PowerBook 2400c not Booting

[bunnspecial]

I seem to be having a terrible weekend for Macs-after finding a swollen batttery in my Unibody Macbook, I decided to get out my 2400c and install some software on it now that I have a SCSI adapter.

I last used the computer 2-3 weeks ago and it was working fine, albeit with a bad battery.

I now can't seem to get it to boot. When I plug it in and press the power button, I will hear some action(a fan? not sure if there is one) along with the hard drive spinning up and some signs of it accessing. I do NOT get a chime, and there's no sign of illumination on the screen.

I've gone through the reset procedures with it, including Cmd+Ctrl+Power and using the reset button. I've used the reset button on the back. I've tried going through the PRAM reset sequence.

I've connected an external monitor to rule out a problem with the panel, and also have done the reset commands with an external ADB keyboard.

The computer came to me with a 64mb RAM module, and I've removed that(using only the onboard RAM) to be sure.

Sometimes the cmd+ctrl+power sequence will give me a steady green light on the latch, but I can't get anything beyond this.

Any thoughts on other things I could check?

 

[techknight]

i can only hope the pram battery didnt leak all over the board like the 3400c does and ruins things. 

You may want to pop it apart and check that, and possibly unplug the PRAM battery and let it sit. See if that gets it going. 

 

[bunnspecial]

Thanks. I actually have it apart now and the PRAM is unplugged with no signs of rupture.

In any case, I do have a small update.

I'd forgotten about a USB card installed. I popped that out and I'm now getting a gray screen, but nothing beyond(and no cursor).

 

[Byrd]

My experience with the 2400c is that they're pretty reliable machines, I'd pull everything - RAM/PRAM and leave it be for 24 hours.  Reseat the CPU card, clean the connectors with electrical contact spray.

You might have read about the 2400c "green light of death" (GLOD) issue, this is related to one or more of the SMT fuses on the motherboard blowing (IIRC there are 3 - 4 fuses); this however just gives a green light and no life, as opposed to your grey screen and signs of life.

 

[beachycove]

I am in this case a believer in GLOD. 

It's usually traced on the 2400c to a weak/ dead/ uncharged backup battery -- the 2400c being unusually susceptible to these woes. It's almost legendary for it. The Catch-22 is that the backup battery won't charge unless the main battery reaches terminal voltage, while the main battery will not charge and reach terminal voltage if GLOD sets in and the ruddy thing won't boot. Hence, much frustration has been spent on many a 2400c over the years.

Next to it for GLOD symptoms, in my experience, are the Duos one and all.

 

[bunnspecial]

I pulled out the backup battery last night. For as long as I've owned it, the system has reset the time every time it was unplugged.

The battery has had issues also. It doesn't register in the OS(i.e. 9.1 reports "no battery installed), although interestingly enough it will start up if I have it plugged in and then insert the battery.

Is there a source for replacement backup batts for those? Alternatively, can I externally charge the back-up?