Power Mac G4 Issue!

Kaybenson

Hello all,


I bought this 'nice looking' Desktop on a Thursday market.


Specification: 400MHZ/1M Cache/DVS-V
64mb sdram/10g hd/56k MDM


On switching it on, it shows a question mark on the screen.


What could be the possible problem and solution?


Cheers

Soulginge

I would imagine that it's because it's pretty old, the G4 has long been discontinued I'm fairly sure. It will be completely unsupported by modern Apple operating systems and has probably seen the last of its usefulness. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

macman

It means that it can't load/find the OS. Could be a software corruption, could be hard drive failure. Did you not get them to switch it on for you before buying? If they confirmed it was in working order, take it back.
Software is available for pre-OSX Macs, but as pointed out above, it's no longer supported. Hard drive replacement may also be problematic, as the earlier Macs used SCSI interface.
If you got the system disks supplied with it, you can boot up from those and try to repair it.

tonyh66

This is probably the wrong forum to ask on, you need to search the web for computer forums. Try goggling your specific problem 'question mark on G4 boot up'.
I bet it is fixable, but don't expect to be running the latest iOS or applications.

A quick google finds me this:


That is an over-simplification that can lead you astray. If you removed the AC power cord at any time, and then got the blinking question mark, you probably need a new battery.
The question mark comes up when your Mac cannot find:

the preferred OS version
of the preferred OS type
on the preferred Startup Disk

all these items are stored in the parameter RAM and Non-volatile RAM and preserved by an "always-on" 5 Volt power supply that works whenever there is AC power, even if the Mac is nominally off.

When there is no AC power, a 3.6 Volt 1/2 AA battery supplies backup power. When that also goes too low, parameter corruption can cause the exact symptoms you describe even if the Hard Drive is perfectly fine.

Reset the PRAM using the tiny button on the motherboard near the battery. Hold the button for a quarter minute, then wait at least five seconds before doing anything else. Avoid momentary presses. You will probably need a new battery. Any drop in AC power after the reset and before you replace the battery will send you right back to were you were (or worse). Also, after replacing the battery, you will need to do the reset again.

psychic_teabag

Soulginge wrote: »

I would imagine that it's because it's pretty old, the G4 has long been discontinued I'm fairly sure. It will be completely unsupported by modern Apple operating systems and has probably seen the last of its usefulness. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

You can probably run linux on it. We were doing some powerpc development at work for a while, and I got an old mac off freecycle and put linux on it. (It's still sitting behind me, as it happens - looks like it's a slightly higher spec.)

Ant555

I think my G4 (currently somewhere in a box in the loft) was running MacOS version 9.

if you can download it then you will probably be OK installing it - not sure if this link goes to a download or just information though.

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1280?locale=en_GB&viewlocale=en_US

almillar

Question mark - Operating system not found.
Is there a hard drive, does it work, is it blank. If it takes you more than a few minutes to find these things out, this computer isn't for you.

This computer is ancient and only useful for 'fun'. You won't be running OSX on it, you'll be stuck on Macintsosh OS 9 at best. And this is not a fast computer.
Decide what to do with it before spending a penny or a second on it.
I bought a PowerMac G5, which would be the successor to your computer. I gutted it and put PC components inside! The CASE is the most valuable part of your computer!

Kaybenson

Thanks all for your contribution. I really appreciate it.


The case look really nice and I think I paid for the case though the seller claimed its working. I thought I can use it as a spare.

Kaybenson

Ant555 wrote: »

I think my G4 (currently somewhere in a box in the loft) was running MacOS version 9.

if you can download it then you will probably be OK installing it - not sure if this link goes to a download or just information though.

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1280?locale=en_GB&viewlocale=en_US

Do you mean downloading into CD and installing it on this particular PC?


Cheers

almillar

It may well be working, but the previous user may have removed or wiped the hard drive, just like you would want to. Would have been nice to put the OS back on though, if the drive is still there.


Anyway, the 'computer' isn't worth spending a penny on. Open the pretty case, it's nice on the inside too, and see if you can identify a hard drive. It'll be IDE. If you have one lying around, you can use it. You'll likely have to find Macintosh OS9 on a dodgy part of the internet, you might need one specific to your PowerMac (there are several G4 PowerMacs), and burn a DVD/CD ISO.
Or, the useful thing to do would be to build a PC, using a Micro ATX (ITX?) motherboard. Some stuff might be back to front and need to be reconfigured, and you'll need to work out how to get a modern PSU into it. I've done it with a G5 case, but that's easier because there's more space.