Kernal Panic

Kernal Panic

by thewiz66 Mar 23, 2009 4:00AM PDT

I have a 1.25Ghz G4 iMac Flat Panel running OS 10.4.On 256 ram. On boot up the screen tries to come on but goes black. Like a Flash of on then black. Now the CD drive won?t open. The only time it ever gave me an error it said ?It was having a Kernal Panic. I have not changed anything since I bought it. Is there anything I can do to fix it.

Discussion is locked

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Given the machine's age.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 23, 2009 4:21AM PDT

I'd be concerned it's never been maintained. Tell me how you clean out the dust and lint from the machine's internals and how you test for failed hard disks and more.
Bob

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I clean it

by thewiz66 Mar 23, 2009 4:35AM PDT

I open the bottom and used caned air to blow it out. Did not check the HD after running utilities said it was fine. It ran great then poof the very next time I turned it on the screen was Black and now the CD won't oopen

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Then you are saying...

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 23, 2009 5:05AM PDT

You are ready to replace parts that appear to have failed?

That is, these CD/DVD drives are lucky to get a few years so if over 2 years old I reach up on the shelf and fetch a new drive.
Bob

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OK can do that

by thewiz66 Mar 23, 2009 5:15AM PDT

But what about the screen being black after the boot up

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This is where.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 23, 2009 6:35AM PDT

I unplug parts that are not needed and could be giving the machine fits.

I don't detail the usuals such as "zapping the PRAM" as you own and operate your machine and would do that without asking. But there is a method of troubleshooting where we remove parts that are not required for the screen to work.

Then again, some best take it to an Apple counter and ask "How much?"
Bob

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I zapped the pram 4 times

by thewiz66 Mar 23, 2009 7:25AM PDT

still nothing. I took it to a service provider and he looked at me, never touched the computer and said it was the logic board. Is there anything more ? It still chimes c-sharp? I need a direction to look or test.

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I don't have anything

by thewiz66 Mar 23, 2009 7:28AM PDT

plugged into it besides the keyboard and mouse. I took out the cd drive. all that is there is the HD and 1 256 ram chip

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The HD is optional at this point.

by r. proffitt Forum moderator Mar 23, 2009 10:19AM PDT

A dead hard disk can block a boot.

BTDT Bob

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Given the machines age,

by mrmacfixit Forum moderator Mar 23, 2009 10:18AM PDT

it would probably be cheaper to replace this machine with a purchase off eBay.

How many times did you have the bottom off to dust it? Any possibility that your dusting coincided with the screen failure?

Could be a case of backlight failure on the LCD. You could check that by connecting the machine, with a firewire cable, to another Mac and starting the G4 in Target mode. If the G4 appears on the desktop of the other mac, it will have booted correctly.

P

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Great advice

by thewiz66 Mar 24, 2009 5:43AM PDT

I decided to take it to the new apple dealer and let them figure it out
Thank you for all your help

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