Powering ON/OFF Problems on a Power Mac G4 (Quicksilver Order M8360LL/A)

Question

Hi G4 Specialists !
I have a major problem. @ First Model description:
Power Mac G4 (Quicksilver Order M8360LL/A)
System version : Mac OS X 10.4.8
Boot volume : Eclypse
Hardware Overview:
Machine speed : 867 MHz
Bus speed : 133 MHz
Number of processors : 1
L2 cache size : 256K
L3 cache size : 2MB
Machine model : Power Mac G4 (version = 2.1)
Boot ROM info : 4.2.3f1
Customer serial number : #######-###-####
Sales order number : Not available
Memory Overview:
Location Type Size
DIMM0/J21 SDRAM 128 MB
DIMM1/J22 SDRAM 256 MB
DIMM2/J23 SDRAM 256 MB
DIMM3/J24 empty
Network Overview:
Built-in:
Devices and Volumes
PCI:
SLOT-1(AGP):
Card Type : display
Card Name : NVDA,NVMac
Card Model : GeForce2 MX
Card (Video) Memory : 32 MB
Hard Drive:
Disk Size : 57.26 GB (1K = 1024) 62 GB (1K = 1000)
Unit Number : 0
ATA Device Type : ata
Device Serial : #######-###-####
Device Revision : ER6OA44A
Device Model : IBM-IC35L060AVER07-0
Eclypse:
Volume Size : 57.26 GB (1K = 1024) 62 GB (1K = 1000)
Ejectable : No
Writable : Yes
Hard Drive:
Disk Size : 37.27 GB (1K = 1024) 41 GB (1K = 1000)
Unit Number : 1
ATA Device Type : ata
Device Serial : WD-WMAD11234827
Device Revision : 05.03E05
Device Model : WDC WD400BB-00DEA0
CD-RW/DVD-R:
Disc Burning : Fully supported.
ATA Device Type : atapi
Device Revision : 1.90
Product Identification : DVD-RW DVR-103
Vendor Identification : PIONEER
Now the Problem:
in the last time I ear that the G4 after clicking on the Login Window on SLEEP is often gone to shutdown. The last week I made this check and the G4 gone to shutdown and after x seconds again ON without external intervention. Was this not a real shutdown (the light on the Power button was NOT PULSING)
What I have just done:
I resetted trought booting + OF all Boot parameters, I made the CUDA reset, I bought a new PMU Battery and now (all disconnected also the HDs) when I push the Power Botton the Fan TRIES to go but after a microsecond is cutted off power. The last time, while trying to take care of my G4, that it had made a little of work was tonight WHITOUT PMU/Battery I made login, I have seen that THE DATE WAS RIGHT (without PMU-Battery !!!) I just choose the right Display Conf, then I started DiskUtility first CHECK Disk and then I was looking for solutions @apple Support on another machine PUFF the G4 has gone OFF and ON and OFF than I unplugged the POWER cable.
Now I don t know any more, suggestions ?
Massimo
G4 QuickSilver 867, G4 PB 867, Classic   Mac OS X (10.4.8)  

Answer 1

Massimo,
I'm having a bit of a problem with the translation. I think what you're saying is that when you attempt startup, the Mac initially gets only a momentary bit of power, with the red LED lighting briefly, then shutting off, after which nothing happens. Occasionally, the Mac starts to the point where the hard drives begin to spin up, but then they, too, shut down. You would like to try booting to the install disc with the drives disconnected, but can't get far enough along in the startup process to open the optical drive tray.
If what I've said above is correct, you can open your optical drive tray manually. Use a fingernail to open the dust cover of the optical drive and look for a tiny hole on the face of the drive below the tray. If you insert a paperclip straight into this hole and push it firmly, the drive tray will begin to eject. When it comes out far enough to grasp with your fingers, pull it out to extend it fully. Insert the disc and manually push the tray back in. Boot to disc by depressing the "c" key at startup and holding it down until the turning grey cog wheel appears.
To attempt to get the Mac to start, perhaps you should try completely de-energizing and resetting it. Try this, (just leave your hard drives disconnected):
Disconnect everything externally except the power cord.
Touch your finger to a metal slot cover on the back of the Mac as a static discharge precaution, then disconnect the power cord.
Remove the battery.
Depress and hold the front power button for a five-count.
Fully depress the PMU for a five-count.
Take a thirty-minute break to insure that the internal capacitors are completely discharged.
Reconnect the power cord, monitor, keyboard, and mouse, leaving the battery out.
Attempt startup to the install disc.
Any luck? If so, reinsert the battery, connect the hard drives and boot to disc, launching Disk Utility and running Repair Disk and Repair Permissions. Check the Startup Disk option in the Installer menubar to insure the OS X system on your startup drive is still selected. Then quit the Installer to restart normally to the hard drive. If successful, you can then check the preference files for sleep-wake problem that it seems you were having, if I understood correctly.
BTW - When you get stuck in a situation where the Mac won't respond and you have difficulty powering down, try to avoid pulling the power plug, which can corrupt your files and drive directory if the drive is writing data. Instead, try the restart button if you have to force a complete shutdown. If that fails to work after holding it in for a few seconds, then try the power button. If it still won't power down after holding in the power button, then release it and immediately depress the restart button, which usually works. Pull the power plug on a running Mac only as a last resort. In any event, after any sudden shutdown, it's prudent practice to initially boot back to your Tiger install disc and run Repair Disk on the startup volume. If it isn't handy, then boot to Safe Mode by depressing the shift key at the next startup, which will force a file system check of the startup volume, which is like running Repair Disk without being able to see the results. Another way is to boot to single-user mode (depress & hold cmd+"s" at startup) and run fsck, where you'll be able to see the results of the drive repair.
Gary
1GHz DP G4 Quicksilver 2002, 400MHz B&W rev.2 G3, Mac SE30   Mac OS X (10.4.5)   5G iPod, Epson 2200 & R300 & LW Select 360 Printers, Epson 3200 Scanner