gross error

[Scott Haneda]

>> As far as I know, every non retail installer disc that Apple ships has Apple Hardware Test on it.  A small hidden partition, or perhaps it is a hook into the firmware, I'm not sure.
>>    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1509
> 
> Dang, that's nice to know.
> 
> A little looking around shows that there's supposed to be a hardware
> test for iBooks:
> 
> http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=112432
> 
> I have an iBook G4 (14 inch), that I got used, that did not come with
> a hardware test CD.
> Is there anyone that can send me a copy (ISO or physical) of said beast?

I generally find it will be problematic to make a bootable copy of a DVD/CD from Apple.  Sometimes they work for me, sometimes they don't.  If you just want Apple Hardware Test, you will find that many installers can work.  The main requirement being that it *not* be a retail image.  The other day, I used a Mac Mini installer DVD set to run Apple Hardware Test on a MacBook.  Also keep in mind, some use the H key, some use the D key, and I even think there are a few more.

I have burned copies of DVD's that pass md5 check against each other, and the copy still won't boot.  It is something I have never been able to fully understand, as it is essentially a bare metal (plastic :) )copy.  I suspect the media plays a role.  There must be something on the physical media that the software is looking for which off the shelf media does not have.

> (I actually went to Apple's web site for tech support. When I entered
> my serial number, and hit "continue", I never got anything back. I
> suppose that old enough means "we don't support it at all".)

The reason it is not listed should not have anything to do with whether or not it is eligible for support.  I just went to: http://support.apple.com/specs/ and entered in the serial to a early Dual G5, it was found; June 23, 2003.

The oldest I have recently entered in is a Cube, and it was found.  I often use that tool as a way to pin down what model the machine is, so I can figure out maximum ram and other system details before I start pulling things apart.  But there are plenty of times in which the serial number does not come up, or will come up wrong, and that is even for "in warranty" machines.

If you literally "never got anything back", something went wrong.  At the least, you should get "No results found. Please try another search".

-- 
Scott (* For off-list contact, replace talklists@ with scott@ *)