New iMAC keeps Crashing!!!

[Les Kern]

Under system prefs go to energy saver and UNCLICK the "put hard disk to sleep when possible. Set the hard drive to sleep either NEVER or after a few hours.
If that doesn't help:
Remove the 3rd party RAM, Do a restore from the original disks. (Change the energy saver settings!)
If the problem continues WITHOUT adding any 3rd party apps or those dreaded "widget" junk piles from download.com, run, don't walk, to an Apple store near you. Being able to reproduce the problem is important, and a call to Apple or even a visit to a store will NOT yield much if there is junk-apps on it and weird ram in it.
You might check out maybe the best Mac site there is, macfixit.com. Look through the forums. I can't count how many times they helped me out.
Good luck, and we're here to help. And by the way, call it a MAC if you want. It's your damn computer. Life's too short to deal with anal retentives.

 

[Mechcozmo]

The fan sound you hear is normal. When an iMac G5 crashes with an OS panic, there is no software control of the fans. They will run at high speed, and sound as loud as they do with the Hardware Test CD.

Right. Macs control their fans rather closely and if they can't, they auto spin at max speed just to be sure.

 

[Mechcozmo]

Wow, i think this is the longest it has ever taken for someone to get mad about a newbie calling it a MAC instead of a Mac. When i clicked on the thread i figured it would be in the first couple of replies, but it took till #21.

I wrote this linkety in the hopes that it would help. It has... kinda....

 

[anthp]

UPDATE:

It is official, my brand new iMac refuses to be fixed. I have done absolutely EVERYTHING and it still wont work. I even did a clean reinstall of the operating system and still nothing. I know get kernel messages telling me to reboot my computer!! It was hilarious actually. Just finished the reinstall and 5 minutes later the kernel message pops up. Ive been on the phone for hours with apple and they even had to upgrade me to a specialist because ive called so many times. Cant be software seeing that ive reinstalled panther and the hardware tests are not coming up with anything. My guess it is hardware but something besides memory or harddrive. Bah, either way its out of my hands now. Hopefully a new one is on its way!

 

[Platform]

Well after all that troubble and that message only after 5min then I really hop that you get a new one as soon as possible.

Also hope that whatever this problem is, it will be fixed in the Rev B models as well as the other noise issues as well

 

[BornAgainMac]

When the fans kick off before a crash then that wouldn't be a memory problem so much as a heating problem. It sounds like a lemon. Take it in to be replaced or fixed while it is still under warranty. Memory won't resolve this problem. Usually it fixes problems like crashes if the memory is bad but in this case, it is a heating problem. Probably a defective iMac.

Once the iMac gets replaced or fixed then having 2 GBs is a good thing.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Like I said, reinstalling OSX is a waste of time. It almost never cures any problems, and not especially the kind you described. The Mac is not like Windows -- OSX hardly ever hoses itself. Honestly, why do so many people insist on going through this step themselves before they'll believe it? <Sigh.>

I tried, anyway. At least you're getting Apple to deal with hardware problem.

 

[anthp]

ya and the only reason why i reinstalled panther was to make sure it wasnt a software related problem. so its gotta be hardware. oh well. the wait continues...

 

[anthp]

new update
seems that my brand new computer came with a screw up mid plane assembly......ive got no clue what the hell it is but it has been replaced. Going to go pick it up tomorrow and hopefully all will be well.

 

[Agathon]

new update
seems that my brand new computer came with a screw up mid plane assembly......ive got no clue what the hell it is but it has been replaced. Going to go pick it up tomorrow and hopefully all will be well.

There's a lesson here.

If your brand new computer doesn't work out of the box, do not mess around with it, do not try this and that. Take it back immediately and save yourself the grief.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Hear hear! And whatever else you do, do not reinstall OSX.

 

[Malbase]

Crashes

I have been using Macintosh computers since 1988 or even before,
(Franklin).
Crashes on OS X.
Apple does not indicate, but from experience if anything was trashed from the original installation such as software, games, other a crash may occur.
You get a bomb noise, and down it goes.
The Computer message is restart but that does not help.
Possibly go to the safe mode, and erase the the disk.
Then reinstall everything, a clean installation.
This is What I know has caused crashes.
Trashing the Quicken Program.
Backup Quicken to anywhere other than My Documents.
Trashing a Backup Quicken.
Other Applications that were dumped. Such as Data material from
Entourage, the Microsoft for Macintosh mail program.
The upgrade 2004 has not caused any problems.
Recommended from one magazine article create a file called a dump file
To determine if the item has any effect. If it does then restore the item.
Also do not move anything out of the Applications File, else you get an alias file.
Possibly 10.4 may correct the problem. 10.3 corrected some problems.
In addition, some software which you may have installed will not work
with a G5 machine. Go over the manuals and specs of anything you added.
I believe Virtual PC which I use for Chess programs not available for Macintosh will not work on a G5 machine. What the effect is on the machine if added has never been indicated.
There are others.
Also Back up your data either daily, or weekly the least. Use an external hard Drive, at least equal or greater to the size of the hard drive on your
computer.
The BEST BET, i am assuming that the product is under warrenty.
So take the machine to an authorized Apple Repair service or to an Apple Store. Let them test the product.
Other damage: Although there are few viruses and hackers on macs,
add a router to your internet connection. Or get Norton's firewall.
I use both. Someone on my cable system, damaged World Book, Quicken.
Fortunately I backed up my documents, and World Book told me how reinstall. My brother gave me the router product.
In effect a break in to your computer from the internet could cause a crash.
Apple techs will know.

 

[geese]

UPDATE:

It is official, my brand new iMac refuses to be fixed. I have done absolutely EVERYTHING and it still wont work. I even did a clean reinstall of the operating system and still nothing. I know get kernel messages telling me to reboot my computer!! It was hilarious actually. Just finished the reinstall and 5 minutes later the kernel message pops up. Ive been on the phone for hours with apple and they even had to upgrade me to a specialist because ive called so many times. Cant be software seeing that ive reinstalled panther and the hardware tests are not coming up with anything. My guess it is hardware but something besides memory or harddrive. Bah, either way its out of my hands now. Hopefully a new one is on its way!

I reckon its the Ram. Or a dodgy OS X install.