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thecaddy — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:50:56 -0800

Why can't I see around half of the applications in the Applications/Utilities folder on my friend's laptop? I'm trying to get access to Disk Utility so I can repartition a new external hard drive. But while I can see that the app exists when I go into the folder in Terminal, I can't see it in Finder--or open it through spotlight, for that matter.

The computer (a powerbook G4) is running 10.4.11, and my friend's account is admin and the only account on the computer. I can't back out on the login screen to try and become root or anything--and using SU in terminal, even assuming I could know the password, probably won't get me anywhere.

How can I get access to the full folder? Any thoughts?

Would linux breathe new life into my old powerbook?

jlowen — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:21:21 -0800

I want to have a fast capable NAS/file server/upnp device very similar to the QNAP TS-110 TurboNAS. I have an old 12" Powerbook G4 aluminum MAC OS x laptop. Would it be possible to install a barebones linux installation on the Powerbook to have access to many of the same features of the QNAP device? My Powerbook is a 1.3ghz with 800mb memory, with OS X 10.5 (leopard) installed. I want to use it to stream movies to my PS3 using upnp. I have tried software like Nullsoft's medialink and the PS3 media server, but the laptop does not seem capable of serving up media files to the ps3 without serious stuttering and lagging. (Even with both devices using ethernet cables - A problem my new shiny macbook pro does not have)

I was considering purchasing a QNAP TS-110 but it seems that my powerbook has twice the power and should in theory make a dandy media server. Would it be possible to learn and install a linux variation on the powerbook to recreate the same core features of the NAS device and turn the old decrepit powerbook into a capable media/file server? Note: I need only serve the file from the powerbook to be played on other hardware.

Is there a particular linux distribution I should use? Or would it be better to upgrade to a dedicated NAS?

Help keep my old Powerbook G4 on WiFi. (Technical Mac Question.)

Mid — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:57:25 -0800

Help keep my old Powerbook G4 on WiFi. (Technical Mac Question.) I have an older Powerbook G4 that has seen better days. At some point, the internal Airport card stopped working (I think because the internal antenna broke after a fall). I then popped an external wireless card into the PC slot (the Morotola WN825G) and it worked like a charm for 2+ years. Suddenly, however, the external card is dead. None of the LEDs light up and the computer does not detect it in any program or profiler. I bought a new card (they're only $20) and got the same result. I have done about every kind of reset there is -- battery and power out overnight, reset-nvram in the firmware, control-apple-PR, etc and there is no change. When I look at "Console," nothing happens when I put the card in and pull it out -- i.e., the computer is not registering that a card is in the slot as far as I can tell.

Here are my questions:

1. I have not done any software re-installs. Is it worth it to start re-installing the OS? This seems more like a hardware problem, no? If I re-install, do I need to wipe the drive and start over? Or can I just re-install the system on existing drive?

2. I have not done anything with drivers. I'm pretty sure the Mac does not need a driver to operate this card because the card uses the same chipset as the orginal Airport card.

3. Assuming this is a hardware issue, should I just junk the machine? I feel like anything over $250 is wasted in a machine that is already pretty beat up.

Thanks for your thoughts and guesses.

Powerbook: No Logo

DiscourseMarker — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:41:28 -0800

Powerbook G4 won't boot up. I hear the chime, get a gray screen, but NO apple logo or spinning wheel. This is a circa- late 2003 1.25GHz PB running OS 10.5. something. Yesterday, my husband was trying to open some Word 2008 docs he had saved on this laptop. Word would not open, it just kept bouncing in the dock, and we could not get it to force quit, so he did a forced shut down of the computer. Ever since then I cannot get the computer to boot past the gray screen.

I have tried resetting the PRAM, but it still sticks at the gray screen, same with resetting the PMU and trying a safe boot. It never progresses to the Apple Logo, just stays on the gray screen. When I pressed my ear to the keyboard I heard a few clicks from the HD after trying to start up, but now there's no sound.

Any suggestions?

