Chosen Solution
My PowerBook G4, model A1138, won’t start up. It chimes as if it were to start, but then it clicks over and over, and the screen remains black. There are no graphics or messages on the screen, but the start light comes on. Before it broke, I was getting Kernal Panic messages pretty frequently, until it finally would not re-start. The battery seems to work and it charges; meaning it’s green or it turns red if I unplug it for a while. I’m using the original power adapter, I’m the first and only owner. I tried starting it with and without the power adapter. I tried to start it in Target mode, but it didn’t respond. It continued making the clicking “rotating” sound as if it were trying to start but can’t. I’m about to replace the hard drive, but would like to make sure that, that is the problem before investing the money. I took it to the Apple store but they wouldn’t look at it because it’s over 5 years old. However, the clerk suggested it was a bad hard drive even though he didn’t look at it. He said if it were a bad logic board it wouldn’t make any sound or even try to start at all. I would appreciate any suggestions anyone might have. My PoweBook G4 has been great and I would like to keep it as a back up. Please help!
The clicking sound is usually the search head on the hard drive going back and forth. You can try stating up from your system installation disk and using Disk Utilities try to repair the hard drive, but if you can get it up at all, backup whatever data you can and then replace the drive. Here’s how to replace your PATA hard drive: PowerBook G4 Aluminum 15" 1.67 GHz Hard Drive Replacement
I have found that the clicking noise sometimes is because of a bad memory stick. Pull the memory and replace only one. Repeat with the next one. Still have the noise.? Try the other memory slot and repeat the proceedure. Sometimes just a cleaning of the memory sticks conecting pins with WD40 will work wonders.
What was the solution? I have the same problem with my mothers powerbook g4. I turn it on, hear the chime and then the clicking, which I believe is the optical drive initializing, and then it just keeps repeating the clicking like it is stuck in a loop. The display is black the entire time. I pulled the hard drive and was able to access it externally through another mac so I know it isn’t that. My thought is that it’s the logic board but I don’t want to replace it if that’s not it.
Solution. I tried everything I could to get the disc out to no avail. I finally disassembled the optical drive and physically removed the disc but when I put it all back together it wouldn’t let me put another one in, the drive was still thinking a disc was in because the mechanism was blocking the opening. I ended up purchasing a new logic board. Got one for $90 online (refurb). It took about an hour to install but that finally fixed it. The laptop is now booting once again into the OS and everything looks good. Hallelujah! Thank you for all your help.
