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I am so fried

B

bmusgrave3

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 6, 2005
7
0
I have a G3 B&W that has been working fine UNTIL I added ram to it. My mac started freezing up and freaking out. I removed the ram and then I started getting a kernel panic: "We are hanging here". After troubleshooting for 3 days now, I am exhausted and want this thing fixed before my head explodes. (can you tell I am frustrated?). I am at an absolute loss, so if any of you could please assist me in fixing it I would appreciate it tremendously. Tell me what other info you need to figure this out.
Thanks,
CM

:confused:

I am using system 10.3 with 256 ram
 
try rebooting your computer and hold option, command (apple), P and R keys pressed (zap PRAM). You will hear your startup chime 2 times, now let the keys go. If the computer still doesn't boot, reboot it and wait until you heard the chime 3 times before releasing the keys.
If that didn't help, you will have to try something else ;), it still kind of boots, i don't think you have a very major problem (imho).

Good luck
 
Ok, I did that. Nothing. I was however able to install OS 9.1, so I am up and running but on an unstable system. I tried to upgrade to panther from that point and it is still coming up with the kernel panic. What else can I try?
 
bmusgrave3 said:
Ok, I did that. Nothing. I was however able to install OS 9.1, so I am up and running but on an unstable system. I tried to upgrade to panther from that point and it is still coming up with the kernel panic. What else can I try?
Click to expand...
Lol, way ahead of me there i guess.
Did you reformat the drive(s)?
 
The pretty obvious problem is the RAM itself, but I'm pretty surprised that removing it doesn't stop the crashing. I had a similar problem on my Cube -- ended up replacing all the RAM. How it went berserk, I don't know. Static discharge maybe? If you have the hardware test CD that came with the Mac, I'd try that, but I have the feeling you're going to need service.

Does the B&W have an reset switch on the board? Might be worth trying.

Please do not reformat the drives! This has about a 0.01% chance of fixing your problem!
 
Good question. I've got an old B&W, but I've never looked because I never needed to. Not sure it even existed on this model. Somebody help out here -- what is this switch called?

BTW, do you have the hardware test CD? Worth a try if you do.
 
just FYI, the phrase "I am so fried", eludes to someone very high on drugs. Hence my dissappointment with the body of this thread.
 
I am so sorry to disappoint you, next time I will make sure I am fried before posting :D
 
IJ Reilly said:
Please do not reformat the drives! This has about a 0.01% chance of fixing your problem!
Click to expand...
It's still a chance right, but you're right, maybe only as a very last resort. :eek:
Windows side talking here.
pro forma: You format a drive with disk utility, booting from your installation CD.

bmusgrave3 said:
Where would I find the switch?
Click to expand...
I had a (very very) quick look inside my B&W and didn't find the switch (actually i didn't search sorry). When you open the B&W looking at the front of the computer, Main Board now to the right of the case, you will notice a battery on the left corner of the main board's closest corner to you. Flip it out and leave it out for erm at least 12 hours. Also disconnect the B&W from power during this time (and when u open it!).
This should reset the Main Board like the button does, a button would be more easy though ;)

Good luck again!
 
You don't have a reset button. See http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86225

First disconnect anything other than the keyboard. Reseat the ram that that is in you B&W. Boot off of the panther startup disk and run disk tools. Then try reinstalling os x.

The hardware test for your G3 most likely won't help. If you can boot and run for a while your hardware (except perhapts for ram) is fine.

Let us know what happens
 
Is there a PMU reset button on the B&W? I have successfully solved problems on my G5 by using the PMU reset button in the past. It also had to do with kernel panics and the like. Just a thought.....
 
I think that you should use the hardware test CD. It should come with the CDs that came with your powermac. If not, I think that the panther CD has it so you can just boot of that and run the test.

Also, isn't there a reset button on the motherboard itself on the older pwermacs (seperate from the reset and interupt switch)?

By the way, where did you get the ram?
 
I got the ram from Fry's Electronics (they claimed to be a Mac store, not!). It is a brand I had never heard of, mushkin, I had purchased 2 256 cards and put them in one at a time. The first one I put in did not flake my computer out, the second one I put in did. I will try the battery, I will also try looking for the PMU button :confused:, I have tried booting the comp up with the panther disk and I cannot get past the kernal panic. I have tried multiple times.
 
Passante said:
You don't have a reset button. See http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86225

First disconnect anything other than the keyboard. Reseat the ram that that is in you B&W. Boot off of the panther startup disk and run disk tools. Then try reinstalling os x.

The hardware test for your G3 most likely won't help. If you can boot and run for a while your hardware (except perhapts for ram) is fine.

Let us know what happens
Click to expand...

I wasn't thinking of the restart button or the programmer's interrupt switch (which are on the front of the b&w). I believe most Mac models have a hardware reset button somewhere on the main board, which basically flushes all of the static settings in the boot ROM (pRAM). A PRAM reset from the keyboard should do the same thing, but I don't think that is going to help in this situation. To me this sounds like a classic RAM-induced hardware issue. I had the same one and it drove me bananas for two weeks before I finally broke down and brought the Cube in for service.

Lacking a hardware test CD, I'd try buying one new stick of RAM from a reputable source (not Fry's) and work from there.
 
Just Get A New Battery

Ive just had exactly the same problem
I can almost garantee that a new battery will fix the problem
its the reason it boots into OS 9 and not OS X
(I guess os 9 doesnt rely on the pram settings as much)

hope this work for you too
 
The reset buttons on the Motherboard are just to the right of the battery, below the PCI slots (looking from the front). There are two. The left is a CUDA switch the right a Reset. More info on "deep resetting" and other B&W troubleshooting (about installing OS X but generally applicable) here.
 
screenprint77 said:
Ive just had exactly the same problem
I can almost garantee that a new battery will fix the problem
its the reason it boots into OS 9 and not OS X
(I guess os 9 doesnt rely on the pram settings as much)

hope this work for you too
Click to expand...
Screenprint's suggestion is worth a try. I think you have 2 cascading problems. When you unplugged and opened the machine, you probably drained the last of your PRAM battery, which corrupted the PRAM settings. Almost certainly, you also got the wrong RAM. You need a PC100 RAM with 16 chips on it - generic PC133 modules and 8-chip modules will emphatically NOT work. Go to a dealer who knows Macs.

Get a new 3.6V lithium 1/2AA battery (Radioshack, etc) Pull your old batter (making note of what direction it was installed in) and leave it out for 12 hours. Then install your new battery. If you don't want to wait, then you can use a paperclip to short out between the + and - terminals of the (now wmpty) battery holder, and leave it to drain for 15 minutes.

This zeros the PRAM circuits and is approximately the same as pressing the Cuda chip on the motherboard.
 
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