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Tired 15" PowerBook G4

Lucretius

Member
My PowerBook5,4 is getting old. The last 2 times its started, there's been one, straight line across the screen. Just one, and all the way across. After 10 minutes or so, the line disappears, never to return during the session. I've owned the G4 for about 2 years, and use it only a few hours every now & then...just to turn it on / charge the battery / see if it still works. This is the 1.33GHz, A1095 Model. My SN is W84281F3Qxx.

My guess is that the Old PowerBook is getting ready to call it quits...is there anything that someone might suggest to give it a bit more Life?

Thanks!
 

Romko23

Well-known member
Could be a video issue too. Do you know if there is any fresh paste on the video chip ? Usually lines and artifacts are caused by a faulty GPU and or may need to re-paste it. Macs are known to hold up for years, and the PowerPC era systems have been known to hold up.
 

Lucretius

Member
Thanks for the info & suggestion, Romko23.

Now: just how should I re-paste it? I've never done this, largely because I could not find an online video that clearly--as in, CLEARLY!--showed how to do it. Some folks seem to think that this is so easy that it does not need to be shown, up close, but I'm reluctant to do such work unless I'm pretty-sure that it will be done right.

And: I only use this G4 every now & then, and just for fun. The last time, one line appeared at start-up, but went away in 10-15 minutes. I use InterwebPPC with a SLOW, ethernet connection, and the music on YouTube videos comes through almost perfectly, and some videos, themselves, play very nicely...not as smoothly as they should, but pretty darn well. Good performance for an Old Apple!

Thanks again. Michael.
 
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