[G4] OK. Now I am starting to get a little irritated. Flatliner MDD.

[S. Kennedy]

On Thu, 12 Jan 2006 16:23:10 -0500, Maj. Richard H. Blount (OHMR Ret.) 
wrote:
> OK. I have installed new memory, new hard drive, different DVD (a 108!) and
> the $%#$&^*&^ thing still sits there with its tongue hanging out. I have
> tried using OS9 boot disk, OSX1.0 system disk, OSX1 for G4 system disk and
> the rebuild disk that I was given with the system. I've tried every memory
> slot, reset every conceivable kind of nvram, pram, ram charger, ram air,
> Dodge Ram, reset the processor, tried every memory slot with new and old
> memory, and get laughed at by the bloody thing. I was convinced I had bad
> memory, but alas get the same thing with both. So I now have a Gig of memory
> for this thing. 

I have a similar machine to yours, 1.25 dual MDD.  If I'm not mistakes 
some of these models would not boot into OS9 but were OS 10 only.  The 
model number should give a clue about that. I believe the non OS9 
computers has a firewire 800 port and the others didn't but I'm not 
sure.

> 
> When I use the plain old OsX install disk, I get the happy mac face and the
> beach ball (encouraging eh?) then the happy face tears in half and the
> system once again laughs in triumph.

I guess you are saying that the install disk mounts but when you try to 
run the install app it bombs.
> 
> The only other thing I can think of is maybe  have the wrong system restore
> disks. It seems to get farther in the process with this disk. I get happy
> Mac, then the grey Mac OS screen, then the blue MacOS screen with the weird
> textured background and a moving like thermometer bar. Sometimes I get to
> the stylized person holding a disk then to the part where I get to select a
> disk to restore to. Then either it sees no disk, or says the disk is not
> compatible. This occurs on all three controllers and can die at any point
> along the way.

I have read through your posts and I don't see for sure how the jumpers 
on the HDs are set. The manual calls for cable select on all drives.  
Make sure the jumpers are set properly.  What works on the G3 may not 
work on this machine.
> 
> I was able to get it to install Ubuntu and it works on any of the three
> drive busses, but when it tries to start, the@#$#$% thing wont recognize the
> keyboard so wont complete the boot process. That¹s where I very calmly
> removed everything from the case, closed it, took 2 valium and sat here in
> front of my trusty G4 AGP 400 that actually works, and placed my heart out
> on my sleeve.

This indicates that you were able to mount the Ubuntu install disk and 
it recognized the hard drive and let you install the OS if I read you 
correctly.  This leads me to believe that your Mac install disks are 
not for this computer or something in the Open Firmware is corrupted.  
If you can find a retail Panther disk set to borrow, that would be 
worthwhile trying.
> 
> Are there any Mac Jocks out there that live in or around Newark, Ohio that
> might be willing (I will buy the beer) to cast a second set of eyes at this
> thing? OR does anyone have the for sure correct restore disks for an M4570
> 1.25 Ghz DP. I am almost in too deep to part it out now! :-(

Since the machine was in parts, it seems that one of the wiring 
connections may not be made up properly.  A pin may be bent, broken or 
something like that.  Hard to find but worth looking at closely.  There 
may even be a broken wire in a cable.  I have had all of these problems 
in the past on various machines.  Also, you might want to try another 
keyboard if you haven't as a stuck key can cause havoc.

OK, these ideas probably wan't help much.  I am far from an expert in 
this area.

Good luck.  I hope the problem is not something that requires a major 
investment as this is still a good computer, much better than the G3 I 
think.

S. Kennedy