One never has enough RAM memory - Each computer has a physical limit and special allowable configurations - RAM is very low cost - Consider adding RAM memory to your computer if you are having problems.

Want to install new memory? - Check out Phoenix Macintosh Repair

INTRODUCTION
Troubleshooting takes patience and a willingness to develop a systematic order in approach. One may not find out "what caused the problem" ("What did I do wrong?") but the idea is to return the computer to a working order. Look at these steps and techniques and acquire a comfortability with them so you may have a chance to return your computer to "working order".

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This is the "healthy" Power Mac Startup Sound
This will download to your computer an will play - don't be impatient. You should hear this sound when you Power Mac starts up, not the "chimes of death"!

Did you ever hear the The Chimes of Death or Doom?
This will take a little time to transfer - wait for it! If you hear this sound on startup, it indicates a hardware problem. See your computer service person!

Did you ever wonder about those error numbers? (Source)

What kind of battery is used in the Macintosh? See Macintosh Batteries at MC Pricebreakers!

Please!!! Backup - Backup - Backup

Necessary Maintenance and Recovery Software

Purchase the necessary software for maintaining your computer and know where these software items are located in case you need to recover and repair after a "crash".

1. Startup Disk

   (For most computer users, this will be the CDRom that came with your computer.)
   This Startup Disk has the necessary system to startup your computer in the event that the computer will not startup. It is also used to startup the computer so maintenance can be accomplished on the "startup drive". (At the time of writing this, one cannot make repairs on the System Folder of the Startup Drive so it is necessary to startup the computer from another source - CDRom Startup Disk, Startup ZipDisk, Startup Floppy Disk, or another Hard Drive with a System Folder - to make these necessary repairs.)
   If you do not have a CDRom Startup Disk, follow directions in your system software for making a startup ZipDisk or startup floppy disk.
   If you have more than one hard drive, you may place a copy of the System Folder on one of the "non-startup" hard drives and use this as a secondary startup drive. (Be reasonable in this to save disk space. Just a basic startup System Folder is all that is necessary.)

   LEARN HOW TO USE THIS STARTUP DISK AND THEN PUT IT IN A PLACE THAT YOU CAN LOCATE IT WHEN NEEDED!!!

2. Disk First Aid - Apple Disk First Aid

   Apple provides with each computer a basic Maintenance/Repair software utility called Disk First Aid. KNOW WHERE THIS IS LOCATED! (Suggestion: Look on the Startup CDRom! - or download the most recent version above!)
   This utility does only major repairs but, through experience, I have found that running some other repair utility prior to use of Apple's Disk First Aid can have bad results (even disasterous results). Apple's utility seems to repair major things but not the smaller things which also cause problems. This utility is the first step but may not fix all the problems that need to have attention. Look at it as the first step but not the only step.

3. Norton Utilities

   Every computer user should purchase this valuable Repair/Recovery program and should keep it up-to-date. It is available from any Apple Software Reseller. Norton Disk Doctor is probably one of the most useful of the utilities and should be located in a place where you can find it.
   This repair utility should be used only after Apple's Disk First Aid has been used. It will repair many items you had no idea were corrupted. Fix all of them and run the repair utility as many times as it takes to have "No Problems Found" as the result. This utility will usually take care of the problems on your hard drive.

4. TechTool®
5. TechTool 1.7.1 Free at TechNotes

   TechTool is available as "freeware" and TechTool Pro is a purchased program that has many uses. The "freeware" version provides a best way to "rebuild the desktop". It has other uses (such as zapping the PRAM) which are useful also.
   Use this one only after everything is OK in the Apple Disk First Aid and the Norton Disk Docter analysis of your hard disks.

6. ****Disk Warrior*****, a tool to repair the catalogue of a disk from scratch, has saved me many times from "giving up" on a "repair problem". It is a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED purchase for that problematic drive or disk that you cannot repair with any other tool. It really works!! Spend the money for it! Some people use it first before any other utility. I tend to use it last unless there is some problem (like a hard drive that cannot be accessed with any other tool). Then it is the first tool that I use. THIS IS A MUST UTILITY FOR ANY SERIOUS MAC USER!!

The Process (Normal maintenance - in a crash you may need to start with Disk Warrior)

1. Start up your computer from the Startup Disk (above)

   Starting up from the CDRom
   - Insert the Startup CDRom and Restart your computer while pressing the "c" key on the keyboard (This may vary with the date of your computer. If this "c" key doesn't work, check your manual.)

   Starting up from a Startup Floppy
   - Insert the Startup Floppy and Restart your computer (the computer will automatically startup using the Startup System on the floppy disk).

   Starting up from a ZipDisk or other Startup Hard Drive
   - Insert the Startup ZipDisk (if using this)
   - Open System Folder / Control Panels / Startup Disk
   - Select the ZipDisk or Hard Drive that you wish to use as Startup Disk
   - Restart your computer (If using a ZipDisk, hold down the Option key on Restart)

   See also: Starting Up From The CDRom

2. Run Apple's Disk First Aid
   Remember:
   You must know where this is located. I usually have this located on my Startup ZipDisk and in a folder on one of my hard drives called First Aid Tools

   _ Double-click the Disk First Aid Application Icon
   - Select the drive to be repaired
   - Click on Repair
   - The utility may repair some items
   - Run the untilty until the results are "No Problems"
   - If the results are "...cannot repair..."
   - You must go on to the next step (Go there anyway)
   - You may check all the hard drives in this manner and then Quit (File Menu / Quit) Disk First Aid

3. Run Norton's Disk Doctor
   Remember:
   You must know where this is located. I usually have this located on my Startup ZipDisk and in a folder on one of my hard drives called First Aid Tools

   - Double-click the Disk Doctor Application Icon
   - Select the drive to be repaired
   - Click Examine and wait while the untility works
   - Repair all items (even if you do not know what is being done)
   - Repeat this process for each hard drive until "No Problems" found is the result (it may take several times for each hard drive)
   - If Disk Doctor indicates that certain files are corrupted beyond repair, these files must be deleted from your hard drive. (You can try to recover the data in them if it is a file that has no backup by using the Unerase utility in Norton Utilities. Usually though, these corrupted files may easily be deleted from the hard drive. You must write down the exact location, find the files, and delete them manually.)
   - When all repairs are finished, all corrupted files are deleted, and you have "No Problems" on all your hard drives, Quit (File menu / Quit) Norton Disk Doctor

   - NOTE:
   I will usually run the Apple Disk First Aid again on all the "repaired" hard drives to make sure everything is OK.
   Remember:
   You don't want any error on any hard drive. Use these utilities until everything is OK!

4. Rebuild the Desktop Data Base
   This can be done by holding down the keyboard combination command / option while restarting the computer or, more effectively by using Tech Tool

   Using TechTool
   Remember:
   You must know where this is located. I usually have this located on my Startup ZipDisk and in a folder on one of my hard drives called First Aid Tools

   - Double-click the TechTool Application icon
   - Click on Desktop Rebuild and follow the directions

5. Don't forget about Disk Warrior
   

There are further operations to be used once in a while such as:

- Speed Disk in Norton Utilities to DeFragment your disk files
(do this only once in a great while - I do this only once every 6 months)

- Zap PRAM in TechTool (or by using the proper keyboard combinations)
(this can be done about as often as DeFragmenting the hard disk)

- Reinstall the System using System Disks
(to be done when needed and when things really get bad)

Make sure you know the process for a clean system reinstall before attempting this! This should not be attempted without some planning since you will have to know how to move or reinstall the special features you have installed in your system such as the Internet Connection, special Control Panels, etc. Do some reading first!
Reinstall System from Apple
local source of above