I've been messing with my powerbook G4 with 512mb of kingston memory installed for awhile now and can't get passed the kernel panic. I have done the PMU thing and Pram reset and still have not been able to get anything to change. I tried to start up with the install cd and I ran the disk utility repair. It said "invalid content in journal" in red. I'm not sure if that means anything. And then on the bottom left for mount point is says not mounted. I have done the apple hardware test and everything checked out. Does that mean a software issue? Any help and direction would be greatly appreciated.
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Newb needs help with kernal panic
- Thread starter mohmandm
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I have had the ram in for over a year. I just took out the added ram and tried to restart and nothing changed... I figured the apple test would check all the ram and it said it passed so I'm not sure what to do next. I also just reset the Pram with no success. My roommate has a mac. Maybe I should just shift all my files over there and then reinstall Leopard...
Yes that is what I am seeing. It says it in a bunch of different languages. I am listing what I have tried so far to try to fix it based on what I have learned from the other posts.
Just because it says the RAM passed doesn't mean the RAM is actually good. I recently have a problem with corrupted data on a PC, and it turned out to be the RAM. A bootable memory test CD was the only way I found it. Unfortunately, I'm not sure there is such a program for MAC.
Have you tried a reinstall of the OS? Has anything changed recently? I know AppleCare comes with some sort of CD to do diagnostics. Do you have AC or the CD?
Don't try a reinstall! With your Mac in such an unstable condition the likely outcome is a failed install. The fact that you cannot boot on a CD is solid evidence that you are experiencing a hardware failure of some kind, RAM being the most common.
EDIT: Were you able to restart on the install CD?
EDIT: Were you able to restart on the install CD?
I was able to startup with the leopard cd. That is how I ran the disk utility repair. So if I can startup with the cd, should I try to reinstall Leopard. And just to make sure, that means I can still keep all my files correct? It doesn't do a disk restore/ erase my hard drive?
I didn't read anywhere about errors during the process but at the end it did say disk repaired successfully. So I'm guessing that it did find some sort of issue.
If Disk Utility says the disk was repaired and you're still having kernel panics, I'd continue to suspect a hardware issue and advise against attempting a reinstall. Have you or can you backup completely?
are you able to remove the stick of memory that might be the issue? or is the it only memory the system has?
I already took out the stick of memory and tried restarting and same thing happened. I believe I should be able to backup. I need to get a double sided fire wire cord to transfer my files onto my roommates mac. Is there any other way to transfer files besides that way?
network, but firewire would be much faster, especially if you cant stay in OSX without it crashing, then firewire/target disk mode is the only way really, unless you pulled the HD and got an external enclosure and did it that way
so what you're saying is I might have to end up going to the apple store? Thanks for the help by the way.