Powerbook G4 Start Up Problems 3 Beeps

My daughter has a 15" Powerbook G4, it froze up while she was using it and now when I try to start it up it beeps 3 times and then.....nothing, the screen won't even light up. Any suggestions to what it might be and how to get it working again?

3 beeps means the Powerbook can't find any good memory. If reinserting the RAM, or swapping RAM, or starting with one RAM module in one slot or in the other slot doesn't work, then either the one or two RAM modules have gone bad, or there is a logic board issue.

Similar Messages

  • PowerBook G4 Start-up problem

    Start-up problem ---
    1. When I recently ran OnyX, I was told to run the Apple’s Disk Utility from the Start-up Disk.
    2. However, before doing this, I ran the Disk Utility from the hard drive, but the program would not complete the “Repair” function. It just got “stuck” and I had to stop the repair.
    3. While running the Disk Utility from the Start-up disk, I got the following message: “Disk Utility has lost its connection with the Disk Management Tool and cannot continue. Please quit and re-launch Disk Utility.”
    4. I did quit and re-launch Disk Utility but received the same error message.
    5. Took PowerBook to Apple store and technicians ran diagnostics (for several days), couldn’t identify problem even though computer wouldn’t start after they ran full set of diagnostics.
    6. I reinstalled the OS 10.5 from scratch, reformatting my hard drive. Then, I re-installed all programs and documents, etc. Seemed to work OK.
    7. Tried to run OnyX, but the computer froze. Ran Disk Utility from the start-up driver and it repair hundreds of permissions as well as “repair disk” function (hundreds of items).
    8. While the PowerBook is running OK right now, am concerned about possible hardware failure.
    Any thoughts/ideas?
    Thanks.

    Download Smart Utility from http://www.volitans-software.com/smart_utility.php . It will enable you to see the values of the SMART sensors, and can give you insight into the health of the drive.
    When you ran repair disk from the OS X DVD, did it complete normally? No 'failure on exit' message?

  • Powerbook G3 start up problems

    I have a Powerbook G3 firewire 500, 512ram, OS X.2.8. The Power management unit is not working correctly. I have to press the reset button to get the screen to come on every time I turn it on. If it goes into sleep mode,the screen will not come back on and the computer needs to be shut down and restarted after resetting PM unit. Have been doing this for about a year now. I used to press PM unit, press power button, hear a tone and then it would start up. Now I hear a second tone a few seconds after the first tone and no start up, just a HD spinning sound. I would like to get it running and retrieve info for new Macbook. Any suggestions?

    B Rob,
    If you cannot get the Pismo up and running, you can always remove the HD and buy a very inexpensive ATA > USB cable assembly that allows you to connect a bare HD to a USB port on a host computer. You can also put the HD in a USB or FireWire HD enclosure and not only transfer data but use the drive as a backup device.
    OWC Unversal Hard Drive (ATA/IDE) to USB 2.0 Adapter - Plug and Play your HD via USB.
    http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/bargains/
    OWC 2.5" USB 2.0 HD enclosure:
    http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/MOTGU2/
    OWC 2.5 FireWire HD enclosure. I prefer FireWire; there seem to be fewer problems than with USB 2.0 but it is more expensive, especially if you stay with the desired Oxford 911 chipset:
    http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/MOTGFW400/
    Any number of failures can cause your startup woes: Failed backside L2 cache; bad AirPort card; bad microprocessor; bad logic board; bad power supply card. I would try this:
    -remove the optical drive;
    -remove the main battery (make sure the display is upright so the 'book doesn't tip backwards);
    -disconnect the power adapter;
    -remove the AirPort card if present;
    -make sure the microprocessor card is fully seated: lift off keyboard > remove heat shield > remove top memory module > press down VERY hard on the right side of the microprocessor card next to the HD and nearest the palm rest...this is where the connector to the logic board resides.
    http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac/PowerBook-G3-Pismo/6/
    Without any reassembly, connect just the power adapter and try starting; reset power manager if necessary.
    If no start but you do hear the startup chime, are you sure the HD spins up?

  • PowerBook G4 - Won't Start Up - 3 Strange Beeps then just LED flashes and sudden death - black screen.

