Hardware test MAC OS X

J

janehelp

Registered
Hi

I have a MAC OS X 10.4.11 IBook G4 1.1. It's acting up on me. Crashes often and freezes as well.

The only CD I can find is the Mac OS X Tiger Install DVD. Is this the Hardware test cd as well?

If yes, how do I get the hardware test started. I tried the "restart while holding "C"" and "restart while holding the "option key""... Doesn't work... Don't see a hardware test option

If no, Can I download the application ?

Also, anyone can tell me any suggestions on why is it acting up?

Thank you

Jane
 
Janehelp,

The hardware test is on (one of) the system disc(s) that came with the machine. It's not likely something you can download.

First try unplugging everything except mouse and keyboard from the machine and restart it.

If that doesn't solve your problem, system crashes/freezes makes me suspect the RAM. If your machine has a removable RAM module, I'd recommend you *turn off your machine and remove the battery* and then carefully remove the RAM module. Don't touch the gold contacts or the chips themselves. See the link below for directions.

The other possible cause is a faulty logic board, though the only solution to that would probably be a new logic board.

Click this link for a PDF guide for adding memory. You'll just want to take the RAM out to see if the crashing stops.
http://www.info.apple.com/usen/cip/pdf/ibkg4/ibg4-mem-cip1.pdf
 
Thank you for your reply. So if the hardware test is on the Mac OS X Tiger Install DVD, how do I get it to start?

Jane
 
I didn't buy anything separately. The CD I have is the one that came with the machine. It's the
"Mac OS X tiger install DVD"
is this the one? if yes, how do I start the hardware test?

Thank you

Jane
 
Is that disk black with a big X across the label? That's a commercial OS X install disk, and does not have a hardware test included.
The disk that you are looking for is one of the grey disks that came with the iBook when it was new. It will have the simple instructions for booting to that hardware test on the disk label.
If you bought your iBook used, then you may have received a different disk (that black installer DVD), which is OK, but it just doesn't have the hardware test on the disk.
 
OK so I am getting somewhere :)

I don't have the gray CD. Must have had it but can't find it. Is there anywhere I can download the file and burn on a CD to use it?

Thank you
 
Most likely fault for an iBook for 'crashes and freezes' will be a failing hard drive, or your OS X system needs to be reinstalled.
You can use your existing OS X installer disk to test your hard drive, at least with a quick test. Just boot to that disk, then run Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. Run the Repair Disk (not Repair Disk Permissions).
If no error messages are there, and your hard drive passes without finding any problem, then you could just continue on with the OS X install, choosing the Option (when you select your hard drive as the destination) for an Archive & Install. That's fairly safe for your existing software, and will install a fresh OS X set on top of what you have now. May help, and won't likely hurt anything.
 
Yes, Delta Mac's right of course. I suppose I should have had you try a safe boot first.

Janehelp, before you do the hardware test, why don't you start your iBook while holding down the Shift key. This will do a safe boot that will check your hard drive.

Because of the age of your machine, it's especially important to back up your files. I suggest buying an external Firewire hard drive (not USB as your machine's USB will be too slow) from some place like OWC (Www.macsales.com) or Best Buy. Must be a FIrewire connection to a hard drive that supports Firewire. double-click on your iBook's hard drive and double-click on the other hard drive. Double-click on the Users folder, then double-click on your user folder. Drag your Documents, Music, Movies, Pictures and any other import and folders to the window of the new external hard drive to back them up. all hard drives fail eventually.

To start the Hardware Test on your system disc (disc 1), start your machine with the disc in the drive and hold down the H key. It will have directions for the Hardware Test if it's the right disc. There's no legal place to download the hardware test to my knowledge. You'd have to contact Apple or find someone with the exact same model and borrow theirs.

bot
Can you believe I typed all that with my thumbs?
 
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Never heard of using the H key for hardware test, and I've been a Mac tech from before there was any hardware test from Apple (other than the old MacTest Pro, of course)
Alternatively - hold the Option key, and choose the hardware test icon for that boot.
 
Ever since Apple started combining the system disk & hardware disk--around 3-4 years ago, the disk has been a "dual boot". C for system; H for hardware.

(Never have figured out why they chose 'C' instead of possibly 'S' for system. Oh well, it's been C for so long, it's generic now--or is that geriatric?)
 
"C" would be for CD boot - well, that's a little outdated. Apple has used the C, I think, for as long as CDs have been supported, back to some version of System 7, I suppose.
The "D" was not used for that purpose before the intel Macs. And, it's "D" for Diagnostics, which actually makes sense... The OP has an iBook, which would not be using "D"
Can anyone confirm that the hardware test does, in fact, boot using the "H", without needing to go through the Option-boot manager? That would, of course, be only on a PPC Mac, such as an iBook, or iMac G5.
 
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