Many people who own a PowerBook G4 have been experiencing a well documented problem called the Narcoleptic PowerBook aka NAP. These machines are spontaneously going to sleep due to a faulty temperature sensor under the trackpad sending an erroneous overheating message to the computer, causing it to go into emergency sleep.
The log files on these machines confirm that it is, in fact, an overtemp signal causing the machine to go to sleep, and running a monitoring program such as Temperature Monitor will graphically display the culprit.
Apple has not initiated a recall for these machines but offers a logic board/top case replacement as a solution for a fee. Some people claim to have fixed the problem by modifying the kernel extension of the operating system, but this is surely a temporary solution that a simple software update could undo.
There is another way... Remove the faulty temperature sensor.
How does it work? How do I know this problem relates to me?
First, look at your system log file. (Open "Console" which is located in Applications/Utilities.) By default, you should be looking at system.log. If not, open the logs list and select system.log. If you see a line there that looks similar to:
Sep 25 03:18:43 your-name-powerbook-g4-15 kernel[0]: Power Management received emergency overtemp signal. Going to sleep.
Then the next step would be to download and run Temperature Monitor. You will see all the available sensors and will notice a dramatic and sudden fluctuation in the "Trackpad" sensor. That's it. That's what's been making your PowerBook go to sleep.
Once you've verified that the trackpad sensor is in fact the problem you can remove it. If you're not comfortable disassembling your laptop yourself Macintosh Guru offers this "faulty temperature sensor removal" service for $145.00.
Don't I need this sensor? Don't you need your tonsils, appendix, and wisdom teeth? Well, maybe. But if they become problematic, they're removed.
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