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PowerPC G5 1.6GHz not starting up..please help!

Hello everyone

I should firstly add that I have been having display trouble for a few years now (only showing video after a few restarts), so this may have something to do with what happened the other day, which is as follows:

I was online but on the phone to a friend, then all of a sudden the fans of my PowerPC G5 started going wild, as if the room temperature rapidly increased (I've had this issue before too). The screen cursor from my tablet pen (little arrow) was frozen (don't recall this happening for a long time), so the only thing I could do was a forced restart from the main power button at the front of the G5. It did start up again, but with messed up video (as if I pulled the power cable out of a TV). I thought not to worry, as I usually have video issues and a few restarts usually sorts it out, however the next forced restart produced no video (just a black screen) and more to my concern, no white light or start up chime! Following restarts have been the same.

There is a start up sound when I press the power buttton (I think maybe some brief fans as well), but no light or that power on chime noise. My feeling is that I now have the original video issues combined with a failure of somekind! Please help as I am really worried that this might be something serious.

Does this sound fixable to you guys??

Thanks for reading,

Adam

PowerMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8), PowerPC G5 1.6GHz

Posted on Dec 30, 2013 8:03 AM

46 replies

BDAqua

Level 10

239,345 points

Jan 13, 2014 9:03 AM in response to Adam Simpson5

OK, good luck with it, please keep us posted on any outcome. 🙂

Jan 16, 2014 1:28 PM in response to BDAqua

Hi,just to let you know, I started it up without the side panel, or air deflector. A red light came on behind where the white front power light is (I believe on the logic board), along with the fans. I know this is because there is no side covers, but is this good news for my start up difficulties (indicating anything good)?

I've made a brief video clip also, so people can hear the sounds it is making, incase that helps identify anything.

http://youtu.be/P8pNa_sAHdM

BDAqua

Level 10

239,345 points

Jan 16, 2014 3:25 PM in response to Adam Simpson5

Sorry, I'm nearly deaf, I heard the bong but nothing else.

With the side cover off but the deflector in place, is there still an LED lit?

How many seconds into the video do you hear sounds?

Jan 20, 2014 10:01 AM in response to BDAqua

Hi, you have to wear ear-phones to hear the sounds clearly, I'm going to upload another video shortly anyhow, with a bit more detail.

I started it with the deflector in place, and no red lights visible (this will be in the new video), not inside on the logic board, and not at the back either. I suppose that is bad news, right? But now the white status light at the front comes on.😕

Regarding sounds, after pressing the power button, there is like a sort of fan noise (about 1 or 2 secs), then another second of that crackling sounds they make, as they start up (sorry, don't know how to describe it), but very brief, unlike when it was starting up fine, when this sound would go on until the Mac OS was completely loaded up on screen. After these initial sounds, it is just 'on', just that humming noise they make when nothing particular is going on inside, and after a few minutes the fans start going wild, forcing me to switch off!!

I'm in contact with some Mac engineers now, so I'm going to send them the video links also, but so far they are warning me the 1.6GHz is obsolete.

Thank you

BDAqua

Level 10

239,345 points

Jan 20, 2014 11:08 AM in response to Adam Simpson5

As I understand it no led lit on the Logic board is a PSU problem, thought it indicated 5 VDC trickle voltage available.

Here's some more info on G5 PSU voltage values:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t105113.html

Jan 22, 2014 11:11 AM in response to BDAqua

Hi, thanks for your help, I'll have a look into that as well. I've made another video of the problem, but it probably won't give any other clues though.

http://youtu.be/FsUGNarQSDQ

BDAqua

Level 10

239,345 points

Jan 22, 2014 1:24 PM in response to Adam Simpson5

Do you have another Mac with Firewire around?

Jan 23, 2014 9:18 AM in response to BDAqua

No, unfortunately not.

