power mac g5 refuses to start

antijoey · 02-06-2007, 09:23 AM

power mac g5 dual 1.8, 256M ram, 120G hd, osx 10.3.9

problem began when g5 refused to wake up. forced shutdown. when booted, i get the startup chime, hd spins, fans start, then nothing. black screen.

after 30-40 seconds, fans begin coming on, becoming louder until i press the power button.

pram will not reset. will not boot into safe, will not boot into open firmware, will not boot to cd.

reset pmu. same problem.

this machine is about 4 years old and has performed flawlessly until now. there have been no recent s/w installations except normal security updates. any clues?

aj

Sherman Homan · 02-06-2007, 09:41 AM

The G5 dualies have major league issues with ram chips. I am curious though, do you really only have 256 megs in there?

antijoey · 02-06-2007, 10:07 AM

actually, no. should have 256M X2 (equalling 512M). thanks for correction!

aj

Sherman Homan · 02-06-2007, 10:14 AM

Any way to swap out those chips and pop in another set? Those machines are notoriously picky about ram.

antijoey · 02-06-2007, 11:45 AM

sadly, the only pc3200 184pin ddr sdram in the house is in this computer. my understanding is that this ram has a lifetime warranty from apple. is it worth it to give them a ring?

aj

marchutch · 02-06-2007, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherman Homan


	Any way to swap out those chips and pop in another set? Those machines are notoriously picky about ram.

I will second this my dual 2.0GHz G5 exhibited the same behaviour when I tried to put some cheap RAM in it. Start up chime, black screen with fans ramping up to maximum speed. Sounded like a freight train going past my house. Only way to fix it was to go back to original RAM configuration.

So maybe your RAM has in fact gone south.

JDV · 02-06-2007, 12:06 PM

Maybe. But be prepared for them to have you go through a lot of procedures that you may already have done. They probably won't simply replace them without a rather long song and dance, I fear.

RAM is comparatively cheap these days, and 512 MB for a G5 is sort of meager in any case. You might be better off considering buying a couple of other sets of DIMMS from a reputable vendor to take it to 1 GB. You could, I think, buy two more 256 MB DIMMS and simply replace the existing memory with the new memory. If that solves the problem, you know you have bad memory chips. If it doesn't, you'll have additional memory to add to the machine when another cause for the problem shows up. If it DOES fix the problem, you'll have a very strong case to have Apple replace the set with the lifetime warranty.

Joe VanZandt

antijoey · 02-06-2007, 12:18 PM

i think i'll first jump through hoops for apple. this is the ram that shipped with the machine, so i will first assume that it is still warrantied.

yes, ram is pretty cheap these days; but then again, so am i! hahaha

will post results later today!

thanks!
aj

marchutch · 02-06-2007, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antijoey


	i think i'll first jump through hoops for apple. this is the ram that shipped with the machine, so i will first assume that it is still warrantied. yes, ram is pretty cheap these days; but then again, so am i! hahaha will post results later today! thanks! aj

I got two pairs of 512 MB RAM chips of this type of ebay for £30 a pair. This equates to $60 (US). Do you perhaps have some Scottish ancestors? lol. kidding dude.

And before any admins get the hump.... I am myself a Scot by blood and birth.

antijoey · 02-06-2007, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marchutch


	Do you perhaps have some Scottish ancestors? lol. kidding dude.

actually, i believe so!

marchutch · 02-06-2007, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antijoey


	actually, i believe so!

well, all the better! :-)

antijoey · 02-07-2007, 01:22 PM

apple is completely unhelpful. seems there must be a service agreement before honoring a "life-time warranty" on their RAM.

anyway, it has been suggested (on another forum) that this could be a power supply issue. any info out there on power supply specs for this model? should be easy to rule out after a bit of measurement...

also, where can i find motherboard led diagnostic info? throughout this problem, i get solid red at led labeled R58 / 1229 and no others.

thanks all!

the antijoey

bramley · 02-07-2007, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antijoey


	also, where can i find motherboard led diagnostic info? throughout this problem, i get solid red at led labeled R58 / 1229 and no others.

You may want to check out this Apple doc (I realise that the top half of the document won't apply to your machine but the item concerning powerlight LED should.)

antijoey · 03-09-2007, 08:23 AM

was finally able to afford a diagnosis.

the video card has failed. need to replace. still no word, though on how to reach that conclusion.

could have been worse, i suppose. any advice out there on a suitable replacement other than apple's $280 one?

thanks for all the replies.

aj

trevor · 03-09-2007, 09:41 AM

Some video cards for sale

Trevor

vanyie · 06-06-2007, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by antijoey


	power mac g5 dual 1.8, 256M ram, 120G hd, osx 10.3.9 problem began when g5 refused to wake up. forced shutdown. when booted, i get the startup chime, hd spins, fans start, then nothing. black screen. after 30-40 seconds, fans begin coming on, becoming louder until i press the power button. pram will not reset. will not boot into safe, will not boot into open firmware, will not boot to cd. reset pmu. same problem. this machine is about 4 years old and has performed flawlessly until now. there have been no recent s/w installations except normal security updates. any clues? aj

HI, i'm not sure it's correct to append on another thread, but i have the same problem that antijoey.
I have a Powermac late 2005 with 256mbx2 ram and other 512mbx2 ram kingston.
The powermac has worked many months without problem, has not connected to internet, it's protected by a ups. I have done everithing as antijoey excet boot into safe and boot into open firmware.
I have tried to change ram and slot, to boot with/without videocard, with/without ram, with/without hd, and obtain always the same answer.
I suppose could be video card or logic board (motherboard).
I have read the doc on diagnostic leds and i have no light leds (except led 7 during startup as should be)
Before i call apple assistance have you any suggestion?

