IPhoto causes kernal panic after a few minutes.

Question

Hello!
I've recently discovered that having iPhoto open for more than a few minutes causes my entire computer to kernal panic and I have to restart. Sometimes my iphoto libraries are unrecoverable and I have to create new ones. Any help on fixing this issue would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Hi, James. Before trying to blow out the machine, did you release the keyboiad latches and flip the keyboard back onto the wrist rests to expose some of the Powerbook's interior? And did you then replace the keyboard, turn the machine over, remove the bottom pan and blow out the fully exposed underside too? If you didn't open things up this way, even a really powerful air jet couldn't have done much good at all.
If you didn't, and you want to try it now, instructions are here:
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide
There are three different Tibook series and some differences among them, but the keyboard and bottom pan removal instructions are the same for all. Be sure to use the right screwdriver for the bottom-pan screws — it really is required. You'll strip the very soft heads of the screws if you don't.
While you have the hood up, so to speak, it would be a good idea to tighten every screw you can see inside the machine, top and bottom. Many of the screws in Tibooks have a habit of loosening with time and handling, and that can lead to a huge variety of strange problems. It's possible that a loose screw is directly responsible for your PB's flaky behavior. Tightening them up also makes your PB's chassis more rigid, and thus less prone to its internal connections working loose — another thing that often happens in Tibooks.
I agree that it sounds as though your problem is heat-related. But the Powerbook isn't actually overheating: if it were, it would be going to sleep instead of KPing. More likely there is some connection or microscopically-cracked solder joint making or breaking when it shouldn't as the machine heats up and parts expand and move.
Message was edited by: eww
Message was edited by: eww