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thisisjames · Dec 15, 2003, 03:37 PM

Hi all,

I've got a 12" RevA PowerBook G4 867, with 384MB RAM/60GB HDD (cusomised at time of order, so the extra was added by Apple), and I've added an Airport Extreme card myself.

Unfortunately, this PowerBook gets travel sickness. If you pick it up when it's on, holding it by the wrist rest to the left of the trackpad (presumably where the HDD is - it gets hot), there's a Kernel Panic and you have to reboot. The same happens if you knock it at all - not even particularly hard.

I called Apple's pretty poor technical support line, and I've run the Hardware CD tests, both basic and extended, and neither come back with any faults.

I'm thinking that there might be a loose wire or something, but now Apple are saying they wont send a box to collect the computer until I've taken out the Airport Extreme card (which I added) and the extra RAM (that *they* added), as if there are no faults found they'll charge me for looking at it.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Is that just a bad place to hold the PowerBook or are they particularly sensitive to being moved around?

Should Apple be covering the RAM they added and not asking me to remove it?

Any thoughts welcomed, I've got a lot of university work to do over the Christmas holidays so if I can avoid sending it off without reason it'd be a bonus!

Cheers,

James.

Altair · Dec 15, 2003, 03:54 PM

I have the same powerbook and I can assure you that there should be no sensitive spots that cause the computer to kernel panic. I've had a total of 3 such panics back with 10.2.1 which must have been because it was a new powerbook and not properly supported by OSX yet. I've held my powerbook in the places you mentioned plenty of times and never had a problem. The only problem I've had due to hitting my pbook was when I was burning a dvd. The burn failed after i hit the powerbook on the corner of a table that i was trying to put it onto.
Also I have to say that there are a few people in the Apple tech support that are good, but the opposite is true. If there is an apple store around where you live, I *highly* suggest taking it there. They tend to all know what they are doing and will send it off with a note in the database saying whats wrong and that it has been verified. Hope this helps.

thisisjames · Dec 15, 2003, 04:03 PM

Hey thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately there are no Apple stores this side of the Atlantic, and no service centres anywhere near so the only option is to send it off in one of their boxes!

James

effgee · Dec 15, 2003, 05:04 PM

The connector of the airport card is also located in that area - slid in from the right under/above the battery. Try reseating the airport card (taking it out and putting it back in) - if it's not perfectly seated it might cause kernel panics.

If this doesn't fix it, take out the airport card and try to reproduce the panic - maybe a loose connector (I doubt it, though).

HTH, eff

PapaJosh · Dec 15, 2003, 05:06 PM

I had the same problem with my 12" PowerBook and the AirPort card ended up being the culprit. Make sure that the card snaps into place and is firmly seated.

Target Practice · Dec 15, 2003, 11:17 PM

Had the same problem last year... after sending it in to Apple like 3 times... logic board replacement... lots of hassle...et cetera... it turns out that the airport card was loose.

thisisjames · Dec 17, 2003, 08:35 AM

Hehe I hate to say it guys, but I took out the Airport card, reseated it and so far no panics! Simple as that eh? Guess this means I have to get on with my work!

Cheers for the advice!

James

bbales · Dec 18, 2003, 10:29 AM

Let us know if that proves to be the culprit. I have the same machine (rev A) and have had only a few kernal panics. None of them were due to being moved around, though.

Hope your problem is solved.