Laptop case compatibility

silkygreenbelly — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:11:34 -0800

Will the lower exterior case and optical drive from a mac powerbook G4 12inch 867 MHz be compatible with a mac powerbook G4 12inch 1.5Ghz? My powerbook G4 12inch aluminum 1.5Ghz has some issues. It is going to need a new optical drive and lower exterior case and power adapter (looooong story). Costs a lot to get the replacement parts individually. I found someone nearby offering a powerbook g4 12inch aluminum 867MHz for cheaper than ordering individual pieces would be. Before I go rearranging my schedule to see it, I'm wondering if the case and optical drive are compatible?

Is this powerbook worth the money?

shopefowler — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:57:28 -0800

Is this 2002 titanium PowerBook g4 worth the money? I'm strapped for cash, but I've got the opportunity to purchase it for about $300. I'm a freelance graphic designer, and I'd like to install CS3 on it (if it'll install on a PowerPC) but will really only use it on vacation and not for intense tasks.

Assume it runs fine on Tiger, needs a new battery and needs a memory upgrade (to 1G). Think it's a good buy or not worth the $$?

Can I give my Mac laptop a newer operating system?

kim in chicago — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:57:18 -0800

How can I "upgrade" my Mac PowerBook G4's OS 10.3.9 to at least a 10.4.9 in order to install MS Office Home & Student Edition? I had to replace my 5-6 year old hard drive and the laptop is now working well. The old hard drive had MS Office for Mac installed on it and the new one doesn't, of course. The MS Office system requirements say I need a minimum of 10.4.9 to install the program. Is there anything I can do to the laptop (get a different hard drive, install more memory, etc.) that will get the OS up to at least 10.4.9? I really only need MS Word and internet ability so I'm trying to avoid buying a new laptop, if possible.

Griffin Air Click - any way to make it work or remote control another waY?

lockedroomguy — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:05:12 -0800

I want to remotely control (from 20-30 feet away) a Powerbook G4. The Griffin Air Click USB isn't working. I want to give a presentation on my Powerbook G4, preferably using iPhoto, but I also have Powerpoint and could use Keynote in a stretch.

I bought a Griffin Air Click USB, a paired remote device and USB dongle, because the PB does not have an infrared port to use with a remote device. The Air Click says it works with OS 10.4, says it works with iPhoto, Keynote, iTunes, and Powerpoint, but nothing happens when I click the remote.

You plug the dongle into your USB, install some software, and then the remote is supposed to be able to control forward, back, mute/on, and so on in some Mac applications.

I've tried both USB ports, and I can confirm that the Air Click is switched on, and that the signal is successfully sent from the remote to the Air Click dongle in the USB port, because when I click the remote the dongle success light comes on. But nothing happens on the powerbook.

I've checked the Griffin help pages and FAQ. Any options to make this work, or to make this work another way?

Thanks!

Fixing LaunchServices on OSX

ubersturm — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:58:31 -0800

Is there any way to fix/replace/reinstall LaunchServices in OS X? (Also: is my Powerbook doomed?) My old PPC 12" Powerbook (10.4.11) is suddenly unable to open .dmg files or start programs. (Programs that are already open still work.) I get a "Broken Pipe" error when trying to open .dmg files; the error reports generated and sent to Apple say that LaunchServices is essentially missing:

Link (dyld) error:

image not found /System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/LaunchServices

In the LaunchServices.framework folder, all three files (LaunchServices, Resources, and Support) are actually aliases, and these aliases are no longer pointing anywhere. There's also a folder, Versions. Within that folder, the single file (Current) is also an alias that's now pointing to nothing. There's a single folder as well, A. This folder contains what appear to be the real LaunchServices file and Resources/Support folders. Attempts to redirect the broken aliases to these files seem to be failing.

Standard OSX diagnostics are currently impossible to run, because diagnostics require programs, and launching programs requires LaunchServices. I do not currently have easy access to my original install disc. I haven't tried rebooting, because I'm concerned that I won't be able to start any programs at all if I do.

