[WOPR]

First version of the 12" G4 (867mhz)...

It started playing up, then at boot up I got a screen of text ending in 'we are hanging here'. It wouldn't restart. It wouldn't boot from CD, but then I managed to start in safe mode and did a fsck. The booted from CD, repaired the disk and then tried installing Tiger. It froze at 38%.

Then it wouldn't boot at all. Tried reset-all from open firmware, no joy. Tried booting from firewire drive, same text at startup. Then mounted it in target disk mode from my iMac, erased and reinstalled, all seemed fine with the install. PowerBook is still borked though, same error as before. In fact the text doesn't stop scrolling up the screen now. Removed extra ram and airport card and still no joy.

I guess my local genius bar is the only solution now?

[mrmister]

Yep.

Are you still under AppleCare?

[Barry]

do you have the disk with Apple Hardware Test that came with the computer?? try running this if you have it.

Have you reset the Parameter RAM and Power Management Unit??

when you say you did reset -all from open firmware, was that all you did or did you do
set-defaults
reset-nvram
reset-all

???

[Cold Warrior]

run the hardware test like barry says. That's the first thing they'd probably do at the genius bar.

[WOPR]

Thanks for the replies. It's 2 years old and out of AppleCare. Hardware test CD wouldn't run so I removed the extra ram again and it booted up into the test. On Quick Test I get a memory error:

Error Code:
2MLB/10/4: 132
It doesn't get to check the VRAM.


On Extended Test I get:

Error Code:
2MEM/1/4: DIMM0/BUILT-IN

So as I suspected all along it's the RAM on the board that's borked. I'm assuming this is soldered on and I have a hefty repair bill coming my way

Pity there's no way to disable the RAM.

[WOPR]

Originally Posted by Barry

do you have the disk with Apple Hardware Test that came with the computer?? try running this if you have it.

Have you reset the Parameter RAM and Power Management Unit??

when you say you did reset -all from open firmware, was that all you did or did you do
set-defaults
reset-nvram
reset-all

???

I forgot to say I tried the open firmware tips to no avail.

[Barry]

when you go to the store for your repair, tell them the memory error codes. Sounds like you need a main logic board. I would guess around 400 dollars for a repair.

[WOPR]

Took it to the genius bar and the logic board is £199 and labour is £118. For a PB worth about £450 that's not worth doing so tonight I started selling off the bits. Already sold the Airport card, will strip down the machine this week and see how much I can get back from it. I've done research on ebay and I could end up with a pretty cheery amount for the bits so I'm not too upset. Although a £1150 PowerBook lasting only 2 years isn't what I'd call a good life!

[WOPR]

Started breaking it up for parts last night

Thank the lord I don't have to reassemble it again!