Nothing Can Stop Kernel Panics!!

[RalphCaffery]

Hello everyone. Thank you for letting me post in your forum!

I guess this is sort of a long story, but I have to tell it because of course my situation is unique, just like everyone else's is.

I have an iBook G4 12" (late 2005) model. It never gave me any problems and I never did any upgrades to it until...

I started getting kernel panics a few weeks ago, and did all the things like resetting the PRAM and NVRAM, checking the disk permissions, and verifying the hard drive, all seemed okay. I also used the Apple Hardware Test, which came up just fine.

I eventually got desperate and reinstalled OSX, but the problem persisted. I decided to try purchasing new RAM and/or a hard drive because mine are both outdated anyway. The new RAM did not solve the problem, and so I bolstered myself up to the task of taking my computer apart to try to replace the hard drive. It was a successful transplant much to my surprise (I have a long history of taking things apart only to not be able to put them back together^_^).

After partitioning the drive, the computer worked for a good hour. I checked my e-mail and browsed a forum I frequent, as well as upgrading to the newest versions of things like Safari and iTunes, and finally arrived at, guess what, another kernel panic. Imagine my frustration!

I then restarted and reset the PRAM and NVRAM again, and got another kernel panic. I turned the computer off and shut the lid, and came back the next morning to try working on it again, only to discover that the computer now doesn't recognize that it has a hard drive in it. It will not come up in Disk Utility, and when it starts up it gives me the question mark flashing with the file folder.

All this is of course very exciting to me, as you might imagine, and I am considering buying a new computer, because I honestly don't want to put any more money into letting a professional shop tell me computer is old and screwed up.

Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all for your time, and have a nice day!