[OmniScient]

Hi

I have a PowerBook G4/500 (2x256 MB RAM, OS X v.10.2.3, 30 GB HD). It has worked flawlessly until now...

Sometimes when I wake the machine up from sleep, the screen turns on, but the machine is frozen. Only thing that works is holding down the start-up button for a while. When I turn the machine on, 50% of the time, I can hear the machine starting up, but the screen doesn�t turn on (it remains black). When the machine finally turns on, the amount of time the machine needs to get past the grey startup screen with the black apple logo varies a lot. Sometimes it starts up really fast, sometimes it takes forever and the spinning animation occasionally stops for a long time.

I have had a lot of trouble lately, with the machine refusing to empty the trash, and applications behaving strangely, so I have just formatted the HD and made clean installs of 9 & X. It haven�t resolved the problem�

I have tried starting up in single user mode and done some fsck �y� nothing.
I have also run Apples disk first aid and Powerbook Hardware test, which didn�t find any problems.

If I tell the computer to sleep and wakes it up immediately after, the machine wakes up normally. If the computer sleeps for a while, it freezes�

Have any of you ever experienced anything like this? Or do you have some idea to what I could do?

OmniScient

[flanders]

How about memory, have you checked it out with the hardware test disk (or similar mac hardware troubleshooting program)? Sometimes, bad memory can account for strange app behaviour and slow start-ups. It's possible that it just needs to be re-seated too since it's probably been there awhile.

[Appleman]

Having the same PB G4-500, also European made, I had similar problems and finally Apple replaced the motherboard...happily I have AppleCare.

I agree that bad memory can give these problems as well.

[morlium]

I've experienced this problem a couple of times with my 1GHz ... I think the problem lies in the OS, not the hardware.

[OmniScient]

Thanks for your replies!

I have tested the memory with the hardware test, but it didn't find any problems. I have also removed both chips one at the time, and tried using both slots individually.

The machine doesn�t freeze if I put it to sleep and wakes it up immediately after. It only freezes when the machine goes into deep sleep.

This is really frustrating� I have to force restart the machine about 5-10 times before it completes the start-up sequence.

It�s weird, because when I start the machine with my USB mouse plugged in, I can see the power switching on and off many times.

I think I better talk to one of the Apple technicians at work

If this is an OS issue, Apple really should think about revising the testing procedures�

Regards

OmniScient

[Appleman]

Originally posted by OmniScient:
Thanks for your replies!

I have tested the memory with the hardware test, but it didn't find any problems. I have also removed both chips one at the time, and tried using both slots individually.

The machine doesn�t freeze if I put it to sleep and wakes it up immediately after. It only freezes when the machine goes into deep sleep.

This is really frustrating� I have to force restart the machine about 5-10 times before it completes the start-up sequence.

It�s weird, because when I start the machine with my USB mouse plugged in, I can see the power switching on and off many times.

I think I better talk to one of the Apple technicians at work

If this is an OS issue, Apple really should think about revising the testing procedures�

Regards

OmniScient

When my motherboard was "burned out" the Apple PowerBook Hardware test CD didn't find any problems...

I do not think it's such a good software to use. Why do you get TechTool 2.4 from Micromat when version 3 is out already long time when you buy AppleCare? One would think Apple is the company to check their own products, but they don't.