Hi everybody, I would like to have help for a mac pro 6.1 that started to power on and boot as I turn on the power strip or simply when I plug the power cord...can it be a software issue or just the power supply is broken?
Anyone had the same behavior?
Thank you!
Earlier Mac models
The parameters that are important for staring up in a reasonable way, such as knowing where the boot drive is, the screen type and resolution, and what day it is are stored in Parameter RAM. Parameter RAM is maintained by an "always on" (as long as there is AC power) tiny power supply inside. To make sure your Mac is often easy to use, that power supply is backed up by a long-life lithium battery.
If the battery is too weak AND it's off AC power, the saved parameters can deteriorate and cause problems, such as forgot where the boot drive is, forgot the date& time, or can't do anything at all.
Not being able to get three sets of chimes suggests your backup battery may be getting weak.
The parameters that are important for staring up in a reasonable way, such as knowing where the boot drive is, the screen type and resolution, and what day it is are stored in Parameter RAM. Parameter RAM is maintained by an "always on" (as long as there is AC power) tiny power supply inside. To make sure your Mac is often easy to use, that power supply is backed up by a long-life lithium battery.
If the battery is too weak AND it's off AC power, the saved parameters can deteriorate and cause problems, such as forgot where the boot drive is, forgot the date& time, or can't do anything at all.
Not being able to get three sets of chimes suggests your backup battery may be getting weak.
when did you buy this machine? has it been off AC power for any appreciable period of time?
'Where I am going is that' your parameters may have gotten clobbered.
An PRAM Reset (assert command Option P R at startup and hold [seems like forever] through THREE sets of chimes before releasing) can fix that for the short run, but if the battery is getting tired, any interruption of AC power can cause wonkiness to get worse, and has even been know to preclude starting up.
The battery replacement that is pretty good is a CR2013, very common long life non-recharging Lithium battery.
the bad news: the battery replacement in the 2013 Mac Pro requires a complete 32-step teardown.
the good news:. doing that teardown procedure refreshes the connections on all the internal boards and ribbon cables, and heads off graphics card problems that could develop.
Thank you very much Grant!
the machine was buyed as refurbished from shop, now after a while I saw this behavior(it was plugged since came here), so..I can't know if it has been off AC Power for a lot of time before I've buyed it...but it's possible. But shop isn't much "collaborative", they say "it's normal and with no solution"...incredible...
"'Where I am going is that' your parameters may have gotten clobbered"
-How can it be done?
"An PRAM Reset (assert command Option P R at startup and hold [seems like forever] through THREE sets of chimes before releasing) can fix that for the short run, but if the battery is getting tired, any interruption of AC power can cause wonkiness to get worse, and has even been know to preclude starting up."
Didn't know that...interesting, anyway, my mac does two chimes and then boot and the problem remain.
The battery seems to be the most interesting solution I've read since I am serching, thank you a lot!
I missed some important words in your TITLE, regarding a Power Strip.
Because the parameters are backed up by an always-on power supply, it is a really Bad Idea™ for this specific model Mac, to turn off the power strip. Dropping power mens at the backup battery has to work harder and more often, and will die again sooner. And it means you will be facing the 32-step teardown much sooner.
Thank you again, I'll give a try with the battery, I'll watch if the 32-step teardown is possible or too hard.
The funny thing is the SMC reset that could also be resolutive in some circustances, It can't be done because the procedure says to unplug the power cord for 15 minutes and then plug it again, wait 5 seconds and then power on the mac but when I plug the power cord the computer starts, and then the procedure fails because I don't have this 5 seconds to wait...is there another way(also hardware) to reset the SMC?
the correct PRAM Reset procedure for your model Mac, as I described above is:
Hold four keys at startup:
Command-Option-P-R
and hold until you have heard the chimes three times, then release.
If your Mac has been off power for more than a few minutes, it will automatically do a system Reset, including System Management Controller (SMC) reset, but that is not necessary or helpful for the issue you describe.
"If your Mac has been off power for more than a few minutes, it will automatically do a system Reset, including System Management Controller (SMC) reset, but that is not necessary or helpful for the issue you describe."
Great, this was an aspect that was not clear in many forums and explanations on the SMC reset
In the end , thanks for your precious informations , so I obtained a restitution of the mac pro, the seller was continuing to say that it is normal on this mac with that firmware(...), great!
Mac pro 6.1 powers up as I turn on power strip or plug the power cord
