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Pismo 500mhz power issue

Submitted by kondre2000 on October 2, 2006 - 1:15pm. PowerPC Macs

I have a pismo 500mhz machine, and up until last month, it has been rock solid. Now we have issues with it. Most of the time it will not power on. I have been able to get it to power on and boot after opening it up from the keyboard entrance and taking out the processor card and placing it back in, putting it all back together and then powering it on. After its on, it will run well, but then it will shut off on its own during use and not power back on again. I also need to say that not every time i remove and re-install the processor does it boot up again. I think it might just be coencidence.

Do i have a powersupply problem? It does not seem to matter which AC adapter I use, either the black box or the yo-yo. I am tinking i might have a power board problem in the pismo its self.

Is this a commom issue?
is this a pricy issue?

I would like to have this fixed as it is my son's machine and my wife uses it a lot as well.

thank you

Kevin

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Re: Pismo 500mhz power issue

Submitted by kondre2000 on October 2, 2006 - 1:54pm.

I did some poking around on this site in the forums, and I found one thread that talks about replacing the pram battery. the situation described is similar to mine, there was one time where i tried to boot the pismo and all i got was the light on the caps key. So maybe its just the pram battery.

if the pram battery goes dead, it will prevent the whole pismo from booting up? that sounds a bit extreme, but not horrible.

Any thoughts?
Kevin

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well..

Submitted by evilrobot on October 2, 2006 - 3:08pm.

that would be the first place to start actually. This machine isn't so new anymore and its very likely that the PRAM battery is dead. Have a dead pram battery could be responsible for ALL of the symptoms you are describing. Reseating the processor card really wouldnt effect anything, you probably would have just as much luck continually trying to start the machine... every once and a while it would catch.

Its cheap enough to give a try.....
$22.95
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/BATPG3LF/

I was going to provide a link to the service manual, but it looks like apples lawyers made the information that keeps their computers going, and poeple loving them, disappear from the web.

....on an aside, i really LOVE the new way apple does business... [/sarcasm]

I think i have the manual on my one of my macs at home, ill look later, if i find it I'll host it and PM you a link to it.

/Bill

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coius's picture

try this:

Submitted by coius on October 2, 2006 - 3:44pm.

Pismo Repair guide on ifixit

» troubleshootnow.com. When you need to troubleshoot NOW! Forum site for macs and PCs. We are happy to help you troubleshoot. Home WebPage: coius.info <-Served off an iMac in my roo

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I will get a Pram battery.

Submitted by kondre2000 on October 2, 2006 - 4:33pm.

I will get a Pram battery.

Why is it designed so that if the Pram battery goes dead, the machine wont boot at all?

Looks very easy to replace, so once one comes, i hope to be back in business.

Thanks for the help

Kevin

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site

Submitted by evilrobot on October 2, 2006 - 5:12pm.

wow, that "fixit" site is pretty nice, i havent seen that one before. By the way, i DO have the Pismo service Manual, PM me if you want/need a copy. Though, the "fixit" site has pretty well got you covered Laughing out loud

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Re: site

Submitted by kondre2000 on October 2, 2006 - 7:10pm.
evilrobot wrote:
wow, that "fixit" site is pretty nice, i havent seen that one before. By the way, i DO have the Pismo service Manual, PM me if you want/need a copy. Though, the "fixit" site has pretty well got you covered Laughing out loud
yeah, the fixit site is looking really good for me. I am not too worried about finding the pram battery. I have one on order too already, I do want to thank you for the link, i did buy one from them, it should be here by thursday.
I think i am al set.
thanks though
Kevin

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Here's some more helpful laptop sites.

Submitted by Texas Mac Man on October 2, 2006 - 10:40pm.

How to Upgrade, Repair, Disassemble an Apple/Macintosh Laptop or Notebook
http://repair4laptop.org/disassembly_apple.html

PowerBookTech
http://www.powerbooktech.com/

Cheers, Tom

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Too bad Ifixit is only for la

Submitted by technerd on October 3, 2006 - 9:08pm.

Too bad Ifixit is only for laptops...

» "Happiness in life is what is important"
Steve Wozniak
G4 B/W 500 | Apple //e | Apple IIc+ | Apple IIGS | Quadra 950 | AMD Hackint0sh | Macbook 2.0 Ghz White (Soon)

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got the pram battery but...

Submitted by kondre2000 on October 8, 2006 - 2:02am.

Ok, So i got the pram battery and it does seem to work. What I am finding is that the jack where the power is plugged into is a bit loose. if i move the power cord just right while in the jack, the machine will loose power and go down.
i suppose my question now is, is it easy to get to the innerds fo that powerjack and solder up the connections of that jack to make it work consistantly? my son filled me in on something that i didnt know...my daughter, dropped the pismo once a while back, i think the machine landed on the power cord while it was plugged into the jack.
it didnt get dropped far as she was only 3 and a half when she probably dropped it.

kevin

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also..

Submitted by evilrobot on October 8, 2006 - 2:06am.

thats also a pretty easy fix. not sure if the ifixit site gives you enough info to get thw machine apart that far... but, like I said, just let me know if you need the service manual.

/Bill

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sounds good to me

Submitted by kondre2000 on October 9, 2006 - 1:18am.

Bill-
Your offer sounds good to me. I think the service manual would help me out a lot.

thank you
Kevin

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Re: also..

Submitted by kondre2000 on October 10, 2006 - 7:42pm.
evilrobot wrote:
thats also a pretty easy fix. not sure if the ifixit site gives you enough info to get thw machine apart that far... but, like I said, just let me know if you need the service manual.

/Bill

Bill-
I would be very happy if you were to provide me with the service manual.

Kevin

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umm..

Submitted by evilrobot on October 10, 2006 - 7:49pm.

Ok... I had the manual on my work computer, I had downloaded it right when this thread was started. During the process of copying it to my webserver I accidentally overwrote my original copy with a corrupted version of the PDF. right now, i feel pretty much like a moron. I am still looking for the file for you and will send you a link as soon as i get it, however the site that I downloaded it from seemed to be the last non official site that is hosting it and when i went to download it again it was no longer there.. GRRR!! I am fairly confident I will be able to find it again, but i havent had the time today to look for it. ... I've really got to stop being sick so i can do some more computer work. (ive got a sinus infection, an ear infection, and an abcessed tooth right now.. LOL not fun..)

Anyway, I WILL find the manual for you, but if anyone else has it or is looking for it as well it will be called "powerbook_fw.pdf" and it is about 5kb.

I'm sorry.. I should've just uploaded it and sent you a link from the get go.

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Service Manual

Submitted by evilrobot on October 11, 2006 - 3:20pm.

OK, sorry I took so long, I have sent you a private message with a link to the manual. I also *SHOULD* have ALL of the apple service manuals up to the current models by the end of the day, so i can burn them on DVD and never have this problem again. Also, to cross post... there is another thread going where people have asked me to do a write up af a processor swap in a Sawtooth... i PROMISE i will do it when i get home from work. being sick has really taken all of the energy out of me.

If theres anything else i might be able to do for you, feel free to ask.
/Bill

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