PowerBook G4 freezes, can't restart until it cools down

I have had a problem in the past week with my PowerBook. After using the computer for a while, the machine will freeze (cursor doesn't respond to trackpad action). Can't force quit applications or do anything that is related to keyboard input. The only thing I can do is shutdown by holding the power button for a couple of seconds. After this, if I try to restart, the machine starts with the chime sound and the fan starts, but the display is off and nothing happens after that. Tried safe boot ( pressing shift) and it still doesn't work. Tried reseting PMU (Shift-Control-Option-Power) and it's still the same. Tried booting from CD (pressing C) and nothing happens. Only after an hour of so of the machine being off, can I power it up.
Anybody has any insight on what could be happening?
Thanks in advance for any response.

Sounds like the power manager is overheating, or there is bad RAM, or something hardware wise that is causing the circuitry to overheat. Make sure you are following these tips for heat:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3461358&#3461358
And note, that the Powerbook hardware test instructions are here:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86287

Similar Messages

IMac crashes after 1-2 hours, won't restart till it cools down

My iMac works fine when I start up (cool), then eventually slows down, then locks up. When I try to restart I get the "do not enter" sign.
I've been having this problem for awhile ... I already clean installed the system from scratch, I still get the problem. Ran all the provided disk utilities, everything checks clean.
When it cools down it starts up fine. It acts like maybe the cooling system isn't working properly or something.
Has anybody else had this problem? Could it be something else?
-thx

Welcome to Apple Support Discussions.
The way you are describing it it sounds like you have a bad heat sensor and the fans are not doing an adequate job of cooling the machine. However you don't say what machine you have or what you are doing with it when it locks up so it's a little difficult to say.
I would recommend making an appointment with your local AASP and have it looked at. If the machine is less than a year old it's covered by warranty or if you purchased AppleCare you may also still have coverage.
Finally you can also download and install iStat Pro and check your temps.
Roger

3.6.12 hangs, can't restart until you end process in Task Manager on Vista machine

Can use program normally but at sometimes the program hangs. No error msg. May be that it has been open for a long period of time but usually program cannot be restarted after closing unless firefox.exe process is closed with Task Manager. After that it is usually ok for a while.

See:
* [[Firefox hangs]]
* http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox_hangs

I have a MacBook Pro and I'm having problems with it overheating, is there anything I can do to keep it cooled down?

I am a new Mac owner, and I'm currently stationed in Kuwait. My MacBook gets super hot on the bottom and it's performance starts to degrade. The weather here is in the mid 80's now, I can only imagine this problem will get much worse once the temps go above 100 in the near future.

1. Try the suggestions in this article
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1473
2. Reset SMC.
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
    Choose the method for:
    "Resetting SMC on portables with a battery you should not remove on your own".

What can I buy to help cool down my new MBP.

I heard there's like cooling pads/tray like things. If I go to like staples, will any of them work with my MBP?

Download 'smcFanControl', it is an application that allows you to control the fan speed and you can monitor the temperature of your CPU, I keep mine at around 50 degrees Celsius (3500 rpm on both fans which is reasonable) even though it is normal for the temperature to be at around 70 or even 80

HT201263 When my Ipod touch is in autolock I can only restart the device holding the sleep/wake button and home button at the same time for 10 seconds. While in auto-lock it is using battery power and will do so until the battery is drained. Whats wrong

When my Ipod touch is in autolock I can only restart the device holding the sleep/wake button and home button at the same time for 10 seconds. While in auto-lock it is using battery power and will do so until the battery is drained. Whats wrong?

- Try a reset. Nothing is lost:
Reset iPod touch: Hold down the On/Off button and the Home button at the same time for at
least ten seconds, until the Apple logo appears
- Connect the iPod to your computer and try to restore via iTunes. Try placing in Recovery mode if necessary to restore.
- If you can't turn the iPod completely off, let the batter fully drain. After charging for at lerast anhour try again
- If still not successful time for an appointment at the Genius Bar of an Apple store since it appears you have a hardware problem.

My ipad is freez...it only show a home screen. but i can turn off my ipad but not shut down...and i went to my computer and i go to itune. i try to restart my ipad but it say turn off your.find my iphone..but i cant my ipad is freezing.can help me plz.

my ipad is freez...it only show a fome screen. but i can turn off my ipad but not shut down...and i went to my computer and i go to itune. i try to restart my ipad but it say turn off your.find my iphone..but i cant my ipad is freezing.can help me plz.

Have you tried to reset it? Hold down the sleep and home keys for about 20 seconds and see if you can get it to reboot.

My ipad is freez...it only show a fome screen. but i can turn off my ipad but not shut down...and i went to my computer and i go to itune. i try to restart my ipad but it say turn off your.find my iphone..but i cant my ipad is freezing.can help me plz.

my ipad is freez...it only show a fome screen. but i can turn off my ipad but not shut down...and i went to my computer and i go to itune. i try to restart my ipad but it say turn off your.find my iphone..but i cant my ipad is freezing.can help me plz.plz help me.................thx u

Option 1
Try force iPad into Recovery Mode. Follow step 1 to 6 very closely.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1808
Note: You need to be patient and repeat the above many times to recover your iPad

After I close Firefox I am unable to reopen, I get a message that I can't reopen until I close it, but it is already closed. This is happening almost every time I close Firefox. I have to restart my computer in order to open Firefox.

