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Date & Time--1969 / Startup black screen
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ARK
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Feb 15, 2003, 07:39 PM
 
I installed 10.2.4 but I noticed my time was 6pm on a Friday. I looked at it was set on 1969. Hmm.. so I changed it back, saved it, locked it and shut down. Turned it back on and it defaults to 1969 again. If I restart it doesn't change. any ideas?

Also on startup, usually the screen is grey with the apple logo then switches to the blue background and loads up files. Well after installing it goes to the grey screen then goes black and comes back to the blue screen when the files are halfway loaded. Any ideas?

Quicksilver Dual 1Ghz with gig of ram and 17" apple flat panel.

Thanks.

P.S. oh yeah got the computer last september.
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Feb 15, 2003, 07:51 PM
 
Clock battery dead already??
     
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Feb 15, 2003, 08:05 PM
 
Same problem on a dual 800. This was a bug that was around in 10.1, I think. Maybe they've reintroduced it in 10.2.4.
     
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Feb 15, 2003, 08:23 PM
 
I have the date issue too. 1969 the first time, 1970 the second time, everytime I sleep I shut down it changes back to the past.
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Feb 15, 2003, 08:40 PM
 
Your battery is dead. You're losing your PRAM settings. Do you have your Mac plugged into a powerstrip that you're turning off? If yes, you're prematurely draining your battery. Also, turn on NTP to keep your clock synched.
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Feb 15, 2003, 09:38 PM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
Your battery is dead. You're losing your PRAM settings. Do you have your Mac plugged into a powerstrip that you're turning off? If yes, you're prematurely draining your battery. Also, turn on NTP to keep your clock synched.
Don't think so. After 10.2.4 install my dual 800 is doing the same thing. System crashes every time I wake it from sleep now too. Used to it would just hang up for 30seconds to 1min but now it just dies.
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Feb 15, 2003, 11:14 PM
 
It could be a software issue, but from my experience the battery is usually the culprit. Though your machine is quite new, the battery may have been a dud and degraded faster than usual.

If you can still boot into OS 9, try that. Reset the clock if you need to and shut down. Boot up again. If the clock is wrong again then it is definitely the battery, otherwise then there is a problem with OS X.

The batteries are dead cheap so it shouldn't be a total pain in the arse.

Neil
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Feb 16, 2003, 07:40 AM
 
Same problem here, after restart the clock is wrong and the date is 1969.

dual 800, 10.2.4, 1.2 gig of ram.
     
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Feb 16, 2003, 07:53 AM
 
aaahhhh Woodstock '69...
     
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Feb 16, 2003, 08:05 AM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
Your battery is dead. You're losing your PRAM settings. Do you have your Mac plugged into a powerstrip that you're turning off? If yes, you're prematurely draining your battery. Also, turn on NTP to keep your clock synched.
No - I'm getting it on a Dual 800 after upgrading to 10.2.4.

Except I'm getting 1st January 1970.

I have reported it to Apple.
(Last edited by m.brown; Feb 16, 2003 at 10:38 AM. )
     
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Feb 16, 2003, 10:45 AM
 
How can several of us with different machines bought at different times who all updated to 10.2.4 in the last 2 days have dead batteries?

It's 10.2.4, it's pretty obvious.
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Feb 16, 2003, 12:59 PM
 
Whatever is the cause, it's still a PRAM issue. The time is maintained in PRAM. Dead batteries or a corrupted PRAM will have the same result. Have you guys tried zapping your PRAM? Also, do you have NTP on? If yes, you shouldn't be seeing a time problem.
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ARK  (op)
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Feb 16, 2003, 01:19 PM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
Whatever is the cause, it's still a PRAM issue. The time is maintained in PRAM. Dead batteries or a corrupted PRAM will have the same result. Have you guys tried zapping your PRAM? Also, do you have NTP on? If yes, you shouldn't be seeing a time problem.
It seems pretty weird for everyone to start having this problem after installing 10.2.4.

Mine cant be a battery then being as new as mine is. I work on some 400 Mhz and they havent had a battery issue.
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Feb 16, 2003, 01:20 PM
 
Damn!!!!!!
PRAM reset is doing nothing. It could be the battery... Installing 10.2.4 could have ****ed the PMU and killed it.

Also, any of you quicksilver dual owners have problems with sleep? Dual 800 w/Geforce2MX twinview here. Everytime I put the system to sleep now it hangs. Mouse locks and everything. I have reinstalled the system 3 times and I'm getting the same results every time. ****ed system after sleep. You'd think that for one of the most expensive systems ever sold by Apple (oustide of the 9600) they would try a little harder.

10.3rd time a charm? Sheesh...
     
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Feb 16, 2003, 01:29 PM
 
Originally posted by ARK:
It seems pretty weird for everyone to start having this problem after installing 10.2.4.

