PowerBook Open Firmware Issue (?)

[AichEss]

OK.

Got a nice looking Pismo out of the ‘Bay. All is good and it functions just fine except -  1. It will NOT start up from any CD or DVD with an OS on it (it will play a movie DVD) and 2. the Sound Control Panel is locked out. I’ve swapped hard drives and and CPUs (daughter cards) and zapped the PRAM until the P & R keys are nigh wore out. The O & F keys are in the same condition from going to Open Firmware for the nvram reset.

I am purely guessing in that I believe a previous owner caused all of this to happen intentionally - maybe  a security issue -  in the Firmware. And here I am a naif wandering in the wilderness. Is there a way to address OF to find out what has been added to it that is not a part of the original configuration? Or just to unlock the Sound Control Panel?

Any help would be much appreciated, a solution will bring many Attaboys.

Thanks,

AichEss

 

[rsolberg]

Will the system mount the OS discs once it's booted? If not, the drive may not work with burned (CD-R/DVD±R) media (if that's what you're trying to use)

Watch OS versions- that model will natively boot 9.0.2-10.4.11.

Have you tried these three methods of booting from optical disc?

1. Choose in Startup Disk control panel, reboot

2. Hold down 'C' during power on

3. Hold down Alt/Option during power on, then choose disc in Startup Manager

As you speculated, this could be a security feature. If a firmware password is set, it can block booting from optical media. It WILL prevent the PRAM from being reset. To remove the protection, you need to do the following:

Force Removing Password Protection

1) Add or remove DIMMs to change the total amount of RAM in the computer.

2) Then, the PRAM must be reset 3 times. (Command + Option + P + R).

From http://www.securemac.com/openfirmwarepasswordprotection.php

What version of Mac OS is running and giving you the Sound issue? In OS9, I suspect a damaged or incompatible Sound control panel, in OS X, a filesystem permissions issue.

 

[AichEss]

As you speculated, this could be a security feature. If a firmware password is set, it can block booting from optical media. It WILL prevent the PRAM from being reset. To remove the protection, you need to do the following:
Force Removing Password Protection

1) Add or remove DIMMs to change the total amount of RAM in the computer.

2) Then, the PRAM must be reset 3 times. (Command + Option + P + R).

YES! Did as directed, then started up with an original retail OSX 10.4 DVD in the optical drive and --> installed <-- the OS on a wiped hard drive. Ah, the logic board is more functional and life is better.

However, the Sound Preference Pane is still not usable. Most anything selectable and/or variable is grayed out. One can check the box to "Show Volume in the Menu Bar" but the first time one clicks on it it goes away from the Menu Bar. In the grayed out Pref Pane the  volume sliders are set at max but the "Mute" box is checked.

Thanks,

AichEss

 

[rsolberg]

All I can think of at the moment is to check "Audio MIDI Setup" in the Applications/Utilities folder.

 

[rsolberg]

Your PowerBook has a discrete audio board. Perhaps this has been removed, damaged, or unseated. See:

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/PowerBook+G3+Pismo+Sound+Card+Replacement/35

 

[Macdrone]

Oh I got this!!!  The sound board may need repair.  Common among the G3 powerbook lines.  Its sound port solder lets go, and is in a soldered down cage around it.  You have to desolder the cage to repair the port and then solder cage back on or the sound will think something is plugged in on boot, even tho the circuit is open (no idea why that is, but it is) and sound on the speakers is disabled.  Its sees the speakers and they are in the list but of course do not work.

Somewhere last year I had a post on this repair.

 

[AichEss]

rsolberg & Macdrone

I was really hoping a couple of keystrokes would fix the problem but y'all are probably right. Unhappily the DC In/Sound board is the last thing on the take apart (down to the logic board and bottom housing) and I really wanted to avoid it.

This moves the "Book issue down a bit on the to do list.  hope to remember to post when it is resolved.

A basketfull of Provisional Attaboys are hereby awarded to each of you.

Thank you both.

AichEss