After I close Firefox I am unable to reopen, I get a message that I can't reopen until I close it, but it is already closed. This is happening almost every time I close Firefox. I have to restart my computer in order to open Firefox.

Same problem here thinking to move away from firefox now

HT4623 After I update my ipod touch 4g from ios 5.1 to 6.1.5 its always keeping restart until it die. can anyone help?

After I update my ipod touch 4g from ios 5.1 to 6.1.5 its always keeping restart until it die. can anyone help?

Try:
- iOS: Not responding or does not turn on
- Also try DFU mode after try recovery mode
How to put iPod touch / iPhone into DFU mode « Karthik's scribblings
- If not successful and you can't fully turn the iOS device fully off, let the battery fully drain. After charging for an least an hour try the above again.
- Try another cable
- Try on another computer
- If still not successful that usually indicates a hardware problem and an appointment at the Genius Bar of an Apple store is in order.
Apple Retail Store - Genius Bar

My iPhone 5 is freeze, how can I restart the cell, thx

My iPhone 5 is freeze, how can I restart the cell, thx

Reset phone (no data loss): press both the home and lock buttons for at least 10 seconds, releasing as soon as the Apple logo appears

Why does my Macbook Pro keep telling me I have to hold down my power button until it shuts down and then restart?, Why does my Macbook Pro keep telling me I have to hold down my power button until it shuts down and then restart?

While transferring files from one external hard drive to another, my MacBook Pro routinely would freeze and often render a message to hold down the start button until it shut down and then restart. I have i7 why does it keep locking up?

You can go back to original hardware; run Apple Hardware Test even.
Remove 3rd party RAM ( much rarer I think )
USB printers, cables, devices and drivers.
What changed?
Also, this is not MBP forum.
http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro
And if you are running Lion, head over there, or Snow Leopard OS X community.
FAQ kernelpanic
Avoiding eliminating Kernel panics
Mac OS X Kernel Panic FAQ

How can I restart or load function

I am creting an application that containts 3 seperate slideshows inside movie clips, when one slideshow finishes the other starts. I do this by triggering the function inside the other movieclip slideshow ( _root.slideshow2.startSlideshow(); ) and stopping the currently running function startSlideshow = null; inside existing slide. It works until it gets to the 3rd slideshow and than everything freezes because all the functions where deleted. My question is how can I restart or reload the sam function again?

use another variable to reference startSlideshow so you can alternately null and then re-define that variable. for example, define startSlideshow:
function startSlideshow(){
//whatever
and don't ever directly call it. use another variable to reference startSlideshow:
var startSS:Function = startSlideshow;
when you want that code to executed, null startSS when you want that code to stop
startSS = null
and then when you want it to restart,
startSS = startSlideshow
make sure none of your nested code calls startSlideshow directly. all those old references to startSlideshow need to be changed to startSS.

Firefox froze up. So I removed from computer and reloaded. If I close Firefox, can't restart by clicking on the icon. Have to end process in Task Manager. It then starts. Some links on some web pages won't work.

Hi,
As I say in the question I don't know what happened but Firefox just stopped operating and then became erratic. So I removed the firefox programme from my computer and reloaded Firefox.
It now runs normally but I can't run Firefox on two tabs, only one, and if I close it down during a session I can't reopen it using the desk top icon. I go to task manager, processes, and end process for Firefox - then I can start it using the icon on the desktop.
I have also noticed that some links on a web page won't work - javascript is involved.
Thanks for your herlp,
Mike FD

It sounds like you are getting in a hurry.
If you force Firefox to close in a hurry, then it won't normally start until you re-start the computer. There are ways around this, but I'm not going to go into them right now.
None-force way to close Firefox down: Close the program and wait. Do something else. Firefox appears as if it is closed, but it's not. Firefox cleans out cookies and it's cache after you close it. That takes a few minutes. You can't restart it while it's doing house cleaning.
After it is done, then you can restart Firefox normally. You can watch it in the Task Manager.
The same applies if you are installing javascript. You have to wait a few minutes.
As for running it with multiple tabs, I usually have 5 or 6, or more, tabs open at a time. Have no idea what the problem is there. Firefox needs special permission by use of a pop-up option to close with multiple tabs open.

I was using my iPhone 5 and the screen randomly went black. I can still hear incoming calls but the screen stays black and unresponsive and stays black. My lock button stopped working last week so I can't restart the phone. What can I do to solve this?

I had an appointment this morning with Apple to try and solve the problem with my lock button ranomly not working anymore and a few hours before my appointment with the Apple store i was using my phone and my screen randomly went black and stopped working. And the p.roblem now i cant use it. I tried restarting the phone but I can't restart it due to my lock button not working so i need help with a solution on what i can do. I missed my appointment today because i could no longer use my phone and i'm now stuck using my laptop. I did also try connecting it to my MacBook but the screen was still unresponsive and black. I rescheduled my appointment to Monday to see what is wrong with my button and screen but in the meanwhile i would like to know if there is anything i can do or if i would just have to wait until monday and take it in to Apple. Any help would be really appreciated as i am phonelss for now until i take it in to Apple in a few days. Thanks.

You wrote...
' What can I do to solve this'
What have you tried...?
The Basic Troubleshooting Steps are:
Restart... Reset... Restore from Backup... Restore as New...

PowerBook G4 freezes, can't restart until it cools down

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for