    PowerBook G4 - Won't Start Up - 3 Strange Beeps then just LED flashes and sudden death - black screen.
    Prior that the powerbook also couldn't start but I could see the Apple logo, so via fire-wire (holding T at start up) I backed up the hard disk.
    Check via DiskToolPro the structure, defragmented. Via DiskWarrior rebuild the directory
    and finally not been able to access the drive I reformatted the drive via fire-wire drive.
    Re-started the powerbook holding C to boot up from DVD - nothing
    Re-started again and it give me one long beep and black screen. An indication that my 1gig RAM is bad or gone (?) and the DVD is stuck inside.
    Bought new one 1 gig, installed it and now I'm getting only three beeps.
    I tried all, changed the slots several times and nothing.
    I tried more as:
                             c -- to boot from CD (again while the DVD is still inside and I cannot get it out)
                             cmd-opt-p-r -- to Zap the PRAM,
                             cmd-opt-n-v -- to clear NV RAM,
                             cmd-opt-o-f -- to boot into open firmware … and nothing. The DVD is in and I have 
                                                    black screen with three beeps and flashing LED.
    Do I have to replace the Logic Board?   (Anyone has a spare one ?)
    But it is the faulty Logic board?
    Could anyone help me out? Please.
    I'm retired and I cannot afford a new laptop - and this powerbook was a great, great horse for me until that horrible set of three beeps.
    Thank you in advance for any advice and help.
    Martin
    THE SPECS OF MY POWERBOOK:
    Model Family:
    Powerbook G4 Aluminum
    Processor:
    1.67GHz G4 (PowerPC 7457B)
    Manufacturer:
    Motorola
    # of CPUs:
    1
    Codename:
    Apollo 7
    Display:
    Size:
    15.2"
    Finish:
    Matte
    Resolution:
    1280x854
    Backlight:
    CCFL
    Base Memory:
    1gig PC2700 SODIMM
    Brand:
    Apple
    Wireless:
    802.11b/g
    Color(s):
    Aluminum
    Original OS:
    Mac OS X 10.6.3
    Battery:
    50-watt-hour removable lithium-ion battery
    Graphics:
    ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (64MB)
    Base Storage:
    80GB 5400RPM EIDE 2.5"
    Optical Drive:
    8x Superdrive
    Model Number:
    A1106
    Sales Number(s):
    M9677LL/A
    Machine Number(s):
    PowerBook5,6
    Dimensions:
    13.7 in x 9.5 in x 1.1 in
    Weight:
    5.6 lb
    Production:
    Jan 31, 2005 - Oct 19, 2005
    Factory:
    China
    Production Year:
    2005
    Production Week:
    35 (September)
    Production Number:
    4240

    But it is the faulty Logic board?
    There was a known issue with LBs in 15-inch PowerBooks with 1.5 and 1.67Ghz processors in which one RAM slot would fail. There once was a repair extension program that fixed the problem at no cost, but it is long-expired.
    The problem with seeking a used logic board for these models is that so many had their boards replaced that it increases the chances of the boards in the used/pulled markets having the same problem you have now. The replacement program also came close to exhausting the supply of new boards,
    If it turns out to be a bad LB and you can't find a replacement, consider how used computer pricing works: A used computer is worth hugely more in parts than if bought as a working unit. I.E, you can probably find a working PowerBook that will cost less than the logic bard alone. It also possible to find a used MacBook Pro for less that a replacement LB.
    If you tell us your approximate geographic location, we can see what's available nearby. I'm also retired, and and visiting my wife's family this week so have even more time than usual to help you search.
    Regards,
    Allan Jones

  • BLACK SCREEN on start up with 3 beeps, FREEZES when power unplugged, IF IT BOOTS splash screen freezes, OVERHEATING REQUIRED TO BOOT - 0x7B, Event 41 kernel-power

