# Help Please!!



## scotbriscoe (Mar 27, 2005)

alright, i have a problem with my ibook G4 that is only a month out of warranty. The mac started locking up, and i got frustrated and backed up my data, and wiped out the hard drive. Then, i figured a simple OSX install would fix it all. no such luck... upon the install, it locks up at the same place on the second disk of the install. ( I still have the cd's not dvd's). It sounded like a hard drive problem to me, so i had a spare 30g drive, and put it in. Still no luck, exact same thing happens. I even copied the disks, still nothing. any ideas???...HELP


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## MSM Hobbes (Apr 23, 2004)

Were you running any particular applications each time, or no matter what program(s) you ran, she'd lock up? Were you getting any error codes or messages? What version of OS? How much RAM do you have?

To make sure its clear, it was freezing during "normal" operations, and then also now during a reinstall of the OS X upon the original drive, and even upon a second drive - and both at the same place.

One thing you can do to get a visual clue during a possible lock up freeze is to check the box next to the "Flash the time separators" w/in the Menu Bar Clock tab via System Preferences. This will allow you to actually see the colon that separates the hours and minutes - it should blink if the system is just running slow. However, if it ain't blinkin', then yea, she's frozen all the way. Then a force quit is necessary.

Strange that same results are seen w/ a brand new HD...


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## scotbriscoe (Mar 27, 2005)

thanks so much for the reply..... Im running panther, and yes, the same results are seen with a new HD, i thought of a heat problem, but have ruled that out... ive been fooling with it all day, and while it seems to lock up during install of osx at _about_ the same time, it does vary. Apple is absolutely NO help, since the warranty is out by 28 days. Im stumped...i ran hardware test and everything checked out OK.


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## scotbriscoe (Mar 27, 2005)

RAM count is 256 I believe


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## MSM Hobbes (Apr 23, 2004)

Doubt that DiscWarrior would be of much assistance, seeing how a new HD failed to solve the problem, but yet I wonder if something along the lines of some conflict is still frickin' up the system. Check out http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/ and see if you think this might be applicable for ya. But like you said, you already ran a h/w test... yet DW may be able to find some other problems.

My other most likely guess is that there may be some extensions that are amiss.

No error codes/messages seen at all when she locks up? Cursor freezes upon the screen? Applications just freeze?

Another thing you might try is to reset PRAM and NVRAM [zapping]:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238

A quick/dirty explanation of the above is thus:
1. Restart: press the Command, Option, O, & F keys.
2. Wait a bit.
3. Enter into Open Firmware mode.
4. Type: reset-nvram
5. Press Return key (this will return you to the prompt - the nvram settings are now reset factory default)
6. Type: reset-all
7. Press the Return key (this will reset the logic board & PRAM settings)
If it instantly restarts, the process was positive.


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## scotbriscoe (Mar 27, 2005)

I am trying it right now. The comp would freeze under normal use...no error messages or anything. courser would freeze, and i would have to just turn it off manually. you have no idea how much i appriciate all your help


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## MSM Hobbes (Apr 23, 2004)

After thinking a bit more whilst eating some more Easter deserts, , I wonder if another likely cause could be related to any SCSI devices and/or connections that you may have? Another thought is if your Finder preference file may be corrupted. Are you familiar w/ what to do if either of these two scenerios are the culprit? If not, holler and will post some suggestions.


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## scotbriscoe (Mar 27, 2005)

Reseting the nvram didnt work....same problem. I dont know what to do about the things you said, but I am more than willing to try ANYTHING


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## MSY-Houston (Dec 5, 2004)

scotbriscoe said:


> Reseting the nvram didnt work....same problem. I dont know what to do about the things you said, but I am more than willing to try ANYTHING


Can you try to reinstall OS9 and see if that takes?

If it does, then set Virtual Memory to 512k and restart.

Then try to install OSX


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## scotbriscoe (Mar 27, 2005)

How do I install just os9? The software restore disc?


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## scotbriscoe (Mar 27, 2005)

ok guys....strange but good news... os X installed, and everything seems "normal", until it locks up after about 2 minutes, with no error message, and no matter what app is open


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## scotbriscoe (Mar 27, 2005)

I took the case off the computer, because I think it is a heat problem. The fan never runs, and if i let it sit for a couple hours, then turn it on, it runs for about 15 minutes before lock up. Any info about the fan?? The fan runs for a second on startup, then never turns back on. anything??


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## MSY-Houston (Dec 5, 2004)

Well, you might just have a hardware issue. Consider taking it in to an Apple tech for a checkup.


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## MSM Hobbes (Apr 23, 2004)

Don't know for sure, but... I think that with your system [OS X, iBook, etc.] that the fan won't come on unless its absolutely necessary. Someone w/ a iBook would be more qualified to reply. In your title to the thread, suppose its too late now to add iBook to that too... 

As to checking your fan speed & temp, to see if for sure the laptop is indeed too hot, can use the module therm_adt746x. Or put this into your /etc/modules.autoload file

See this http://lists.debian.org/debian-powerpc/2004/09/msg00194.html for some more info.


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## scotbriscoe (Mar 27, 2005)

that article is a little out of my league.....can you explain it to me, and how to use the module?  thanks


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## MSM Hobbes (Apr 23, 2004)

Unless someone else can do such during the day, will have to wait until this evening when I'm off work to get into my refs, etc. There is another article I meant to post last night/this morning too, but I see now that it didn't get there too...  Will fire that off also after I get to the ranch tonight. Hang in there - we're tryin'! 

But at least, again, I really don't think your system is locking up due to fan issue - esp. as it doesn't appear to me at least that you are pushing it hard w/ massive tasks - unless installing the software is causing large temps to hit your 'puter... 

In the meantime, if desire to punish yourself some  can read this thread:
http://lists.debian.org/debian-powerpc/2004/09/msg00097.html
found about 1/4 of the way down the main course at:
http://lists.debian.org/debian-powerpc/2004/09/index.html

There may be some additional help w/in there too. Gotta run to a conf call. Good luck! :up:


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## scotbriscoe (Mar 27, 2005)

agreed...the fan does seem like an unlikely culprit, I'm just trying to rule out all the possibilities that I can, before I start to suspect the Logic Board  . I dont want to pay apple to fix it, and I cant afford a new board, so I am trying all I know..... Just to update the situation......
OSX is installed, it runs for about 1-15 minutes, before total lockup. I am also suspect of the hard drive ribbon cable, but I dont believe it is the only factor causing lockups. The case is off, so I can access any parts I need to.


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## MSY-Houston (Dec 5, 2004)

I just noticed that you said you had 256k RAM. You probably need to bump that up to 512k, depending on the programs you're running. (We just had to do that at work.)

Alternatively, there could be an Extensions conflict. Have you installed anything new recently (besides OSX)?

Houston


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## scotbriscoe (Mar 27, 2005)

Its a brand new HD, with nothing on it but OSX. Would the ram shortage be a culprit for freezing? No HD problem... no obvious problems while examining the computer without the case on..... are we running out of options short of a bad logicboard??


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## MSY-Houston (Dec 5, 2004)

scotbriscoe said:


> Its a brand new HD, with nothing on it but OSX. Would the ram shortage be a culprit for freezing? No HD problem... no obvious problems while examining the computer without the case on..... are we running out of options short of a bad logicboard??


If that's all you've got on it, then no, the RAM isn't the problem.


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