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Anyone having power issues with G5's???

M

manzanita

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 14, 2003
45
0
CA
In the past week my new 1.8 GHz G5 has shut itself off TWICE, for no apparent reason. This is an instantaneous, complete power down, not putting itself to sleep. I've been able to turn it on again immediately both times. I wasn't even touching the keyboard or mouse... any ideas what is going on? Has anyone else heard of this problem?

I purchased it on 9/23 - should I return it? No ... sigh ... I didn't get Apple Care on it.

edit: This happened after I updated to 10.2.8 --- could this be a software issue (i.e. hopefully resolved on the evening of 10/24/03?)
 
Do you have an Apple Display?

Is it the 20" LCD?

The front power switch on the 20" LCD is heat activated and VERY sensitive, so the solution has been to use the control panel option to disable the switch.
 
It's the 15"; I've used it for 2 years with my Cube, and it has never done this before. Also, when I touch the switch on the monitor, it puts the computer to sleep; it doesn't shut it down completely like this. ??
 
Originally posted by Frohickey
galvanic skin response switch.
Click to expand...

Huh? Is that English? (It must be cat fur response switch too; my cats end up putting it to sleep whenever they lay down in front of the monitor.)
 
The only thing that I have come across that is somewhat close to this have to do with powering on. I have a dualie G5 and once when both my monitors were off and my computer as well, I turned one of my monitors, and the computer turned on as well. I only happened once I was never able to duplicate it

I have 2 Sony Multiscan E540's

I have never come across this on any other machine that I have ever used, PC or Apple.
 
Originally posted by Sun Baked
Do you have an Apple Display?

Is it the 20" LCD?

The front power switch on the 20" LCD is heat activated and VERY sensitive, so the solution has been to use the control panel option to disable the switch.
Click to expand...

Okay ... I may be an idiot ... but I can't figure out how to disable the switch on the monitor. I tried holding down Command-Shift while opening the Display control panel, but I don't get the Option panel to disable this. Any suggestions?
 
Thanks Sun Baked... I tried that, and it didn't give me the "Option" panel... Hmm.... this makes me want 10.3 even more now...!
 
Sounds like Apple has had issues with the switch too. Kinda stupid idea having that type of switch to turn on/off/sleep the computer. Would have been better to have a push button style. Might have been cheaper too.
 
I totally agree ... it takes like 1 more calorie to actually push a button rather than run my finger lightly over the sleek plastic casing of my monitor ... ahhhhhhh ... and a lot less frustration.

That said ... I don't think my G5 powering off has anything to do with the monitor switch, any other ideas? Should I just call Apple?
 
Yes...

www.duraswitch.com

... probably would have loved the chance to deliver a thin tactile/backlit switch to Apple.

The current fancy switch, is probably much more expensive, even though it may have been the best choice at the time for meeting Apple's needs for a low-profile switch.
 
same thing....

I have had my G5 1.8ghz for two weeks now and I started noticing that every once in awhile the computer would be shut down and I did not turn it off. It has got worse tonight it has shut down multiple times. I am using a old 17 inch crt apple model that uses a ADC connector. So any way I saw a post else where that stated a dual 2 ghz model was shutting down too, I think there might be a big problem starting here!!!
 
Re: same thing....

Originally posted by stanmoonie
I have had my G5 1.8ghz for two weeks now and I started noticing that every once in awhile the computer would be shut down and I did not turn it off. It has got worse tonight it has shut down multiple times. I am using a old 17 inch crt apple model that uses a ADC connector. So any way I saw a post else where that stated a dual 2 ghz model was shutting down too, I think there might be a big problem starting here!!!
Click to expand...

Oh wow... I guess I'm glad I'm not the only one (but I'm sorry you're having trouble too!). Have you installed the 10.2.8 update by any chance? I'm wondering if that's the culprit ... and if 10.3 will help any.
 
Bad news

I have the 10.3 GM installed and it does the same thing. I got a funny feeling it has to do with the power supply, because I had a firewire drive hooked up that runs under its own power and when I unhooked it the problems stopped tempory so I will see what happens. I am going to call Apple tomorrow to see what to do!!!
 
shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii........... darn. I'm going to call tomorrow too.

I also wonder if it would help to get a better line conditioner - the power in my apartment is pretty messed up...
 
Power problems caused all kinds of problems with my destop PC at home, but never with my PC laptop when the battery was inserted. I have seen the same thing affect Macs in much the same way. An uninteruptible power supply can eliminate all such problems if you are experiencing minor brownouts.
 
I used to have the same problem with my dual G4. It was during harvest and the farmers were cranking up the wheat driers (or something like that). These driers consume HUGE amounts of power during start up and cause major problems.
As soon as I installed a UPS the problems stopped. The green light dims when the farmer next door starts his up.
 
Re: Anyone having power issues with G5's???

Originally posted by manzanita


I purchased it on 9/23 - should I return it? No ... sigh ... I didn't get Apple Care on it.
Click to expand...

If you purchased it anywhere remotely authorised - apple store, apple reseller etc - then it's got applecare for a year. or at least hardware warranty for a year.

my dual 2ghz died the first day i had it, and they sent me a brand new one the next day, no questions asked. I'd bought applecare, but hadn't registered it yet - they didn't care if I had it or not. they just took it right back.
 
The cheap 500VA UPSs will probably be too small for the machine, since they normally run a 300W supply output.

The machine will probably need at least the more expensive line conditioning 1000VA units.


G5 Power Draw
The G5 uses 235
The nine HDs use 130
Cable modem, router, airport and phone use 20
Click to expand...
Since the G5s normally throttle down in normal use I can see why the people with the 500VA (300W output) UPSs claim they overload when the dual G5s and the fans all throttle up.
 
You know... all this talk about power issues with G5s got me thinking...

G5s use more power than the past PowerMacs that Apple has made...
East Coast blackout where one of the causes was because of low/no continuing investment in the power supply grid since the 1950s...
Coincidence?
 
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