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PHoynak · Jul 15, 2005, 10:55 AM

I have a powerbook (gold keyboard) that will not boot. When you start up it just gets to a screen that says you have to reboot your computer and I have to press the reset button. The power button will not shut it down.

It has been upgraded by Daystar to a G4. It is a hardware problem (ram, harddrive, Cpu?) or do I need to reload OS X? It is running 10.3....will 10.4 run on it since it does not have built in firewire?

thanks

PHoynak · Jul 18, 2005, 05:46 PM

Well I tried to install 10.4 on it but it wont since there is no firewire built in. Does anyone know a workaround for this?

I did use the disk utility from the 10.4 dvd but it keeps failing at the end. Does this mean the hard drive could be bad or just the 10.4 version of the disk utility maybe is not compatible?

PHoynak · Jul 19, 2005, 10:32 AM

I finally got my OS 10.3 disks to boot...but the installation keeps failing...just keeps saying there were errors writing.......I think its the hard drive......

Are they any utlilies I can download to boot off a cd to test the hard drive? I just moved and all of my cd's are still packed away....

PHoynak · Jul 22, 2005, 09:21 AM

The drama continues......I installed the new hard drive but still I get the same problem. In the install process the screen will crap out...it may take 20 mins....10 mins....whatever....I get all different colors on the screen. When I restart the machine everything is normal for a time.....

Could it be the processor upgrade? I was thinking next to find a G3 processor for it and try that. I bought this for my daugter for basic internet use and for school (word processing). Could bad ram do this?

crazeazn · Jul 22, 2005, 12:33 PM

somebody help this guy out!

PHoynak · Jul 24, 2005, 12:36 PM

I install 10.3 and it is fine....then when I install the 10.3.9 combo updater it boots and it freezes on the desktop. Then when I reboot I just get the grey screen with the circle with a line through it. What gives? If I keep it at 10.3 it should be fine but what is the issue with the 10.3.9 updater? I am ready to sell the thing for parts!!!! Any help would be appreciated.....

Jacob · Jul 24, 2005, 02:52 PM

If you're getting garble or particles on the screen, this is most likely an overheating problem with the new processor you had installed. (The G4). Make sure it's getting sufficient cooling. You have the Powerbook G3 series notebook, so pop open the keyboard (it's easy to do, pull down the tabs from the top of the keyboard). And lift it open. Let the system run and put your hand on the heatsink, is it getting too hot? Believe me, you'll be able to tell, these things boil! Maybe the heatsink isn't secured to the daughtercard good enough. There are self assembly/dis-assembly/upgrade kits online that you can read, which show you step by step instructions on how to do such things. Check those out, it's actually not that hard on these units. That would be my conclusions anyways. But this is not a hard drive problem.

PHoynak · Jul 24, 2005, 08:17 PM

I found that having ram in the top slot causes issues...once that was removed it installed fine. Now I have the issue with the 10.3.9 update....it just kills everything.

PHoynak · Jul 26, 2005, 08:20 PM

I was able to get OS 10.4 installed and the Powerbook is running the best it ever has....I am doing the 10.4.2 update now.....crossing my fingers.......