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crooner · Apr 11, 2006, 02:47 PM

Hey, Gang.
Need some help here.
I have a dual 1Ghz QuickSilver (1.5GB, 120GB, rest all stock) that I'm looking to put up on eBay. The problem is that it will not complete a boot cycle.
For a while it was just powering down unexpectedly after a few minutes of operation, so I suspected the PS. Lately, however, all I can do is get it to the grey screen with the spinning gear and it will either hard freeze or KP.
At this time I'm guessing mobo. What do you think?

Interestingly, I did manage to boot from an AHT CD and everything passed. Gee... great.

I've tried all the usual things I could: PRAM, CUDA, new battery, RAM musical chairs, standing on right foot while patting my head with my left hand, you name it.

I suppose I could take the time and expense to diagnose and fix it, but I figure that will cost at least $400-600. I've seen working QuickSilvers getting around $800 or so, and this makes me think that fixing her up is a waste. At this point I'm wondering how much I should ask/expect if I sell it "as is," letting the buyer know that there is something wrong but I don't know what it is.

Please let me know what your thoughts are on this. Thanks!

crooner · Apr 12, 2006, 08:53 PM

"Beuller?"

mountainash · Apr 16, 2006, 08:48 PM

I'd reckon that it is the hard drive, or a bad installation. Try booting from OSX install CD, or via firewire.

Repair permissions, reinstall etc. Check/replace the hard drive cable.

Captain Curt · Apr 17, 2006, 01:32 AM

If rebooting doesn't help, before you dump your quicksilver on ebay, you may want to take out the motherboard. Look over both sides of the mother board and touch up (resolder) anything that looks less that perfect. If you don't solder, take it to a TV repair shop (really!). $20.00 will probably get you five minutes of soldering. It's a possibility that a bad solder joint is causing your problem.

holstien · Apr 25, 2006, 07:50 AM

This is probably OS trouble.... Try reinstalling. Also, zapping the pram, especially if it's been sitting a while. It being nearly 4 years old, the clock battery may be on the fritz.

dowNNshift · Apr 25, 2006, 10:53 AM

If it passed the Apple Hardware Test then the Logic Board, PRAM, RAM, and Firmware should be OK... which leads me to believe it's a corrupted OS X System folder.

I agree with shazam's idea to boot from the OS X install CD or from a firewire drive to troubleshoot. Since you're selling it on ebay anyways, you'll need to wipe the drive and install an clean OS --so no harm there reloading the software. Even try replacing the physical HDD with another EIDE one you've got around.

I seriously doubt its a solder joint, and I wouldn’t go putting an iron the the board - most humans cannot replicate the precision machines print on the boards. If you loose the logic board you might as well feed it to a BFI dumpster and ebay the parts.

Also-- the clock battery is a "1/2AA" type, double check your replacement.

Good Luck!