PowerBook Problem Won't wake up, mouse doesn't work etc...

Question

Hello all, thanks for taking the time to check my post.
I have a friend here who's g4 powerbook, when it goes to sleep sometimes it won't wake up. Sometimes the mouse won't work after it wakes up. Are these signs of something that can be fixed by the user or should this machine be serviced?
Thanks in advance ;)!

Answer 1

Hi, Greg Willmott
i have not experienced this kind of problem myself. I would think it has to do with some settings which clash.
I would do:
a) search the forum with the extended search possibilities;
b) reset PRAM (Restart the computer holding down the 4 keys "option-contr-P-R" at the moment of the 1st chime, and keeping them pressed until a second chime)
c) check whether the problem happens if you put the PB to sleep while no application is running - if it happens only if it sleeps while applications are running, it might hint to these, especially their preference settings);
d) check the hardware memory (use disk-utility);
e) repair permissions (with disk-utility as well).
if all this doesn't point to a cause, i would try to reinstall the software from scratch. sorry - this take some time... for this, I would keep the following order:
1) BACK UP EVERYTHING you want to keep;
2) do an "Archive and Install"
3) check whether things are now fine.
if the problem persists, do
4) "ERASE and INSTALL" - performs a complete clean
installation, no old software remains.
if the problem now still persists, I would be inclined
to think that it is hardware, and that Apple has to be
approached;
if the problem has disappeard now, I think it points
at the settings of some applications (or hardware
such as external disk or mouse or...) . The
5) install the different applications one by one and try
after each one - if it shows the system, you might
have found the one which is incompatible with the
others...
sorry, might be a long search- but give it a try.
PLease, post back, Thomas