G5 Dual 2.0 Ghz PPC logic board died, ideas?

Hello,
I read about the troubles and questions you meet when trying to repair your machine. I had the same trouble with my own Dual 2 Ghz G5 and ordered a motherboard online. It didn't fixed the problem for the board I bought online (400$) was not BRAND NEW but refurbished by Apple!!!.
No comments. So i got a board as dead as mine was. Same defects. Unbelievable...

Just do that for a check:
1/ Locate a hairdryer
2/ Put the G5 aside.
3/ Open the aluminium door in the G5 case, remove the transparent cover, take off the front fan block
4/ Set the hair dryer to medium and point it on a zone at the right end side of the 2 sets of RAM,
between them, and close to the processors. Distance 1 inch from the motherboard.
6/ Do that for 2 or 3 minutes. Stop.
7/ Quickly put back the fan block and transparent cover in place.
8/ Boot your Mac.
Works?

So my advice is, if you want to put the needed money, get the insurance the board you buy is a NEW one. Processors should be okay. Clean ALL the fans inside the machine. If you do it yourself, find the software for thermal calibration for you need it to pair the new board with your old processors.

Another alternative is to have your motherboard repaired. But that's another story.

Jeff. ;+)

Why didn't you have Apple replace your factory-refurbished board? They don't necessarily use brand-new parts for repairs themselves, so Apple depends on their refurbished products too.

yes call apple...let them know your computer died. Theres so many of us G5 owners that have reciently acquired a $3000 door stop....6 people at my work have all said their G5's have suffered the same fate. Mine died December 3, 2008.

apple really needs to do something about this...wouldnt you guys agree?

PS - ive pretty much called Apple once a week since my G5 died and STILL havent gotten an exception code

Ok, my sister calls me. Her iMac G5 2.0Gh PPC is acting odd. The power switch seems to not work right. It won't turn off; then it won't turn on; then it turns itself off while she's working. Now it won't work at all. It was taken into the Anchorage Apple Store where it was pronounced as a bad logic board. They said nothing of the capacitors, but everything I've read says they are often what fails and causes the issues with the logic board. I read a great article by a guy @ jimwarholic.com. He shared insights that are helpful. I think a lot of us (DIY-types) will benefit from it, but that being said, if any have read it an think it bunk, please state your opinion now, so those of us in the "discovery" process can know more and make better decisions.

Also, I'm having a duce of a time finding ANY logic board for my sister's machine. I can't find any that match her serial number. I'm not sure I know the right info. Anyone with a good website for that? When I entered her sn in Apple's site it said it wasn't a good number; but when I did it at a German site, that site gave me the year it was made, busspeed, type of drive, etc. So they could use the sn. I don't understand why Apple can't!

As an FYI: I have a dual g5 myself until this issue with my sister, I had forgotten that it went out just three months before my Apple Care ran out. So it is a new logic board. It really messed with my Apple service as my machine now has no serial number and I failed to note it before its demise. I asked Apple what it was, they said they couldn't tell me. I was floored. Why do they have you repeat it everytime you call if they don't have it right there? I would have written it and put it on my computer case for future. I say this to let those of you know that IF you have Apple Care; note your computer's sn before it dies; as fixing it will do away with the old number. It won't have that number any longer; if your service is tied to that sn, then be smarter than I, write it in your AC book or on your case.

My late 2004 model dual 2 Ghz G5 tower just suffered that SAME FATE. It won't turn on and the light blinks three times. It just happened - April 2009.

Please give more detail about your solution; it seems there's an epidemic out there right now. Apple so far has not acknowledged the real issue (the rep suggested it was probably my RAM; I've called once so far) and I'm not sure we'll be able to count on them to do the right thing.

So, your solution sounds pretty good and I'd like to explore it. Please post more detail!

Thanks!

Hi - Sorry for posting here, but I think I'll be needing the same fix for my G5. I'm wondering where you got the great rates for processors and labor? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your help!

Sudden Logic Board Failure(LBF Syndrome) is a pandemic everywhere you read the boards. The G5 processors or logic boards or power supplies were really terrible on these machines.
If you want to escalate, you have to DEMAND that you speak to a higher tech manager. Apparently, they will pay for it all if you raise Cain. I'm a fan of Mac products, and my g4 laptop 17" is the best darn thing I ever bought I think.

-Software upgrades with Power management fixes nuked my g5 the first round
-Everytime I unplugged the machine and took it to the AppleStore the PMU reset and the machine behaved better
-I took it in 3 times, they could not diagnose the issue
-After a week, the machine would never boot without the option key
-After living with the option key, the machine would have spontaneous shutdowns
-I cleaned the interior, and that was OK for a month or 2.
-The machine would have kernal panics after that
-then the UNIX code would spew on screen
-then it wouldn't boot at all, even with OS CDs
-Gray apple only-then fans of glory would kick in.

So, what happened? I can only guess since Genius Bar didn't help me is:
-g5 chips ran so hot and energy management ate the Power Manager(they went to Intel because Power PC g5 would have set laptops on fire)
-Constant shutdowns thanks to Power Manager fragged the PMU. The UPS I bought helped for 6 months...sort of.
-The above ate the LOGIC board(bad PMUs do BAD things to Boards and RAM)
-Once the power manager starts getting irregular, the machine kernal panics because of cooling issues or RAM panics and eventually everything corrupts and the poor voltage management destroys the machine.

Mac techs blamed my house voltage, but the electrician tested it and it was fine. The PMU is supposed to smooth amps and volt spikes but it did such a bad job I suspect it shorted or blasted major components.
I'm getting a new Imac which has it's own problems-I don't think the g5 is worth saving but Apple should give a rebate or refund prorated for the years it was used. It's a very bad representative of Apple products and they should be ashamed that they hid or submerged the issue. I think so many software updates dealt with Power management(ie:energy saving) because Logic boards were blowing sky high exponentially.

I had my mother board replaced last year on my MAC G5 last year when it was still under warranty. This month the fan starting blowing real loud and I took it into the Apple store. They have called and told me it is the logic board and it will cost $899 to replace. Isn't that the same thing as the mother board. What should I do? Buy a newer MAC?

Yes, it's the same thing.

Considering that you already had this replaced while under warranty, Apple should not be charging you for the same repair. I'd speak up loudly on this one.

Good luck!