Bruce762

Level 1

4 points

Jan 23, 2014 10:18 AM in response to Adam Simpson5

Hi Adam. I have exactly the same problem with my 2005 Power PC G5, dual 2.7. The red light that comes on inside when the plastic cover is removed is a warning that the cover is off - put the cover in place and the light goes off. I have tried everything that BDAqua has mentioned (many thanks to him). I am interested in his comment about a FireWire Mac as I have a Mac Mini. Would be interested in knowing what this involves.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,345 points

Jan 23, 2014 1:05 PM in response to Bruce762

Well, no idea if this will work with the state your G5 is in, but if you can connect the two with a Firewore cable, then try booting the g5 with the t key held down & see if the G5 shows up as a FW drive on the Mini... if so we might learn something from looking at the system log or crash logs on the G5.

FireWire target disk mode...

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661

Bruce762

Level 1

4 points

Jan 24, 2014 2:24 AM in response to BDAqua

Before I try the FireWire method, a quick summary of my setup. The Mac Mini was networked to the G5 via my BT Infinity router and worked fine; the two drives in the G5 we're accessible from the Mac Mini. When the G5 turned itself off suddenly (as though the power had been suddenly switched off) all communication with the keyboard, mouse, monitor and Mac Mini ceased, so without an operational keyboard, I think I am stuffed! The best I can do now, I think, is to remove the two drives and put them in USB hard drive enclosures so I can access all of my stuff, which is backed up on a separate FireWire drive and the Mac Mini, of course. Pity that I will loose the Classic environment (AppleWorks, and all of that) but I do have two OS 8.5 and OS 9 PowerBooks that I can use, as well as a B&W G3, so not too bad. Time to move on, I think.

Thank you very much for your help, and I am sure Adam Simpson feels the same.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,345 points

Jan 24, 2014 12:12 PM in response to Bruce762

The best I can do now, I think, is to remove the two drives and put them in USB hard drive enclosures so I can access all of my stuff...

Yes, good idea.

Jan 30, 2014 6:22 AM in response to BDAqua

Hello Bruce and BDAqua, I'm glad these posts have been helpful to others also, I just realized how many views it has had the other day lol. Thank you BDAqua.

I think from the point of PSU voltage and USB enclosures, it's starting to get a bit over my head lol, my G5 is going in for a 'diagnosis' later today (for £40). They are Apple authorized, so I should get answers...hopefully.

Actually, one question please. Let's say my hard drive is fine, and the problems are in other areas of the G5, does this mean that I can still retrieve the data somehow, and transfer it onto a new Mac?

Anyway, thank you and I will be reporting the results here.🙂

Bruce762

Level 1

4 points

Jan 30, 2014 7:05 AM in response to Adam Simpson5

Bellow Adam

I installed the two hard drives from my G5 into USB 3 enclosures yesterday and they both opened up on my late 2013 Mac Mini straight away. So I have access to all of my old files, although most of the applications won't work as they are for Power PC Macs and won't work on Intel ones. That is not really a problem apart from AppleWorks files earlier than AppleWorks 6 (which Pages and Numbers open, although not the Drawing and Painting files). However, I do have an old clamshell G3 iBook with AppleWorks 6 installed so I can convert any AppleWorks 5 or 4 files that I may need.

Removing the drives from the G5 is easy; they basically just pull out after the connectors have been removed - they can be a bit stiff, so need a good tug. Full instructions are in the manual that came with The computer. Fitting the drive(s) into enclosures is easy also; they just slide in after the mounting screws on the sides of the drive have been removed - again they can be hard to remove, so make sure you use a good screwdriver. I used black aluminium Cit enclosures from Amazon, which are USB 3 and come complete with a very substantial USB 3 cable, a power module and even a screwdriver for the little mounting screws. They come with little stands so that the unit can be mounted vertically, but I left these off and just placed the two flat, side by side. I have put some little neoprene studs on the bottom to keep them in place and also to dampen vibrations. The enclosures were only £15 each.

I will be interested to hear how you get on with your G5 - my local Apple repairer advised me that parts were no longer available, so that's why I have decided to rescue the hard drives.

BDAqua

Level 10

239,345 points

Jan 30, 2014 1:50 PM in response to Adam Simpson5

Good work, great to hear, thanks! 🙂

PowerPC G5 1.6GHz not starting up..please help!