PowerBook 3400c - How To Remove Unwanted Security

[AichEss]

I have been restoring a PowerBook 3400c. Physically it is great shape but …

A former owner apparently installed some kind of security causing MacOS 9.1 to not run well. While the OS is loading it crashes more often than not with random error messages. The ‘Book runs just fine with OSs 7.6.1 and 8.6.

The obvious sign of what is going on is a folder on the desktop in all 3 OSs which is not removeable. The folder shows empty – zero contents – but the ‘Book says it contains software in use and cannot be deleted.

After way too many hours just flailing around with this issue I have concluded that the problem source is in the firmware or whatever it was called at the time of the PB 3400 and I really, really need some guidance if I am to go there. I think I need an older equivalent to OSX’s Terminal but I don’t know anything about what it is, how to get it or how to use it.

Would someone here provide a step-by-step procedure for solving this problem on a PB 3400? I would be forever grateful and willing to pay for the service.

 

[finkmac]

A former owner apparently installed some kind of security causing MacOS 9.1 to not run well. While the OS is loading it crashes more often than not with random error messages. The ‘Book runs just fine with OSs 7.6.1 and 8.6.

you don't mention what the security looks like, or when it triggers. is this a boot message?
have you wiped the disk completely when installing other OS versions?

The obvious sign of what is going on is a folder on the desktop in all 3 OSs which is not removeable. The folder shows empty – zero contents – but the ‘Book says it contains software in use and cannot be deleted.

this is a rather vague issue and does not really prove anything. that sounds more like disk corruption to me.

After way too many hours just flailing around with this issue I have concluded that the problem source is in the firmware or whatever it was called at the time of the PB 3400 and I really, really need some guidance if I am to go there.

there are no firmware passwords on powerbook 3400s. there is a password mechanic that works with a particular control panel, but that password is wiped by yanking the pram battery or zapping the pram as far as I know. your pram battery is probably already dead so that shouldn't be the case.

I think I need an older equivalent to OSX’s Terminal but I don’t know anything about what it is, how to get it or how to use it.

you do not need that, and cannot get that because such a thing does not exist.

Would someone here provide a step-by-step procedure for solving this problem on a PB 3400? I would be forever grateful and willing to pay for the service.

hard to give you answers without more details on what exactly this problem is screenshots would help.

buuuuut....

if you're not attached to the data on the disk, I'd wipe it completely... or yank the disk and install a new one.
then reinstall MacOS of your choice.