Just inherited a dual 2.0GHz PowerMac G5 to replace a Quicksilver G4. I wiped the G5 drive and cloned the G4 disk onto it. It worked fine for a while. Now pressing power generates no chime and no response (can't open optical drive tray or invoke target mode), and soon after the fans rev up to airplane mode. I saw in a previous thread that bad capacitors might be to blame, but everything I find online about that is tailored to G5 iMacs. Ideas?
You can open the Optical by sliding the door down & inserting a straightened Paper Clip in the tiny hole & pushing.
Ha! I wondered, but I didn't see a hole when I pulled the door down. Now where did I put the flashlight?...
It is hard to see.
Getting the optical drive open doesn't solve the underlying problem, though. Machine still won't chime, let alone boot (even as a target disk) when it powers on. Another consistent symptom: The fans power up to full speed after a few seconds of nothing happening.
Fans going to full speed is normal & mostly safe, it happens when no OS is available to handle the fans.
Tough without the Install disc, but some things to try...
Does it boot to Single User Mode, CMD+s keys at bootup, if so try...
/sbin/fsck -fy
Repeat until it shows no errors fixed.
(Space between fsck AND -fy important).
http://www.westwind.com/reference/os-x/commandline/single-user.html
None of this has any effect (including using installer disc). Again, there is no startup chime. The machine is not getting to the software part of its startup process. I've isolated the RAM a pair at a time; no luck.
None of this has any effect (including using installer disc). Again, there is no startup chime. The machine is not getting to the software part of its startup process. I've isolated the RAM a pair at a time, too; no luck.
I think the problem is either the logic board, or the power supply; however, it's hard to tell without the proper testing equipment.
Agreed.
Well, gee, should I try the infamous hair dryer therapy?
Thanks for all the info u have been providing
I have very similar/identical problem with G5 dual 2Ghz. I have gone through all the tests that have been mentioned over the years
including your idea of removing everything and waiting it out overnight. I tried booting without any RAM or drive and got no chime at all. Using comand-option - p-r yields only one chime; can never get it to chime second or third time.
Use of Command-S gives a header with copyright info, Univ of Cal, etc down to "DART enabled" But then it will take no commands from the keyboard so I can't enter /sbin/fsck -fy
Use of command-option-o-f gives header describing the G5 down to cursor for entry. Typing reset-nvram, return yields OK; typing set-defaults yields OK;
typing reset-all yields nothing even if I wait for a long time.
More ideas would be welcome.
Yes. 🙂
Have you tried a hair dryer or heat gun on the RAM slots?
PowerMac G5 won't start up
