G5 Problem - Any help

[derboy]

This is a stab in the dark to see if anyone else has been having problems with thier g5 (1.6).
Since putting in new ram and putting on panther (i think) i've been getting loads of kernal panics- when screen mouse etc freezes, and having to hold the power button down to get going again.

i.ve moved the ram to the original 256 and reinstalled panther and jaguar a few times and the problem continues.

It freezes bout twice a day, sometimes more. i've got two hard drives and tried using both of them from scratch, but to no use.

The apple hardware check does not get any results. the freezes can happen in any application; safari, finder itunes - whatever. the system is usually not being worked hard when it freezes, and it does it sometimes when its not
I've attached a pic of loads of code running down the screen today. first time thats happened!

Any suggestions would be handy. hardware or software?

 

[BillClinton]

Sounds like bad RAM. Take out everything that isn't stock and see if the problem persists. If it does, you might have a bad logic board. Let's hope that its the RAM.

 

[edesignuk]

Call Apple and tell them to get it fixed! Sounds like you've done more than enough, let them deal with it.

 

[jelloshotsrule]

test the ram first, for sure

but, i had a similar thing happen... my g5 would kp a lot... then it started to just turn off randomly...

also the fan would start to get really really loud...

a reinstall of panther fixed it... atleast for now. though i'm still a little concerned.

keep us posted

 

[derboy]

I dont think that its the ram, because i've tried it with the stock apple stuff and crucial stuff seperately.

I dont like the fact that apples hardware test didnt find anything (another note; while the test was running the fans all went to full power. -isnt this a sign of the os losing control of the system.)

crashing on clean installs of panther or jaguar.

Does a new logic board mean new computer, or is it a viable replacement part.

I'm definatly gonna take it to an apple reseller for them to take a look, but that wont be for 6 weeks, when i finish this term at uni. cant be without it at the momment because theres a lot of work going through it.

Do apple have any obligation to give you a 'courtesy' computer if they are fixing yours?

Tried the phone support, - what a joke. Every uk call gets routed to an indian call office for tech support issues. we spent 20 minutes trying to get my details down, and then he wanted 35 quid for his expert advice and special "over the phone" tests.

Ps i got the g5 very early in the uk through ed inst store, when they were first appearing.

- Another note, sorry. would a logic board work for the first two months then pack up.

thanks

 

[photohead]

My cousin has dual g5 2ghz...had that exact problem.....he had to take it to the apple store to get it fixed....3 time.....with the grad total of 6 weeks...of down time....they finally just gave him a new one....they said that it was a wierd hardware anomolie...(??spelling) they tried replacing a bunch of parts but it didn't work...??? good luck...

N

 

[iJon]

my g5 wouldnt get kernal panics but it would at least freeze 2 times a day if not more, sometimes 10. since i have multiple macs it was never a problem cause i just went to another computer like my powerbook to play on, but i could never serious work done. had the processor and mobo replaced, having an uptime of 6 days so far.

iJon

 

[Makosuke]

Originally posted by derboy
I dont like the fact that apples hardware test didnt find anything (another note; while the test was running the fans all went to full power. -isnt this a sign of the os losing control of the system.)

The fans spinning to full during the hardware test is entirely normal, and does not indicate any sort of failure. In fact, part of what it tests is the fan control (at some point you can hear it spinning up each fan in sequence).

And just because the hardware test didn't find something doesn't mean it's not broken. Bad RAM problems--which your issue really does sound like--can be VERY hard to detect, and I've heard of plenty of stories of them slipping through the Hardware Test CD (in fact, it only seems to notice very bad RAM).

Still, if you've tried just original sticks, and just Crucial sticks (a good company, by the way--you could try getting them to replace your potentially bad sticks and try just those), and you've reinstalled the OS, and the problems are still happening, maybe it is the motherboard.

Apple won't give you a loaner, and the repair only consists of replacing the motherboard. In theory it should happen pretty quickly, but I'd be reluctant to take the thing in, too.

 

[newt2mac]

Similar Story

I just got my DP 1.8 G5 last week, and it didn't even get a chance to boot up before a Kernel Panic. Since then Ive been having about 1 every 5 minutes. Plus, frozen beechballs, loud fans, etc. This is my first mac and it really annoyed me.

I reloaded the OS and did the HW test with no problems found, and problem kept occurring. I just have Apple Stock (1Gg) RAM and ATI 9600.

Apple Care finally considered it DOA and another one got shipped out this morning. I will be shipping mine back when I get the Shipping labels. They were OK to deal with, as I understand lemons do occur. They wanted me to take it to get repaired, but I didn't buy a refurb, I bought a brand new one.. So, we will see, hopefully, this is an isolated thing.

 

[derboy]

recent developments

So after all that i took the machine to an apple autorised servic centre (UK). They ran the machine constantly for 2 weeks and it did not crash. the freezing only occurs when the machine is doing random tasks by the user, (not continuous/intensive processing). No attention was given to the vast crash logs when i told them about them, and personally i dont think they knew where to start.

So that came back with a clean bill of health until now when i'm back at university and its still crashing a couple of times a day.

i'm so annoyed, and when i call apple they just route , my call goes to a call centre in the far east. how can i make a relevant complaint, and get a replacement machine that works.

i've got no idea, i just know that apples unique approach has me by the balls. i think the only thing left to do is take the matter to the small claims court , but again i'm not sure what exactly to do.

any suggestions!

 

[switchedanhappy]

I have a dual 2 and this hasn't happened to me, but I'd say send it back to apple and see what the can do. if they can reproduce the problem, they're required to fix it. (if it still has applecare) oh and maybe try contacting apple on the net... they have forums at apple.com, so maybe you can get a rep to talk to you.