[thefunkymunky]

Hi

I have a Refurb 12-inch Rev A PBG4 with stock 60GB HDD. Over the last few days the performance has gone down a lot, so much so that the system will not boot anymore.

I ran TechTool Pro 4 from CD yesterday and it reported that their were no problems with hardware or files.

I have tried booting of the Apple Hardware Test CD but it crashes with the following message:

"Invalid memory access at %SRR0: ad3c0108 %SRR1: 3c01086f" whatever that means?

I have also tried booting from the Panther Install Disk to run Disk Utility but it can't find my hard drive, its just stuck on "Gathering Information".

Could it be Hard Drive, Hard Drive Controller, Memory. The system was running fine before, its only the last few days its all gone Pete Tong

I'm guessing that my hard drive has packed up Do you think I will be able to recover anything off the drive? I was going to replace the drive with a shiny new one, but I bought the PB in October last year so in theory it is still under the warranty (I don't have Applecare).

Can you guys give me any help with what is the best course of action. I hope I haven't lost the contents of the drive as it was nearly full.

Thanks guys for any help.

Nick.

[UPDATE] Right I removed my 1GB SODIMM so I'm left with the stock 128MB on the mobo. Disk Utility is now able to see the drive but i am getting the following message:

"Invalid node structure"
"The volume needs to be repaired"

"Volume check failed"
"ERROR: The underlying task reported failure on exit (-9972)
"Volume verification failed"

Errm what now?

Machine Specs: PowerBook G4 12-inch 867 (Rev. A); Mac OS X (10.3.x); AE; SD; 1.12GB RAM; 60GB HD; EyeTV 400; SE T610.

[angelmb]

Hi there,

I had a similar issue with my 17 inches PowerBook, suddenly the HD dead, the PB was under warranty so I sent it to Apple and they replace the HD for free, but if I want that they get the data on the dead hard disk and record it on e.g. several DVDs disc, they will charge me, so why not ask to the Apple service about if it is possible to get the info from the died hard disk?, I fear that they do this with external companies and it is expensive. Finally you have another option, to pay for the new hard disk so they will send you the 'died' hard disk, but then the one that´ll try to get the info from the died hard disk is you.

Hope you understand the whole thing. Good luck!

P.D. of course I got AppleCare some weeks later, I think it is worth with a PowerBook or iBook, well I have not another insurance option on my country.

[hldan]

Originally posted by thefunkymunky:
Hi

I have a Refurb 12-inch Rev A PBG4 with stock 60GB HDD. Over the last few days the performance has gone down a lot, so much so that the system will not boot anymore.
I bought the PB in October last year so in theory it is still under the warranty (I don't have Applecare).

Can you guys give me any help with what is the best course of action. I hope I haven't lost the contents of the drive as it was nearly full.

Thanks guys for any help.

Nick.



Machine Specs: PowerBook G4 12-inch 867 (Rev. A); Mac OS X (10.3.x); AE; SD; 1.12GB RAM; 60GB HD; EyeTV 400; SE T610.

Your Powerbook is hinting for you to get AppleCare. This issue very well could have happened after the warrany expired but thankfully it happend within the one year.
The reason I am saying this is because you can still buy AppleCare within the one year manufacturer's warranty and Apple will actually bend over backwards for AppleCare customers as oppose to just the included manufacturer's warranty.
While it's true that Apple will have to fix your Powerbook while under warranty ( so long as there is no physical damage) they may only just "fix" it but at times Apple will upgrade you to the newer model if the repair will be too costly or too extensive for them if you have AppleCare.
Besides you will be doing yourself a favor by getting AppleCare anyway. Once the manufacturer's warranty is gone you will more than likely have another issue come up that will cost you a small fortune.

Apple thankfully replaced my 17" 1Ghz with the 1.33Ghz model because they damaged it while in service. They didn't have to do that, they mentioned about just replacing it with the same slower model but because I had AppleCare they upgraded me at not additional charge.
Notebook computers "need" AppleCare.
I know it's expensive but it's a no brainer.

[thefunkymunky]

Well here is the bad news. I just checked and I infact got the PB end of July last year so it is out of warranty now

Do you think I should just buy a new HD and replace it myself then try and recover the data on the old drive somehow.

I could just nip down to my local Apple Centre and see what they say, maybe they will replace it without the need to send it to Apple.

Jeez. Wish I had Applecare now.

[hldan]

Originally posted by thefunkymunky:
Well here is the bad news. I just checked and I infact got the PB end of July last year so it is out of warranty now

Do you think I should just buy a new HD and replace it myself then try and recover the data on the old drive somehow.

I could just nip down to my local Apple Centre and see what they say, maybe they will replace it without the need to send it to Apple.

Jeez. Wish I had Applecare now.

There is a step by step guide to opening up the Powerbook to either changing the HD or upgrading the SD that someone posted on the internet. However it looks a bit extensive and I would think twice before trying it. I would really concern myself with what it may cost to have the Powerbook fixed first before being concerned with what you want to save on your HD. Apple won't fix it for cheap but neither will anyone else. Weigh out the options on cost and if the difference between a repair cost and buying a new Mac is not huge then I would go for a new one.
Hopefully you will be able to recover what's on your HD. It's always a good idea to have a back up external HD. I don't have one but I have a Powerbook and a FP iMac and they have the same contents on each HD as a back up in case of emergency.

[PeterKG]

I did a favor for a customer and set up his girlfriends new PB. I offered at the same time to update his TiBook. Just as I finished that last step, and attempted to run Cocktail, the display started going nuts. There are horizonal white distortion lines pulsing on the screen. The tool bar shows up on top and bottom of screen. It's like a TV with poor reception. I was able to back up his data (iTunes, iPhoto, User Data), so I am thinking the hard drive is not failing. Does anyone have any idea what could be failing? I can't beleive it happened while in my possesion, and at the very end of a successful update of the operating system! How do I explain this?