LED flashes 3 times

I currently have the computer up and running and am backing up all data...just don't know how long until it crashes again. Anything in particular you can recommend I do while it is running? I really have a feeling that any efforts are futile until I get a new logic board. I was able to get it to boot this time by giving the logic board a firm press near the DIMM's..

I'm sorry, I don't. That does seem then that somethings cracked around the RAM slots. Backing up is about all you can do now, I think, without having someone look at it.
This might interest you, it was valid just a few days ago but I haven't checked recently:
http://www.affordablecomputers.com/pages/listings.php/subcategoryID.PMAC

Better than going through the expense of a new MB I think, and a years warranty to boot.

Good luck Dave, try to have a happy new year anyway.

• David:

If you have the correct description for the computer you have, as was
included with the product (there's that number M- something) so a
person can search for the correct logic board among remanufactured
or other suppliers, that may be a minor breakthrough in a tested part
from someone out there who rebuilds them (or imports remans.)

A service manual for the series and model PowerMac G5 you have
would tell the reader and wondering public the part number(s) of
the exact logic board and any other breakdown or exploded views.
These manuals are hard for just anyone to get, but technicians or
other specialists can and do get them; of course the serial number
and a call to someone with a database could help you find a source.

There was a company cited in one of the Macintosh portable computer
threads here in Discussions, where someone had sent their Mac away
for the logic board to get a custom and professional repair where some
parts on the original board were soldered or otherwise repaired. That
said, I can't find that post or the poster's name who supplied the info.
To get a correct repair on the board that otherwise works may be a
good deal; but finding someone who knows the hardware and how to
test their results may be another matter. Unless you can find someone
who can do the work for you, and then let you try the results at home.

(I've been busy driving an elderly relative some hundreds of miles in
this great winter wonderland, and trying to get that party moved to
the larger town in the area; mostly for health and medical reasons.
So I have not been really into much online; in fact one of my access
points is now offline, so a presence here and elsewhere - under alias
will be reduced somewhat. The high temperature the last few days
has been about -16°F. but, mostly about -20°F. with no winds.)

Well, I hope you can find a supplier for the logic board and also
find out if your model is OK with any other hardware developments
since older models of G5 towers had their own issues in cooling
systems and capacitors...

• Samsara:

Sorry to not be able to reply to your exact question, since I just
got to the city, doing said driving; and had to change plans
when a minivan (a box of curious issues, no added value in a
series of additional repairs after purchasing it used) decided to
spray a lot of gasoline under the hood while it was idling earlier
today at -20°F. a hundred miles from where I am now. The fuel
was spraying on a hot manifold from the pipe where all the MFI
(multi point fuel injection) injectors get their supply. High pressure.

After it warmed up some (I'd shut it off) the thing later did not leak
as previous; but since I am driving an elderly relative distances
and to/from medical; & helping someone move a household to the
city, I chose to drive a newer car that I knew was adequate; so
we made it OK. Later on I will have to make a plan on how to get
the van from the more remote location to some urban repair place.

Last year about now, it was an electronic fuel pump in its gas tank.
In some ways, computer issues are sometimes less hassle; unless
you're bound to make a living from the computer and have no spare.
I have a spare vehicle and a spare computer; but little else, presently!

A computer that takes too long to shut down may have a lot to sort
out; so maybe it only needs to have some defragmentation or some
files removed from the hard disk drive so to free up drive space. A
few good third party disk utilities can defragment a hard disk drive;
one of them is Drive Genius2. May be worth a look. Could be some
other problems behind the symptom you noted above. And if nothing
else (as I re-read your inquiry above, again...) you may have to do
some further checking into the hardware there, too. Perhaps a power
supply or other item has some issues; maybe something is hot and
had to cool before restarting? How dusty is the inside of the Mac?

To both, in either and any case...
Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

K,

Thank you very much... You take care of you and yours and don't give us another thought. I'm wishing you a happy and warm New Year.

Best wishes,

Steve

There was a company cited

I wonder if it was this: http://www.dttservice.com/appledesktops/powermacg5.html

Thank you for both links Samsara! The refurbished G5 DP 2.0 at AffordableComputers for $645 seems like a great deal...and only about $200 more than what DT&T would charge for replacing my logic board....hmmm. Am thinking of going with DT&T as I think the rest of my computer is working fine. Sending off the tank to Fremont for 10 days is a daunting task however! Would much rather they test that the whole computer works with the new LB than just sending them my broken one...Thanks again!

Thank you K. Using Mactracker I was able to deduce that my computer is indeed model M9454LL/A DP 2.0. Samsara referred me to a place that seems to repair/swap out bad logic boards. Was DT&T the company you were thinking about? Thank you for your detailed response and stay warm indeed! San Diego is a little chilly today at 50 degrees!

Is DTT near you then? Bringing the whole Mac in yourself would save quite a bit on shipping. And I've heard good things about DTT. Unlike Apple they actually repair and not just replace.

On the other hand, were you to get your exact model and year from the other place you'd have a known working Mac with a years warranty, and you could use your existing Mac for spare parts for it.

Yeah, make sure you wear a hat and gloves when you go out... 😉

No, DTT is up in Fremont about 7 hours north...oddly I just drove by it while away on holiday vacation. Yes, I factored in there 395 cost plus my shipping and it is almost $600 with the insurance I would want ) ; I am waiting on a call back from DVwarehouse regarding a logic board. probably gonna by from them and install myself. Just got my G4 1 ghz laptop up to par enough for me to keep business going...it is slightly slower than the dual 2 gig ( ;

I'm not sure about this, I'm hoping someone will chime in, but I think you will need the Apple Repairers Diagnostic DVD to re-calibrate your fans after you put the board in.

Thanks Samsara! I thought I might have read about that with all my searching here at the discussions...Thanks for the headzup and hope someone has knowledge on this.

the temporary fix you've posted only worked 3 days for me and the service people says that i need to replace the motherboard at 1300 usd plus tax. according to serial number. i won't spend anymore money on a defective brand wich is apple!! i'm thinking on buying an intel board with a faster processor change kernels and still usig osx.for less than 400usd. faster and way more reliable than these pieces of fine junk. we need to unite to force apple fix this without cost or changing for new ones at a low cost just like microsoft did with xbox 360. aren't you agree?

Philliah,

Please refer to this thread. Apple pulled through for me!

I didn't realize this was so common. It's been happening with my dual 2G G5 since mid 2005. Intermittent stall during start, and in my case frequent inability to detect some hardware, including Airport and installed audio cards. I always suspected fractures on the logic board, and even suggested this on numerous Apple Care support calls, but the only suggestion I ever got from them was "archive and re-install". Just poking about in the interior fixed it every time, and most of the time just powering down and starting again worked. A huge waste of everyone's time. So I just live with it. Apple's was never going to fix it, and it's the last desktop I'll ever buy anyway.

I noticed someone being charged ~$1,000 for a new board? You can get a whole dual 2 G5 for about $500. BUT, you say, the logic board in that could be faulty too. Well, so could the new logic board for $1,000.