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G5 won't boot up

Can anyone help me solve the following problem?

My G5 currently won't boot up. When I press the "on" button, I get the Apple "boing", but the screen remains dead.
If I leave the computer on anyway, then within five minutes the fan starts to rev up into overdrive.
I've tried booting in "safe" mode, and I've also tried booting using my back up firewire drive. No response.
Incidentally, I've removed all other devices so only the keyboard and firewire drive are plugged in.
I can't boot using the installation DVD because I can't open the CD/DVD tray.

I'm running Tiger.

The problem has developed over the course of the day. On occasion earlier today I was able to boot using the FW drive. And once I even booted up from the main hard drive using safe mode. When that happened I ran Repair Disk from disk utility, but there was nothing that needed repairing.

So, is the hard drive the problem? Or is it a software issue?

And most important, are there any other things I can do to bring the computer back to life?

Jonathan

Power Mac G5, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Nov 15, 2009 10:23 AM

23 replies

RZBBK

Level 1

8 points

Dec 12, 2009 11:01 AM in response to Jonathan Renouf1

Hi Jonathan my Dual 500 MHz PowerPC G4 has different hard drives than my Dual 2.3GHz PowerPC G5 (i.e., not possible to switch them)
Good luck.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,351 points

Dec 12, 2009 2:59 PM in response to RZBBK

Correct, the G4s use IDE/ATA drives, the G5's use SATA drives, though putting it in a Firewire case may work, but ATA FW cases are getting in short supply.

RZBBK

Level 1

8 points

Dec 19, 2009 10:51 AM in response to skywalkerjedi95

I wanted to test to open the CD tray with a paper clip (like I did from my 1984 Mac 128k until my Mac G4 Dual 500 Mhz).
Now I bought a used G5 Dual 2.33Ghz
I can "get the CD tray open slide down the silver door in front of it" and I looked, but cannot see "the small hole in the bottom left part of the cd tray"
What am I missing?

RZBBK

Level 1

8 points

Dec 19, 2009 11:22 AM in response to Jonathan Renouf1

I looked at my G4 (Dual 500 Mhz) HDs and they look different than my G5 (Dual 2.33 Ghz). In fact I was already told that the HDs do not match.

RZBBK

Level 1

8 points

Dec 19, 2009 1:00 PM in response to BDAqua

Since in Nov. 2009 I damaged my G4 = Dual 500 Mhz with OS 10.4.8, I bought a used G5 = Dual 2.33 Ghz (Late 2005) with OS 10.5.8.
I still want to use OS 10.4 with OS 9.
I did place my HD in a FW case, and Disk Utility / Startup Disk showed the OSX 10.5.8 and my FW with 10.04.11.
All were available, but when I restarted with the 10.4 ... I got a page full of text: I had to reboot with the original OS 10.5 DVD and I upgraded it into 10.5.8.
Then I reset pram and pmu (which seemed to make the G5 work better).
BUT now, when I go to Disk Utility / Startup Disk there are 3 "gray", i.e., not clickable.
Please help.

RZBBK

Level 1

8 points

Dec 19, 2009 1:05 PM in response to Hubz

"g5 dual 2.5 only boots when plastic cover is off?"
Interesting! Could you explain more?
(I hope it might work with my Dual 2.33)
Thanks!

tech-jr

Level 1

8 points

Jan 10, 2010 9:05 AM in response to RZBBK

On a "cold" boot of the computer you can eject all media that has the ability to ejected by pressing and holding down the mouse button (left button if two button mouse) during booting your computer.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,351 points

Jan 10, 2010 12:24 PM in response to RZBBK

Hi there, are you still having problems?

It's quite acceptable to start a new topic of your own, feel free to start a new topic to attract more helpers to your particular situation, as not many helpers look at Solved/Answere/old Topics for people needing help, here's a link if as is often the case, it's hard to find out where to do it...

http://discussions.apple.com/post!default.jspa?forumID=596

G5 won't boot up