Re: Changing screen colors on PowerMac 5200/5300

Madeline L. Buchanan (mlbuchan@scott.net)
Sat, 13 Jan 1996 15:00:22 EST

Lan Heng <august@echonyc.com> wrote:
> Is anyone experiencing problems with the monitors of Power Mac 5200
> and 5300? Ocassionally the screen colors would change to a darker
> shade while you are working. One PM5200 's screen changed from
> white to blue. On the PowerMac 5300 the color keeps changing from a
> white window to a yellowish white window. It usually happens after
> the computer has been turned on for some time but not too long.

I had problems with the screen colors changing to purple tones several
months ago on my 5200.. My service representative came out, said the
video card was defective, and ordered and installed a new one. Since
then, no more problems. What was so interesting was that after he took
the cover off and examined the computer, I had no further trouble with
changing colors even with the old video card which I still had to use
until the new one came in. The screen would start flishing colors as
yours did -- about an hour after the computer was turned on. Then it
would suddenly stop.

> I have to repeat booting it up for 5 minutes before I finally succeed.

I have had the same problem with my PowerMac 6115CD at home. It will
either boot up and give me the flashing question mark or have nothing but
the arrow on the screen. Turning off the computer and restarting usually
helps except one time I got the flashing question mark and the second time
I got nothing on the screen. I had the floppy drive replaced and less
than 10 minutes after the technician left, I got the flashing question
mark again. I did a clean reinstall and everything was OK for about a
month and a half and guess what? I rebuilt the desktop and so far no
problems. SOS Apple also told me to trash the Easy Start Preferences.
Jim Tobin said that didn't do any good. I am having my hard drive replaced
while the computer is still under warranty.

>Another annoying problem is when certain key combinations (pressed by mistake)
> brings up a small window with the > and the only way to get out is
> to restart or to turn the switch to off.

Are you running Foolproof? The edition of Foolproof that has been sold
for the past year is not compatible with the 5200. It causes extension
conflicts in the chooser as well as causes the window with the > when you
try to eject a disk or print using key combinations. SmartStuff Software
is supposed to be marketing a new version of Foolproof that is more
compatible with the 5200 shortly.

--
Madeline L. Buchanan             Library Media Specialist
mlbuchan@scott.net               W. J. Christian School
dems105@uabdpo.dpo.uab.edu       Birmingham, AL 35206
http://www.scott.net/~mlbuchan   Voice:  (205) 838-7620
                                 Fax:  (205) 838-7622