I will try everything you suggest first thing tomorrow.<br><br>Yes, I did try an open firmware reset, but not while I had the drives disconnected. And I did try to boot to the OS 9 install CD with each of my three RAM sticks installed individually, but not while I had the drives were disconnected. <br><br>I'm the original owner of this computer and I'm using the "Power Mac G4 Mac OS 9 Install" CD that came with the computer. It says Mac OS version 9.2.2, CD version 1.1.<br><br>I have been hunting around for a retail version of Mac OS 9 to try. I didn't know that my machine would not boot to anything before 9.2.2 I'll mark that off the list of things to try.<br><br>One note: you used the term "restore CD". My computer came with seven OS type CDs. The single OS 9.2.2 install CD, a single OSX 10.1 install CD, and a set of five "restore" CDs. I've tried to boot to both the OS 9.2.2 install CD and CD one of the set of five.<br><br>Thanks,<br>Philip<br><br>

Two things I forgot to mention.. I normally use a Mark of the Unicorn PCI-424 audio card but It has been removed since I've been trying to solve this problem. <br><br>Also, when I booted into open firmware there was an error message. I'm not with my computer now so I can't tell you exactly what it was, but it was a USB error, something like "USB setup error 5000c 82002", then "USB setup error 5000c 82006". Those lines are by no means exact, I'm just trying to remember off the top of my head. These two lines were repeated over and over for a page. <br><br>The only USB devices I was using were the mouse and the keyboard. I normally use a wireless Logitech mouse but since I've been trying different solutions I switched to my original Apple mouse which is plugged into my keyboard. The keyboard is plugged into my Apple Studio Monitor which is connected to the computer via the ADC jack. Nothing else was plugged in when I got the open firmware error.<br><br>Philip<br><br>

I'll check back later on the USB setup error. Not sure why. That might be a problem, but it may just be the ports on the monitor not being recognized properly.<br><br>Plug the keyboard and mouse into the machine itself. Try a different monitor if you have one since the Studio is tied into the hardware via the ADC.<br><br>Can you boot off of the Hardware Test CD and check the hardware?<br><br>

Reboot,<br><br>Well, I didn't get a chance to try the things you suggested. That's because I was finally able to boot to my OS 9 install CD and install OS 9. <br><br>The test I was in the middle of when I last posted was to remove the 3.6 lithium battery for *24 hours*.<br><br>I had tried removing the battery before but had only left it out overnight.<br><br>This time the battery was out a full 30 hours after which I was able to boot to the install CD and install OS 9. <br><br>So, whether this is a true fix or not I guess I won't know for a while. At first the problem was intermittent. So this just may be one of those intermittent times when it begins to see all things OS 9 again and may have nothing to do with leaving the battery out.<br><br>If OS 9 doesn't go into a gray screen mode for a couple of week I'll feel that I'm out of the woods.<br><br>So, what do you think happened? Is there something that leaving the battery out for 24 hours accomplished that resetting the NVRAM or zapping the PRAM could not accomplish?<br><br>In answer to one of your questions: yes, I could always boot to the Apple Hardware Test CD. It always reported that all tests passed.<br><br>Thanks,<br>Philip<br><br>

Thanks for the follow up. Looks like removing the battery did. Maybe some little circuit discharged that zapping and standing on your head couldn't do. I'll remember that one. Odd it could boot from the test CD though<br><br>Glad it seems to have worked out. Look forward to not hearing from you on it. No news is good news.<br><br>

Unfortunately you hearing form me again this afternoon. But I may be on to the source of the problem.<br><br>All seemed well last night after leaving the battery out for 30 hours.<br><br>But this morning when I powered on (computer left in OS 9) I once again got the gray screen.<br><br>I booted into open firmware and got these two messages repeated over and over:<br><br>USB Setup Error: 5c000000 8200<br>USB Setup Error: 5c000000 8206<br><br>Followed by:<br><br>1 4 6 failed to respond.<br><br>So, I plugged the keyboard and the Apple mouse directly into the back of the G4 and booted into open firmware.<br><br>Again I got error messages but they were different:<br><br>USB Setup Error: 5c000000 8200<br>USB Setup Error: 5c000000 8205<br><br>3 4 5 failed to respond.<br><br>So...I dragged an old VGA monitor out of the closet and plugged it in, disconnecting the Apple Studio Monitor from the ADC port.<br><br>Booted into open firmware and got no error messages.<br><br>Tried to boot into OS 9 and was successful.<br><br>So it seems that my problem is somehow related to my ADC port.<br><br>Going to power down for a couple of hours and see if I get another successful boot into OS 9.<br><br>Any thoughts?<br><br>Thanks,<br>Philip<br><br>

Powered on again after a couple of hours and all was well. Reset NVRAM from open firmware. Computer re-booted into OSX, but that may be normal. Re-booted into OS 9 with no problems.<br><br>If this is a hardware problem related somehow to the ADC port why are there no problems with OSX, only OS 9?<br><br>Philip<br><br>

After zapping PRAM it will boot to OS X by default.<br><br>It's something with the monitor or its USB it seems since it works with VGA. I wonder, if it goes to the grey screen in 9 again can you connect it via another port with an adapter to get functionaliy back? It would not have USB but you can work around that.<br><br>Maybe turning the monitor off and on at the grey screen, if it can do that, I'm not familiar with the switch on it.<br><br>At least you've traced it to the monitor and not the computer. The monitor could be going bad since it never did that in the past.<br><br>

Reboot,<br><br>Thanks for patiently replying to my posts. I'll try not to keep asking questions forever. <br><br>You feel that my problem is my Apple Studio Display monitor since I am able to connect a VGA monitor to my Nvidia video card and not get the open firmware USB setup error messages or have problems booting to OS 9.<br><br>OS 9 does not work when connected to the ADC connector. Yet OSX does. I'm just trying to figure out why, if the monitor is the problem, OSX will work through the ADC connection yet OS 9 will not. Also, could it only be the ADC connector on the video card that has gone bad?<br><br>Is this test logical: if I connect my studio display monitor to another G4 with an ADC connector, boot into open firmware and still see the USB error messages, then the problem is truly a monitor problem.<br><br>But if I connect my studio display to another G4 with an ADC connector, boot into open firmware and do not get the USB setup error messages, that will mean that the problem is elsewhere, either the video card or software?<br><br>Does that make sense?<br><br>In answer to your questions: Dr. Bott makes a box to allow an ADC studio display to connect to a VGA port, but it is 300.00. Used studio displays sell on ebay for 300.00 which would be a better option. I tried tuning the monitor off and on at the gray screen.<br><br>Philip<br><br>

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>Is this test logical: if I connect my studio display monitor to another G4 with an ADC connector, boot into open firmware and still see the USB error messages, then the problem is truly a monitor problem.<p><hr></blockquote><p>Correct.<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>But if I connect my studio display to another G4 with an ADC connector, boot into open firmware and do not get the USB setup error messages, that will mean that the problem is elsewhere, either the video card or software?<p><hr></blockquote><p>True again. Swap video cards too if possible?<br><br>