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Mac Pro (2006) dead

Antoni Nygaard

Antoni Nygaard

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 23, 2009
802
895
Denmark
My fathers Mac Pro was sending a document using transmit, and then it shut down, with no warning and i can turn it back on. no lights on the logic board is lighting up or when i press the power button?



i have changed the power cord that doesen't help, but when i put the power in, i can hear a little click sound from the Power Supply it's not loud, but maybe it's the power Supply Dead?

what can the problem be?
 
Check if you still have trickle power on the logic board. If yes it is probably not just the PSU. Standard procedure in this case is exchanging the little board with the power button, the PSU and eventually the logic board. The logic board is the most expensive (600-800$).
 
This is good and bad news. If you are very lucky it is a fuse blown in the PSU. They are a PITA to replace but cheap. Worth checking because Apple will only replace the whole PSU. You need a service manual badly. What MP do you have?
 
PSUs for the Mac Pro can be purchased from Apple (with exchange option) still quite pricey or from Ebay. I would check the fuse in the PSU if there isn't even trickle power. It is not documented in the manual how to get to the fuse but it isn't difficult either once you have extracted the PSU from the case. The design isn't particularly service friendly as usual with Apple. It takes them always several iteration to build something that is easy to service.
 
gugucom said:
PSUs for the Mac Pro can be purchased from Apple (with exchange option) still quite pricey or from Ebay. I would check the fuse in the PSU if there isn't even trickle power. It is not documented in the manual how to get to the fuse but it isn't difficult either once you have extracted the PSU from the case. The design isn't particularly service friendly as usual with Apple. It takes them always several iteration to build something that is easy to service.
Click to expand...

What do you mean chech the fuse in the PSU? and what is the trickle?
 
I had a similar problem with yours. i was sending out an email when my 2006 MacPro(purchased 2007) shut down suddenly and I could not turn it on anymore. I tried a different outlet and power cable still no go. I brought it to an Apple service repair center and after testing the unit; they confirmed it was the Power Supply Unit that died. The new power supply cost about $300 and they will replace the old one. I told them that it might just be the fuse and they told me the whole power supply unit needs to be replaced.

I was using an inferior brand of UPS called "Apollo" and now bought a new APC UPS. Do not use any Apollo brand of UPS as my friend also had a problem with this brand.
 
Antoni Nygaard said:
What do you mean chech the fuse in the PSU? and what is the trickle?
Click to expand...

Trickle power is a low level power supply that is regularly working on the Mac Pro when the power is turned off. It is supposed to supply VRAM and charge the RAM battery.

According to your checks you said that you do not have trickle power any more. This symptoms are common if the fuse in the PSU is blown. The fuse is a small inexpensive bulb with a little wire inside. It is meant to blow when the PSU is exposed to spikes from lighting and the like. Unfortunately the Fuse is not a standard exchange item for Apple. So you pay 300$ for 1$ part if they exchange it for you. Based on that consideration I thought it is worthwhile to check if the wire is burned through. You can check that visibly when you have opened the PSU.
 
I'd like to add a comment which might be related to what Gugucom mentioned about the power supply being exposed to lightning. The Mac technician mentioned that it's advisable to turn OFF our internet whenever there is lightning/thunderstorms as this can cause damage to the modem or to the power supply or logic board. And according to the technician, Apple will not replace a fried logicboard even if it's under warranty if this was the case. Note, that I may be wrong here but better to be careful. I don't have any documented proof that lightning is harmful whenever our internet is on. Thanks.
 
Word to the wise, definitely check all possible PSU related issues. My friend and next door neighbor just took his dead 2006 MP into Apple, they informed him that the logic board would need to be replaced. A pricey fix to say the lease. After he investigated a bit more, he determined that it was just a bad PSU...
 
maybe i schould try bying a new PSU and see what happens, but the PSU have some click sound, does it mean something?
 
Antoni Nygaard said:
maybe i schould try bying a new PSU and see what happens, but the PSU have some click sound, does it mean something?
Click to expand...
The click is from a relay (I think it has 2), and is usually normal. It's too hard to tell at this point, as such issues need to be diagnosed in person, as you can see it, and use test equipment where necessary. Even smells are major clues.
 
Seems the power supply on my mac pro has died too. Left computer on overnight, in the AM the computer was off, tried to power on, nothing. no chime, no beep, no light on front, no click, no smell, nothing. Opened it up SMC reset procedure done, nothing. LED button pushed, no LED's at all light up (power button pushed or not). I suspect a bad PSU and I'd like to check the fuse but I need a service manual. :(

I've a mac pro from 2006 rev 1.1 and am looking for a service manual -- if anyone has a clue let me via PM please.

*Thank you, I have the needed manual*
 
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