[bighead]

Well, its been a long time since I posted here, but this time I've got something worthwhile.

The whole deal started on Thursday. I saw that 512 MB cards for my Pismo were only $95 on OWC's site. I figured, hell yeah! I ordered one for next-day delivery. So, Thursday night, I decide to move my other 512 card to the lower slot to make things easy on Friday. No sweat. However, the plastic tab on the processor card came right off.

Jump to this morning. I'm on #macintosh on Undernet and BatmanPPC suggests that I run string under the processor card to remove it. It was a great idea, and worked twice. It is worth noting that in one of my reboots, it went into the Open Firmware command line, and I had to type mac-boot to continue. No idea if this is significant at the time being. However, after the second time of removing the card, I tried replacing the card and it wouldn't seat right. Once I got it in, the screen wouldn't work.

Nothing on the screen at all functions. No backlight. No LCD activity. No nothing. It boots like a charm. I can tell it runs fine (and now runs fine with the second 512 card in it. The screenshots I took of the ASP will determine if it is recognized). It cannot, however, display anything at all. External monitors will not work through either the VGA or S-Video out.

Apple says that since I fscked this thing while doing RAM, it isn't covered under my AppleCare extended warranty.(!) I think that is really fsked up. They suspect that I somehow fried the video circuitry, even though I was using my static wriststrap the whole time, and I didn't even realize I was near the video subsystem. They also say that to replace the logic board it'll cost $800 out the door. That seems a little steep since they don't have to replace the CPU.

Has anyone had any similar experiences? The search function doesn't seem to be working right now, and I am totally lost without my machine. I'll be able to retrieve everything thanks to my buddy's new iBook and FireWire target disk mode (which I hope works). But if anyone can give me any assistance or advice, that would be great. I don't exactly have $800 for a new logic board, since I still owe my dad for the unit itself.

Thanks in advance.

I know this isn't very helpful but... i did the same thing. i removed the processor card as you described and changed my 128 to the bottom slot. i go the same reaction no video or anything for that matter. i took it apart again and reseated the processor card and it worked. i know you have probably already tried that but my processor card felt like it was on but it wasnt on correctly. it just took a second seating to get it on the right way. to make a long story short, i had the same reaction you did but i was able to fix it this way. i hope you can fix yurs as well.
hope that helps [email protected]

[icruise]

Yes, it can be tricky when you remove the motherboard. I assume that you have tried removing the RAM you installed, and also tried reseating the processor card a couple of times? It seems to take a fair amount of pressure to get it in there. Although I would think that the machine wouldn't boot at all if it wasn't installed properly. I don't know what else to try...

[bighead]

i had my dad take it down to compusa and play stupid consumer (not acting for him, hehehe). they're shipping it to apple, and hopefully they can find something cheaper wrong with it, or at least fix it for free.

it is kinda an end run, but maybe they can pin it down.

oh, and btw, firewire target disk mode wasn't working either when i tried it on sunday. maybe i fscked up more than i thought.

[bighead]

just an update, if anyone was interested (and a new question).

i got it back today, a week after taking it to compusa. new logic board, 512 mb of ram in the lower slot, and they even replaced my black ac adapter with a new yoyo. a week is great time for apple, and so was the cost (nothing!!! woooooo hooooo!)

A question for some of you: have you actually gotten a full 1024 MB of RAM to work in a Pismo? That upgrade was just hell for me, and I was wondering if anyone got it to work.

On second thought, the Apple System Profiler pictures did say 1024 MB, even though I wasn't using the screen. Any help would be appreciated.

[romeosc]

I run 1Gb in my Pismo 500 & have no problems!

[Camali]

romeosc,


With 1gb of RAM in your Pismo, does your battery drain quickly?

Apple had said something about having 1gb of RAM that if you tried to change batteries that the PowerBook would lose it's PRAM settings.

I'd like to know if you can change batteries (with AC plugged in) and with out.