    Issue: One day I unplug the power, the screen freezes and I get frozen music sound. I shut down, start up, I get 3 beeps (1 short 2 long), which indicates a Video failure according to the Thinkpad Laptop beep code list.
    How I solve the issue day-to-day: I turn the heat up - I disconnect the battery and hard drive and plug in the power then turn it on. I will wait until the underneath is searing hot with a blanket blocking the fan's flow of air, I mean way hot because any
    cooler and it won't start. Plug stuff back in, Hard drive first, Battery second, turn off with power button hold, unplug power, replug power. 
    I turn it on, no beeps, it goes past the first Lenovo screen, then gives me a prompt because it "didn't shut down properly" and continue regular startup. What happens next is the Windows logo appears,
    and just as the animated windows logo starts to move (you see 2 small colored dots on the screen), it freezes. I see this every time, I know naturally that it means that the laptop is still too hot to go past that point, so I shut it down and try again. After
    about 5 - 10 tries it will go past the splash screen and into the login area, then it's all fine. 
    Sometimes when I unplug the power from the back by accident it will freeze. By accident I mean that the connector wiggles it's self out easily. This unplug freezing thing started happening about 1 week before the 3 beep black screen problem started rolling,
    so I'm putting 2 together.
           Errors:
    I got a Blue Screen of Death the first time I started it up with the overheating ritual, but I never got it since. It was 0X7B.
    I got another Blue Screen of Death about a week ago, but came as it was on already and I had been using it, and said something about disabling Cache or Shadowing in BIOS. I never got it since.
           Event Viewer events found:
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    There are critical events for a few things like Kernel-Power, Event ID 41, Task Category (63). There are 19 of them, each day 1 or 2 of them but mostly 1, so this maybe corresponds to my daily ritual.
    "The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly."
    2. Kernel-Processor-Power - Event ID 37, task category (7)
    "The speed of processor 1 in group 0 is being limited by system firmware. The processor has been in this reduced performance state for 71 seconds since the last report."
    3. LMS - HCMI - Event ID 2, Task Category: none
    "LMS Service cannot connect to HECI driver".
    I came across a very sluggish performing control panel for Nvidia before and after this problem, and I tried installing a newer version, which I had to jump through a few hoops to do, like uninstalling first, not just updating. At first it said that the
    driver wasnt for the system, which was wrong. I made it work somehow, but it was still sluggish. I rolled it back to an earlier driver, and now it works fine. No sluggish performance / slight freeze window thing going on.
                 MSCONFIG.exe, Boot Advanced Options: I have tried twice to change this 1 setting, check box "Number of processors" and change to 2 processors, because I do have 2 processors. I have been able to change
    this in the past, but it does not save the setting now, and I believe this option was selected before I started having problems, and settings did not disappear then.
    What could this be. The small round BIOS battery? The video card like everyone presumes? (I.E. the entire motherboard replacement), Software? The wiggly power input area? (Not enough power getting in?), Firmware of some sort? The BIOS software being wrong?
    SYSTEM INFO:
    Thinkpad T61p 6457-A24, Intel core 2 duo (T7700) 2.4GHz, Intel 120GB SSD 6Gb/s, NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M (256 MB),
    Windows 7 64 bit Home Premium (6.1, Build 7601), BIOS Ver 1.00PARTTBLx
    Display: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit 60 Hz), Integrated RAMDAC, Main driver: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx,nvwgf2,
    Version 8.17.12.9688, Date 5/31/2012, DDI version 10, Driver model WDDM 1.1
    Please excuse the small text at the beginning, there isn't an option to un-do that error.

    You are very wrong about that mystified. What do YOU think made my computer work without beeping at all hu? (I bet you're gonna tell me). I figured it out.
    RE-INSTALL WINDOWS 7 OS.
    SOLVED.
    DOESN'T BEEP ANY MORE.
    THAT IS A PART OF microsoft ISN'T IT.
    ::: EGO KILLER 9000 :::

  • Can anyone help me with my Imac that won't start up and continuously beeps

    When I turn on my Imac it chimes then goes to a grey screen and starts a loud continuous beeping sound. It's only 6 months old - I put new memory in when I first got it and up until now there was no problem at all. Can anyone help me get it up and running again?
    Thanks so much.

    Thanks everyone for your kind advice. Reinstalled the RAM - still no difference - what I am getting is the start up chime, a grey screen, and then three loud beeps in a row then a pause then three beeps again and so on.
    Tried starting up holding down D key - no joy. Any other suggestions gratefully received.
    Thanks again.
    rabbit 67

  • How do I solve the memory problem ( 5 beeps ) upon startup?

    hp compaq d530SFF,  how do I solve the memory problem (5 beeps ) upon start up?

    Hi:
    You already know the answer to that! 
    http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Lockups-Freezes-Hangs/when-I-try-to-boot-up-lighs-flash-red-and...
    Paul

  • Start-up problem with hp pavilion dv6t-7000‏: "Boot Device Not Found. Hard Disk (3F0)" error

    I started getting start-up problems with my hp pavilion dv6t-7000‏.  It happens intermittently. 
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    Anyone else who may have experienced a similar problem?
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    Hi
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    "I work for HP."
    ****Click the (purple thumbs up icon in the lower right corner of a post) to say thanks****
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  • Start up problems, including from installation disc.

