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TICKET ARCHIVE -> All Apps Quit, Blue Screen Flashes, Finder Reopens, Repeat...

stiltz129 - Aug 3, 2005 - 11:38 am

My powerbook (G4, 867 MHz, 768 mb RAM, OS 10.3.9) has been really temperamental the last two days. Between 30 seconds and 10 minutes after I start it up, all the applications suddenly quit and the screen goes blue. The computer doesn't go through a full restart, but the Finder reopens as if it had just started up. This happens again and again. I've tried restarting, creating a new user account, verifying and repairing permissions, verifying the hard drive (it said it didn't need to be repaired), and running Norton Utilities... nothing has worked. It's happened in several different applications, too, including Mail, Safari, IE, and Word.

Any help will be REALLY appreciated! Thanks!!

Jim

Cheryl - Aug 3, 2005 - 10:11 pm

Jim,

First, stop using Norton Utilities on your OS X drive immediately. Symantec has dropped all support for Utilities on OS X machines. It caused many severe problems for people.

I suggest you use Disk Warrior or Tech Tool Pro for your OS X machine.

Disk Warrior
http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/index.html

TechTool Pro
http://www.micromat.com/tt_pro_4/tt_pro_4.html

You can buy it on line or at a store that sells Apple computers and software.

Does this happen when you have the power adaptor plugged in to the powerbook and a good power source? Is your battery charging up all the way?

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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

stiltz129 - Aug 4, 2005 - 8:08 am

HI Cheryl,

Thanks for responding. =) This has happened when it is plugged in and when it is not plugged in, and when the battery is fully charged or nearly fully charged. I haven't been running it on low battery power. Also, thanks for the information about Norton.

I ran the Apple Hardware Test CD last night and found problems with my RAM chips - it looks like I'll need to buy some new, or at least hope that they fall under the AppleCare warrantee. Would that cause the problems I've described?

Thanks again,
Jim

Cheryl - Aug 4, 2005 - 9:19 am

Jim,

You have done some very good troubleshooting. Bad or failing memory chips can cause the problem. Just what causes the memory chips to fail could be a number of things. Sometimes it is just a bad chip that makes the entire stick fail.

If the memory chips were bought from Apple - or even installed by Apple, give them a call. They should replace it free of charge as long as you still have the warranty - or AppleCare.

When you call, make sure you have the report from the Hardware Test so you can cut to the chase with them. Also see if you can find your receipt. This will help also.

Let me know what they say.
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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

stiltz129 - Aug 5, 2005 - 10:52 pm

Hi Cheryl - thanks for your support =)

I brought it to the Apple store this afternoon. They confirmed the problem with my 516 MB chip, and told me there was no problem with the 256 MB one - I had mistaken the flashing colors during the hardware test as a sign of failure, not realizing they were supposed to happen. =) (Unfortunately, I didn't get the 516 mb chip from Apple, but what can you do...) The "genius" tested the 256 mb chip in both slots and got no error message. I poked around Mail for about a minute before I was able to show him that the problem hadn't gone away. He then ran Disk Warrior, telling me to come back in 20-30 minutes. When I came back, he said that Disk Warrior had found large problems and fixed them. He had several apps open and said they seemed to be working. I (foolishly) believed him without trying to open Mail, which had been giving me the most trouble.

It's still doing it - the exact same problem has occurred twice in Mail this evening. So, it seems it's not the RAM and it's not something DiskWarrior picked up. Might this be something local to Mail? (It HAS happened in other applications when Mail was *not* open - it just hasn't happened like that in the half hour or so I've used the computer after my visit to the genius bar.)

If I have time, I'll go to the Apple Store again tomorrow. Thanks again for your help! If you have any more advice or ideas, please let me know =)

Jim

stiltz129 - Aug 5, 2005 - 11:08 pm

Never mind about this being local to Mail - it just happened when the Finder was the only app open. :-\

Thanks again!
Jim

Cheryl - Aug 6, 2005 - 8:37 am

Jim,

I bet the tech did not run Disk Warrior a second time to make sure it found all the problems. When any utility finds major problems it is best to run it again, just to make sure there are no other underlying problems that did not come up the first time.

