Going into "startup disk" crashes my G3 pdq

[Cedsrepairs]

Odd issue,

I'm repairing a G3 PDQ, when I got it it worked fine , except that it crashes (system freeze) when I go into "startup disk" from control panel. This was with the stock 9.2.2 it came up with, with old files and such.

Since then, i've replaced the harddisk with a compactflash, reinstalled a new OS9.2.2 (from "Macos9lives" forum) and it's all going well...
Except it crashes if I go in "startup disk".

I've run Norton Sysinfo and stuff, this system is as stable as can be, apart from that.

Could that be related to a dead PRAM ? Does that ring a bell for anyone ? (I hope this is not a faq, i'm not experienced at all in macos.)

thanks !

 

[Cedsrepairs]

Sorry for posting this in 68K, please someone move my thread to PPC.

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

My PDQ will also freeze when I open startup disk for the first time after it looses power (only on OS 9). After that it works fine, I’ve always assumed it’s related to the dead PRAM battery.

 

[Cedsrepairs]

Interesting ! Thanks for sharing,

For the moment that's not my only problem anymore ; now for some strange reason I can't seem to reliably write on disk anymore. Copying files is super slow (stuck at the beginning), trying to decompress Macos9lives Image on my disk gives write errors or checksum errors,

It seems this perfectly working PDQ (yesterday) decided to die in my hands ?!

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Old systems like these can be weird about solid state storage. I’d try swapping in a hard disk again and seeing what happens.

 

[Cedsrepairs]

I've reseated the RAMs and replaced the thermal paste on the cpu (which was as dry as can be) . Not that.

I believe this is yet again PRAM related.
After trying 3 different CFs, ending up in all kind of errors from refusing to write to refusing to boot , I let it go and packed all my CF to put the original HDD back. And it also refused to boot on the original hard disk (so did it on the Compactflash) until I reset Pram (ctrl/opt/p/r -> chime)

I don't understand how so many people seem to run their PB (in my case G3 wallstreet pdq) without pram ; the thing seems completely unstable without pram (or maybe it's because my pram battery is like half charged or smth).
One thing is sure, I feel it'll never run properly for me if I don't repair my pram battery.

Does anyone know "for sure" what's in that freaking pram for such a model ? May it contain stuff like drive geometry or something super crucial that it doesn't like auto detect at boot ?

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

Sounds like one that still holds partial voltage to me, a fully dead one will cause some minor inconveniences, a partially dead/marginal one will make the PRAM freak out. The battery is a 6 cell lithium pack IIRC. You'll have to build a new one yourself.

 

[ArmorAlley]

I don't know if it is related, but since I did a recent upgrade of my IIfx: FWB JackHammer, SCSI2SD v6, 2x Meow-Toasts & ROM-inator II as well as 64MB RAM that was built by someone in this fora, I cannot change the boot volume. I have 8 volumes and three of which run Systems 6.0.7, 7.1.1 & Mac OS 8.1 respectively. It is stuck on System 7.1.1 which is no bad thing but I would like the option to swap.
I also can't change the resolution from 640x480 and I don't know whether it is related or not.

I tested the voltage of the two Meow-Toasts but they are slightly over 3V so that should be OK.
Other variables are being kept in PRAM (network settings, time).
My current guess is that it has something to do with the version of FWB HardDisk I used to format the volumes.

 

[AndyO]

I run my Wallstreet and both PDQs with dead PRAM batteries and they're not at all unstable, booting from their original HDs or the IDE/SD adapters I put in them. One of the PDQs however does the exact same freeze when opening the Startup Disk CP. The other doesn't. All three run the same version of MacOS (9.1.something).

 

[Cedsrepairs]

clearly the pram contains sometiing related to the hard disk, otherwise I don't see how my "stock" spinning hdd suddenly refuses to boot ( question mark floppy), after playing with CF, until you reset pram, and then it boots again.

I've browsed the web and did not find any official info about what is or is not stored in pram

 

[3lectr1cPPC]

It could be Power manager related as well, my 150 straight up wouldn't boot at all sometimes before I removed its marginal voltage PRAM battery.