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TICKET ARCHIVE -> G4 freezes

AlexAlexAlex - Feb 20, 2006 - 9:45 am

Hi,

I'm reposting re a problem which I haven't yet solved.

Computer Specs:
Dual 500mhz G4(Giga-ethernet)
1 GB ram (1 x 256MB Apple, 3 x 256MB from Crucial)
2 x 120GB Baracuda drives
1 x Pioneer 108 DVD burner
Usually use a Wacom Graphire 1 tablet

Problem:
The computer freezes - the cursor stops moving, no keys have any affect, any progress bars on screen or processes stop.
The freeze can occur after a period of healthy use (say an hour or two), or straight after start-up.
I can only get out of this problem by pressing the manual restart button. Sometimes I have to remove the mains power and start up fresh.
This problem has occured in all versions on OS X 10.3 through to 10.39.
The firmwear is up to date.

I have tested all the memory individually, by removing and starting up with each. This had no effect...

I have re-installed the system on a totally different drive in case there was a mechincal fault in the drive. This also has not solved the problem...

I've verified and repaired permissions, zapped the PRAM, cleared the caches.

I'd really appreciate any help which might get me to the bottom of this! I'm almost at the point of having to buy a new machine. It's been good to me in the past!

Thanks in advance

Alex

ishan - Feb 20, 2006 - 10:43 am

You have already done all the standard trouble shooting steps. Did you run Apple's Hardware Diagnostics program? If it's negative (i.e., everything's fine) that doesn't mean much, but if it does diagnose a hardware problem, that will be helpful for the Apple Store or reseller.

Your other alternative is to invest the money to buy Tiger and upgrade with the combo updater to 10.4.5. There are a lot of bug fixes in Tiger and one or more of those could be the problem.

If you do not use your Wacom tablet much, please make sure the drivers from Wacom are up to date (there have been several recent updates) or disconnect it and remove the drivers.

Does your console logs indicate what app(s) are causing these screen freezes? Are you using any haxies or a lot of third party apps at startup (check your login items list in "Accounts" prefpane). If you do a safe boot, do you still get these screen freezes?

Another issue may be insufficient RAM. Are you seeing a lot of disk swapping during your regular workflow? Menumeters is an easy and free way to keep track of pageouts. Perhaps adding a GB of RAM would help if you're using Photoshop any of Apple's Pro apps.

Ultimately (and you hint at this), the issue will be: if the time, effort and money you have and will expend to "fix" the problem worth it to you, or is it better to get a new or refurbished, faster Macintosh at this point. That depends on your budget and what you use the computer for, of course, and I can't answer that.

HTH and please let us know what happens. Thanks.

AlexAlexAlex - Feb 20, 2006 - 11:18 am

Thanks for the quick reply Ishan.

Running the Hardware diagnostics program is something that I haven't done yet - I'll try this later tonight. I'll also check the consol logs to see if there's any indication. That's a good lead!

As for the RAM issue, the problem often occurs just in start up with nothing running and seeing as I've just done a clean install I haven't got any third party apps running... also as its a clean install there's more than plenty of room for any virtual memory that needs to be allocated on the harddrive.

I've tried disguarding the Wacom tablet completely and using a variety of normal mice (including the most basic one old style ball mac one), again the problem occurs. I have read about other people with dodgy USB sockets on their motherboard causing problems. I've tried all the possible combination of ports I have now, so i don't know whether its worth investing in a PCI card to try that out...

I'll try your suggestions and report back!

Cheers

Alex

AlexAlexAlex - Feb 20, 2006 - 6:24 pm

Update...

So I tried the Hardware diagnostics...and a box came up saying that the diagnostics wouldn't work on the machine. The OS X 10.3 disc isn't the one that came with the machine is from a later Mirror Door Power Mac. But then surely if I had to get the specific disc relevant to the machine for the diagnostics to work this would mean the diagnostics wouldn't work if i bought a new 10.4 disc? Which as pointed out might be a good option.

Also I've looked through all the logs and although I'm not sure I understand anything thats going on at all here are a few things which look suspect to me, for all I know they could be normal, but anything that might help understand the root of this problem is crucial!

feb 19 10:33:57 localhost syslogd: /dev/console: Input/output error

feb 19 19:27:43 localhost kernal: ROM ndrv for ATY, Rage128PD is too old (0xb6246498)

feb 19 19:27:48 localhost System Starter: The "HasShadow" window property is obsolete

various entries about /bn/sh could not be launched prebound

feb 19 19:40:02 localhost usr/libexec/crashreported: get_exception_ports() failed: (ipc/send_ invalid destination ports

feb 19 19:57:46 localhost System Starter: (ipc/rcv) timed out: Cannot connect to Window Server; log out or reboot needed

feb 19 19:58:14 localhost mDNSResponder [184]: mDNSPlatformSendUDP sednto failed to send packet on interface ID 01806200 lo 0/4 to 224.0.0251:5353 skt 4 error -1 errno 65 (no route to host)


Hopefully something will be of use to a more skilled eye.

Thanks

Alex

ishan - Feb 20, 2006 - 8:30 pm

The driver for your video card is outdated and you should check their web page for a more current/compatible driver. Also, try Menumeters to see if you're getting a lot of "pageouts" indicating memory is limiting.

AlexAlexAlex - Feb 21, 2006 - 8:36 pm

Hi,

Another eventful evening...

The video card is a ATY, rage 128 pro at least thats what the computer says it is, I guess that's an ATI? In either case I can't seem to find drivers at least on the ATI and via google for it as it's an old card.
I did read earlier though that there have been problems with old ATI cards an os 10 updates install to recent a driver on the machine? maybe that's a dead end.

Tried running memtest. It go so far, all ok and then the computer froze.

Restarted, read that memtest works best in single user mode. tried to restart in that. Didn't work a page of various text on a black screen came up and halted.

I read something somewhere else about USB cables on keyboards and mice shorting out (through age) so borrow my flat mates old G3 iMac set. That seemed to have a pretty good effect. No crashing or freezing for ages. Not that I was doing much anyway (it freezes with nothing running).
Left it running so long that it went to sleep. Then on waking up the screen just went a blank grey. After a few minutes the desktop appeared, but with no functionality.

Feel like I'm going round in circles...

Do you think it's worth posting whats been happening on the Forums, just in case someone else has had any similar strange goings on.

(i was looking on ebay yesterday...)

Cheers

Alex

ishan - Feb 21, 2006 - 9:14 pm

Yeah, a post of the forums here or at macnn.com might be helpful. I don't have any other bright ideas except to replace the video card, but that's like putting a new transmission into a 10 year old car...sorry.