Help with a PM Quicksilver strange problem

[Pollokiller]

Hi everyone!

I own a PM Quicksilver 867 2001.
A few weeks ago it started having a series of problems which I haven´t been able to solve.
First, the superdrive failed. It had an erratic behaviour for a couple of weeks (it wouldn´t read some cds and sometimes wouldn´t eject). Then the computer started to freeze ocassionally when I attempted to use the superdrive.

I sent my computer to a certified repair shop, and they couldn´t find any problem, but told me the superdrive might die soon.

I replaced this drive with an LG drive which worked OK, but sometimes wasn´t recognized when I woke up my MAC.

Then, the hard drive started to make clicking noises ocassionally (I supposed it was time to replace the drive). So one day the hard disk seemed to die.

I bought a new seagate barracuda 120 Mb drive (which afaik is supoposed to work with this PM) but I wasn´t able to mount it. However, the drive was successfully recognized as an external drive usina a borrowed external drive chassis.
So I supposed I had to buy a smaller drive and install it, and so I did. I installed another seagate barracuda, but 80 Mb on my computer and it worked fine, for a couple of days. The clicking sounds started again and my PM wouldn´t startup, as if the drive had died.

But my new drive doesn´t seem to be the problem, because it works on other machines.

I need help, please.

 

[varmit]

Hi everyone!

I own a PM Quicksilver 867 2001.
A few weeks ago it started having a series of problems which I haven´t been able to solve.
First, the superdrive failed. It had an erratic behaviour for a couple of weeks (it wouldn´t read some cds and sometimes wouldn´t eject). Then the computer started to freeze ocassionally when I attempted to use the superdrive.

I sent my computer to a certified repair shop, and they couldn´t find any problem, but told me the superdrive might die soon.

I replaced this drive with an LG drive which worked OK, but sometimes wasn´t recognized when I woke up my MAC.

Then, the hard drive started to make clicking noises ocassionally (I supposed it was time to replace the drive). So one day the hard disk seemed to die.

I bought a new seagate barracuda 120 Mb drive (which afaik is supoposed to work with this PM) but I wasn´t able to mount it. However, the drive was successfully recognized as an external drive usina a borrowed external drive chassis.
So I supposed I had to buy a smaller drive and install it, and so I did. I installed another seagate barracuda, but 80 Mb on my computer and it worked fine, for a couple of days. The clicking sounds started again and my PM wouldn´t startup, as if the drive had died.

But my new drive doesn´t seem to be the problem, because it works on other machines.

I need help, please.

It sounds like the IDE controller on the motherboard is toasted. This might be the reason why your HD and Superdrive have both taken a crap, but putting the drive in another computer or external case they seemed to be OK.

 

[Pollokiller]

How to diagnose an IDE Controller

It sounds like the IDE controller on the motherboard is toasted. This might be the reason why your HD and Superdrive have both taken a crap, but putting the drive in another computer or external case they seemed to be OK.

Thanks. I also think that the IDE controller might have died.
I have a couple of questions now:
Does anybody know of a software to diagnose this type of damage inca amotherboard?
Would using an additional IDE controller solve my problem or do I have to replace the logic board?

Thanks again.

 

[aquajet]

Thanks. I also think that the IDE controller might have died.
I have a couple of questions now:
Does anybody know of a software to diagnose this type of damage inca amotherboard?
Would using an additional IDE controller solve my problem or do I have to replace the logic board?

Thanks again.

You could try using Apple Hardware Test, look for it on your software restore CDs. You could also try TechTool Pro.

If your IDE bus is indeed bad, you could try using an ATA/100 or /133 card, or even a serial ATA card. A serial ATA card would require you to purchase new optical and hard drives.

 

[Pollokiller]

You could try using Apple Hardware Test, look for it on your software restore CDs. You could also try TechTool Pro.

If your IDE bus is indeed bad, you could try using an ATA/100 or /133 card, or even a serial ATA card. A serial ATA card would require you to purchase new optical and hard drives.

When my disk problems began, I couldn´t run any test. Then I replaced the superdrive and when I ran Apple´s test it showed nothing wrong.

I don´t own Tech Tool Pro, but yhe first thing I did when I installed the 80 Mb new hard drive was borrow a copy and run a diagnostic. It didn´t show nothing wrong. But then a couple of days later I wasn´t able to read again the hard drive. And I already returned the copy I borrowed, since it says its not compatible with tiger.

I haven´t retried running Apple´s test. I guess that I´m having an intermitent failure, so it´s going to be hard to detect it.

If the IDE controller is OK, I wonder if the symptoms could be caused by faulty voltage.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pollokiller]

The test show no failure.

You could try using Apple Hardware Test, look for it on your software restore CDs. You could also try TechTool Pro.

If your IDE bus is indeed bad, you could try using an ATA/100 or /133 card, or even a serial ATA card. A serial ATA card would require you to purchase new optical and hard drives.

Hi

I already tried Aplle Hardware test and Tech Tool pro 4, but I don´t get any hardware problem report. I don´t know what to try next. Any ideas are welcome.

Thanks in advance

Felipe B.