Is there any way I can fix or reinstall LaunchServices? Failing that, is there any workaround that I can use to run diagnostics and figure out if this is an isolated error that might be fixable with a new install, or whether it's ultimately hardware-related and my Powerbook's about to die?

Would an Asus Eee running OS X Leopard be faster than my PowerBook G4?

Brian Puccio — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:23:28 -0800

I've got an older PowerBook G4 with a 1.5 GHz CPU and 1.25 GB of RAM. It works, but it's sluggish. I don't expect it to be as fast as my shiny new 24" iMac, but it's slower than I'd like. Would selling it on eBay and buying an Asus Eee (I assume the 1000 model) and installing OS X on it give me a fast machine or about the same? From what I can tell, the PowerBook seems CPU and I/O bound. Programs are slow to load, but are fine when running. I don't heavily multitask since I know RAM is limited. Anytime there is a slowdown/beachball when I'm using a program, I notice that the CPU meter has spiked to 100%.

Primary uses will include: email, web, twitter, coding (nothing compiled, just FTP'd to a server) and serving as temporary storage for photos taken on vacation in the hotel room.

Thanks!

Raising the Dead

mkb — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 09:26:08 -0800

PowerBook G4 won't react to power button. Are we SOL? My parents are trying to move off their crusty old iMac to my brother's less crusty and old PowerBook G4 (FW800 model, 1.25 GHz, aluminum enclosure). I got their new user accounts and files copied over last weekend, and this weekend my brother sends me a text message saying that the machine will no longer boot. He hits the power button and nothing happens. He tried resetting the PMU to no avail, and the battery reports itself as full.

Is this machine fixable? I'm not sure what to try next without taking it into the shop. I'm wary of bringing it to the Apple Store, but there is a well regarded Apple-only shop in Boston (The Computer Loft) I would gladly bring it to instead.

Will CS4 run on a G4 Powerbook?

i_love_squirrels — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:37:08 -0800

Will Adobe's CS4 run on a Powerbook G4? Adobe says you must have a Mac G5 to use the CS4 Creative Suite. However, I've read message boards where people say it will run on a G4 tower or G4 Powerbook. One person reported that an Adobe rep told them it would work, it just wouldn't be as optimal as a G5.

Since I trust Mefites more than people on random threads. Has anyone here tried it? Did it work for you? I'm specifically interested in hearing about Flash, Photoshop and Illustrator CS4. Thanks!

Four Years of Dedicated Service

Monstrous Moonshine — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:29:27 -0800

Powerbook G4 (hardware?) woes, followed by death of battery LEDs. Firstly, excuse my style of description.

Yeah, I gave my laptop a tap to the side, which was followed by the Beach Ball. The charge was low (according to the battery LEDs), so I let the thing cool down and, after a little charging, I started the computer. Backlight came on, but the screen remained black. The fan quickly turned on; it was obvious to me the thing was working very hard at some futile task.

The computer only correctly started once. After, like, taking out the battery, three PMUs, blah blah... The thing stopped working again mid-trash-emptying. Earlier, I noticed the LEDs only work when the computer's plugged in. Now the LEDs are always dead. :| What?

I'm itching to crack the thing open and look for something loose. If you have some advice for key signs of easy fix/dead mother board/etc... lemme know.

Hey hey hey! Mac geeks in the hooooouuuuusssseeeee!!!!

miss lynnster — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:35:06 -0800

Help me pimp my Powerbook please. Okay, so the hard drive died in my desktop computer and I've had to rely on my Powerbook to design on. Thing is? I was having to work on large Photoshop files (was designing a billboard) and my Powerbook seemed slooooow to me so due to frustration I feel like I've not been doing my best work. I've been cursing at it a lot. I keep thinking that although I'm working on huge files it's not an old enough laptop to be that slow.

I'm in the process of fixing my desktop computer, but since hard drives and memory are pretty cheap right now I want to see if there's anything I can do to upgrade my laptop as well. I'd like to be happy working on it when need be.