Can i use a "normal" (not for mac) video card pci express to see if there's life??

Thanks in advance
Vanyie

trevor · 06-06-2007, 09:59 AM

Quote:


	Can i use a "normal" (not for mac) video card pci express to see if there's life??

You can't use a video card with Windows firmware on a Mac. You need to use a video card with Mac firmware.

Trevor

vanyie · 06-06-2007, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trevor


	You can't use a video card with Windows firmware on a Mac. You need to use a video card with Mac firmware. Trevor

OK, thanks

vanyie · 06-06-2007, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trevor


	You can't use a video card with Windows firmware on a Mac. You need to use a video card with Mac firmware. Trevor

Sorry, another question perhasps a little bit OT:

I didn't want use a pc-videocard with macosx but only to see the first boot screen or the screen of "Apple Hardware Test" booting... because at this time i see only a "no signal"...
There is an hardware incompatibility or an incompatibility with macosx? I'm only curious...
Sorry if you have to repeat the same answer

Vanyie

trevor · 06-06-2007, 04:43 PM

The firmware of a Windows video card is incompatible with OS X. The hardware is often identical (although sometimes the flash memory on a Mac card is larger), and there are places that can help you with reflashing firmware. For example, check out the Strange Dogs forum.

Trevor

02-06-2007, 09:23 AM	#1
antijoey Prospect Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Vermont Posts: 9	power mac g5 refuses to start power mac g5 dual 1.8, 256M ram, 120G hd, osx 10.3.9 problem began when g5 refused to wake up. forced shutdown. when booted, i get the startup chime, hd spins, fans start, then nothing. black screen. after 30-40 seconds, fans begin coming on, becoming louder until i press the power button. pram will not reset. will not boot into safe, will not boot into open firmware, will not boot to cd. reset pmu. same problem. this machine is about 4 years old and has performed flawlessly until now. there have been no recent s/w installations except normal security updates. any clues? aj

02-06-2007, 09:41 AM	#2
Sherman Homan All Star Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Norwell, MA Posts: 546	The G5 dualies have major league issues with ram chips. I am curious though, do you really only have 256 megs in there? __________________ http://macintoshsolutions.com

02-06-2007, 10:14 AM	#4
Sherman Homan All Star Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Norwell, MA Posts: 546	Any way to swap out those chips and pop in another set? Those machines are notoriously picky about ram. __________________ http://macintoshsolutions.com

03-09-2007, 08:23 AM	#14
antijoey Prospect Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Vermont Posts: 9	solved was finally able to afford a diagnosis. the video card has failed. need to replace. still no word, though on how to reach that conclusion. could have been worse, i suppose. any advice out there on a suitable replacement other than apple's $280 one? thanks for all the replies. aj

03-09-2007, 09:41 AM	#15
trevor Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boulder, CO USA Posts: 16,715	Some video cards for sale Trevor __________________ Eight steps to Internet unpopularity - Chris Breen.

02-06-2007, 10:07 AM	#3
antijoey Prospect Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Vermont Posts: 9	actually, no. should have 256M X2 (equalling 512M). thanks for correction! aj

02-06-2007, 11:45 AM	#5
antijoey Prospect Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Vermont Posts: 9	sadly, the only pc3200 184pin ddr sdram in the house is in this computer. my understanding is that this ram has a lifetime warranty from apple. is it worth it to give them a ring? aj

02-06-2007, 12:06 PM	#7
JDV Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 3,194	Maybe. But be prepared for them to have you go through a lot of procedures that you may already have done. They probably won't simply replace them without a rather long song and dance, I fear. RAM is comparatively cheap these days, and 512 MB for a G5 is sort of meager in any case. You might be better off considering buying a couple of other sets of DIMMS from a reputable vendor to take it to 1 GB. You could, I think, buy two more 256 MB DIMMS and simply replace the existing memory with the new memory. If that solves the problem, you know you have bad memory chips. If it doesn't, you'll have additional memory to add to the machine when another cause for the problem shows up. If it DOES fix the problem, you'll have a very strong case to have Apple replace the set with the lifetime warranty. Joe VanZandt

02-06-2007, 12:18 PM	#8
antijoey Prospect Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Vermont Posts: 9	i think i'll first jump through hoops for apple. this is the ram that shipped with the machine, so i will first assume that it is still warrantied. yes, ram is pretty cheap these days; but then again, so am i! hahaha will post results later today! thanks! aj

02-07-2007, 01:22 PM	#12
antijoey Prospect Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Vermont Posts: 9	apple is completely unhelpful. seems there must be a service agreement before honoring a "life-time warranty" on their RAM. anyway, it has been suggested (on another forum) that this could be a power supply issue. any info out there on power supply specs for this model? should be easy to rule out after a bit of measurement... also, where can i find motherboard led diagnostic info? throughout this problem, i get solid red at led labeled R58 / 1229 and no others. thanks all! the antijoey

06-06-2007, 04:43 PM	#20
trevor Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boulder, CO USA Posts: 16,715	The firmware of a Windows video card is incompatible with OS X. The hardware is often identical (although sometimes the flash memory on a Mac card is larger), and there are places that can help you with reflashing firmware. For example, check out the Strange Dogs forum. Trevor __________________ Eight steps to Internet unpopularity - Chris Breen.

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