Powerbook G4 rebuild mousepad issue

I have just stripped down and replaced a HDD in a PBook G4. I work on PCs, (notebooks especially) all the time. I have previously replaced the LCD in this machine for the same client. This time I have come up with some fascinating problems.
The mousepad works at a CD-Boot level, but once the OSX (10.2) is installed - it doesn't work. Any USB mouse works fast and fine. No mousepad! So, when installing OSX from the DVD-ROM it is fine. Anyone know how to get the driver on this to make it work?
I have an upgrade disk set for OS-X 10.3 for this machine. It get to the white screen with the Apple in the center and then the apple splits in two and it hangs! No kidding!
Often it will boot up, but just as often and just as frustrating, it will halt at the "Starting Directory Services" point. I have reinstalled OSX 3 times, so I know I qualify for Extreme Patience and Persistence Award.
Any help on these three little issues would be appreciated.

Did you try resetting the PMU?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1431

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Hi there,
I have a Powerbook G4 1.5ghz that I purchased in October of 2004. I had no problems with it until after upgrading the RAM to 2 x 512mb chips and then installing Tiger which resulted in me later notcing the missing RAM and learning about the lower memory slot failure issue.
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(Browse down for findings and questions).
The notorious lower-memory-slot-bug has hit my finally too... I never believed it until now (and I've immediately signed the petition).
I am outside warranty and I never bought Applecare either.
Also my powerbook, a very dear machine to me, is a less common type to have this problem: a 1 GHz G4 15" FireWire 800 OS 10.3.9 type. Funny enough my older powerbook ( a G3 Bronze) is still running strong with no problems whatsoever.
My G4 15" also has the "white spots" problem and a dead superdrive... I cannot believe how many hardware problems I'm having with this machine in comparison to all my older macs - even my sluggish powerMac 7200/90 never gave me this many headaches...
Alright, I'll stop complaining for now.
I've been able to browse the internet on this and found the following statements:
The lower memory slot gets "fried" because of a OS 10.3.9 upgrade,
or possibly due to overheating when the powerbook is put on the users' lap,
or possibly due to picking the powerbook up by the corners so the metal gets bent.
+ I have only seen one case where someone's UPPER memory slot was defective.
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I have been an avid Mac person for quite some time. I'm getting concerned because I used to have a ThinkPad for work and never had this many hardware issues.
I have had this PowerBook 17" 1GHz for more than 2 years. When I try and start it the chime sounds, but the screen is blank. There are no sounds from the hard drive and once out of a couple starts and shutdowns I get the Firmware screen where the hard drive is not recognized. Also before this happened my Airport Card was not recognized. Is this a Logic Board issue or multiple hardware issues (Airport & Hard Drive)?
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MacMed,
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chickenwuss
Welcome to the HP Community Forum.
The issue may -- or may not -- be the mousepad settings.
Depending on your particular MousePad setup, the following may be more or less useful -- not all MousePads have the same setups or the same level of flexibility when it comes to what they can do.
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====================================================
Commentary
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Windows 8.1 -- really starting with Windows 8 -- has this wonderful new Start Screen environment where everything you ever wanted at your fingertips is "right there" in bright, shiny, blinking Tiles. The trouble with bright, shiny, blinking Tiles is that they use memory to keep them "active". Active Tiles drain your computer of resources that you could be hoarding for other purposes.
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You can save resources on your Desktop by using a Plain background instead of a fancy backdrop. That means if you are using your favorite photographs as a background, you might reconsider and save your photo gazing for your iPad. Change the background to plain, boring, yukky, gray.
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==========================================================
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NOTE:
Task Manager > Tab Performance > scroll to bottom of screen > Click to Open Resource Monitor
===========================================================
General Maintenance Tips for the long haul:
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Click the Kudos Thumbs-Up to say Thank You!
And...Click Accept as Solution when my Answer provides a Fix or Workaround!
I am pleased to provide assistance on behalf of HP. I do not work for HP.
Kind Regards,
Dragon-Fur

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1. Run IdcAnalyze (see the Trouble shooting guide in the documentation for details on how to run it). It is used to look at the existing file system, DB, and index. It can offer options (in the form of a batch file you can choose to execute) to fix issues.
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Sorry to re-post but thought others could benefit from this being up top here ...
I have a new 17", but have a big red flag for people.
I couldn't get the extra RAM (over 512MB) from the Apple Store where I bought it Saturday, so I ordered it online from Apple and installed it last night. Easy! Then, PROBLEMS!
After about 20 minutes online, suddenly the cursor's skittering around, CPU spikes to 100% and stays there (kernel_task, owned by root, takes over), and AirPort drops. Can't find any networks, and stays offline. Only known fix is a reboot.
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I MAY have a potential solution.
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My Powerbook G3 (with a new Newer Technologies battery) is not charging correctly. It charged at 100 percent for the first 2-3 cycles and has been falling steadily since. Now it won't charge past 28 percent. Thinking it was a battery issue, Newer has replaced it three times since January. What could be wrong?
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Kathy,
Possibly a few of these comments and suggestions will help...
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Powerbook Aluminum Start up issue

