Recently, when i start up the computer, i only hear a "click" sound and the green power light blink once then won't start up. I've to keep pressing the power button on the keyboard a few times then it will start. anybody has any idea what's going on? the power supply? please help!!!

Hello...
I had a similar problem...it could be one of two things.
a) Reset the motherboard (there is a switch- i have an 8500 too, it is a total pain in the butt to get to!!)
b) Get a new keyboard. I had a really bad keyboard that would "pretend" to key the power on but wouldnt quite finish the connection.
I did both things when I had the problem (reset and bought a new keyboard) and it vanished. Good luck!

Hi, Thanks for the advice. It worked right away after I reset the motherboard and i have switched to another working keyboard too. and I've tried to restart, shut down and start it up again a few times afterwards just to make sure and it worked too BUT after i shut it down and try to turn it on the next day, the same problem come back!!!! what did i do wrong? is there any proper procedure to do it? Please help.

[ppmax]

hey man--just this morning something similar happened to me. it goes thru 90% of the boot process and then starts clicking...i tried booting off of the CD, but no dice. ill try the motherboard reset, but i was thinking that the hardrive may have gone down. is this a recurring problem for you?

please post yer config. heres my config:
PowerMac 8500/120
MacOS 9 (recent clean install)
ATI NexusGA
200megs RAM
2gig HD

i guess our problems has a little difference since mine won't go through the boot process at all but yours can at least go through 90%. Yours may be just an extension conflict.Try turn extension off when start and see what happens.Then i will zap the pram before i actually reset the motherboard (it's really a pain in the butt process). hope this will help u.i did a clean reinstall my system (8.6) also but it still won't work. maybe i don't know enough but from my experience, i highly doubt that it was your hard drive.
my config.:
8500/120
144 mg ram
a video card but i forgot the brand
1 gig drive

[mvjames]

Very likely it could be you CMOS/PRAM battery has past away.

My rule of thumb is batteries last 3-5 years.

Last year I replaced batteries on a few 6100. So this year some 2nd generation PowerMacs (7500,8500,9500) will have to have their batteries replaced.

mvjames, thanks for replying. i've replaced the PRAM battery with a new one already and the problem still exists. i guess my problem is worse than that, i start to think the mother motherboard is really messed up!!!

[mvjames]

That Odd. Seems there is a timing (capacitor) or voltage problem in the circuit.

I'm confident you've tried the following, but just make sure.

All macs have a powerswitch on the mb. Have you tried it to see if what happens with the kb happens?
* If it doesnt then replace the kb cable. If it continues you've diagnosed the mb or the kb connector on the mb being the cause.

* Otherwise given that you hear a 'click', I could be the Power Supply. I cant tell you how much a new one costs, but it may be cheaper than buying a used/refurbished motherboard.

sort of a similar incident happened with my umax c500 (crappy computer, believe me, i know.) last year. except I tracked the "clicking" sound to be coming from my drive. the sound sounds scarily a lot like the zip drive "click o death" (I haven't heard that in a while) I ripped out the drive and popped in a new one (and since got a newer system) but if anyone has heard of this happening or knows of a way to deal with it lemme know.

thanks
nick

[macopz]

buzz- Well, i must disagree with you, because i LOVE my c500, (although i wish the PCI slots were 7" instead of 3.5") but overall, i like mine alot

------------------
;-) MacOpz

[zac4mac]

just a guess pippen, but both posts referring to a startup problem include a 3rd party video card. i just installed a rage orion in my 8500 friday and had some troble getting it going right.before you start buying parts, put your system back to original and try it. follow the same process as chasing bad extension but with your hardware. my config:
8500/120 upped to apple 604e/233 card
208mb RAM interleaved
OS9
rage orion set@1024x768/85Hz
compaq v70 monitor

also, if you moved the mac recently, check all cable connections @ motherboard