Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Sudden shutdown

It started after the 10.4.7 update. When I rebooted after the update, My G5 would just shut down right away, like someone pulled the power cord. iTunes was a startup item and caused this. And did so later when I would start iTunes myself.

I threw out caches, reset the PMU, unplugged all devices/cables, reset PRAM, ran Disk Utility and TechTool Pro, deleted iTunes and related files, re-installed iTunes. Not sure what did the trick but the shutdowns were gone.

But they came back. A few times after starting iTunes and also a few times when surfing the web. So more rounds of unplugging, resetting, etc. and it would be fine again.
Today it happened again after starting iTunes, and unplugging, resetting, etc. would not help. Same thing on a second hard drive with pretty much a clean install of OS X. So I can't use iTunes anymore...

This is from the sytem log:
Aug 19 21:47:23 localhost kernel[0]: ApplePMU::PMU forced shutdown, cause = -122

I've seen more posts about the same problem, also at www.xlr8yourmac.com, and the same problem still happening after repair. Not sure if bringing it in for repair would help. The problem might be gone all of a sudden, who knows when it comes back, and it seems that nobody knows what the problem is so that would make it impossible to repair.

Or did I miss something? And I wonder what all people with the same problem did. Just living with the occasional shutdown now and then? I saw a much older post by sAik0, someone with the same Mac who had the same problem when starting iTunes and later wrote that iTunes wasn't the problem but that Topic has been archived and replies are not allowed...

My guess is that it's a problem with sound, iTunes talking to hardware. Or maybe QuickTime? (Because it happened a few times when surfing the web and maybe Safari needed QuickTime on some sites?) I'd like to hear from people with the same problem. And any idea what a good way would be to contact Apple about this? It looks like it's just faulty and Apple should fix this...

G5 dual 2.3 Ghz Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Aug 19, 2006 8:40 PM

112 replies

Nov 4, 2006 11:07 AM in response to decksnap

Hi,
I called Apple - first a person who couldn't be of much help, then a supervisor who said that Apple "never releases a software update that causes problems" (ahem). He told me he had to charge me and then would solve the problem. I've been there, so I asked him what if he wouldn't solve the problem? He didn't give an answer. Told him about he case that's on xlr8yourmac, then he started putting words in my mouth: oh if you think it's a hardware problem you need to take it to a repair center. I said I don't know what it is, you're the expert, and that I wanted Apple to fix this without my Mac gone for a long while, that I'm sure the problem is Apple's fault, that there are more people with the same problem and long story short got in an argument with the guy who got really snooty and he hung up...

decksnap

Level 1

0 points

Nov 4, 2006 11:29 AM in response to Jeroen Pietersma1

I ended up calling them as well. They were of no help. My approach was simply asking that the problem be reported, not that my specific problem be fixed. This is in the hopes that if enough people report it, they'll actually take the time to resolve it. However, she said there is nothing she can report without setting up a 'case', and she can't set up a case unless I pay them. So, dead end. I did end up filing a bug report at apple.com/feedback. I don't know what else to do.

Nov 4, 2006 11:25 PM in response to Jeroen Pietersma1

Hmmm, this is very interesting. I just started having this random shutdown problem with a bit of new intrigue. Mine randomly shuts down and then randomly starts up all on it's own, presenting me with the log-in page when I walk into my office. It all started with 10.4.7.

Nov 5, 2006 6:02 AM in response to aircraftja

I wish I could remember what I had done to my G5 before this started happening. I've loaded all the updates, OS-X, iTunes, QT, everything that comes through... so I don't recall what the last update was. But I do know it all started when I started to play a slideshow in Lightroom (which does activate iTunes to play the music). Other than that, I can't really pinpoint anything else.

Nov 5, 2006 7:02 AM in response to Jeroen Pietersma1

I had my G5 dual for almost 2 years before the machine started shutting down without warning. The fans would be running at maximum speed. The interval between occurances became shorter until it was every few hours. I called Apple and went through every possible software fix. Nothing helped. Now it stated doing it every few minutes. Being a former connector engineer I knew that a very large part of electronics problems are connector related so I unplugged the computer, opened the cover and jiggled every board I could see. It worked with no problem for a week and then the problem reoccured. This time I removed the fans and using the levers ejected each memory card and then pushed it back in. It has been running for several weeks with no problem. I expect that every 6 month to a year I will have to do the same thing again. Apple uses industry standard memory cards. Unfortunately "industry standard" in the PC industry usually means cheap and low reliability. The design of the card and of the connectors in inherently of low reliability. With on/off temperature cycling and the vibration of the fans after a period of time the integrety of the connection deteriorates. If you bring the computer in for service it may work there but by the time it gets bumped around in transit back to the user it may no longer work. Reseating the memory cards after the computer is back at the users place should fix it.

