Mid 2010 Mac Pro Issues

[reRESERVEDMD]

Hi,

I've had the base quad core Mid 2010 Mac Pro for a bit over a year now.

Approximately six months ago, the video screens on some YouTube-like sites would go black if you moved between the tabs.

Needless to say, I installed Mountain Lion and since then the computer was stellar.

However, recently I've noticed few issues that are quite annoying.

1) When putting computer to sleep and then waking it up, you can hear the computer click and wake up, but the screen (Apple LED Display 27") stays dark and I have to hard shut it.

2) Also, I've noticed that at certain times when I try to start the computer back up, you can hear the click of the PSU but then nothing. After unplugging the cord and plugging it back it, it starts no problem.

3) I've had many issues with computer randomly waking up from sleep a couple of times as well but those seemed to have been fixed by turning off the "wake for network access" option in the power menu.

What does that sound like? I feel like my PSU may be going. I've already ran Apple Hardware Test and reset SMC to no avail. I'm gonna try resetting NVRAM after finishing this post.

Thanks!

Paul

 

[StephenCampbell]

Verify and repair disc permissions (in Disk Utility), and verify the hard disk.

Restart often.

See if anything gets better.

 

[maestrokev]

Hi,

I've had the base quad core Mid 2010 Mac Pro for a bit over a year now.

Approximately six months ago, the video screens on some YouTube-like sites would go black if you moved between the tabs.

Needless to say, I installed Mountain Lion and since then the computer was stellar.

However, recently I've noticed few issues that are quite annoying.

1) When putting computer to sleep and then waking it up, you can hear the computer click and wake up, but the screen (Apple LED Display 27") stays dark and I have to hard shut it.

2) Also, I've noticed that at certain times when I try to start the computer back up, you can hear the click of the PSU but then nothing. After unplugging the cord and plugging it back it, it starts no problem.

3) I've had many issues with computer randomly waking up from sleep a couple of times as well but those seemed to have been fixed by turning off the "wake for network access" option in the power menu.

What does that sound like? I feel like my PSU may be going. I've already ran Apple Hardware Test and reset SMC to no avail. I'm gonna try resetting NVRAM after finishing this post.

Thanks!

Paul

I have a 2010 hex core. Exact same problems! Started a couple of months ago. Thought it was a 10.7 or 10.8 problem. Stopped putting my MP to sleep. Issue #2 is most worrying, at first I thought it was my SSD and was going to put a HD back in. Hearing that you have the same problem makes me think it is the power supply. Either unplug and replug to power on or press and hold the power button 2 times, almost like the first press doesn't register then the 2nd press finally turns on the computer. I think I'm going to make an appointment with an Apple Genius and hoping it's just the power supply that needs swapping.

 

[reRESERVEDMD]

I have a 2010 hex core. Exact same problems! Started a couple of months ago. Thought it was a 10.7 or 10.8 problem. Stopped putting my MP to sleep. Issue #2 is most worrying, at first I thought it was my SSD and was going to put a HD back in. Hearing that you have the same problem makes me think it is the power supply. Either unplug and replug to power on or press and hold the power button 2 times, almost like the first press doesn't register then the 2nd press finally turns on the computer. I think I'm going to make an appointment with an Apple Genius and hoping it's just the power supply that needs swapping.

My computer is out of warranty so I'm out of luck there. I narrowed it down to the PSU. Already pulled it out actually. I'm going to the AS later today to see how much they want for the power supply. I can do the swap myself so no need to have them do it.

It does make me wonder if I would be able to bring the new PSU back should that not fix the issue.

 

[maestrokev]

Does this happen to you, when the MP goes to sleep the power button light is blinking so MP is sleeping but the fans are on full. MP is drawing 200+W of electricity according to my UPS. I suspect my video card is the culprit - has been happening for a while so could be two issues that I or both of us are experiencing, video card and PSU.

 

[stupidassdrumer]

Im having an issue with my fans going full blast at random times and wont stop or slow down until i put it to sleep and wake it back up. No exaggeration, 5500rpm and wont stop. Im trying to figure out if anyone has had a problem like this and how they fixed it. Its just the intake fan and the exhaust fan, as I took off the side panel and felt which ones were spinning that fast. I thought maybe my CPUs were hot but they both hang around 110-117F. Are those temps normal? The one I see thats crazy hot is PCIe slot 1 @165F & Northbridge @160F. But IDK how to make those go down, considering no programs are running. Ive read the 08s having an issue with the northbridge plug being loose, any one run into that issue on a 2010?

 

[maestrokev]

Im having an issue with my fans going full blast at random times and wont stop or slow down until i put it to sleep and wake it back up. No exaggeration, 5500rpm and wont stop. Im trying to figure out if anyone has had a problem like this and how they fixed it. Its just the intake fan and the exhaust fan, as I took off the side panel and felt which ones were spinning that fast. I thought maybe my CPUs were hot but they both hang around 110-117F. Are those temps normal? The one I see thats crazy hot is PCIe slot 1 @165F & Northbridge @160F. But IDK how to make those go down, considering no programs are running. Ive read the 08s having an issue with the northbridge plug being loose, any one run into that issue on a 2010?

