[G4] G4 in a coma

[CJ Scaminaci]

This has happened many a time to me. It's most likely corrupted NVRAM. 
NVRAM stores startup disk and other information. There really is no way 
to clear it other than pressing the CUDA button on your motherboard. 
Here is the procedure:

1.Hold down the CUDA switch for 10 seconds.
2.Remove the battery for approximately 30 minutes.
3.On startup zap the PRAM about 4 times.

If this is unsuccessful you may have a hardware conflict or bad 
hardware.

CJ
On Tuesday, July 22, 2003, at 10:54  AM, btfarmer at optonline.net wrote:

> After replacing my (crashed) second hard drive, my nice G4 dual 533 
> will not boot up.
>
> I turn it on, I get a startup tone, the fans go on, the light on the 
> front goes on. Then: nothing. No hard drive activity, the screen stays 
> totally black. It will not boot from any CD either.
>
> The weird part: I took it to Tekserve in NY, a guy there started it at 
> least twice... successfully! Told me it was probably just a power 
> surge, nothing really wrong with it. Just needed a few hours 
> unplugged. I took it home, and booted it myself.
>
> It started fine - once - then went black again when I restarted!!  It 
> was like that Warners cartoon with the singing frog, in reverse... :(
>
> I tried:
> disconnecting all USB/Firewire/ethernet cables.
> taking out and trading the RAM
> zapping the PRAM
> replacing the motherboard battery and pushing the reset button
> leaving it unplugged all night
> trying a different outlet
> trying a different surge strip
> trying a different power chord
> taking out ALL the hard drives.
> taking out all the PCI cards (except the graphics card)
>
> 896MB RAM,  10.2.6/9.2.2
>
> I'm stumped. Any ideas out there??
>
> -Bruce Meyers
>