Problem with my G4

[WannaBrie]

I have a g4 at home that just shut down completely in the middle of a session over the weekend. Now it won't power up at all. I'm thinking its the power supply. Anyone else ever had this problem? I'm thinking I could probably get one on ebay (any other suggestions for keeping cost down?) Also, I'm not real handy but a friend of mine thought I could probably do the repair myself (he might have to walk me thru it, though!) I know I need to get one that is compatible with my machine and I've looked at a few that list the number of pins, not to sound too stupid here, but is that the number of pins on the cord that runs out of the machine or is that an internal thing? Help! :confused:

[CkretAjint]

G4 cube? Mine had the same issue. I turned it off for a weekend and left town, came back and it never turned back on... I went out and bought myself another computer instead of fixing it! heh

[mojoprime]

do you have a bunch of PCI cards installed in it? have you installed a processor upgrade or anything like that?

[WannaBrie]

ckret, no not a cube, powermac tower. I don't know about the PCI cards (uh oh, my ignorance is showing) I have never installed anything other than software on this machine. I don't know a whole lot about the hardware side of things, so would it be bad for me to try this one my own? I found a couple power supplies on ebay and they are pretty reasonable, just not sure how make sure I get the right one.

[jimking]

What exactly is this g4? I use 2 g4s and they use usb/fw not scssi. I have the silver mirrored, duel processors. You should disconnect ALL wires and reconnect them. Make sure your power supply is working--sockets, power surge protectors etc. I bet it's something simple.

[mojoprime]

ok, try this.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300552

specifically, try this:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=95037

resetting the PMU sometimes cures this problem. only push the button on the logic board once.

*disclaimer: you'll be fine, but if your machine blows up (it won't) then i live ont he moon and you can't git me.*

[jimking]

ok, try this.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300552

specifically, try this:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=95037

resetting the PMU sometimes cures this problem. only push the button on the logic board once.

*disclaimer: you'll be fine, but if your machine blows up (it won't) then i live ont he moon and you can't git me.*
Yes, this did happen to me once and opened the machine and found that very very small PMU button and pushed to reset and it worked! I think I shut down the machine incorrectly (angry about something) which caused it to not boot up.

[mojoprime]

^^hee hee. yeah, that PMU reset is a weird thing, much like the old days on the SCSI chain voodoo we had to do:

Seven is the magic number, and where your device is in the chain may work one day, and then not the next, then not at all, and then poof -- it works by moving it to the end and terminating the chain.

nightmare. glad those days are gone, but firewire can be the same way to an extent.

[PrintDriver]

Try the PMU button. If it turns on but the problem recurs, then try pulling your RAM chips (in matched pairs for a G4 tower).

I had a machine do this for a week. Resetting the PMU would work for about 20 minutes then it would shut down again. It turned out that 1 stick of RAM had gone bad.

As far as getting a new power supply, call Apple directly with the serial number of your machine or get the actual part number off the power supply. They should be able to help you by just getting the machine number. Repairing a tower is not so bad once you figure out how to get your fingers in there and find ALL of the little tiny screws. Power supply is not the easiest part to get out but it can be done in less than one afternoon of cursing and split knuckles. :D

[WannaBrie]

Thanks guys! I will try the PMU reset tonite. It'd be great if that's it, because I really didn't want to lay out any cash with xmas looming on the horizon! I'll let you all know how it goes!

Oh and PD, if it turns out it is the power supply, I'll take your advice and call Apple. I do have kind of tiny hands (and some tiny screwdrivers!), so maybe I'll not have as much trouble with the tiny screws?! :)

JimKing, I did try all the easy things first, ie, checked sockets, check power chords, changed out any plugs, etc, but no avail, but I know I am the kind of person who always tries to make t hings harder than they are, so...:rolleyes:

[WannaBrie]

Well, I tried the PMU reset over the weekend, but it didn't work, so now I guess I'll have to go shopping for the power supply. I really hope that's it, cuz I don't want to spend the $$ and then find out t hats not it. I also noted something in the links mojo posted about the battery. Is there a way I could test the batttery? or would that even have anything to do with my prob?

[mojoprime]

you can try the battery, but typically that won't be the issue. you can pop it out and take it to your local radio shack or fry's or something and they'll direct you to a new one.

so, you removed everything that was added to the machine after you bought it? unplugged everything connected to it except monitor, keyboard and mouse? if you've done all that, then yeah, either get on the horn to apple (and explain everything that you've done already because they're going to ask you do it all) or take it an apple authorized service center and find out how much they'll charge for a diagnosis.

