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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > G4 major problem. Please read and diagnose...

G4 major problem. Please read and diagnose...
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erik01
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Apr 24, 2002, 02:47 PM
 
After reading the following scenario, could you please give me your opinion as to what the problem with my G4 (tower) might be, and a way to test it or solve it without spending alot of money?

My G4 tower (using OS 9.04) starts up, but shows a blinking question mark, and no longer addresses the hard drive. Last weekend, it mysteriously started working properly again, but has since ceased to address the hard drive. It will address/start up from the system CD, or from a system folder placed on an external zip drive. I checked all of the connections and memory inside. All seem well-seated. I ran Norton, which found some major catalog B-tree errors on the system and doesn't seem to fix them. Tech Tools Pro 3 shows that all of its tests passed except the system files test, which failed. I reformatted the hard drive after starting up from the system CD, but the computer still won't address the hard drive. One really shocking (!) discovery was that the machine shipped to me with the 230 Volt switch showing rather than the 115 Volt. I just discovered this last night... 1.5 years later. However, the computer's power strip was surge-protected, and several people told me that this probably isn't the cause of the problem. Some suggested that downloaded AOL files might have caused a system corruption problem. Others suggest it is the hard drive. One suggests the problem is with the motherboard (even though Tech Tools Pro says otherwise... I hope he's wrong!).

With this information, can you suggest a way to test the computer in order to determine the exact root of the problem, or offer any advice on where the problem lies? Thanks for your help.
Erik Nashawaty
     
Leonard
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Apr 24, 2002, 03:28 PM
 


[ 04-24-2002: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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Colonel Panic
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Apr 24, 2002, 03:38 PM
 
sounds like a job for DiskWarrior to me, sounds like hard drive problems, especially if norton is identifying something.
     
erik01  (op)
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Apr 24, 2002, 06:10 PM
 
Originally posted by Colonel Panic:
<STRONG>sounds like a job for DiskWarrior to me, sounds like hard drive problems, especially if norton is identifying something.</STRONG>
Thanks for your quick response. I was planning to replace the drive for about 100 bucks, hoping that will solve the problem, but I wasn't sure if the motherboard was the problem... and I don't want to replace that component because it costs big bucks. Also, I was wondering what your thought was on the 230 volt switch being on for 1.5 years instead of the 115 volt selection. Do you think that could have harmed the computer's motherboard?
Erik Nashawaty
     
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Apr 26, 2002, 12:11 AM
 
If you have it, you could try and using the Hardware test disk that came with your computer. That might identify any problems. As for disk utilities, Diskwarrior has saved my butt on many an occasion. No questions whatsoever that you should have a copy! Try it and see what happens.

Yaser
     
siegzdad
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Apr 26, 2002, 07:12 AM
 
Originally posted by erik01:
<STRONG>I reformatted the hard drive after starting up from the system CD, but the computer still won't address the hard drive.</STRONG>
In all likelyhood it is the drive failing.
iMac therefor iAm
     
Nep2ne
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Apr 27, 2002, 09:12 AM
 
The drive is failing, but it isounds to me like it is completely fixable using software...

All hard drives are magnetic -- an old media that is bound to fail eventually. That is why most drive manufacturers only give you a 1 or 3 yr. warranty...BUT, see if you can score a copy of disk warrior. What DW does, essentially, is rewrite the entire directory structure (found in the first sectors of you drive). Without a valid dir. structure you will get the flashing "?". Disk First Aid, the Apple utility, can do some of these things, but instead of completely rewriting the entire directory, will only repair individual things.

Disk Warrior only does one thing, but it does it SO WELL. I cannot stress how important a utility it is. It has saved my a** countless times. Try it!!
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a-poria
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Apr 27, 2002, 09:48 AM
 
this may or may not help. i recently installed os x on my newly acquired cube. i used the 10.1 full install cd that i bought at the local comp store about a month ago. for the entire week i had many of the same problems you are desbribing, flashing ?, broken folder at startup, and even no sign of my HD after booting off a cd. i replaced my HD with a new seagate, but shortly after installing the same problems returned. in my discussions with apple, of which i was eventually shuffled up to the experts in CA, all we could figure out is that my disk directory was being corrupted, though by what or whom we did not know. then it struck me, what if the 10.1 full install cd i bought was bad? everyone i asked seemed to think this impossible, but i decided to install without it anyway (using 10.0.3 with 10.1 update cd I already had). well, everything now works, no crashes, no freezes, no ?, no broken folders. all this to say that it really can be anything.
     
K++
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Apr 27, 2002, 12:00 PM
 
this has nothing to do with software, its a hardware problem. Specifically the power cable to the hard drive. i had the same problem with one of the G4's my school ordered and it would start up sometimes, and sometimes not.

Fix it by opening the computer pulling out the power cable connected to the HD and connect andther power cable. If that doesnt fix it call Apple.
     
Nep2ne
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Apr 27, 2002, 03:38 PM
 
Originally posted by erik01:
<STRONG>....I ran Norton, which found some major catalog B-tree errors on the system and doesn't seem to fix them. Tech Tools Pro 3 shows that all of its tests passed except the system files test, which failed. I reformatted the hard drive after starting up from the system CD, but the computer still won't address the hard drive.
</STRONG>
K++ This DOES sound like it could again be related to Volume/Directory errors. Unless you specifically reformatted by writing zeroes there is no way to know that it is related to hardware or software. Otherwise you are simply writing over the existing directory information.

Since there is obviously no danger of information being lost, the simpler solution would be to reformat by zeroing the drive, writing the new driver to the drive, throwing on whatever system software you want and checking that way. And if THAT don't work, then call Apple!
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