B&W G3 runs but makes horrible noise...and doesn't recognize USB mouse clicks???

[EvieSigma]

So I got my G3 in today, blew out all the dust, yanked the PRAM battery,  plugged it in, fired it up...and while it seems to run fine, it makes this god-awful high-pitched noise that seems to be coming from the fan. I've never heard a fan make a noise like this. Not only that, but while it recognizes the mouse movements of the random USB mouse I plugged in, it doesn't recognize the actual clicks.

What's going on?

 

[SlateBlue]

My guess would be a bad mouse, or incompatibility with the random mouse you chose to use. You can try to lubricate the fan, or replace it. I think they are of the 120mm variety. I bet if you remove the fan and hit it with some 3-in-1 oil, it'll shut up for a while.

 

[EvieSigma]

Incompatibility most likely, I just don't have any Apple USB mice to test with.

And I'll try the 3 in 1 oil first, that's cheaper than a new fan. But man, I was scared to death when I turned the thing on!

(it turned out to a 350MHz Revision 2 with an added SCSI card, so that was a pleasant surprise.)

 

[SlateBlue]

Nice find. They're cool machines. I bit the bullet and bought a matching CRT. Keep a lookout on eBay for CPU upgrades. I managed to grab a 500 MHz upgrade for around $50.

 

[EvieSigma]

I'm probably going to get a USB Apple mouse just to ensure compatibility. And I had no idea you could upgrade a ZIF machine to 500MHz!

 

[Elfen]

On a standard USB 2-button (*Microsoft*) Mouse, the Mac should be able to recognize the left button as the main or single button of the mouse. Since you have not mentioned it, I'm assuming that you can move the cursor about on it. OSX, even the early versions, can recognize a PC Mouse and use them. OS9 as I remember will also recognize them as well - with this one button limitation (Though I could be wrong about OS9)

I think it's a bad switch on the mouse. Just try another PC Mouse.

 

[Macdrone]

i use transmission fluid on old fans using a toothpick to drip some in.  it expands as it heats up pushng built up dust out.  Its mud for a few hours, takes a few applications.  But once the dirt is out I have yet had one stop.

 

[EvieSigma]

It's an OS 9 machine...for now.

And yeah, cursor moves but mouse clicks do nothing. Had to turn off the computer the hard way because I couldn't shut it down.

 

[Gorgonops]

Any old USB mouse *should* work. Apple's USB drivers going all the way back to the original iMac comply with the standard USB HID Mouse definitions and I've never had a problem using regular old Logitech or Microsoft mice with them.

 

[EvieSigma]

This is a brand new HP mouse I got at a yard sale of all places...must just be defective.

 

[EvieSigma]

I know double posting is bad, but I felt the need to post an update.

Took out the main fan, greased it up with some 3 in 1 oil, blew out more dust, put it back together, started it up...and it still makes the awful high pitched noise.

I couldn't get the power supply out to check its fan, despite removing the little brace on the back (and the CD/ZIP drive bay to get access to it) it just wouldn't budge at all.

It's a shame, because the computer runs fine! It's not overheating or anything, but the noise makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

And using an ADB mouse and keyboard didn't let me click any of the toolbar icons either. Something's wrong here...

 

[SlateBlue]

There are 3 or 4 hex screws on the back that need to be removed to get the power supply out. High pitched whining could be the hard drive. If you have a CD installer for OS 9 or OS X up to 10.4, you may try booting the installer and seeing if your mouse works normally. If it does, that would likely indicate that you need to reinstall the operating system.

 

[EvieSigma]

There are 3 or 4 hex screws on the back that need to be removed to get the power supply out. High pitched whining could be the hard drive. If you have a CD installer for OS 9 or OS X up to 10.4, you may try booting the installer and seeing if your mouse works normally. If it does, that would likely indicate that you need to reinstall the operating system.

Ah, the teardown guide I was using didn't mention the hex screws! I honestly thought they were cosmetic...

And I did notice the top hard drive is only held in with one screw (and there are no others) so that could also be it. Since they're both 6GB, I was thinking of ditching them and putting in the 40GB WD Caviar drive I pulled out of my deceased Dell. Rev 2 G3 means no IDE issues!

 

[EvieSigma]

An update!

I formatted a hard drive and put it in my B&W G3, and even though the hard drive seems to be fine (I somehow doubt my formatting software would have been able to format a dead drive) the OS 9 installer cannot find the drive. It's plugged in with both the data and power cables snugly fastened, the jumpers are set to master, and yet somehow the installer can't find it.

...Any ideas?

 

[Gorgonops]

I forget, does the (original) IDE cable in a B&W do cable select or do you have to explicitly configure drives Master/Slave? Might want to look at the drives you pulled and see how they're jumpered.

 

[EvieSigma]

The top drive was configured as slave, the bottom was configured as master with a second horizontally placed jumper on the top row next to the master jumper, which I'd assume is for the multiple drive setup.

EDIT: Figured it out! I had to initialize the drive first!