PD is right. it may be the power supply, and they're fairly easy to change out. but you'll slice your knuckles and fill the air with cusswords trying to wedge it back in there.

[CkretAjint]

you can try the battery, but typically that won't be the issue. you can pop it out and take it to your local radio shack or fry's or something and they'll direct you to a new one.

My battery was pancaking $18 at Radio Shack for a new one! World's most expensive smallest battery EVER! :o

[WannaBrie]

Thanks, Mojo, I guess calling apple is the next step. what's a few sliced knuckles and cusswords to save a buck? :)

Yeah, Ckret, I noticed how small that battery was when I was in there, dang, 18? yikes!

[mojoprime]

wow. that's insane for a battery:

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/batteries/PRAM/

yea, brie, this is true. i just hate replacing power supplies -- i have images of crossed wires or something, and frying my mobo.

[WannaBrie]

Wierdest thing...today, on a whim, I tried to start it up. it worked! It started right up...I had to reset the time clock, it was set at june 5, 1969 or something crazy like that...what could have caused this? Is it possible that I didn't wait long enough after resetting the PMU before restarting? Or do you guys think its some other issue?

[mojoprime]

could be, but there's no telling. macs have always, it seems, had that sort of voodoo surrounding them -- probably explains why we're so attached to them and defensive when folks talk bad about them: surely something so mysterious could only be alive. ;)

watch and make sure that clock's time and date don't change again.

i'm assuming that since the time and date were reset, you had left the machine unplugged while it was off? is that right? if so, that may have had something to do with it. apple actually says that one of the ways to correct for faulty firewire ports is to unplug the machine for awhile.

[budafist]

When we have a power cut here, my time and date aways goes to some day in 1970. Just so you know that it's not just your computer.

[WannaBrie]

Yes, Mojo, it was unplugged. I was thinking I was going to have to work on it, so unplugged it, then I just thought, well, maybe...you're right about the voodoo thing :) Its magic!

Thanks, Buda,I did think that maybe my machine was in a weird time warp, but since you are in the future and your machine sets itself to the past, then I guess its ok! :)

BTw, just curious, I've heard lots about letting it sleep instead of powering off regularly, I tend to let it sleep after sessions for about a week or two, then I'll turn it off for a day or two. What do you guys do? Do you think it makes a difference?

[achipmunk]

why not try GE after sales service, sounds like HD problem..

[WannaBrie]

^um, what?

[WannaBrie]

Acck! It happened again! Only this time, I can blame it on my Dad. He came over to bring me this fabulous new solid maple entertainment center (that he made for me) while i wasn't home and just unplugged everything! Now it won't restart! I tried the pmu thing (perhaps that was bad?-can you do it more than once? Anyhow, I've tried starting it several times since this happened and no dice. Which of the many suggestions from last time should I try first? Maybe just call Apple?

[mojoprime]

is everything plugged in fully? not trying to be a smartass, but i've forgotten to turn on the powerstrip more than once.

unplug everything and let it. then, only plug in your mouse, keyboard and monitor. will it start? did you add any ram? go back to what PD said about extra ram -- remove it, and go back to just what apple shipped in the machine.

if you still don't have any power, it's like there's another issue, either with your power supply finally giving up the ghost, your battery being totally dead, hard disk failure (though you'd likely get some sort of reaction from the machine -- grey screen or something) or worse, mobo failure.

if you get nothing, you might look around for a mac service center where you're at. apple's going to charge you for a call, you know...

post back. by the way, how are you posting? do you have another machine?

[PrimitiveMan]

We had a computer at work that would either shut down on its own or freeze quite often, it always started up OK afterward though. It turned out that a wire from the back of the DVD drive was up against the cooling fan, causing it to not turn. As soon as we fixed that it worked fine.

-PrimitiveMan

[WannaBrie]

Ok, thanks Mojo and Primitiveman. Mojo, I unplugged everything again last night, figured I'll let it sit like that for a night then try again tonite,then if it doesn't start up, I'll open it up and see what I can see. What's mobo failure? Yeah, I was trying to avoid getting slammed by Apple and be a DIY chick. We'll see. Oh and btw, I have 3 machines at home (2 are old macs), but i've been posting from work.

