The most likely cause is that the PRAM battery has started running out of power, and it will need replacing. This battery retains settings in the Parameter RAM (including the time and date), and if the battery voltage falls from 4.5 V to about 4 V, then when the machine is not receiving any power from a wall socket, the Parameter RAM (PRAM) gets corrupted and the machine will malfunction, often failing to start at all.
Try holding command-option-P-R just after turning it on, until you hear a second start-up chime, and see if that resets the Parameter RAM and allows you to start. You might instead need to take the case apart and press the CUDA button, seen here: <http://people.musc.edu/~schwarda/ram_slots_cuda_button.htm> Bob puts it like this: "Pull out the plug, open the case, take off your rings, ground yourself properly to discharge any static electricity, and then press the little red cuda reset switch." If the problem persists after the machine is switched off at the wall for a period, then you will probably need to change the battery. See here <http://www.musc.edu/~schwarda/pram_battery.htm> for its location. The battery is a 4.5 V Ray-O-Vac 840, but an 845 will also do, as will certain other models, or a set of AA batteries that come to 4.5 V. - Daniel. -- StarMax is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... / Buy books, CDs, videos, and more from Amazon.com \ / <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/lowendmac> \ Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> StarMax list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/starmax.html> Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/starmax%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Macintosh? Get free email and more at Applelinks! <http://www.applelinks.com>
