G4 Laptop Problems
Apple's G4 laptops were a well-received series when they first came out and are still in use today by many of those who purchased them. But there are problems using these G4 laptops that were not anticipated when they first went on sale. Knowing what these problems are can help to fix them or even avoid them altogether.
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Battery Problem
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There is a known issue with some of the G4 laptop's batteries. Apple has initiated a voluntary recall, so checking that the battery you have is not affected is a priority (see Resources). If the battery is affected, replacing the battery is a necessity in order to avoid possible damage to the laptop or yourself.
Operating System Restrictions
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The G4 technology is not compatible with the latest Mac OSX operating system, Snow Leopard. This means that the G4 can never have its operating system update and must rely on 3rd party software to emulate those new features desired.
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Screen Blanks Out During Use
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The battery of the G4 laptops can run low on power and cause the screen to blank out, although the laptop is still running. Plug in the power adapter to see if the screen brightens back up. If it does, it means the battery needs to be recharged. It also means that in general there is less time to use the laptop on battery power than indicated by the battery meter.
Programs Keep Freezing Up
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Go to the Apple menu and select "System Preferences" from the drop-down menu. Click on the "Energy Saver" icon from the window that appears. Move the slider to change the "Put the computer to sleep when it is inactive" time to "Never." Move the slider to change the "Put the display to sleep when it is inactive" time to "Never." Close the window. This should correct the problem---if not, try getting a new battery.
Display Screen Problems
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A number of G4 laptops were manufactured with screen display errors that only show up after a few years of use. These G4 displays begin to exhibit a number of one-pixel wide vertical lines in various colors on the screen. Because Apple has not acknowledged this problem, the only recourse is to have the display replaced or repaired by an authorized dealer or Apple.
Expert Insight
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The G4 technology used in the laptops is rapidly becoming obsolete. Buying a used model is not advised unless it will be used for very simple tasks that do not rely on the latest versions of the Mac OSX operating system.
Warning
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Because of the age of the G4 laptops, internal problems will be very costly to fix if something goes wrong. Make sure you get a free estimate before committing to a repair at an authorized dealer or from Apple.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit (c) Apple, Inc.