Gurus,
I have a Powerbook G4 1 ghz, 1046, that has been laying around for a year or two, it had what I was guessing was a bad DC board, (I bought a macbook.) Now that the price of DC boards has come way down, I was thinking about fixing the powerbook and giving it to the squids...
It would be nice to separate them from the same desktop.
I took the old drive out of the mac and made it into an external USB drive and migrated my stuff to the new Laptop.
I have the new DC board in, put the old drive back in also, hit the power button, and the PB chimes, but nothing on the screen. I have one stick of ram and have tried using it in either slot. It is aftermaket ram, I think I sold the old ram on craigs. I had one stick left over, not sure how old it is and if an update had rendered it useless.
I am old and my memory fades. Also are there any pins on the drive that need to be inserted like slave or master?
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yaqui: If you didn't change any jumpers on the Powerbook's drive when you took it out and mounted it in an external enclosure, then you certainly don't need to change any to put it back into the Powerbook and use it internally again. It's possible that you jerked the hard drive cable when you were disconnecting it, and caused it some damage. In that case you'll need to replace the cable (probably about $20).
But first, in case the cable is OK, try resetting the PMU:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1431
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Hey all,
So I want to buy a laptop that supposedly has some pmu issues. He says that he has done the [shift-control-option+power] reset but it only resolves the problem for about a week (5-7 days, he says).
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Could be serious. Check system logs for phrase "ApplePMU::PMU forced shutdown". I had problems like that on my mini and had to take it to Apple - they replaced the logic board for me. Cost? $150 for AppleCare. If the machine is less than a year old, get AppleCare, otherwise get quote for new logic board and/or power supply.

Aluminium PowerBook G4 15" Booting issues - Doesn't start without AC power

Hi all,
This is my first post. I have recently had the laptop having start-up issues.It is running Leopard 10.5.something and whenever I try to boot it up it starts brefily, very breifly, making half of the startup chime, and the disk begins to spin, then it stops, and will not be booted up unless plugged into the wall. It is disastrous!
It only starts when plugged into the wall, and shuts off completely (until I shut down from the wall) and then it wont work. I attempted resetting the PRAM and it made a heap of noise for a couple of minutes, then I decided it was taking too long and pulled it out!
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Hi, Sorry for TMI...No, I am not saying the best thing to do would to send it out for repair. That would be expensive.
The first thing is to find out if you have a good battery. Easiest thing would be find someone/someplace with a battery you can try. If it works with a known good battery, then you know you just have a dead battery. Try an Apple store in Melbourne. They can check it for you free.
So the stuff about checking your system profiler for battery info is a way to check the status of the battery. In addition, you can download free an application called coconut battery (freeware) that will tell you ALOT of info about the state of your battery and whether it's charging. http://www.coconut-flavour.com/coconutbattery/
If a GOOD battery works with your computer, then the problem is you have a dead battery. If a good battery STILL doesn't work to boot your system, then odds are an item called the DC In & Sound card is bad. You can get the part for about $50 USand can install it yourself if you're handy. Try this site: http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Browse/Mac They will sell you the tools. If you have someone else repair it, you're probably looking at about $150 to $200 US.
The noise issue on your hard drive. Sounds like a hard drive issue. First thing, back up all the data before it dies. The try to boot up with a MAC OS X system disk. If you can do that and no noise, then:
1) Your hardware ( Ie the drive may be failing)
2) The startup system might be bad and require repair with the programs I mentioned or a NEW system install with your MAC OS X System disk ( You could do a clean install, ie erase everything, or an "archive install" which you can read about if you like.
3) Disk Warrior is very good at repairing the startup systems if there is a software problem, ie a system issue.
4) If there is a hardware problem (bad drive) you MIGHT and I say MIGHT be able to repair it with the other program I mentioned. That program could write out bad sectors, but I'd be careful about relyingtoo much on the drive since "NOISE" coming from a drive is never a good thing. The good thing is that they are NOT that hard to replace on your own.
To summarize, first address the battery issue. Then figure out if the noise stops when you boot from a CD/DVD. Then try a disk repair utility program and/or a new system install to see if it is just a system software problem. If it persists after these efforts, you could try mapping out sectors to see if that helps, but may end up needing a new hard drive.
Hope this helps.

PowerBook G4 Boot Disk Issue

I have a PowerBook G4 and I am trying to re-install the O/S. I have the original DVD's but it will not boot from it. I start the G4 with the DVD in it and press and hold the C key. It just boots to the login screen. If I hold down the C key to long, I get a dump screen.
I have done this before on the same G4 but with a non G4 OS disk. I was able to boot from the disk but it would not allow me to re-install the O/S because it was the wrong disk.
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Powerbook G4 rebuild mousepad issue

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