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User profile for user: RogueOp
RogueOp Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

PowerMac G5, Dead Power Supply?

I came home and found the breaker for the 120v outlet that the mac was plugged into tripped. When I restored power and tried to start the mac it was totally dead, unresponsive. I suspect that the power supply is finished. It might have been making a ticking sound for some days before it failed. I see that new power supplies are available for appx $300. That's too mch to put into an old G5 I think. If I could find a used power supply for something like $50 I'd be willing to give it a try. My question is, which power supplies should I look for? Is there a better quality PS that might be sourced from an newer G5 that would work with my mac? Thanks for reading.


The mac I'm talking about is G5 2.0 dual processor model that was new in September 2005.


I'd be glad to take suggestions for a different forum where this question might be better recieved if that is the case.

PowerMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8), G5 2.0 dual

Posted on May 21, 2011 4:03 PM

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User profile for user: dalstott
dalstott
User level: Level 4
2,639 points

May 21, 2011 5:52 PM in response to RogueOp

G5s are pretty much obsolete compared to the intel Macs except when you need to use some kinds of older software. My 2004 G5 had a main board RAM failure and the replacement cost was much more than the computer was worth. It had such a nice case I hated to discard the whole thing. I salvaged all the drives, RAM, etc and turned it into a software storage cabinet. Very cool and it still looks important seting beside my desk.


http://retromaccast.ning.com/photo/g5-rip-1?context=album&albumId=1672786%3AAlbu m%3A46700

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User profile for user: RogueOp
RogueOp Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

May 22, 2011 9:20 AM in response to dalstott

G5's are obsolete in the sense that they are not supported for the latest versions of software or for processing digital video, ie. importing video into iMovie, but the one I have, with dual processors, 4 GB RAM, and a video card with 256 MB vram is a pretty sweet internet browser/ word processor, etc. And since the USA is on the brink of the next Great Depression, I'm not going to go out and drop $1499 on a new mac when this serves my purposes. So I will try to keep it going.


I've learned that you can get a G5 power supply repaired for $45, including return shipping. I did this once with an earlier mac (Power Macintosh 9600/300), which worked, after the repair, for seven years until I retired it. Seems woth it to me.


I like the G5/Mac Pro case so much that if it the computer was unrepairable I'd probably use the case to build a PC running Linux. That or buy a used Mac Pro 😉

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User profile for user: old comm guy
old comm guy
User level: Level 4
2,249 points

May 22, 2011 11:04 AM in response to The hatter

The hatter wrote:


G5s can do "mini inside" or even X58.


The thing I would be doing is $169 1500VA from Cyperpower though, and look at what else was on the same circuit.


Some PSU for G5 in $200 bracket

http://www.dvwarehouse.com/G5-Power-Supply-c-247_5371_541.html


Ditto. I've done exactly both of those things and life is good.


Get the supply fixed or replaced and live on if you don't need the latest, up-to-the-minute hardware on your desk. Then when you finally need to make the move, you'll have the latest, up-to-the-minute hardware on your desk and what you would buy today will probably undoubtedly be obsolete and cost more.

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User profile for user: Xrayfse
Xrayfse
User level: Level 1
0 points

Oct 19, 2011 2:35 PM in response to RogueOp

I have a bad power supply in my dual G5 power Mac but the g5 chip is much better at multitrack recording, at it puts audio functions on the highest priority on the chip and the intel chips have many other functions higher on the chips priority, this causes glitches. Also the intel chips get overloaded with lots of tracks and live effect functions, the G5 can handle a thousand tracks and hundreds of live effects without being taxed. If you use deck to master Video with 5.1 sound and hundreds of tracks your fastest intel chip will not impress you. So I will not move to a newer computer for audio video projects. I need to replace or repair my power supply. Is there a schematic available for this ps?

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PowerMac G5, Dead Power Supply?

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