Hatrack River Forum: So my computer stopped booting...

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Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :

...maybe it's time for a shiny, new Power Mac G5.

[Big Grin]

Well, maybe not. But this is definitely a problem I can't fix myself. It may even be a hardware problem. I'm going to have to *gasp* take it in to the campus computer store tomorrow or Tuesday to see if they can fix it or at least salvage the data.

I hope this isn't an omen regarding my job interview on Tuesday.

I love my computer dearly, and she's served me well for nearly four years now. I guess I'll just have to decide what the maximum I'm prepared to spend to fix it is; if it'll cost more than that I guess I'll buy a new Mac.

We shall see. Sorry to clutter the board with this near-fluff, but I just felt like posting. In the interests of using this thread for something useful, feel free to share your own geek lusts or computer nightmare stories.

[Smile]

Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :

Power supply?

Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :

Well, it starts booting, but displays a neon green screen for a few seconds before shutting itself down. It doesn't respond to any of the normal Mac startup tricks that ought to work:

Holding 'c' to boot from a CD
Holding 'option' to see a list of bootable volumes
Holding cmd-opt-P-R to reset the PRAM
Holding cmd-opt-O-F to boot into Open Firmware

The last one is the most troubling. AFAIK, any Mac with functioning hardware should be able to boot into Open Firmware, regardless of whether or not the operating system install is bootable.

Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :

which mac is it? If its an ibook (white variety), I have a sneaking suspicion.

Posted by Suneun (Member # 3247) on :

there are some other bizarre tricks, though I can't say I know any in particular for a start-to-boot-then-stop.

When my computer wouldn't boot after a power outage, I had to remove the battery, and do this weird voodoo magic involving pressing the power button, unpluggin the computer, pressing the power button again, then plugging back in the computer. CUDA button also sometimes works. (that button somewhere on the motherboard, near the battery?)

Good luck. It's likely not quite dead yet =)

Fugu: can't be the white ibook cause he's had this one for 4 years [Wink]

[ January 04, 2004, 02:25 PM: Message edited by: Suneun ]

Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :

iMac DV SE 400MHz.

To get at the button on the mobo, I have to remove large portions of the casing, which is a serious pain. I wasn't planning to try it, but I guess I do have the time...

Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :

You could buy my identical one off me [Wink]

. It even has a gig of RAM.

Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :

And THEN could you go to wenchcon?

Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :

No, not really. It isn't worth that much, and I simply have too many expenses, since whatever job I end up getting might be low paying.