Do you have a back up of all your important files? The tech may want to zero out your data and reinstall the OS. While this may not solve the problem it is a way of finding out if it is software or hardware.

As for the memory stick, where did you buy from? You should contact them to get a replacement. Most places do have a good warranty on failed chips.

Let me know what the Apple tech found.
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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

stiltz129 - Aug 6, 2005 - 10:22 pm

Hi Cheryl,

I brought it in again today. When I asked about running DiskWarrior a second time, he said that although that had been necessary with previous versions of the program, it wasn't necessary with the newest version. I left my computer with him so it can be shipped out to Apple, who hopefully will have it back to me in a week or so. I backed up everything important onto my iPod (good thing it doubles as an external harddrive!).

Right now, I'm just hoping that I'll get it back quickly. And, hoping that they'll avoid making the same mistake the tech support guy did yesterday. Since there's no consisten way to make it log out like that, I'm worried that they'll think they'll fix it without actually making it better. :-\

Thanks again for your continued support!
Jim

Cheryl - Aug 6, 2005 - 10:27 pm

Jim,

Did the tech say what may be the cause for all this? I also hope that they do not keep it long.

Let me know when you get it back and what they had to replace.

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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

stiltz129 - Aug 8, 2005 - 1:51 pm

Hi Cheryl,

The tech mentioned something about the logic board, but wasn't certain about it. And he didn't write down anything recommendations or ideas on the slip that's going to Apple with the computer, explaining the problem. (I'm not sure if that's standard procedure, to give suggestions to the super-geniuses.) I'll let you know what happens when I get it back.

Thanks!
Jim

stiltz129 - Aug 10, 2005 - 8:27 am

Hi Cheryl - I have a (new and very different) emergency I'd love your help with. I've been borrowing my sister's 12" powerbook for the week while mine is out. Something, a crumb or something similar, got under one of the keys, making it hard to press. I thought I remembered reading that you can remove a key by simply pulling it up with fingers or a knife, so I gently put my finger beneath the top of the key and carefully pulled it up. Now it's loose, and pushing it back down doesn't make it click into place. I really, really don't want to have broken my sister's computer when I return it to her! What can I do to get it back in place?

Thanks so much!!

Jim

Cheryl - Aug 10, 2005 - 10:08 am

Jim,

The trick is to firmly press down to snap the key into place. If it is still loose, check the backside of the key. If there looks like a broken piece from it, you will need to get a replacement key. I do believe that the Apple Store has spare keys.

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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

stiltz129 - Aug 16, 2005 - 12:10 am

Hi Cheryl,

In response to the key problem - a part was broken, so I brought it into the Apple store. Apparently they don't give out individual keys anymore, so a replacement keyboard from AppleCare should come in the mail some time this week.

As for the original problem, I called AppleCare this weekend and found out that the hold up I'm experiencing is because a part I need is on back-order. I asked what part - the CPU. I hope they got it right! =)

Thanks for your continued help with this! I'll let you know when I get it back and, fingers crossed, whether it's in working order.
Jim

Cheryl - Aug 16, 2005 - 8:58 am

Jim,

I really hate the back order. I am waiting since May for a replacement sub woofer from my stereo set. I have started a complaint with the company.

Please, let me know when you get your machine back and if everything is working smoothly.
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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl

stiltz129 - Aug 18, 2005 - 12:54 am

Hi Cheryl,

The laptop came in today, and so far, it's working great. Apple tech support gave me a new CPU, a new hard drive, a new screen, and a new... not sure what the name is, but the part of the case that's around the keyboard. (Thank goodness for AppleCare...) I've been changing the settings back to the way they used to be, and I'll get my files off my iPod pretty soon. (Do you know of any free software I can use to get my mp3s off the iPod?)

That's awful about your speakers! Good luck with your complaint. Thanks again for your help with all this. =)

Jim

Cheryl - Aug 18, 2005 - 8:43 am

Jim,

It sounds like you got a totally revamped machine. Apple Care did pay off.

I believe you can use iTunes to import those mp3's back to your hard drive.

As for my sub woofer, the company decided that I have been waiting too long, and they are shipping me a totally new system. Now I hope that the sub woofer on the new unit works.
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Let me know if you need further assistance and thank you for using MacOSX.com !

Cheryl