Here are some questions:

1. Years ago I would've run Norton Utilities on my computers -- does that still help? I don't mind buying it if it's worth the money. Is there anything else in particular I should be doing or keeping track of as maintenance to keep my Macs running in top shape at all times? What's the latest?

2. Here's the Hardware Profile of my machine. How much more RAM/Storage/whatever can I or should I put in to optimize and upgrade it? If it's easy I'm happy to install the stuff myself and order it online. (Suggestions on the best brands and webstores to get deals would be great too!)

• Model Name: MacBook Pro 15" (I hook it up to a bigger monitor)
• Model Identifier: MacBookPro2,2
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
• Processor Speed: 2.33 GHz
• Number Of Processors: 1
• Total Number Of Cores: 2
• L2 Cache (per processor): 4 MB
• Memory: 2 GB
• Bus Speed: 667 MHz
• Boot ROM Version: MBP22.00A5.B07
• SMC Version: 1.12f5

Thanks in advance!

What is this Powerbook's problem?

Your Time Machine Sucks — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 03:23:01 -0800

What is this Powerbook's problem? Rare kernel panics followed by disk catalog errors on startup, but I've ruled out the HD and OS. 15" Aluminum Powerbook, 1.5GHz, OS X 10.5.5.

It all began when, in the course of trying to get it to stop undercharging the battery, I did a PMU reset. On the first post-reset restart, the disk gave all appearances of crashing -- got about 10 seconds into the startup and then froze, and then couldn't be booted afterwards. I booted from disc and installed a new OS, which also would have occasional panics after/during restarts, and once it just had a system-wide freeze in the middle of otherwise working, which didn't even show the kernel panic multilingual announcement (ugh, even typing that I'm thinking "you know it's the logic board", but read on please).

Apple Hardware Test checked everything out as being OK, and after repairing the post-panic HD, Disk Utility also gave the HD a clean bill of health as far as that goes.

I originally felt that the HD was the most likely culprit here (it's old and mechanical, while the other two likely possibilities -- the RAM and logic board -- are solid state and don't have such an obvious reason to up and die after four years of working) so I put in a new drive. Symptoms haven't changed: sometimes restarts go wrong, followed by catalog errors on the drive when I run fsck in single-user mode. The catalog errors can be repaired in single-user mode. Since the kernel panics are sort of rare, I don't feel like I can easily test the RAM sticks with the "take one out, see if things are better" method, although I am certainly wondering about them now.

The practical issue is that every time it does happen and the catalog is repaired, Time Machine no longer recognizes the things it's backed up already and attempts to back up the entire drive again, making it useless as an incremental backup tool, and the combination of weird computer + no incremental backups is no good.

What do you think, definitely the logic board? If so, that is going to be the end of the line for this Powerbook. Or would you proceed by replacing the RAM (it isn't very expensive, but on the other hand I don't want to waste the money on it if it isn't to blame).

Any suggestions? Keeping in mind that I've already run Apple Hardware Test and it reported no problems, and there is a brand-new HD and a brand-new OS install, and both the PMU and PRAM have been reset in the course of recent events.

Thanks!

Please help me with my powerbook keyboard conundrum. Are you geniuser?

citybuddha — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:44:15 -0800

Please help me with my powerbook keyboard conundrum. Are you geniuser? Since March my powerbook g4 keyboard has been acting wonky.
In march some of the keys on the right end of the keyboard would'nt work.
The p, return, 0, \, and couple other over there as well. I had it replaced under applecare in late March. Come September the same issue is happening again so I had it replaced. My applecare has expired so I needed to pay out of pocket. The day I picked it up the same thing is happening. According to the genius the problem was the keyboard. I don't think so anymore.
It seems to work occasionally. eare are a few things I must do to get it to work properly.
I must zap the pram once. After that the keyboard works fine until the computer goes to sleep. After that the problem reappears so I must zap again.
I tried a simple restart three times but that did not solve the issue,I need to zap the pram.
Just a note here, in March, when the problem began, there were a couple more keys that did not work. Those keys were also on the same side of the keyboard.
Also my lower ram slot is not working.
I await your brains

What do I do with this old laptop?

photomusic86 — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:19:56 -0800

I'm looking for suggestions for both scenarios: The computer works, or it doesn't work. I'm waiting for a battery from eBay... Wikipedia says it runs OS 7. What can you do with that? A friend suggested I gut it and fit it with a Nintendo or Sega or something. Anything to spark an idea, and possibly where to look for how-to's concerning your suggestion, please!!

