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New Mac owner with trouble from the start

C

Coach

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 18, 2004
21
0
I just purchased my first Mac ever and am slowly learning how to do this compared to an IBM PC. I bought the following:

Power Mac G5 - Dual 2 GHZ
2.5 Gig RAM
23" cinama display

I purchased this on Sunday and every morning when turning it on I get a black screen until I boot it up 2-4 times? I called Mac and they hadn't heard of it and I called tghe next day and this time they told me to do the apple-option-P-R I believe.

Instead of shutting it down last night I left it on and came in this moring and hit the keyboard and mouse to wake it out of sleep mode but again the screen was black and the light in the lower right corner would blink three times and then stop and then blink three times and stop again. This would go on and on so I had to reboot it again 2 times before the desktop would display.

Anyone seen this? The computer was a lot of $$$ and it is disappointing when this happens so soon and so often.
 
It could have been damaged in shipping. Send it back immediately for a new computer. Macs should work perfectly, always.
 
I know a couple of people who had the same exact problem. I believe its a driver issue with ATI cards. Make sure your running the latest version of Mac OS X (10.3.2). It could also be the video card. I would take it to Certified Service Center and have it looked at, or maybe like others said take it back and have it replaced.

If there is ever going to a problem with a Mac, its going to be sometime within the 1 year you own it. This is what I've discovered over the years, both with my computers and my friends Macs.
 
It sounds to me like there is a problem with the signal getting to the monitor. The obvious thing to check is if screen hasn't been connected properly.

As I understand it, the ADC connector on the Cinema display carries both power and video, so the fact that you have power going to the display suggests that you have the leads connected correctly. In this circumstance, I would recommend seeing if you can test the display on a friends system, or the G5 with an alternate display. Your G5 should have a DVI to VGA adapter which you can use with your old VGA screen from your PC.

If this works, then it is the display that is faulty.

If it is found that the Mac itself has a fault (notably the graphics adapter which is possibly incorrectly seated), then send it back to Apple, and they will remedy the problem. It strikes me that there is a good chance that it's simply the graphics card that's worked its way lose, given your intermittent performance.... reeks of a lose connexion.

Having said all this, please, whatever you do, don't get disheartened by this, as whoever you buy from, there is a chance of damage during shipping, and you can tell from the passion of members of sites such as this, how vastly superior your Macintosh product is.
 
The display works beautifully when it actually begins. It does not die, flicker, etc. It just takes multiple boots for it to "kick in" when I come into the office in the morning.

I've checked the connection and it is in there solid. Apple asked me to remove the video card and re-add it as something to try.

I'll see what happens later when I shut it down for a prolonged period of time. Evey day this has happened and it is disappointing.
 
Don't worry about it. If you continue to have the problem, take it to a local Apple Authorized Service Center (Like where you Bought it) or an Apple Store (Call Ahead) they would be able to fix it faster than over the phone with Apple Care, plus they are professionals.

Sorry about the bad luck, I just hope you can get is sorted out quickly.

TEG
 
I took the video card out and added it back in a few minutes later and it fired right up. We'll see if that fixes it.

Unfortunately I bought it at an Apple store out of town (Chicago) but I'm sure there is a local authorized dealer near me somewhere.

I bought the extra Apple Care package for a total of three years, does that include in-store submissions?
 
Unfortunately I purchased it while out of town and the only local Apple dealer within 100 miles is very unhelpful :( They want 3-4 days to fix and a credit card in case they deem something "my responsibility" and not Apple's.
 
I've called Apple Care four times now. I purchased the computer at the Apple Store on Michigan Avenue in Chicago and called there finally and spoke to a manager that added some notes to my record and they are now mailing me a new video card to swap in the machine.

Let's hope for the best!
 
I hope you the best Coach

Originally posted by 1macker1
If it's under warranty, which is should be, send it back. Apple has the same poor quality control. I feel you pain.
Click to expand...

Hey macker, I see you trolling around here quite often, but what do you mean by the second sentence in your post. I assume Apple has 'poor quality control' or where you trying to say 'same as...(Dell?)'
Apple's quality control appears quite good when you compare the number of units to the numbers of actual problems that crop up. Even the iBook fiasco appears to be limited to less than 1% of all machines.
Also, someone mentioned that Apple computers usually die in the first year, I would like to point out that all computers die within this time frame. I just got a Dell yesterday that was DOA.
Coach good luck and I hope you have better luck with your machine and I hope that Apple has served you well while fixing your problem.
 
Originally posted by 1macker1
Apple has the same poor quality control.
Click to expand...

-1macker1

??

I just don't understand what you base this assessment on. Apple has consistently been voted the best in the business when it comes to quality control and customer service - Consumer Reports just reaffirmed this a few weeks ago.

Please take care that you aren't attempting to masquerade personal feelings as official industry reports, this is counter-constructive to what Coach needs, and frankly, dishonest.
 
that's bull that they never heard it, they're lying. it's a well known issue and many people have had this also. check out Apple's G5 board. i think it had something to do with the video cards.
 
Originally posted by tjwett
that's bull that they never heard it, they're lying. it's a well known issue and many people have had this also. check out Apple's G5 board. i think it had something to do with the video cards.
Click to expand...
I think you are right and the "Head Genius" (love that title) at the store I purchased it at took care of it and they are sending a new video card now. He had heard of it and as you mentioned so have many on the Apple Discussion area. Let's hope that fixes it.
 
Originally posted by Coach
I think you are right and the "Head Genius" (love that title) at the store I purchased it at took care of it and they are sending a new video card now. He had heard of it and as you mentioned so have many on the Apple Discussion area. Let's hope that fixes it.
Click to expand...

Keep us posted. When I switched, I was a little nervous about my decision. I got an MDD PowerMac. That model happened to have some big problems but fortunately mine ran flawlessly (no noise issues--ever) from the start. I would hate to think how I would have felt if I had had your expeerience. :)
 
Apple sent me a new video card and I swapped them today so we'll give it the acid test tomorrow AM when the computer is "cold" to see if it boots up correctly for the first time :)
 
what i dont get is why the hell a LOT of people base their assumptions on the fact that *only the vocal few* complain about problems?

Yeah I bitch about my iBook a lot because it always breaks, but I dont exactly blame Apple, because I know its the way I treated my iBook that's to blame. Everyone bitches when they pay a LOT of money to get a new computer, then it doesnt work. cest la vie. But the one thing they shouldnt really bitch about is AppleCare, because they do a better job than the rest of the industry. They try their hardest to please all sorts of people. The fact that they are courteous and attempt to be nice and understand the (trauma or joy, your choice :) ) and attempt to fix your product is wonderful. I wish the people bitching about how Apple sucks would go get themselves a PC from Gateway or something that breaks after 2 hours of use. See what average tech support is like.
But honestly, even if I wanted to bitch about Macs i've used or owned or even the company itself, (other than the price of some of the computers) I would absolutely refuse to. Apple's computers are VERY nice and have less problems than I've encountered (*cough* dell and stupid gateway and even Sony *cough*).

Basically you gotta realize lots of people bitch, but compare that number to the number of Mac users out there, and its not a lot.
 
New card works ...

Everything came up just fine this morning on a cold boot so it appears the video card was the culprit :)
 
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