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Level 1

70 points

PowerMac G5 boot problems?

I have PM G5 DP 2.0Ghz computer which has difficulties booting up. However, when it does it works without problems.

I have tested it with Apple's hardware test which says everything is okay, I have stressed the system with XBench and Geekbench which both complete without problems. Going to sleep and waking from it also work.

The computer always powers up, makes the chime and in most cases it does show the Apple logo but hang there. It seems that if I leave the machine with power cord unplugged it will usually start if not with the first try then the second and again working without problems.

The machine had 6 gigabytes of ram but when I discovered the problem I removed some and now there is only 1gb. Original graphics card has been changed to ATI 9800XT.

Ideas?

PowerMac G5 DP 2.0Ghz (June 2004), Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Jan 30, 2010 2:51 PM

32 replies

Johan7x

Level 1

0 points

Mar 10, 2010 8:19 AM in response to thewk

After 6 years of impeccable performance, my PowerMac G5 stopped booting properly. After some searching I decided to replace the battery on the motherboard. Immediately after this replacement, the G5 booted again and so I thought to problem was solved.

Not so! On a regular basis my G5 now refuses to boot, doesn't sound the typical chime, and behaves like this in a deteriorating way, up to the point that I already decided to have it replaced.

Today I discovered that immediately rebooting after letting the G5 go haywire, even when not properly booted, by leaving it on for 20 minutes or so, and enduring the heavy noise of the ventilators, that it reboots successfully for at least 1 time 9 out of 10 trials.

The noise though is deafening...

Is there already some update on what might cause this problem? Like aged components? Something else?

BDAqua

Level 10

239,273 points

Mar 10, 2010 5:58 PM in response to Johan7x

It sounds like the Logic Board Solder problem around the RAM banks, & heating a bit makes it contact.

PowerMac G5 boot problems?