It's better to burn out then to fade away

spicynuts — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:23:18 -0800

MacBook Pro screen weirdness - feature or bug? I just bought a MacBook Pro two weeks ago. Haven't used a Mac since college (I think I mentioned this in my last question about Macs). When I am on battery power, the screen will modulate in brightness - fading in and out occassionally. It never really goes dark, but about every 3 minutes it will fade briefly then flare back up to normal brightness. Is this a setting I don't know about - some kind of power saving thing? Or is there something wrong and I should be concerned?

How to best to dispose of my dead laptop?

rzperllian — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:09:58 -0800

My Powerbook is dead. What do I do with it now? My priorities: 1) I want it gone 2) I want my data to stay safe 3) I want to make some money My 2004 Powerbook G4 bit the dust a few months ago, and I've since replaced it. I'm moving now, and can't let it's hulking carcass sit around any longer. There's still data on it, but it's fried and won't even turn on (something about the internal power I think). Can you give me advice on what pieces I can sell, what I can take apart, and generally what I should do?

Should I buy a used 12" G4 Powerbook as a stopgap machine?

stackhaus23 — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:33:57 -0800

Macfilter: Thinking of buying a 12" G4 Powerbook, is this irrational thinking? I need a new laptop, quite badly. However, it really is for nothing more than sitting at our local haunt, in the living room with my girlfriend while she watches TV or friends houses that have Wi-Fi etc and browsing the internet, showing them photographs or things I'm working on.

I was kind of hoping that today Steve Jobs was also going to announce the much talked about but never appearing line of aluminium Macbooks which I had every intention of buying the cheapest model. But since I still feel they are around the corner, I don't want to buy the current plastic Macbook if in a month or two it's going to be out of date - especially since I can't bare to think I might spend £700 ($1400) on something that's just used for the internet. So is it irrational to buy something like a 2006 G4 just because it's cheap at £250 ($500) just as a stopgap. I'd only buy the top spec model, 1.5 G4 PowerPC - and I realise that it's totally redundant technology but it's only to use for the next year or so.

Could I even run Leopard on it? What kind of drawbacks would it bring other than things being optimised for Intel chips now? Are there any users that can testify it's merits or it's weaknesses?

I have no intention of going back to a Windows based machine so that debate doesn't even come into it. The other two machines I use for Graphic Design are also Macs.

For now, I'll be using Xbox Dead. (handle: StupidComputer!)

reductiondesign — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:03:40 -0800

PowerBook&NetworkingFilter: Dialogue box freezes after I choose System Prefs > Sharing. Help? Alright. I'm trying to bridge the connection between my wireless network and my ethernet port (in order to get my Xbox 360 online). Trouble is, once I click on Sharing in the System Preferences menu, it stays on loading forever. (Forever = I let it run for forty-eight hours. Nothing.) All other programs work while this happens. Nothing else appears to be wrong with my system. Any ideas what might cause this?

Details:
PowerBook G4 w/ Leopard
Wireless adapter and ethernet both built-in
Wireless network is password-protected
Linksys router

I'll respond to any questions within a day--more details available if necessary.

Why does my 12" Powerbook overheat so much?

DLWM — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 12:36:13 -0800

Why does my 12" Powerbook overheat so much? I recently bought a used 12" Powerbook G4, the 1.5 GHz model. It was in great physical shape when I bought it, so I have no reason to believe the previous owner was anything but kind to it. Immediately after buying it I ordered a new battery (previous owner had not taken advantage of the G4 battery recall), maxed out the RAM to 1.25 GB and replaced the internal 80 GB hard drive with a 160 GB drive (5400 RPM, Hitachi Travelstar).