Nov 5, 2006 11:36 AM in response to macengineeruser

That sounds like it could definately be part of my problem. I received a memory stick from a friend and tried it with a couple of other 'pairs' to see if it would work. It didn't, but in the process I may have loosened some of the others. That was about a week ago. I'll reseat them again tomorrow and see if that helps. Thanks for the tip.

decksnap

Level 1

0 points

Nov 5, 2006 6:58 PM in response to macengineeruser

Macengineeruser- I think you have a very different problem than what is being discussed in this thread, but hearing other stories is always good.

Are you getting the same console PMU forced shutdown error?

Juz

Level 1

0 points

Nov 6, 2006 3:49 PM in response to Jeroen Pietersma1

I posted in August, and the issue did seem to go away after a (co-incidental) Software Update, but returned with a vengeance in November.

Anyhow, to cut a long story short (there is a large thread on the iMac boards about this problem), for Rev B iMac G5s (the ones with the ambient light sensor) it is hardware related - power supply specifically.

The local Apple Store replaced mine, and it hasn't missed beat for the 4 days since. Opinion varies as to who is responsible for this cost, but although I was prepared to pay the $110 for parts and $85 labour, when I picked up my iMac I was told that there was recently a service bulletin about this, so no cost.

Happy days again.

iMac 2GHz PPC 1.5GB Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Nov 6, 2006 9:11 PM in response to Jeroen Pietersma1

The problem you guys are describing here sounds a lot like one that started on My Quicksilver G4 yesterday -- it'll be working along just fine, the suddenly the fan will stop and the screen will go black, sometimes accompanied by an audible snap from the speakers. I can attempt to restart it (sometimes the power button on the Apple Display doesn't work, however), and the startup button will light, I'll hear the startup chime, and the screen will go black again.

If I disconnect the power cord for a little while, the machine will attempt to restart when I reconnect it, as I have it set to do after a power failure. However, if I haven't allowed much time since it shut down, it will usually repeat the same problem soon after. Even best-case, however, the problem will repeat within 10-20 minutes or so.

The logic board is new, replaced in September 2005. Would they have replaced the power supply at the same time, maybe with a defective piece like G5 users are reporting here? Somehow I doubt it. Are many other G4 users out there having this issue?

Nov 7, 2006 2:48 AM in response to Jeroen Pietersma1

Jeroen Pietersma1-

Have you seen this?

http://www.apple.com/support/powermac/powersupply/repairextension/

Luck-

-DaddyPaycheck

Nov 7, 2006 4:40 AM in response to DaddyPaycheck

Saw that... however, my G5 is not within the serial number range and it will power on... just intermittently shuts down. The problem must be something similar. I hope Apple extends it to us others that don't fall in that category and serial number range.

Nov 7, 2006 5:08 AM in response to mykguilbault

My power supply died recently - this was preceded by a series of random shutdowns as described. It would often be iTunes causing these shutdowns, maybe the extra CPU horsepower required or something....?

With mine there was also a nasty electrical burning smell ; )

Nov 7, 2006 5:27 AM in response to mykguilbault

Mike_Guilbault-

Firm but polite with Customer Support seems to get things done. Apple has a habit of widening coverage on units as they see the problem spread.

Luck-

-DaddyPaycheck

Nov 7, 2006 6:32 AM in response to DaddyPaycheck

Hi DaddyPaycheck,
I saw that, thanks, but it's another problem - it's about failing to start up; I don't have any problems with that, it's just sudden shutdowns... Also y serial number is not in the range on that web page...
I was thinking of writing a letter, because second line phone support takes an hour and still talking to "an expert" who thinks he's going to resolve the problem with resetting pram, emptying caches etc....

Nov 7, 2006 10:37 AM in response to Ken and Michelle Walker

Pretty much just for something to try, based on what folks are saying here and at Xlr8yourmac.com, I did an archive and install this morning to downgrade to Mac OS 10.4.6. The machine's been running since then with no trouble. That's just one day, true, but a much better day than the last two.

Sudden shutdown