Mine cant be a battery then being as new as mine is. I work on some 400 Mhz and they havent had a battery issue.
Like I said, it could be a battery issue OR a corrupted PRAM issue. Also, batteries can die on new machines too, especially if there was a loss of power for an extended time.
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Feb 16, 2003, 01:31 PM
 
Originally posted by pooka:
Damn!!!!!!
PRAM reset is doing nothing. It could be the battery... Installing 10.2.4 could have ****ed the PMU and killed it.

Also, any of you quicksilver dual owners have problems with sleep? Dual 800 w/Geforce2MX twinview here. Everytime I put the system to sleep now it hangs. Mouse locks and everything. I have reinstalled the system 3 times and I'm getting the same results every time. ****ed system after sleep. You'd think that for one of the most expensive systems ever sold by Apple (oustide of the 9600) they would try a little harder.

10.3rd time a charm? Sheesh...
It sounds like you have a totally different issue since no one else is complaining about this.
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Feb 16, 2003, 01:33 PM
 
Originally posted by pooka:
Don't think so. After 10.2.4 install my dual 800 is doing the same thing. System crashes every time I wake it from sleep now too. Used to it would just hang up for 30seconds to 1min but now it just dies.
Right on, Apple!
Hanging 30-60 seconds when waking from sleep is not normal either. There was something wrong before 10.2.4.
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Feb 16, 2003, 01:42 PM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
Like I said, it could be a battery issue OR a corrupted PRAM issue. Also, batteries can die on new machines too, especially if there was a loss of power for an extended time.
What was it you said about the loss of power? Only thing I do is usually if Im not using it I will unplug the G4 from the wall. Thats all Ive been doing. Sometimes however I will leave it plugged in but I usually turn it off.

I just put it to sleep while being on the internet... woke up and Im still on the internet via airport.. everything is working with no hang ups
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Feb 16, 2003, 02:15 PM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
Hanging 30-60 seconds when waking from sleep is not normal either. There was something wrong before 10.2.4.
What do you know about computers? You're an architect

Seriously, it's not normal. But it's very common. Do a search here or in the powermac section. You will find quite a few Quicksilver owners with the same problem. It wouldn't be that big of a deal to me if these machines weren't so freakin loud.

The hangs didn't start with 10.2.4. Now they're just permanent.
     
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Feb 16, 2003, 02:37 PM
 
I have been having this problem since long before 10.2.4 on my iMac and I assumed that it was the battery. Now I see that it could be caused by duff pram. Only problem is how do you reset the pram with OSX, I don't have OS9 installed anymore.
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Feb 16, 2003, 04:27 PM
 
Originally posted by Mike Pither:
I have been having this problem since long before 10.2.4 on my iMac and I assumed that it was the battery. Now I see that it could be caused by duff pram. Only problem is how do you reset the pram with OSX, I don't have OS9 installed anymore.
Boot your Mac while holding Command-Option-P-R until you hear the chime again. Then release the keys and your Mac will reboot. Actually, zapping PRAM is independent of the OS version.
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Feb 16, 2003, 04:31 PM
 
Originally posted by ARK:
What was it you said about the loss of power? Only thing I do is usually if Im not using it I will unplug the G4 from the wall. Thats all Ive been doing. Sometimes however I will leave it plugged in but I usually turn it off.

I just put it to sleep while being on the internet... woke up and Im still on the internet via airport.. everything is working with no hang ups
That's what I mean by loss of power. When you disconnect the power to the computer (whether unplugging it from the wall or turning off a powerstrip) there is no power to maintain the contents of PRAM. Therefore the battery has to do it and gets drained. By unplugging your Mac, you are dramatically reducing the life of the battery. It is intended that you leave your Mac plugged in at all times.
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Feb 16, 2003, 04:44 PM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
That's what I mean by loss of power. When you disconnect the power to the computer (whether unplugging it from the wall or turning off a powerstrip) there is no power to maintain the contents of PRAM. Therefore the battery has to do it and gets drained. By unplugging your Mac, you are dramatically reducing the life of the battery. It is intended that you leave your Mac plugged in at all times.
That was a good one. I have not updated my ibook yet but it can keep the time. This holds true even for a desktop mac or pc because they are designed to hold the date for a period of time thus the battery. This is not the reason for this. I would think that the battery holds the settings for months after unplugging the power.
(Last edited by Sophie; Feb 16, 2003 at 05:24 PM. )
     
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Feb 16, 2003, 09:14 PM
 
Originally posted by Sophie:
That was a good one. I have not updated my ibook yet but it can keep the time. This holds true even for a desktop mac or pc because they are designed to hold the date for a period of time thus the battery. This is not the reason for this. I would think that the battery holds the settings for months after unplugging the power.
Yes, the battery can keep the time for a period of time. However, it will only last for so long. If you cut the power to your Mac every night by pulling the plug or turning off a powerstrip, the battery will die within months, not years as it is intended. This is why Apple posted a tech note a while back about this.
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Feb 16, 2003, 09:35 PM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:
Yes, the battery can keep the time for a period of time. However, it will only last for so long. If you cut the power to your Mac every night by pulling the plug or turning off a powerstrip, the battery will die within months, not years as it is intended. This is why Apple posted a tech note a while back about this.
But its not like I've left it unplugged from the wall for a month at a time. It may go several days at the longest but thats it.