[mojoprime]

ok. well, everything's plugged in and you're still not getting power?

mobo = motherboard, basically the body on which your machine is based. on apple machines, it's the logic board. if it's hosed, you won't get anything. i would rather it be a power supply than that. that's pretty much a catastrophic failure.

yeah, check all of your connections. make sure that when you open the machine, you first touch some metal on the inside, like the tray that holds the optical drives or the power supply itself *before* you touch anything else. then start checking all of your cables and make sure they're tight. you can even unplug them and plug them back in. i'm anal, so i'll do all of that and shoot air into the plug itself to blow out any dust that might be mussing the connection.

post back when you get new info. good luck, brie!

[DesignVHL]

I have a g4 sitting collecting dust....if u need it let me know, i might be willing to sell it for dirt cheap to ya....what are the specs? Mine feels super duper slow and needs major upgrades but is in perfect working condition. Then again...maybe this is the universe telling you its time to get a new computer! :p

[WannaBrie]

Oh, mobo, got it - I'm pretty slow in the AM! I've opened up the machine before to reset the PMU, so I know what to look for, i.e, battery location, etc...and I always do major research before I touch anything, then again, I could be making a bad situation worse. Hope not. I will plug and unplug all cords as well before I jump into everything. I'm pretty anal too, sometimes to the point of making things a lot harder than they have to be!

Thanks DesignVHL, I can't afford to get a totally new machine, that's why I have 3 older puters! I will def. keep that in mind if this one is a total loss. I hope not! I'll let ya'll know after work tonite. Oh and if nothing else, I'll check the specs and if its compatible to yours maybe I could cannibilize it for parts. Thanks again all!

[DesignVHL]

sounds good brie! :) rather that computer help out a fellow designer than sit and collect dust...even though I am a bit nostalgic and would keep it for the sake of keeping my first apple computer! :P But thats kind of dumb isn't it? Right now its sitting in my moms office unused because she hated trying to get used to a mac when she's been on windows for so long.

[MD]

I sell all of my computers to help pay for the new one. I sold my last G4 on craigslist to some creepy guy that collected two things. Birds and ancient mac systems. When i went in the house the back hallway was stacked with cardboard boxes and in between them were giant bird cages, there had to be 20-30 birds total. The bedroom where I dropped the computer off had an entire wall (floor to ceiling) full of Power Mac 9600 towers and another full of candy colored imacs. All of them had masking tape notes on them like cd drive doesn't work, monitor is bad etc. It was like a mac museum in there. He had quadras, performas, even an old centris 610 (the first mac my parents bought) All around the room were more bird cages that were left open. There had to be 10-15 birds flying around the room shitting on everything. And the guy insisted on talking to me about computers for at least a half hour / forty five mins. ...

[DesignVHL]

I'm trying to picture how dirty this guy must be lol...thats gross having birds fly and shit in your house...blech! What a weirdo!

[WannaBrie]

Ugh, MD, a hoarder of macs and birds...those machines must have been nasty. DesignVHL, I still have my first mac too (sentimental as well) Its very old and doesn't work. Let's just say its a "legacy" model.

[mojoprime]

ugh. good lord. a house full of birds? that's gotta be good for the delicate equipment, knowing how clean birds are... ;)

[WannaBrie]

Well, I tried again last night and no dice, so I guess this time I've got a real problem. I guess I'll start by getting a new battery? I'll post the specs over the weekend, DVHL, and perhaps you could let me know if its compatible with your old machine? I'm going out of town, but I'll be back on Sunday.

[DesignVHL]

sounds good brie....

[mojoprime]

damn. that sucks. sorry, brie. you might be able to salvage the data at least. you could move the harddrive to an external enclosure and use it as a firewire drive.

[Silence04]

similar thing happened to my friends g4, the date/time went to default every time the machine was reset and he would have have issues with it turning on sometimes... he swapped out the battery and i think it's been functioning since.

Hopefully a new battery is all you need! :D
if not, sounds like it could be a power supply issue.

[DesignVHL]

my friend had time/date issues w/ her computer...apple said it was her battery, which she had replaced numerous times, and just evenutally gave up and let the damn thing collect dust...she's now recently gotten a new laptop and couldn't be happier....I guess some of the G4's had issues w/ these batteries...not sure why replacing didn't work for her, as it did your friend silence...

anyways fwiw brie, i'm going on a guess here, but I'm almost positive that this one is my model...

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g4/stats/powermac_g4_450.html

I have to go to my moms to double check and see though for sure...I did do a few upgrades...i'll have to check the "about this mac" and see...this one is probably slower than the one you use....

[mojoprime]

i really would suggest taking it in some place and having them give it once-over to try and find out the deal is. it might be something that we're all missing.

[urstwile]

That could be pricey, though.