Thread

Dead Pismo :( - trying to nail down the problem

68kMLA Troubleshooting 19 posts Jan 31, 2012 to Feb 8, 2012

#1 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 - 05:58 68kMLA

As it says in the title, the PowerBook G3 I recently acquired suddenly choked and died in the middle of a reboot and won't boot. It's giving me four beeps, which is supposed to be a ROM problem, the solution to which seems to be logic board replacement, and only logic board replacement. I see some replacement logic boards on eBay, but before I go tossing money at one of them, I just want to know, is there anything else I should check? I tried resetting the PRAM - the key combo doesn't work, and if the button on the back works it doesn't seem to be helping.

I'm not really sure why this suddenly happened...it wasn't running hot, and I just replaced the thermal paste :/

#2 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 - 06:07 68kMLA

Hmm... that's very weird. That computer never gave me a lick of trouble. In fact, I used it quite often and left it on for days. Did you try reseating the CPU card? I would do that and check the memory. I also read somewhere that a bad PRAM battery can cause weird things with these as well. I'd unplug the PRAM battery and see what it does.

EDIT - Here's a good post on the battery issue -

http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/index.php/t-87966.html

#3 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 - 06:09 68kMLA

I checked the RAM, and reseated the CPU card a couple times in the process - no dice. Where's the connector for the PRAM battery located? Can I get to it under the keyboard, or will I have to crack the case?

#4 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 - 06:11 68kMLA

Just lift the keyboard and you'll see the battery right by the HD. Just unplug the connector from the logic board.

#5 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 - 06:15 68kMLA

Okay, tried that - still no luck.

#6 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 - 06:25 68kMLA

Hmm, I'm not exactly sure what to think of this.... try booting with the HD disconnected? It's possible the drive could have conked out and has a short.

Was it showing any other issues before this happened?

#7 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 - 07:03 68kMLA

No, that's what confuses me - this was completely out of nowhere. I'll give the drive thing a try, but I'm thinking not - wouldn't a short just keep it from powering up?

#8 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 - 16:15 68kMLA

Two other small ideas:

1. The CPU card - make sure it really is in there - it takes a very firm press to make the connector engage.

2. Memory mismatch - if there are different speeds of memory in there, try removing smaller MB one and see what that does, if anything!

I feel your pain! Good luck.

#9 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 - 20:06 68kMLA

Checked both, no luck. I'm wondering, is it possible the CPU card could cause this error? The CPU card from an iMac G3 isn't by any chance compatible, is it? I'd just like to be sure I know what the problem is before I go buying a replacement logic board...

#10 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 - 20:18 68kMLA

The iMac CPU will not work. I'd just strip the machine down to the basics - single stick of known working RAM, clean the CPU daughtercard connector with contact cleaner, disconnect PRAM and battery/power, and leave it be for 48 hours.

#11 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 - 04:16 68kMLA

I second J English Smith's comment - the CPU card must be pressed VERY firmly to engage properly. It makes a click/pop noise that you can feel when it has engaged. You have to do this with your thumb for adequate pressure. Once engaged, it is very difficult to disengage, often breaking the plastic tab that is meant for removing the CPU card.

It could be that you had the CPU card mostly engaged and then it popped itself out a bit as you were using it.

#12 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 - 05:23 68kMLA

I've tried reseating the CPU card several times, quite firmly - whatever the problem is, that isn't it. I've got a replacement logic board ordered, I'll see if that fixes it...

#13 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 - 15:08 68kMLA

Good luck with it - hope you get her going again! I've had mostly good luck with my Pismos - the one time I thought I had fried one by stupidly not remembering to pull the battery when adding RAM, and even then, it was OK in the end.

From the thread, it looks like you have really reset the PMU several times, right? Both 1400s and the Lombard/Pismos seem to sometimes take several sequential tries, with a loooooong push on the reset, for the reset to work.

I've done one full surgery to get down to the mainboard level. It takes time, but there is nothing too insurmountable. Use the available online directions and go slow. Getting out the inverter board is the trickiest part.

#14 Fri, 3 Feb 2012 - 19:02 68kMLA

Keep in mind that I think the ROM is on the CPU card, not the logic board. Hence one of the reasons people who did upgrades wanted the old cards sent in. So it may just be the processor module if it is the ROM. I could've sworn (and I made a topic on it) that the logic-board was just the PCI bus with pins from the CPU Module going directly out to the bus and power.

All the chipset (Except cardbus controller) and video is on the card.

#15 Fri, 3 Feb 2012 - 19:13 68kMLA

Hmm...well, I'll try the logic board replacement, but I suppose I may have to grab a replacement CPU card, then...we'll see how it goes.

#16 Tue, 7 Feb 2012 - 03:06 68kMLA

I've blown 2 logic boards and 2 CPU boards in my Pismo, it's never bad to have spare parts.

#17 Tue, 7 Feb 2012 - 05:55 68kMLA

ifixit.com lists a replacement logic board for $80 US Dollars (not including shipping). Here is one much cheaper from eBay. Also, here is a CPU (500 Mhz) with heat sink from eBay.

It sounds as if maybe the contacts underneath on the CPU card or logic board CPU socket are bent or dirty. I'd double-check to see that there's no debris in the way and that the pins are not bent.

It is possible that one, both or the other part(s) is bad and needs to be replaced. It's rare, but it does happen.

I hope all goes well for that broken comrade. I still love my Pismo and use it everyday. The only limitation is in Internet browsers, even though Firefox 3.6.2x is working on it and I've got Camino as a backup. Works great with recording audio under Audacity in Tiger or Coaster in OS 9.x.x.

73s de Phreakout. :rambo:

#18 Wed, 8 Feb 2012 - 02:08 68kMLA

Internet Browsers

http://www.floodgap.com/software/tenfourfox/

http://www.omnigroup.com/products/omniweb

#19 Wed, 8 Feb 2012 - 02:50 68kMLA

Omniweb I may consider, but I'm sorry to say TFF is just as fast as Firefox. I've just got to face facts that the rest of the world has pretty much abandoned PowerPC (Internet-wise) and for the best experience, I should be using a Mac that's more current. :-/ Oh well.

73s de Phreakout. :rambo: