# Help with Powerbook G4 1.67. it won't switch on



## dan_been (Jun 2, 2008)

Hi,
I have just got my powerbook 17" G4 back after having the motherboard replaced. When I was in the shop picking it up, I tested it and it switched on perfectly. I have now brought it home and it will not boot. The battery indicator lights have gone blank (it was flashing -but the battery was dead- before I plugged it in), the power cord indicator is staying on orange and there is just nothing happening. I have tries doing a PMU reset, by removing the cord and battery, holding the start button down and then reattatching everything, but that seems totally ineffective. 
I would appreciate any advice,

Thanks


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

Have you tried starting it without the battery in it? If that doesn't help, then take the book, and your power adapter back to the shop.


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## BloodHound (Dec 9, 2004)

Wow, searching does help. I'm sorry to bump an old thread but my iBook G4 1.33 just suddenly died and I can't figure out why. The battery had a full charge and was plugged in to the power adapter while I was browsing the internets when the screen blacked out on me. I closed the lid to put it in sleep mode then re-opened it and the screen was back to normal for about 15 seconds before all power cut out and I couldn't get it restarted. I even removed the additional ram I had installed several months ago in case that was related. Then I followed the "pmu reset" method posted above and got power back after re-inserting the battery and charger cable. 

I guess my question is what the heck caused this to happen and how can I prevent it? Is this a sign of a hardware failure? It seems like everything is breaking this week, my back-up battery is no longer holding a charge and my 4th power adapter is starting to get a frayed cord, it may be time to upgrade to a new Mac.


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## macthorough (Jul 5, 2008)

In some cases you leave the power adapter connected with the PPC G4 Apple Laptops. And the powerbook should run on adapter power only as well as battery power only. So if neither work after resetting the PMU correctly then you either have a bad battery and adapter or a bad DC in board. If it does not work on adapter power only, then there is probably a problem with the adapter. I would try the adapter on another PB, maybe you have a friend who has a PB. Try your battery in another PB too. Also I would try another power outlet in your home just to be sure. So after all this, if nothing helps you repair tech will have to refix what he repaired.

Reset PMU here
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1431#faq11
Check this also - just in case
http://www.apple.com/support/exchange_repair/powerbook.html


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

With the fact that your screen went out, but came back after a while, I'd say that the backlighting on the screen has gone out. When you try turning it on, does the light on the front next to the latch come on? If so, then it's not the DC board, power supply or battery. If the light comes on, wait for a while and then shine a flashlight into the apple on the back of the screen and look to see if your desktop background can be seen. If so, then the backlighting has gone out. But to double check, try turning it up with the keys for the light on the top of the keyboard.


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## macthorough (Jul 5, 2008)

BloodHound said:


> Wow, searching does help. I'm sorry to bump an old thread but my iBook G4 1.33 just suddenly died and I can't figure out why. The battery had a full charge and was plugged in to the power adapter while I was browsing the internets when the screen blacked out on me. I closed the lid to put it in sleep mode then re-opened it and the screen was back to normal for about 15 seconds before all power cut out and I couldn't get it restarted. I even removed the additional ram I had installed several months ago in case that was related. Then I followed the "pmu reset" method posted above and got power back after re-inserting the battery and charger cable.
> 
> I guess my question is what the heck caused this to happen and how can I prevent it? Is this a sign of a hardware failure? It seems like everything is breaking this week, my back-up battery is no longer holding a charge and my 4th power adapter is starting to get a frayed cord, it may be time to upgrade to a new Mac.


Most likely if you screen blanked out while using it that means the your power settings are off. If you go to System preferences and look at you energy saver settings you have to make sure the sleep time is longer than the screen saver. also you can disable put hard drive to sleep. But when you reset the pmu you reset these settings casue the power setting are kept in the pmu and they are probably ok now. usually there is an error message in the power settings if the energy settings confilct. If you type energy saver in the help menu you will find the energy saver instructions.

If the backlight is out all you have to do is boot to a cd and if you cannot see video then you ibook needs a repair.


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## ccrostelli (Dec 20, 2009)

*Help with Powerbook G4 it won't switch on*

Hi , i have my powerbook g4 , is a little old but was working. now i cannot use it 
i switch on and he does not work , i can only see the monitor with the apple and the wheels running and nothing more...... please help me.


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## sinclair_tm (Mar 11, 2005)

Please start a new thread, and provide much more details about the problem, what you have done, and about the Mac itself.


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