[X4U] Firewire Target Disk Mode - Can it disable a machine?

[Scott]

On Jul 25, 2005, at 3:30 PM, Stephen Lanza wrote:

> I tried to use a Titanium Powerbook G4 running Mac OS X 10.4.1 in  
> firewire
> target disk mode today. I connected it to a Powermac G4
..
>
> The Powermac G4 Desktop system came up and the startup items began  
> to start
> up. Out of the blue, I got one of those dark grey screens (kernal  
> panic)
> informing me to power down the machine and restart it. Since I have  
> gotten
> this screen infrequently in the past, I held down the power button  
> for 5 to
> 10 seconds and the machine powered down.
>
> I then tried to restart the machine by powering it up and, to my  
> surprise,
> it did not come up. I didn't even get the startup chime.
>
> I then powered the machine down again and disconnected all of the  
> connecting
> cables to power, firewire devices, usb devises, network, etc.
>
> Again I tried to power the machine backup to no avail. The system  
> seems to
> be dead. No startup chime or anything.
>
> Does anyone have an idea of what happened? In reading the manual on  
> target
> disk mode it does make the point that the machine being connected  
> to must
> have FireWire version 2.3.3 installed.
...
>
> Since I am NOT getting the startup chime I don't think I am getting  
> even
> this far.
>
> It looks like I need to bring it to a Apple Service Center.

Check the power cable connection. This is a longshot, but it's a good  
idea since you've been disconnecting things. Do not depend on an  
"eyeball" check. Disconnect and reseat the power cord - both ends.

Then, if that didn't do it, resetting the PMU. On a PM G4, it should  
be a small round button set into a silver base, near the battery on  
the logic board. With the machine off, press the button ONCE, wait 10  
seconds, andtry turning it on. If you see two small buttons near the  
battery, the PMU reset button is the one nearest the battery.

On G4 Mirrored Drive Door machines, the PMU is in the corner in the  
front middle part of the logic board.
---------------------
|                                |
|                                |
|                                |
|                ________|
|               |
|               |
|______o | <-------------there.


and no, FW Target mode shouldn't harm a machine. Connecting another  
machine in target mode also should not harm the machine. Also - did  
the PowerBook successfully boot to target mode (blue screen w/ yellow  
FW symbol)?
-- 
Scott