Dual G5 won't send signal to display

[mmathis]

Recently my Dual 2.0 gHz G5 has developed this problem. It started out as a small annoyance, but it's starting to worry me now since it happens QUITE frequently now. When I start it up in the morning, I get the start-up sound and everything, but nothing shows up on my display. In the past, this would happen a couple times a week and would be fixed by simply restarting, but now it happens pretty much every time I shut the computer down, and it takes a MINIMUM of four restarts before something finally shows up on the screen. I don't think it's the monitor, and I was wondering if anyone knows what it may be. I think the video card probably has something to do with it, but I'm clinging to the hope that it's something that can be easily fixed - i can't really go for week without my computer so the techs at the Apple store can look at it right now.
Thanks

 

[Sun Baked]

You may have to remove and replace the video card, some of them are not seated fully or shifted.

It's one of the things to check when there is a video card related problem.

 

[Sayer]

Why don't you think it is the display? Before I started taking my computer apart I'd check the display first since it is the starting-point of the problem (since the computer starts up and works normally).

Can you use a second known-good display with the computer and see if it really is the computer and not the display? Can you use a different cable as well?

After that point definitely check the video card to see if it is seated properly. If you can get a flashlight and look in the PCI area check to see if there is not a significant length of the gold contacts on the connector of the video card visible sticking out on one end of the AGP connector versus the other.

If there is more of the contacts visible on one end of the connector than the other then the card is not seated properly. If you take the card out hold it by the edges and reseat it squarely by pressing on the top edge evenly. Don't rock it while pressing down.

If all of this the screen continues not to "work" after a fresh startup you may want to try and reset the motherboard. It's a bit complicated to get at the reset button. If you can ask a Mac Tech to do it, that'd be best. They could also check it out and possibly find a deeper problem than you can.

There is a description of the G5 motherboard reset procedure here: http://commons.exittoshell.com/viewtopic.php?p=13#13

I am an Apple Certified Desktop Technician, btw. This procedure adheres exactly to the Apple-recommended procedures for service techs.

 

[chris h 1997]

Check out this link, Apple is aware of this issue;
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=32498

This issue is also all over the Apple discussion boards in both the G5 Display folder and the G5 Usage folder. I have the same problem with mine. I called Apple 3 times and the third time I was told to take it to the local Apple Store for repair. Some people have reported Apple sending them a new card but I wasn't able to talk them into that. BTW mine has a 9600 Pro card.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[Edot]

Same thing happened to me

The same thing happened to me and I just called and got a new video card. I think there is a problem with the 9600 pro. Everything works fine now.

 

[mmathis]

thanks for the advice everyone. today at school, one of my classmates told me he'd heard of someone having the same problem too, and that it was an issue a lot of G5s have with the 9600 video card.

 

[PowerMacMan]

I've had that problem... With my PC... Only it was the motherboard...

 

[macphisto]

We have the same problem here in our office. Hence we leave the computers on 24/5. It only happens on the weekends when we shut down the computers and it is cold.

We have 1.6 G5s with the 9600 Pro. Funny thing was that I called Apple and they wouldn't help me unless I extended my apple care (past the one year, because the 90 day phone service was expired) or paid for the service call ($50) and IF there was a video card problem then they would refund my money if not...

Needless to say, it is rather annoying.