Now the processor seems to overheat with annoying frequency. Normally -- like right now, when I have a half-dozen apps open but am not really doing anything intensive -- it hovers at around 45-50 deg C. But certain things seems to throw it into absolute fits, with a fairly rapid climb in temp often resulting in an emergency sleep when it hits about 80 deg C. The fan kicks in like crazy but that doesn't seem to help at all. It happens when I watch streaming video (Youtube, etc.) and when I am downloading large files from fast servers (Apple/MS/Adobe software updates, etc.). Doesn't seem to have a problem copying large files from one local drive to another.

I can't seem to remember having any of these problems before all the upgrades I put in. Is it possible that I, e.g., didn't tighten some screw properly before putting the computer back together again, and now the heatsink isn't doing its thing properly? Could the new RAM, hard drive or battery have anything to do with it? Strangely enough it's the processor that's overheating, which I didn't touch. And the battery is on the other side of the chassis, so I don't think that's it. The closest thing to the processor, I think, is the hard drive, but that never seems to exceed its specified upper limit of 59 deg C.

One final thing: I lost the little screws holding on the RAM door in place on the bottom of the laptop and used some scotch tape instead. As a result, the RAM door is maybe 1 mm lower than it should be, i.e., not flush with the bottom of the case. Could this be possibly messing up some super-delicate airflow thing on the underside of the case?

Help! I love love love this computer in every other way. And I'm trying to make it my main work machine, so I can't really have it doing this.

Thinking Of Getting A G4 iBook Or PowerBook

Brian Puccio — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:06:42 -0800

I've currently got a HP Mini-Note 2133 running Ubuntu. I was going to take a stab at installing OS X on it this coming weekend when I realized I could get a 12" iBook or PowerBook G4 for roughly the same price and it would still be small enough I wouldn't mind carrying it around with me all the time and it would run OS X with no hassle. I'd keep my MacPro as my primary workstation that I use for image editing and such, this would just be for email and for surfing the web on the go. If I get a G4 era laptop and install Leopard on it (want to use Back to My Mac after I roll my own dot mac) will I have any issues? I've only recently become a Mac user after years on Linux, so I never used a PPC-based system. Will application like Camino, Mail, Adium, etc all run with no problems? This is what the universal binary thing is all about, right? Anything else I should be aware of? Any tips or tricks for slimming down 10.5 to make it run better on the older hardware? Thanks!

Startup disk almost full again?!

luazinha — Sat, 03 May 2008 20:12:58 -0800

Why would my Powerbook's virtual memory top 20Gb? I have 21Gb free on my 100Gb hard drive, and sometimes I still get the message "Startup disk almost full." This happens when I'm doing ordinary things like Safari, Mail, and/or Microsoft Word for an extended amount of time. When I reboot, it resets, but I still wonder if something is going haywire.

It also seems like my computer has been running hotter than usual lately. I'm using Mac OS X 10.4.11 on the last generation of Powerbook G4.

I've looked at this post, but it didn't exactly pinpoint the problem.

I haven't the power.

sindas — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:14:07 -0800

Powerbook shorting out: out of warranty, wont power at all, no battery charge I left my 17-inch 1.67GHz Powerbook G4 (2005) plugged in, and powered on, one night last week. When I woke up in the morning it was dead. Cold, hard, dead. No power. Nothing.

Mac guys told me it was the DC-in board. After replacing the DC-in board I discovered that they were incorrect. My problems still persist. While at the genius bar they also pointed out that when I insert my power cable you can hear a faint spark. Meaning I have a short. Also, I have a 3rd party power adapter, which blinks at high-speed when I plug it in. So -- quite sure there is a short.

The DC-In board has a rainbow colored 8-pin connector that goes through the computer and connects to the battery section, near the ram slots. When this cable is unplugged the sparks stop. Past this, I have no idea what to do next..

Brand new battery (boo waste of money) and brand new DC-in board are installed. Access to apple-branded power cable, but it does nothing differently.