[d_oob]

I am wondering if this battery will help with an ongoing problem i'm having with starting up my pismo. I've had the machine since 2000 am wondering if the randomness of being able to sometimes startup is due to the PRAM battery worn out or possibly a motherboard/processor connection. I can't pinpoint the cause and it seems to be getting worse. At this point I can't turn on the powerbook. Somethings i have tried include: pressing down on the processor to make sure it is well seated - this worked for some time but now doesn't seem to do anything. Another i always try is pressing the reset button on the back. This also worked for a while but now doesn't work. Other observations i noticed were if i were to push down on the wrist resting area, the screen would dim or if i were to grab and squeeze in that general area (the left wrist area) the screen would dim and seem to shut-off any access to turning it on.

This is a very unusual problem. I have not been able to find any articles of this on any macnn forums or macfixit forums. My only choice is to continue troubleshooting by trying the PRAM solution. I know this sounds like a more serious motherboard kind of problem - but hoestly it seems so random and that the progression and rapid decrease in how it happens and how i was able to solve the problem leads me to think it is a power or PRAM battery problem.

Do you have any suggestions or have heard of a similar problem?

Thank you for any response as I would really like to avoid having to purchase a new powerbook as this had been such a work horse and can see many more years of use from this amazingly solid machine.

many thanks in advance,

ian

[tooki]

The PRAM battery in the Pismo is rechargeable -- it's possible for it to wear out, but rather rare.

Much more important, I'd say, is your observation about the trackpad area, because the computer's power management hardware is under the trackpad.

Perhaps there is an intermittent connection there, or the power supply board (as it is called) has become faulty.

tooki

[angelmb]

Originally posted by tooki:
The PRAM battery in the Pismo is rechargeable

How do you do it?

[d_oob]

Just downloaded the Pismo Take Apart Manual for $10 from PowerBook Medic and the detailed instructions looks so easy that I will be able to find the reason why my machine is wacky. Actually i have pinpointed already where the problem is happening and now that i have the take apart manual i will be able to open up the powerbook with confindence and see what is going on. I may need to purchase a part and replace it and I'll most likely get it from PBM.