Forums | MacLife

I have been having power issues for a few years now.  I don't remember when exactly they started, nor what I did that might have caused them to happen.  But now they're getting more annoying.  My specs are as follows:

1.25GHz MDD G4 2003
1.0 GB RAM
80GB + 250GB HDD
stock DVD-ROM drive + Lightscribe DVD+-RW drive
2-port USB 2.0 PCI card
Mac OSX 10.4.11

Let me state that the issues started long after I upgraded the RAM to 1GB, but before I got the 250GB HDD and the DVD burner.

Typically, if I turn off my Mac, I can turn it back on again within a couple minutes.  But any longer than that, if I press the power button, nothing happens.  It's connected to a power strip.  If I cycle power on that power strip, I'm generally able to turn the Mac on again.  Or if I unplug and re-plug my Mac I can turn it on again.  It shouldn't have to be that way, but I've gotten used to it over the years.

During hot days (about 80-100 degrees F) my Mac has also been known to shut itself off.  I've always chalked that up to a safety feature.. turn off if you're gonna overheat.  It would usually turn back on after cooling down for a bit.  That's fine too.

But recently it's been getting worse.  The temperature in my room has been fair (in the 70's) and operating temp. of the computer has been within normal parameters (Temperature Monitor tells me it's about 98-113 degrees F).  But still...

-One week ago I turned it off.  Later I cycled power on my power strip, and the Mac wouldn't turn back on.  Tried the usual unplug-and-replug, but no luck.  I finally got it to turn back on about an hour later.
-Yesterday, when using my Mac for everyday things, it shut itself off.  It wasn't hot, and I wasn't doing anything intensive.  The usual tactics wouldn't turn it back on.  I opened it up and sprayed some dust out, and later plugged it back in and it worked.  I don't know if it worked again because I sprayed some dust out (I didn't really get much dust out, actually) or because it just had enough time to cool down.


Sorry for being so wordy. I want to be as detailed as possible.  I got the Mac when it was first released in 2003.  I've tried resetting the PRAM and replacing the PRAM battery.  The issues still remain.  I've tried plugging the computer into different sockets in different buildings, and yet the same thing happens.

Oh, and when I say "it won't turn on," that means that I press the power button, and the light on the button flashes on, but the computer does nothing, and then the power button light goes back off.

Anyone have any idea what the problem might be?

Thanks in advance.

Last edited by OmniGeno (2008-09-01 4:27 pm)