On May 27, 2010, at 9:02 AM, Chris Ferne wrote:
My Power Mac G4 desktop (M8570 - 1.2 single) has some strange habits: occasionally it will freeze completely and regularly an app will crash with a message to the effect that something had been trying to access invalid memory.
After doing some cleaning as John just suggested, adding safely blowing the dust out of the slots and the machine, with a known good HD and OS X 10.4.11 or greater, I'd start with one RAM slot filled, and use memtest from applejack to test it. Requires being able to start up in Single User Mode, after having memtest installed along with applejack. Then add another stick in SLot 2, and test again, add a 3rd between 1 and 2, and test. That would verify Slot 2 RAM stick. Then repeat memtest putting 1 in 2, and that would verify Slot 2's RAM stick. Now place 3 in 2, and repeat. If that passes you have 3 good sticks. The proceed with your 4th stick in SLot 2, between the known good 1 and 3, and if that passes, you have 4 good sticks.
Tales awhile, but verifies your RAM within reasonable bounds (3 passes of memtest per entire stick in the Sandwich Memory Test Technique).
Strange habits mentioned above could also be coming from a failing hard drive, but it sounds like a memory and/or memory slot issue.
-- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
