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    PowerBook G4 RAM problem

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by DJ_Pawel, Aug 11, 2009.

  1. DJ_Pawel

    DJ_Pawel Notebook Consultant

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    My brothers PowerBook G4 1.67 (2006 model) stopped working. It was working fine yesterday.

    When I tried to restart it beeps three times and does not start.
    According to Apple's webpage, three beeps at startup means no good banks.
    1 beep = no RAM installed
    2 beeps = incompatible RAM types
    3 beeps = no good banks
    4 beeps = no good boot images in the boot ROM (and/or bad sys config block)
    5 beeps = processor is not usable

    What does that mean and how can i fix it?
    i already tried using a different memory and nothing.

    any help will be appreciated
    Thank you.
     
    DJ_Pawel, Aug 11, 2009
    #1
  2. ClearSkies

    ClearSkies Well no, I'm still here..

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    Completely different RAM sticks, without any of the original ones installed, produced the same beeping result? I presume you confirmed that the replacement sticks worked in another system.

    In that event, one possibility is a motherboard failure. If the G4 is possibly covered under a 3 year AppleCare warranty, then should let Apple take a look at it.
     
    ClearSkies, Aug 11, 2009
    #2
  3. Luke1708

    Luke1708 Notebook Virtuoso NBR Reviewer

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    try removing the ram and placing it again.
     
    Luke1708, Aug 11, 2009
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  4. DJ_Pawel

    DJ_Pawel Notebook Consultant

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    so... i bought new ram from a guy from craigslist (x2 1GB) and now the computer boots up but it only shows 1GB of ram and system profiler says 1 slot is empty. I try removing the ram and placing it again and it still shows only 1GB and i know both sticks are good cuz i tried them on another mac.
     
    DJ_Pawel, Aug 11, 2009
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  5. ClearSkies

    ClearSkies Well no, I'm still here..

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    The slot's probably gone bad, then.

    Remedies:
    1. Give it to Apple and have them put in a new MB (expensive - only do this through AppleCare).
    2. Learn to live with 1 slot - buy a 2GB RAM stick from NewEgg (less than $27 shipped) and put it in the good slot so you can still run with 2GB.
     
    ClearSkies, Aug 11, 2009
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  6. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

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    The Powerbooks only support up to 1GB DDR SO-DIMMs. A 2GB stick will not be recognised by the system.
     
    Budding, Aug 12, 2009
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  7. ClearSkies

    ClearSkies Well no, I'm still here..

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    I see.... thx for the correction :).

    Wow, finally a difference between my Asus system and Apple -- for the former, the officially supported RAM of 1GB for older models just meant that 2GB sticks weren't readily available when QA published the production specs but you could easily put a 2GB stick in many of them (although occasionally you needed to update to last BIOS to support it).

    I remain curious as to the basis of the restriction in older Apple notebooks so I learn something more, since I'm a more recent Mac convert - perhaps because of the IBM cpu and chipsets?
     
    ClearSkies, Aug 12, 2009
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  8. Budding

    Budding Notebook Virtuoso

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    Probably either a logic board restriction as you've mentioned, or a firmware restriction because Apple doesn't like people using one stick of RAM only. Probably the former, though.
     
    Budding, Aug 12, 2009
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  9. DJ_Pawel

    DJ_Pawel Notebook Consultant

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    We don't have applecare for this mac so 1GB will have to do. (new MB $400 :eek: )

    thank you all for your help :)
     
    DJ_Pawel, Aug 12, 2009
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  10. macfix

    macfix Notebook Enthusiast

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    There was a Memory Slot Repair Extension Program for your model of powerbook which ended on July 24, 2008.

    You can read about it here:

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2164
     
    macfix, Aug 30, 2009
    #10
  11. cyber16

    cyber16 Notebook Deity

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    This G4 uses DDR "1" pc2700 unlike most current laptops use DDR2 or DDR3
    I don't even recall ever seeing 2GB sticks of SO-Dimm DDR

     
    cyber16, Aug 31, 2009
    #11