Can't zap pram or reset Wallstreet 266MHz

[beachycove]

I am having some problems with (supposedly good) batteries refusing to charge and not reporting the time of charge left in a Powerbook Wallstreet G3 266MHz unit, so I want to reset the machine to defaults. For some reason, attempts to reset fail.

Why would zapping the pram (both by the usual method, and using TechTool) and resetting (Ctrl-Opt-Shft-Pwr) fail to reset dates etc. to defaults on a Wallstreet Powerbook? I have even booted into Open Firmware to do the same by the specified OF "reset" commands, with absolutely no effect on the settings. Still boots up in Jan. 2008, etc.

Is this a Power Management Board problem, or what is it? I can't understand the problem, but would be immensely grateful for any solution/ suggestion. PRAM battery is good (very good, it seems!). Should I take it apart and remove the plug for that as well?

 

[Metalchic]

hold down the hard power button, hwne you push it in the computer should turn on, when it turns off the pram should be reset the hard way. if that doesnt work it might be that your only other option would be to open it up and physcialy remove the pram battery(ies), it may have more than one battery, i know the pb1400 somtiems does. then waiting (with the main power supply battery and the power cord bolth removed) for like 20 minutes then setting it back up.

 

[beachycove]

Booting up but continuing to hold the power button down until shutdown, which I assume is what you mean, did not do the trick. It's still Jan/08, right time and all. I'll take it apart.

Meantime, any idea why these standard procedures are failing? Evil spirits, perchance?

 

[tomlee59]

I don't know if this is your problem, but a weak -- as opposed to dead -- pram battery can cause many strange problems. Disconnecting it is easy; lift out the keyboard, and gently disconnect the pram battery. Then reboot and try the magic reset commands again. Give it a shot and see. Maybe things will get better.

 

[Franklinstein]

PRAM batteries in those things are getting kind of old by now. They're little LiIon cells, in flat packs installed in the top case above the expansion bays (at least one - I don't remember if there are one or two batteries). If they're no longer charging properly, they may cause issues with the charging of the main batteries and the state of your PRAM settings. As others have suggested, you might try unplugging them if you can get at them.

However, sometimes the charge boards on those old 'Books die. The WallStreet, in fact, is notorious for charge card problems. I've seen several where they wouldn't charge the batteries at all, even thought the batteries were good. Other machines would only charge batteries if the machine was off or in sleep mode, not when it was running. Weirdness, and annoying to boot. Try seeing if the batteries in yours will charge with the computer shut down.

Finally, you can try the PowerBook G3 Battery Reset program. That may or may not be the original name, but you should be able to find the program without too much problem by searching Google or Apple's own website (it's an Apple utility). This utility has more than once been credited with resurrecting uncooperative batteries.

 

[tmtomh]

I don't know if this is your problem, but a weak -- as opposed to dead -- pram battery can cause many strange problems. Disconnecting it is easy; lift out the keyboard, and gently disconnect the pram battery. Then reboot and try the magic reset commands again. Give it a shot and see. Maybe things will get better.

I agree completely - I've found that PRAM batteries that have about half their full charge left will often prevent a proper PRAM/NVRAM reset. If they have about 75% or more of their full charge, they'll usually work fine; and if they have less than half of their full charge, they'll usually act dead. But if it's more than half and less than about 75%, they can be really stubborn.

I had a PowerPC Color Classic that wouldn't work right until I yanked a half-charged PRAM battery and replaced it with a dead one (I didn't have a spare good one to use). And I had a Powerbook 2400 that worked fine but absolutely, positively would not install any version of Rhapsody/OS X Server 1.x/Mac OS X+Xpostfacto, because the NVRAM was corrupted, no doubt by a wonky PRAM battery.

M