Dual 2.3 GHz PowerPC G5 shutting itself down

Question

Dual 2.3 GHz PowerPC G5 shutting itself down

Hello everyone,

I have a Dual 2.3 GHz PowerPC G5 with Leopard (running the latest Mac OS for this machine, I think 10.5.8).

It has about 4.5 GB of RAM.

All of a sudden, on the 14th December, I turned it on, went away, came back and it was stuck on the Apple icon screen (when starting up). I powered it off, powered it back on, and this time when it got to the Apple icon on the screen, it shut itself off, and ever since it is doing the same thing!

On a side issue, this seems to have affected my WD storage drive (My Book Mac Edition), but I am not asking for advice on that here (unless you have any, and wish to comment).

I have made a video of these problems:

https://youtu.be/fbpXcegczwQ

I have read a previous thread on here, about a similar shutting down issue. The person said he took out all his RAM, reinstalled them, along with having a clean inside the computer, and that improved things, although he said a few weeks later, it shut itself down again. Someone then suggested that the power supply was failing.

Going by this advice, I shall have a clean, reinstall all the RAM, and let you know what happens. In the meantime, if anyone has any other helpful advice, please comment.

Thank you

Adam

Posted on Dec 20, 2017 3:45 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Adam Simpson5 Author

Level 1

39 points

Dec 28, 2017 8:29 AM in response to Adam Simpson5

GOOD NEWS

Okay, so I reset the PMU by pressing the button next to the RAM inside the computer. This did not make a difference, and the computer still turned itself off after powering on!

I then tried resetting the PRAM or NVRAM by holding Option + Command + P + R. After the second startup sound, I released the keys, and incredibly it started up!

Things aren't totally as they were though, so I won't say this is solved at the moment.

I have two hard drives in my G5, one with Mac OS 10.5.8 (Leopard), and the other with 10.4.11 (Tiger I believe). What has happened, is that it has started up in 10.4.11 for some reason. I am currently backing up data from the 10.5.8 desktop (via a desktop folder), in case things go wrong again, and then I shall attempt to get it to start up from the 10.5.8 hard drive.

Reply

Answer 2

Dec 30, 2017 6:28 AM in response to Adam Simpson5

Hi everyone,

After further investigating in Disk Utility, it seems that one of my start-up disks is faulty, and this would explain why my G5 could not start-up using the "Spare" hard disk (which has Leopard), but when I reset PRAM/NVRAM it managed to startup using the other hard disk "Untitled" (which has Tiger).

I don't know if "Untitled" is my default hard disk, to startup from whenever there is a problem, or it just automatically selected it knowing that the other one is faulty. I have enclosed a screenshot from Disk Utility.

I am now going to do some research to try and repair the "Spare" hard disk. Disk Utility can not do it, so I believe I might need the Leopard Install DVD.

Any advice appreciated, thank you.

Reply

Answer 3

getangar

Level 5

4,548 points

Dec 20, 2017 3:55 AM in response to Adam Simpson5

Well, as first step I would remove all the peripherals and try to see if with a safe boot your Mac is booting up: Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac - Apple Support

If it starts, check the disk as first thing.

Reply

Answer 4

Dec 22, 2017 6:55 AM in response to getangar

Hello getangar/everyone,

Thank you for your help. The computer will not even let me start up in safe mode, even with shift held down, it shuts off in the same way.

A few things I have noticed, in case they help:

During the period it attempts to start up, there are no lights visible at the back of the G5. Isn't there supposed to be a red light visible somewhere?

Also, the white power light on my cinema display remains on, even after the G5 has shut down! I recall it always going off in the past, once I had shut the G5 down.

I still haven't cleaned inside, and reinstalled the RAM, so I shall do this next!

Reply

Answer 5

Dec 28, 2017 5:30 AM in response to Adam Simpson5

UPDATE

I have taken out the RAM and then reinserted them, along with giving the inside of the computer a clean (it was quite clean anyway). This has not made a difference, and it is still shutting itself down!

I shall try resetting PMU to see if that makes a difference.

Reply