Thing is it never did this before. Now suddenly its doing it after installing 10.2.4.

Wheres this tech note you refer too?
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ARK  (op)
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Feb 16, 2003, 09:55 PM
 
i went to the Apple board.. looks like Im not the only one.. Dual 867 are having the same problem after updating to 10.2.4 as well.

http://discussions.info.apple.com/We...14@.3bbf4cdc/0
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Feb 16, 2003, 10:09 PM
 
I figured out the date time issue. It seems that the network server url is left blank after the update. So even if you have it checked to get use network time server, you need to choose a NTP server and then hit Get Time Now.

Set my time right, hopefully it will stick as it went back to 1969 after sleep today.

Hope this helps.
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Feb 16, 2003, 10:20 PM
 
Originally posted by ARK:
But its not like I've left it unplugged from the wall for a month at a time. It may go several days at the longest but thats it.

Thing is it never did this before. Now suddenly its doing it after installing 10.2.4.

Wheres this tech note you refer too?
It's not a rechargeable battery so every time you unplug, you drain the bettery a little more. and reduce its life expectancy. So, unplugging it every night for a month is equivalent to leaving it unplugged for half a month straight. It's a cumulative effect. I'll see if I can find the tech note. It was posted a couple of years ago IIRC.
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Feb 16, 2003, 10:22 PM
 
Originally posted by KidRed:
I figured out the date time issue. It seems that the network server url is left blank after the update. So even if you have it checked to get use network time server, you need to choose a NTP server and then hit Get Time Now.

Set my time right, hopefully it will stick as it went back to 1969 after sleep today.

Hope this helps.
Thats fine and all but what about those of us who dont use a server for their time? I for one am not connected to the internet since I use dial-up. I get it free thats why I still use it.
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Feb 16, 2003, 10:30 PM
 
Hey Art...STFU...it's a known bug.

One more word from you about dead batteries and PRAM zapping and I'll have to send you to your room without diner.
     
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Feb 16, 2003, 10:39 PM
 
Originally posted by Pepi Picklefoot:
Hey Art...STFU...it's a known bug.

One more word from you about dead batteries and PRAM zapping and I'll have to send you to your room without diner.
Heheh when I first read it I thought you were talking to me. Art.. ARK.. well guess I'll just wait for a fix from Apple.
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Feb 16, 2003, 10:39 PM
 
Originally posted by Pepi Picklefoot:
Hey Art...STFU...it's a known bug.

One more word from you about dead batteries and PRAM zapping and I'll have to send you to your room without diner.


What would I want with a diner anyways?

Batteries and PRAM may not be the cause of this problem, but it's still a valid concern. I haven't found the tech note but this site http://www.resource800.com/appledesk.html references the need to keep a power supply to your Mac to sustain the life of the battery. It's just common sense. If you disconnect power, you drain the battery.
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Feb 16, 2003, 10:42 PM
 
Originally posted by ARK:
Thats fine and all but what about those of us who dont use a server for their time? I for one am not connected to the internet since I use dial-up. I get it free thats why I still use it.
I believe you still can use it with dial-up. IIRC it is smart enough to only synch when you're connected. I don't believe it will initiate a connection when you aren't and have auto-connect turned on.
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Feb 16, 2003, 10:44 PM
 
Originally posted by Art Vandelay:


What would I want with a diner anyways?

Batteries and PRAM may not be the cause of this problem, but it's still a valid concern. I haven't found the tech note but this site http://www.resource800.com/appledesk.html references the need to keep a power supply to your Mac to sustain the life of the battery. It's just common sense. If you disconnect power, you drain the battery.
Yes, but it does not play a factor here. I did a google search on "mac date battery" and was given some quick info about this and found that the battery last at least 2 years even if you pull the plug.

The date/time issue is on MacNN frontpage now.

http://www.macnn.com/feature.php?id=377#systemdate
     
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Feb 17, 2003, 09:53 AM
 
Originally posted by ARK:
Thats fine and all but what about those of us who dont use a server for their time? I for one am not connected to the internet since I use dial-up. I get it free thats why I still use it.
Well, once it synced it may stay if you take thay feature off. I dunno, myabe becayse it never 'synced' it will always reset? I selected a NTP server and my date has stuck so far.
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