Powerbook G4 won't turn on.

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Hi there, please someone help me!

I have a Powerbook G4 (model no: A1138) that simply will not turn on. Here are the symptoms:

1) When pressing the battery test button on the battery, no lights appear indicating that the battery has no charge.

2) When plugged in at the mains it still does not turn on. The ring on the charger on the end that plugs into the mac is goes green. I think this indicates that the battery is fully charged (see 1). If the power supply was charging the battery I'm sure it should have an orange light.

3) I have tried resetting the PMU. If I have done this right (unplugging it, removing the battery and holding down the power button for 5 seconds) then this still has no effect - the computer does not turn on. If I am wrong regarding the PMU reset then could someone please tell me.

4) I went to the Apple shop who told me they couldn't help me because my mac is older than 5 years. At another computer shop that sells Mac's a technician told me that perhaps the mother board might be dead - PLEASE GOD DON'T LET THIS BE THE CASE!!!

If however it is the case and the mother board is dead, what are my options? As far as I can see then I have 2:

Get a new mother board - is this even possible?

OR

Chuck the mac in the bin / put it on eBay for spares.

If anyone is able to help me then I would be eternally grateful for some advice. Thanks very much,

Kris
 

robduckyworth


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Hi there, and welcome.

Have you tried removing the battery and running it off the mains? (Thats if the battery is removable, of course.)

It does sound alot like a dead motherboard. It is possible to get them replaced, but its usually a repair that costs more than the machine is worth.
 
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K
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Hi, thanks for responding to my post. I have tried every option of having it plugged in with and without the battery and I still have no joy with it.

I think the mother board is probably at fault so I guess I'm just going to have to try and get another one from somewhere other wise it looks like the bin for my mac.

Cheers, Kris
 

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