Wallstreet falls asleep right after start-up.

Question

Hi,
My trusty old Wallstreet is heavily misbehaving.
The computer was upgraded with a Crescent G4 which worked great, it has loads of memory, a 30GB disk (yes, with 8GB partition for System). The computer was my main computer for years and worked fine with anything up to 10.2.
It was not used for some time and when I tried to put it back in use it would not boot properly. Over the last few month I have done the following:
Reset the PRAM (probably 1000 times),
reset-all in OF,
switched RAM modules,
put back the old processor,
wiped the HD (on another computer),
installed a virgin version of 9.2 (while the disk was connected to the TiBook), and
changed the PRAM battery.
The computer boots into 9.2 but at the moment when the menu bar appears it goes to sleep and can't be awaken again. The boot process seems fine, as far as I remember OS9.
I have no working battery, just 3 old ones, the same happens with any battery or w/o battery. The CD module is not working (was moody for a time already when the computer was still in daily use) and I will replace it once I have sorted out the other stuff.
There is one other thing that happens: when it goes to sleep, the reset key combination (from the back of the computer) gives a strange result. The blinking sleep light stops, but the computer never restarts and when I try to start it, it makes a snarling sound as long as I press the power button.
When I changed the PRAM battery, I saw that the fan and the speaker on that side look a bit corroded.
I was thinking to try and change the PMU next and would like to have some opinions on that.
Thanks
K
TiBook 667, Mac mini 1.42, Mac mini DC, Wallstreet   Mac OS X (10.4.7)  

Answer 1

Kay,
I think your powerbook is suffering a condition unique to the Wallstreet...a conflict with the HD and magnetic sleep switch. I think this is the relevant point:
"There is one other thing that happens: when it goes to sleep, the reset key combination (from the back of the computer) gives a strange result. The blinking sleep light stops, but the computer never restarts and when I try to start it, it makes a snarling sound as long as I press the power button."
Even though this may be the same HD that has successfully worked in the past, something has changed, and it may just be the aging of the sleep switch.
These are some of the symptoms that may occur:
- powerbook immediately goes to sleep during the boot process;
- powerbook will not start at all;
- after installing new HD, powerbook may work normally until the first time the display is closed, then there is no response;
- when the powerbook is unresponsive and you press the power button, it "buzzes" as long as you press the button;
- when the symptoms appear, different Wallstreets may present different symptoms.
All of these are related to the HD's magnet preventing the magnetic sleep switch from operating normally...the 'book thinks it is still asleep. The sleep switch is located in the side rail next to the HD.
If you had a working CD drive, you could just remove the HD, then boot to a CD and see if the 'book runs normally. You can also leave the HD in the 'book and use a refrigerator magnet around the 'delete' key to try and keep the switch open.
The fix is usually a piece of brass or steel taped to the outside of the HD caddy as this picture indicates. As long as the metal is not too thick, you should not have to place it inside the HD caddy.
http://homepage.mac.com/techedgeezine/images/caddy_wbrass.jpg
No need to get fancy; even a steel box cutter knife blade should work. Here is additional info:
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/PBG3/wallstreet_harddrive/index.html