    Hello everyone in the Apple ether, I need your help!
    I have a powerpc based iMac G5 at home that I set up for my mum to use once I bought my macbook. I finally managed to win her over with talks of how much easier it would be for her to manage her photos in iPhoto, and everything was going really well. I recently came home after my final year at uni and some travelling to find that the computer is taking a long time to start up. This can be in both the grey apple loading screen but also once it logs in it can take a long time to display anything over than the desktop background, and even once it displays other items any attempt to open anything just results in a spinning wheel icon. At the worst case it has taken about 20 minutes to get going.
    Once it has fully booted, the machine doesn't appear to be working any slower than normal. I tried using disk utility in mac OSX and verifying permissions etc and that didn't do anything. I then tried googling the problem and came across this article on the apple web site. http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1417
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    panic: We are hanging here...
    After a few minutes on this screen the fan started working overtime and after about 5 minutes of that I just turned it off using the power button on the back. The machine has since started up normally (ie slowly) but is working fine.
    So I was wondering if anyone had any ideas how to fix the slow start up problem without booting from my install disc, or indeed if anyone could suggest why I can't boot from my install disc? Thanks very much for your time and help.

    It appears you experienced a kernel panic which is hardware related. A few suggestions for you to try:
    Except for the keyboard & mouse, disconnect all devices from the computer & try the suggestions mentioned in the following:
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106805 Mac OS X: "Broken folder" icon, prohibitory sign, or *kernel panic* when computer starts
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    ==============
    Boot up from your Tiger or Leopard Install DVD while holding down the "c" key.
    Select the language you wish to use, and then choose *"Disk Utility"* from the menu bar.
    Your HD should appear in a panel on the left hand side of the window which opens. Select it and then click on the *"repair disk"* button in the right hand section of the window.
    Once this process has been completed restart your computer and run *repair permissions* from Disk Utility.
    * If Disk Utility (from the install DVD or HD)is unable to complete the repair, you will need to use a stronger 3rd party utility like DiskWarrior, Techtool PRO (not Deluxe) or Drive Genius.
    =============
    How much HD space is left on the iMac?
    How much RAM is installed?
    ==============
    Which "model" & "generation" G5 iMac does your mother have?
    Need this info so that the knowledgeable users can provide you with the proper troubleshooting solution(s).
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301724-en How to identify your iMac
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.4/en/mh355.html Getting information about your computer
    You can have this info displayed on the bottom of every post by going to 'My Settings' which is located in the column on the right under your name, and filling in the information asked for.
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    I had an iphone 4 and when I downloaded the IOS7 started having problems. Gone the phone keypad, could not type more names of my contacts in the phone search. I decided to buy the iphone 5S and since downloaded the IOS7.1.2 the search of your phone contacts it takes to open or write

    dedegodoy wrote:
    I decided to buy the iphone 5S and since downloaded the IOS7.1.2 the search of your phone contacts it takes to open or write
    What does that mean? What is your technical support question?

  • Photo Gallery start up problem

    I have a glitch and it's probably me … but here's what
    I know.
    About Don Booth's Photo Gallery:
    It's great. Everything is good - integrated with my CSS -
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    When the page loads all is well except the first image in the
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    Hi Latauro,
    Sounds like you need to turn your Slideshow into a Track, and then set the Track to display as 16:9 Letterbox; but first, you'll also need to encode your slides as wide Mpeg 2 clips (encode set to 16:9), too; to whatever duration you have them set in the Slideshow, currently (if they're not already wide encoded clips).
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    Hello out there,
    I have another start-up problem with a G5 2.0 GHz (7.2).
    I can't use any start-up keys (such as holding c oder s).
    I can't reset PRAM. Starting from CD works only when I unplug the hard drive. The keyboard works fine than.
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    Hi
    Please find the link given below might help you to fix your issue.
    Resolve Boot Device not Found Error Message
    Let us know how it goes!
    "I work for HP."
    ****Click the (purple thumbs up icon in the lower right corner of a post) to say thanks****
    ****Please mark Accept As Solution if it solves your problem****
    Regards
    Manjunath

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