[ClaraT]

I have a 4 yr. old Powerbook G3, bronze keyboad. A few days ago I bumped into my desk, causing a bit of a jostle and my computer screen suddenly went blank. . .black. The machine just went down. I pressed the power button. The little green light came on, it made sounds like it was starting up but didn't quite catch, then the light went off, then the light comes on, sounds like it's going to start, then it doesn't and this is the cycle.

Just prior to this happening, a few minutes earlier I had been on the phone with a tech at Apple support who asked for a serial number. I turned the computer upside down 3 times giving him this number. . .don't laugh. . .I think this was foolish. (I regret ever calling, because all I wanted was some advice on upgrading from 9.1 to OS X and didn't know about this forum then.)

I took the powerbook to two different Apple service techs who have each estimated the cost of repair to be between $300-$400. . .and neither one has said what exactly happened.

My main concern is getting my data off the hard drive. They both said for $75 they could remove the hard drive and put it in a "case" then transfer my data once I decide to repair or replace. They both felt confident that the hard drive would be ok.

Has anyone gone through this experience and what can you advise? If I put the machine in for repair, do I risk damage or loss of the hard drive? My priority is to save what I had on the
HD.

I'm not a very technical Mac user. . . so I welcome the education.

Thanks,

ClaraT

[typoon]

If you bring it in for repair I don't think you would risk the loss of any data.

[Cwriter]

Clara,

Your problem does sound troubling. Have you attempted to start your machine off a bootable CD like the one your machine should have came with. (Reboot and hold down the C key)

If it's your hard drive that's the problem, it should still boot off the CD. I would suggest paying the $75 and having a repair facility back up your hard drive contents before beginning a repair.

I hope this helps.

[typoon]

The other thing I would do is see from the Apple tech that looked at your machine what the problem is. If it is something fixable for less you might be able to get a nice Macnner to help you fix it for a lot less.

[ClaraT]

Originally posted by Cwriter:
Clara,

Your problem does sound troubling. Have you attempted to start your machine off a bootable CD like the one your machine should have came with. (Reboot and hold down the C key)

If it's your hard drive that's the problem, it should still boot off the CD. I would suggest paying the $75 and having a repair facility back up your hard drive contents before beginning a repair.

I hope this helps.

Yes, it does, thanks.

This computer was sent to me by my boss a few years ago and with your suggestion I just located the box and viola! there is a blue CD software install restore here.

So I'll get the hard drive backed up as you suggest.

In reading the description on the box this machine is a 400 mhz, 64mb of sdram, 6GB hard drive disk. As I said, I'm not very technical, but this seems like a really good computer for my uses.

Would you even consider replacing with an ibook instead of paying for the $300 or so in repairs? I'll do the back up regardless.

Thanks
ClaraT

[ClaraT]

Originally posted by typoon:
The other thing I would do is see from the Apple tech that looked at your machine what the problem is. If it is something fixable for less you might be able to get a nice Macnner to help you fix it for a lot less.

One of the techs did actually take the keyboard off and unscrewed some parts while I was there and fiddled with it, but then he said I'd have to leave it and it would be about $300 or $400.

[typoon]

Originally posted by ClaraT:
Yes, it does, thanks.

This computer was sent to me by my boss a few years ago and with your suggestion I just located the box and viola! there is a blue CD software install restore here.

So I'll get the hard drive backed up as you suggest.

In reading the description on the box this machine is a 400 mhz, 64mb of sdram, 6GB hard drive disk. As I said, I'm not very technical, but this seems like a really good computer for my uses.

Would you even consider replacing with an ibook instead of paying for the $300 or so in repairs? I'll do the back up regardless.

Thanks
ClaraT

This actually depends on you. 3-400 Hundred Dollars to get a machine fixed is really a personal thing. For me it wouldn't be worth it. The Machine for one has more than paid for itself. I assume you use it quite a bit and it has been productive for you.
The next thing to ask is what do you use it for? If it is just for web browsing and word precessing then it might be worth fixing. If you plan to do more then I would say get a new machine. With iLIfe04 pretty much here it would be much better to use with a newer machine. Like I said it depends on what you see as the percieved value of getting it fixed.

If you can afford to get a new machine say a new iBook or Powerbook, I personally would do it. Ultimately it is up to you.

[ClaraT]

Originally posted by typoon:
This actually depends on you. 3-400 Hundred Dollars to get a machine fixed is really a personal thing. For me it wouldn't be worth it. The Machine for one has more than paid for itself. I assume you use it quite a bit and it has been productive for you.
The next thing to ask is what do you use it for? If it is just for web browsing and word precessing then it might be worth fixing. If you plan to do more then I would say get a new machine. With iLIfe04 pretty much here it would be much better to use with a newer machine. Like I said it depends on what you see as the percieved value of getting it fixed.

If you can afford to get a new machine say a new iBook or Powerbook, I personally would do it. Ultimately it is up to you.

Yes, I'm thinking you are right about getting a new machine. My only problem up until now with this one was that it had OS 9.1 and I wanted to move up to Quicken 2004 but learned I needed OS X. The tech said that would cost about $150 to do the upgrade on this machine if it were working.

So it's feeling like it's a sign. . .time to move on. . .a lot like a car, first money for this then a few months later another problem.

Thanks for the counsel. Just curious, what would you get? I use it for writing, internet, filemaker, nothing too adventureous.

ClaraT

[macintologist]

12" PB is a great little machine, and if you get used to it, the screen is not so small. Also try www.smalldog.com and see what refurbished iBooks or PowerBooks they have. You can get decent refurbed iBooks for under $1k

Edit: However I would advise to buy an Apple laptop that is Quartz Extreme compatible. These would be any laptop released within the last year and half IIRC.

