G5 Troubleshooting Help Dual 2.0 Late 2005

[BubbaMc]

Hi,
Thought I'd start this thread following discussions in the Linux thread.

I've got a 2.0GHz Dual late 2005 which I bought for $30 and haven't yet been able to run an OS on it. Brief rundown of the issues (with the GPU in slot 2):

• 10.4 installation results in Kernel panic at various stages of the installation
• 10.5 installation results in a black screen about half way through (after the DVD has been verified), but it seems installation is continuing in the background
• Debian 10 results in a black screen after the boot process, "Linux single" yaboot option doesn't help

I've swapped the RAM with Samsung PC2-4200U 533MHz as a first step. Have moved the GPU (Nvidia 6600) to different slots - when in slot 1 I don't get a chime or picture. Moving it to slot 2 gives a picture but results in the above issues.

I've since learned that G5 machines can be unreliable with complete failures common (seem to be related to the Northbridge IC BGA solder connection) i.e. http://pixelchimp.net/mac-death/list/

Does anyone have ideas on what I could try next before I give up? Are there any success stories with regards to logic board repair? I'd rather not spend too much on it in case the machine is un-repairable.
Thanks

 

[z970]

To rule out failing PCIe slots, see what happens when you move the GPU to Slot 3, upped to 8x speed.

Slot 1 is 16x PCIe, Slot 2 is 4x PCIe, Slot 3 is 8x PCIe, and Slot 4 is 4x PCIe.

Failing that, try again with another graphics card in Slots 1 or 3. A GeForce 6600 LE will be the cheapest, though the reg. 6600 shouldn't be too much more.

I don't think it's the processor, and 2 separate OSes both exhibiting black screens is a strange symptom for a bad logic board.

 

[Jubadub]

Isn't it x16, x4, x8 and x4, from slots 1 to 4, respectively? EveryMac source.

 

[z970]

Isn't it x16, x4, x8 and x4, from slots 1 to 4, respectively? EveryMac source.

Yeah, that's right...

Sometimes memory can fail you...

 

[DearthnVader]

Hi,
Thought I'd start this thread following discussions in the Linux thread.

I've got a 2.0GHz Dual late 2005 which I bought for $30 and haven't yet been able to run an OS on it. Brief rundown of the issues (with the GPU in slot 2):

• 10.4 installation results in Kernel panic at various stages of the installation
• 10.5 installation results in a black screen about half way through (after the DVD has been verified), but it seems installation is continuing in the background
• Debian 10 results in a black screen after the boot process, "Linux single" yaboot option doesn't help

I've swapped the RAM with Samsung PC2-4200U 533MHz as a first step. Have moved the GPU (Nvidia 6600) to different slots - when in slot 1 I don't get a chime or picture. Moving it to slot 2 gives a picture but results in the above issues.

I've since learned that G5 machines can be unreliable with complete failures common (seem to be related to the Northbridge IC BGA solder connection) i.e. http://pixelchimp.net/mac-death/list/

Does anyone have ideas on what I could try next before I give up? Are there any success stories with regards to logic board repair? I'd rather not spend too much on it in case the machine is un-repairable.
Thanks

Check out the capacitors on the Geforce card, a common failing is leaking caps.