Power Mac G4: panic kernel (cpu caller…. Unable to find driver

R

Ratters1971

Registered
Hi there. I’ve booted my old power Mac g4 (owned since new) up and it has always worked. Until now.

I was copying some files from an external disk to another external disk when it crashed.

And it’s now showing the attached screen.

I’ve held the power button down and forced it to start the firmware where it asks you to type Mac-boot …. It then it fails also.

Any advice welcome.
 

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Ratters1971 said:
Forced a reboot and pressed option and P and it solved itself. Not sure why.
Click to expand...
It could be died stuff on CPU and it might be over heating! You should lower iff off and get some silver past and cleaning stuff to cleaning of the very old stuff and after the clan use the Siler paste in small section then put all the stuff back and button it up and bot it 24 hours later and then it run better again!
 
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Prius after thinking you seriously look at the Mac Mini! Just save a months (like 4-5. Otha and get the Mac Mini!
 
When was the last time that you did some maintenance (on a more than 20-year-old Mac?)
1. Repaste the CPU
2. Reseat everything that can be (reasonably) reseated.
a. RAM (check RAM contacts are clean (I use a pencil eraser to make sure the contacts are "shined up" and clean)
b. Any cards in slots (same treatment with an erased on the contacts)
c. drive connect cables
d. check fan blades for any build-up of dust or other particles.
3. When did you last replace the PRAM battery? (probably can replace every 5 years) Test for between 3.3 and 3.7 Volts DC

Finally, you said it started working after booting while holding Option - p
Nice that it worked, but I can't find anything that specific key combo does. Maybe you simply (accidentally) pressed a couple of other keys, making it Option-Apple(Command)-P-R
That would be the correct boot keys to reset PRAM (now called NVRAM reset). Holding those 4 keys SHOULD make a boot chime, and you would continue to hold those keys for 2 more boot chimes.
That would clear certain firmware settings, and may be why your MDD PowerMac started working again.
Maybe you have done some (or all) of the things that I listed, but still good to go through those (or whatever else you do)... That won't do anything for outright hardware failures, but worth trying again, when you have a Mac (no matter how old) that does what you need it to do.
 
DeltaMac said:
When was the last time that you did some maintenance (on a more than 20-year-old Mac?)
1. Repaste the CPU
2. Reseat everything that can be (reasonably) reseated.
a. RAM (check RAM contacts are clean (I use a pencil eraser to make sure the contacts are "shined up" and clean)
b. Any cards in slots (same treatment with an erased on the contacts)
c. drive connect cables
d. check fan blades for any build-up of dust or other particles.
3. When did you last replace the PRAM battery? (probably can replace every 5 years) Test for between 3.3 and 3.7 Volts DC

Finally, you said it started working after booting while holding Option - p
Nice that it worked, but I can't find anything that specific key combo does. Maybe you simply (accidentally) pressed a couple of other keys, making it Option-Apple(Command)-P-R
That would be the correct boot keys to reset PRAM (now called NVRAM reset). Holding those 4 keys SHOULD make a boot chime, and you would continue to hold those keys for 2 more boot chimes.
That would clear certain firmware settings, and may be why your MDD PowerMac started working again.
Maybe you have done some (or all) of the things that I listed, but still good to go through those (or whatever else you do)... That won't do anything for outright hardware failures, but worth trying again, when you have a Mac (no matter how old) that does what you need it to do.
Click to expand...
Thank you for this additional information. I will look again at why I think I chose those keys but it also could be inadvertent as you suggest (it did result in the chimes). The key combination you mention is super helpful. And it is time to clean the computer thoroughly as you suggest. Thanks, rob
 
Ratters1971 said:
Thank you for this additional information. I will look again at why I think I chose those keys but it also could be inadvertent as you suggest (it did result in the chimes). The key combination you mention is super helpful. And it is time to clean the computer thoroughly as you suggest. Thanks, rob
Click to expand...

The drive might to old too so consider replacement for that too!
 
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