[Ti] Dead Titanium/500

[Kynan Shook]

First thing, any Mac made in even somewhat recent history should still 
boot fine with a dead PRAM battery.  Second, I think that the batteries 
used in all the portables are rechargeable, though some (like the 
iBooks) don't have a battery at all.  Just plugging it in for a day 
straight is enough to recharge the backup battery.
Also, even if your PowerBook doesn't make any noise or show anything on 
the screen, it can still be "on".  That's why you should check the caps 
lock light.

And why are you worrying about losing your data and preferences?  You 
*DO* back up your computer regularly, don't you???
Let me put it this way for everybody that doesn't:  Hard drives fail, 
computers are stolen, software gets corrupt.  These things tend to 
happen at exactly the least convenient time possible.  If you have a 
day or a week or a month (or however long it would take you to recreate 
all your data) to waste at some random time, well, save the $200 for a 
FireWire hard drive or something similar.  If you don't have that much 
free time, back up NOW.
Personally, I back up to DVDs about once a year, to a CD whenever I 
have enough data to justify it, and to a USB flash drive when I only 
have a small amount to back up.

Jane <cbirds at earthlink.net> writes:
>> If the battery is bad but it's still plugged in, it should still boot.
>
> This is what I thought. However, the PRAM battery could be drained...?
>
>>  You could always try removing the battery and run it off AC alone,
>> but it shouldn't make a difference.
>
> Did that...
>
>>   My best guess would be to reset the power manager.
>
> Did that..too.
>
>>  On that model, turn it off (press the caps lock key and make sure it
>> doesn't light up; if it does, hold down the power button until it
>> turns off, that's how you know when the computer is totally off).
>
> I didn't have to worry because it was never on..
>
>>  Find the little reset button on the back of the computer, near the
>> modem port IIRC.  Press it briefly once, and make sure it doesn't get
>> caught on the edge of the case when you release it.  Wait five
>> seconds, press the power button.  See if that makes a difference.
>> Just out of curiosity, you might want to check both before and after
>> whether the caps lock light comes on after pressing the power button.
>
> NADA. Dead dead dead.  And yup, as soon as I make room I'll get that
> dual G5 but you can bet it will get used right away. :-) In fact when
> I'm in the store I will be tempted to bring home either one of those
> or, a new laptop but get the 23" display for home working...trouble is,
> if you take the laptop somewhere and it gets swiped, there goes all
> your work...set up, everything.