[Lit]

I have a g3/500 pismo. Dropped it twice (on 2 different occassions fromabout 18 inches up) with much the same symptoms that you described- seems to start up, screen is blank, etc.

Make sure that everything under the hood is connected and snapped in place. One time it was RAM that had come loose and the other a cable had come loose.

I am using that powerbook now as we speak.

[romeosc]

Originally posted by Lit:
I have a g3/500 pismo. Dropped it twice (on 2 different occassions fromabout 18 inches up) with much the same symptoms that you described- seems to start up, screen is blank, etc.

Make sure that everything under the hood is connected and snapped in place. One time it was RAM that had come loose and the other a cable had come loose.

I am using that powerbook now as we speak.

I agree.... lift keyboard (2 small release catchs above the mumeral keys. and Press firmly on Processor daughterboard (attached to heatsink) Check ram and try to reboot. Is monitor lighting up? If not connect an external monitor, could be loose LCD wire!

Good Luck!

[ClaraT]

Originally posted by romeosc:
I agree.... lift keyboard (2 small release catchs above the mumeral keys. and Press firmly on Processor daughterboard (attached to heatsink) Check ram and try to reboot. Is monitor lighting up? If not connect an external monitor, could be loose LCD wire!

Good Luck!

Thanks Lit and romeosc.

The second tech I took it to did lift the keyboard and unplugged and unscrewed a lot of things. I am not familiar enough with the technology to know exactly what he did. . . but he got that far, then sighed and said I'd have to leave it for repair. . .appx. $300-400.

I would be willing to do what you're suggesting if you could send me steps to do so. . .how do I identify the processor daughterboard and the heatsink? And just what is a reboot? Is it more than pressing the power button?

Another thought. . .I located the original paperwork on this computer last night. As I mentioned earlier, this powerbook was sent to me by my employer, so I didn't buy it. The paperwork shows she paid $3750.00 in Jan. 2000. Apple Care has probably expired, right?

In another discussion group on this site I was reading about how Macs are better than PCs and for the most part I agree. . .I'll always remain a Maccer. . .so it was dismaying to discover how much this machine cost only 3 years ago and now it's hard for me to justify not bringing it back to life and replacing it with an $1100.00 ibook.

Hmmmm. . .


ClaraT

[Dr.Michael]

Hi Clara,

300 is not all you might have to spend.
This machine is now 4 years old. Thats the time to replace the harddrive.

And your screen hinges will fail soon (stays your screen still fixed in the place where you put it? Or is it already a little bit shaky?), and your screen is already much dimmer than a new screen, and the capacity of your battery might be very low and more and more to come soon.

If you can't reapair this yourself, your powerbook will produce more receipts in the height of 200-300 $ soon.

If it had not failed, there would be no reason to replace it. But for 800$ you get a great used iBook with a one year old drive, firewire and maybe apple care etc.

so, if you want to go the safe way, buy new. Keeping the old one is surely a risk.
But you can hope...

Michael

[ClaraT]

Originally posted by Dr.Michael:
Hi Clara,

300 is not all you might have to spend.
This machine is now 4 years old. Thats the time to replace the harddrive.

And your screen hinges will fail soon (stays your screen still fixed in the place where you put it? Or is it already a little bit shaky?), and your screen is already much dimmer than a new screen, and the capacity of your battery might be very low and more and more to come soon.

If you can't reapair this yourself, your powerbook will produce more receipts in the height of 200-300 $ soon.

If it had not failed, there would be no reason to replace it. But for 800$ you get a great used iBook with a one year old drive, firewire and maybe apple care etc.

so, if you want to go the safe way, buy new. Keeping the old one is surely a risk.
But you can hope...

Michael

Thank you for your counsel, Dr. Michael,

Although the little devil had been problem free (hinges were in great shape--wasn't shaky) . . .ultimately, you are right. I had replaced the Pram last year and the main battery lost it's charge soon after it was sent to me so, as you've cautioned, it will start costing me more.

Maybe it's a good thing that it happened in that the techs think the data on my hard drive can be backed up into a "case" and the data transferred later once I get another computer. As you said, the hard drive might have given out before I had a chance to save the data. . .

Can you recommend how I should do this. . .removing the hard drive and storing the data onto a backup device until I get another computer? My boss had been urging me to do this for a few months. . . .shoulda handled that right away.

Anyway, thanks again for sharing your wisdom.

ClaraT

[Dr.Michael]

Hi,

data backup is easy.

If you get a new Computer or a new harddrive for your old Powerbook, you also need an external USB or Firewire case for your old 6GB HD. Maybe the tech people of your repair place can do this for you.

You put your old harddrive into the case, connect it with the fully equipped computer and drag your data on the new drive. Thats it. Takes only a few minutes.

Michael

[Pierre B.]

Originally posted by ClaraT:


Thanks for the counsel. Just curious, what would you get? I use it for writing, internet, filemaker, nothing too adventureous.

ClaraT

If you don't want something much different, you could consider a 14" iBook G4. This model is very close to the physical dimensions of the Lombard, unlike the other iBook and Powerbook models. However, Powerbooks tend to retain their value for longer than iBooks. You know perhaps this, as you were using a Powerbook.

Anyway, in your place, if money is not an issue, I would buy a new machine. One more reason: MacOS X 10.3 . Have you ever used it? There is much to love about it, although a little effort could be needed for a OS 9 user to acclimatise to the new environment.