is my G4 finally dead...

AlexAlexAlex · #1 November 12th, 2006, 07:51 PM

Hi,

I have an old G4 which I've been using as a good old back-up/workhorse.

G4 dual 500mhz, 1Gz ram, os 10.4 (with updated firmware), 2 x 120GB seagate baraccudas, ati radeon 9800 (256mb, 2xAGP compatible), standard mouse, standard keyboard

Just recently I was downloading a quicktime component to be able to play wmv or something (unfortunately I forget what it specifically was)... whilst also playing around in lime wire (it was sunday afternoon and wanted to watch a film...)

Basically in mid download, the computer seized up.

On restarting all i got was the taskbar. no rest of desktop.

So i went through the standard routines: pram, nvram resets etc

No luck.

Next I got out an old harddrive with OS 9.1 on it. Unplugged the 2 seagates and booted up.

I figured if i've downloaded some nasty thing by accident, a seperate harddrive and operating system should work fine.

No luck again.

For a brief second the picture I had on my old 9.1 desktop flashes up and then just a blank grey screen.

Nothing.

I can still move the mouse...but nothing else...

Any suggestions anyone????

Thanks!

Alex

PS I posted here rather a system based forum as it sounds like a hardware issue to me?? could it just be coincidence with the download and something failing physically... or something else yet again.... have I killed it a goodun this time...??

eric2006 · #2 November 12th, 2006, 07:53 PM

Do you have the original graphics card? It could be a bad card, or 9.1 having trouble with your new card.

AlexAlexAlex · #3 November 12th, 2006, 08:03 PM

Bingo!

tried the old rage128 and it seems to be intact in os9.1

so at least the machine itself lives on

thanks for the suggestion

now to find out if os X fairs any better...? I've not found any similar examples of problems where only the task bar can be seen...

perhaps i just need a full re-installation?

eric2006 · #4 November 12th, 2006, 08:50 PM

Perhaps. You might want to try installing on the old drive first, then connect the new drives as secondary and back them up. I had a conversation with a Genius who talked about how Limewire ruined his friends computer, and is generally just a poorly written app that causes problems. I don't know how true this is, but this isn't the first time I've seen a computer with Limewire die..

Timothy Gerges · #5 November 14th, 2006, 05:07 AM

I had that problem with my G4 and a scsi card. When i first put it in, it worked like a bomb, however, like 10 days after my computer hit a serious lag. It would take litterally half and hour to boot up. and then alll funny stuff would happen when i finally did get in, like nothing would open, drop downmenus would be empty, like when i clicked on file, nothing was there.
I finally took out the scsi card, and everything was back to normal