Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

eliz · Mar 4, 2006, 02:00 PM

Hi
Can anyone help me with my startup problem? I have a G4 powerbook (2nd hand) which has worked perfectly for 18 months, but after not having used it for some time, when I tried to startup today I found that the screen has gone mad! About 1/5th on the left hand side has thick vertical black and blue columns on it - the rest is a lighter blue. The start up screen and the subsequent desktop are scattered in an unreadable flickering mess across these colour bars!
I can log on by blindly inputting my username, but once logged on I cannot access any of the desktop controls because I can't see them clearly enough through the flickering and jumbled desktop picture! I can just about tell that the OS is working underneath all this mess, but I can't use it!
I've tried the p.ram trick, and shift/control/alt/power to reset the battery. I've made sure the battery has been fully recharged, and I've left it a while before trying again, but always get the same screen at startup. I don't know what to try next or why it has suddenly done this - it has been quietly sitting on a table whilst I've not used it, and has not been dropped or abused in any way.
I'd be really grateful for any ideas.....!
thanks Eliz

skyman · Mar 4, 2006, 02:23 PM

Is it a Ti PB?

Sounds like you "might" have a loose video connector.

eliz · Mar 5, 2006, 11:43 AM

Hi Skyman,
Thanks for your reply - I'm not sure if it's a titanium or the other (aluminium?). I bought it 2nd hand and the guy didn't specify, it doesn't seem to say anywhere on it what it is!
Any ideas on how I might tighten the video connector if this is the problem?:-), or will it have to go back to the 'shop' - I'm not much good at fixing internal things!!
thanks for the suggestion anyway
Eliz

skyman · Mar 5, 2006, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by eliz

Hi Skyman,
Thanks for your reply - I'm not sure if it's a titanium or the other (aluminium?). I bought it 2nd hand and the guy didn't specify, it doesn't seem to say anywhere on it what it is!
Any ideas on how I might tighten the video connector if this is the problem?:-), or will it have to go back to the 'shop' - I'm not much good at fixing internal things!!
thanks for the suggestion anyway
Eliz

Use the system profiler and post the hardware overview.

Velocity211 · Mar 5, 2006, 03:50 PM

Titanium has a black keyboard and the aluminum has a silver keyboard

Velocity211 · 01:41 PM

Sorry For the multiple posts, my airport reception was messed up so i clicked post a couple of times

Velocity211 · 01:41 PM

Again

Velocity211 · 01:41 PM

......

eliz · Mar 7, 2006, 11:59 AM

Thanks all, for your guides to identifying the powerbook - it has a silver keyboard, and must therefore be an aluminum version.
From Skyman - "Use the system profiler and post the hardware overview." I can't do this because the screen is so unreadable I cannot get to the system profiler to be able to post a hardware overview!

thanks
Eliz