next boot, after selecting the 80 in Startup Disk. I'd be willing to write off the delay to weak battery and wiped PRAM if the delay vanished on a warm reboot.

It looks like the SeriTek card is bricked.

Spheric Harlot · Apr 15, 2011, 05:55 AM

I agree that the SeriTek card is probably done for.

If it hangs AFTER the initial Apple logo (for ten minutes, even), it's probably not a PRAM issue, since that's loaded at the start of the OS boot sequence AFAIK.

Disk, OS, or Other.