Mine only go full blast when it enters sleep and I'm pretty sure it is the video card fans. I assume you've done all the SMC resets etc?

 

[stupidassdrumer]

Mine only go full blast when it enters sleep and I'm pretty sure it is the video card fans. I assume you've done all the SMC resets etc?

Yup!
Actually for about 3 weeks before I moved from AZ to NY, it started doing this. It sat for 3 months in a family friends warehouse in Brooklyn until we moved into our place. Plugged it in and its been working great for about 3 weeks. Now, with in the past week, its been doing this again where the fans go full speed at random times and wont stop until I put it to sleep.

 

[reRESERVEDMD]

UPDATE: After I pulled the PSU out of the enclosure, I decided to blast it with compressed air. Voila! So far so good!

Mind you! I clean the internals of my computer twice a year when cleaning my house for spring and fall! For this, I physically had to remove the PSU and blast it.

Give that a try and see if it helps.

 

[maestrokev]

UPDATE: After I pulled the PSU out of the enclosure, I decided to blast it with compressed air. Voila! So far so good!

Mind you! I clean the internals of my computer twice a year when cleaning my house for spring and fall! For this, I physically had to remove the PSU and blast it.

Give that a try and see if it helps.

Mine started this problem in the first week of ownership when it was brand new. I do vacuum my PC once or twice a year, not much dust. Let us know if your problem returns. Did you have to unscrew the PSU or is it pretty easy to remove?

 

[reRESERVEDMD]

Mine started this problem in the first week of ownership when it was brand new. I do vacuum my PC once or twice a year, not much dust. Let us know if your problem returns. Did you have to unscrew the PSU or is it pretty easy to remove?

Yes, unscrewing the PSU is awful... I recommend you remove the graphics card and get short torx and phillips screwdrivers.

 

[maestrokev]

Yes, unscrewing the PSU is awful... I recommend you remove the graphics card and get short torx and phillips screwdrivers.

So this problem you reported has been fixed after putting the PSU back? Hmm, makes me think loose connection but weird that both of us have the same problem.

"2) Also, I've noticed that at certain times when I try to start the computer back up, you can hear the click of the PSU but then nothing. After unplugging the cord and plugging it back it, it starts no problem."

 

[ixodes]

Mine did the very same thing, but just once. That's why I didn't report it here. That was 7 months ago. I bought my Mid 2010 in May.

 

[Zwhaler]

Im having an issue with my fans going full blast at random times and wont stop or slow down until i put it to sleep and wake it back up. No exaggeration, 5500rpm and wont stop. Im trying to figure out if anyone has had a problem like this and how they fixed it. Its just the intake fan and the exhaust fan, as I took off the side panel and felt which ones were spinning that fast. I thought maybe my CPUs were hot but they both hang around 110-117F. Are those temps normal? The one I see thats crazy hot is PCIe slot 1 @165F & Northbridge @160F. But IDK how to make those go down, considering no programs are running. Ive read the 08s having an issue with the northbridge plug being loose, any one run into that issue on a 2010?

This has happened to me before. The only time was when for some reason in Aperture I would use the lighten tool brush on an image and the computer would shut off but the fans would be full blast. I would have to hold the power button and reboot.

 

[stupidassdrumer]

This has happened to me before. The only time was when for some reason in Aperture I would use the lighten tool brush on an image and the computer would shut off but the fans would be full blast. I would have to hold the power button and reboot.

Interesting. Glad its only happened to you once. Mine is between 2-3 times per hour of use with no programs running but one window of safari with maybe 3-4 tabs open. Though I use this for heavy 3D rendering with Cinema4D and After Effects, I see it happen more when using minimal system resources/programs. It has plenty of ventilation from front to back and sides. I got it about 9 months ago, and I opened it up to find no dust in it, so I dont think dust is my issue.

 

[Zwhaler]

Interesting. Glad its only happened to you once. Mine is between 2-3 times per hour of use with no programs running but one window of safari with maybe 3-4 tabs open. Though I use this for heavy 3D rendering with Cinema4D and After Effects, I see it happen more when using minimal system resources/programs. It has plenty of ventilation from front to back and sides. I got it about 9 months ago, and I opened it up to find no dust in it, so I dont think dust is my issue.

It actually happened several times during that day, and I think it happened again sporadically again a different day around that time. I was able to pinpoint it to the lighten brush within Aperture. Hasn't done it in any other context since then and it doesn't always do it when I use the lighten tool, either.

 

[reRESERVEDMD]

UPDATE:

This is just an intermittent issue. The problem is actually the PSU which was on the brink of failing. I ended up replacing the unit (not cheap) and the computer had been working great since without any hiccups. A bit more than a month so far and no issues.