Powerbook and the dreaded alternating ? and smiling face in a folder.

Hi, My G4 Powerbook has had a dead main battery for ages and I use it plugged in. It recently started losing wifi settings and date and time. I read on a forum that it was the PRAM battery and that it had drained and to take out the main battery and leave on charge for 48hrs. I did that.
As an aside I had upgraded recently to OS 10.5.8 and done a clean install at the time.
The computer then would make the start up sound but not launch the screen. This seemed to resolve itself however it then launched straight into Open Firmware saying bad memory (or something like that) and to type mac-boot so I did and then it just gave me the flashing ? and face folder.
I reset the PRAM and NVRAM in the open firmware but no good.
I found something on Bombich that said about how to setenv so I tried that (probably should not have done before asking here) No joy.
It started opening to the apple logo then the shade came down and the restart you computer by holding down the start button text came up.
I have plugged the laptop in in firewire mode (holding down the T button on start up) The hard disc still seems good.
I have tried holding down C to get it to start on a bootable CD no joy.
The machine currently starts up chimes and then goes to the flashing folder/? logo.
I have run out of ideas anyone got any thoughts.

HI and Welcome to Apple Discussions...
launched straight into Open Firmware saying bad memory (or something like that) and to type mac-boot so I did and then it just gave me the flashing ? and face folder.
Most likely the RAM is bad. (memory)
A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac
Carolyn
Message was edited by: Carolyn

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