Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

New Quad Owner Checklist?

dbdjre0143

dbdjre0143

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 11, 2017
361
382
West Virginia
As reported in another thread I'm now the proud owner of a G5 Quad. :)
Because of the reading I've done on this forum, I believe that before I even try to power it on, I should apply new thermal compound and inspect the LCS for leaks. Then I planned on using the Apple Hardware Test disk to recalibrate the thermals (can't remember the actual term used around here for that).

This leaves me with a few questions...
Am I wrong about any of the above?
Is there anything else I should do before powering it up for the first time?
Can anyone direct me to a good guide for redoing the paste and checking out the LCS? My usual go-to, ifixit, doesn't seem to have anything helpful.
What should I do if I do find the LCS to have leaked?
 
Dronecatcher said:
I've owned 2 Quads...each one was attached, powered up and running within minutes of arriving....to hell with precautionary checks ;)
Click to expand...
I like this. Gotta wait for a power cable to arrive first still though. ;) When it arrives, I guess I could just fire it up and see if cooling tests pass without touching anything...
 
Dronecatcher said:
Well...if you're waiting on the power cord, no harm in opening up and looking for leaks...
Click to expand...
That's part of my question. How do I tell if it has leaked? Is there a way to tell without pulling the CPUs?
I did try using a flashlight to look through the front grate after removing the fans as recommended in the link I posted above, and there is no white buildup I can see like in that example.
I do have a (very) tiny bit of surface rust on the top of the metal divider (I'm assuming that's the top of the PSU) behind the rear fans, but its nowhere near where I would expect it to be if caused by coolant leakage. They're just some spots, no "trails", so I figure that's just some oxidation from ambient humidity, not a sign that standing water has really been there.
 
Dronecatcher said:
I'm pretty sure it would be evident and you'd know a leak when you see it (as opposed to normal oxidization)
Click to expand...
I've never had any machine with a LCS before, so didn't really know how much liquid there would be if it were leaking. Also, the area below the CPUs (when standing vertically) is pretty tough to see, so didn't know if there were any telltale signs. What you're saying sounds promising though.
Reading through these forums has just made me worry a bit was my reason for starting this thread. Seems like the Quad LCS is particularly prone to failure. Been waiting quite awhile to obtain one of these beauties, don't want it to go up in a smoke-check. ;)
Then again, just like product reviews, the only threads are about people having trouble because generally only those who have trouble ask for help. :)
 
I'd just start it up and monitor the CPU temps. If they are OK, I wouldn't mess with it yet. (If it stays below 60ºC under load, you're OK. If it only rarely spikes over 60, probably still OK. If it is commonly into the 60s and above, or spikes well into the 70s or above, time for an overhaul.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: dbdjre0143 and Dronecatcher
dbdjre0143 said:
I've never had any machine with a LCS before, so didn't really know how much liquid there would be if it were leaking. Also, the area below the CPUs (when standing vertically) is pretty tough to see, so didn't know if there were any telltale signs. What you're saying sounds promising though.
Reading through these forums has just made me worry a bit was my reason for starting this thread. Seems like the Quad LCS is particularly prone to failure. Been waiting quite awhile to obtain one of these beauties, don't want it to go up in a smoke-check. ;)
Then again, just like product reviews, the only threads are about people having trouble because generally only those who have trouble ask for help. :)
Click to expand...
I get where you are coming from.

I got my first Quad a year and 10 months ago. My fears were somewhat alleviated by the fact that it was shipped to me by a trusted and respected source.

I had fears of coming home and finding this giant puddle of coolant on the carpet with a blown out and scorched Mac. The reality is that the LCS is more prone to slow leakage over time versus some giant blowout.

Generally, if it is leaking you are looking for a white crystalline powder. If all you see is dust or nothing then you can be pretty sure the system is ok. Nothing like turning it on and getting sprayed with hot coolant is going to happen. Your Mac would have to be beat to hell for that and even then it'd probably just dribble - if it would even turn on from the kind of damage that would take.

My Quad has been on 24/7 since I got it in January 2017 and I know it was used at a university before that. I haven't had any issues. My CPUs hover around 118 to 120º on idle and I've never seen them spike above 140º. In fact my major concern is actually the heat of the GPU.

Don't worry about it too much.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AphoticD
eyoungren said:
I get where you are coming from.

I got my first Quad a year and 10 months ago. My fears were somewhat alleviated by the fact that it was shipped to me by a trusted and respected source.

I had fears of coming home and finding this giant puddle of coolant on the carpet with a blown out and scorched Mac. The reality is that the LCS is more prone to slow leakage over time versus some giant blowout.

Generally, if it is leaking you are looking for a white crystalline powder. If all you see is dust or nothing then you can be pretty sure the system is ok. Nothing like turning it on and getting sprayed with hot coolant is going to happen. Your Mac would have to be beat to hell for that and even then it'd probably just dribble - if it would even turn on from the kind of damage that would take.

My Quad has been on 24/7 since I got it in January 2017 and I know it was used at a university before that. I haven't had any issues. My CPUs hover around 118 to 120º on idle and I've never seen them spike above 140º. In fact my major concern is actually the heat of the GPU.

Don't worry about it too much.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the encouragement. :) I can't see any crystals just looking at it easily. I'm gonna go ahead and try to fire it up Weds with the AHT disc when the power cord comes in. If all goes well at that point, I'll go ahead and order an SSD (it came without a hard drive).
I can't really say that mine came from a "reliable" source. It was from a GoodWill on eBay. Claimed to be tested and working, but not certain about the validity of that claim since it didn't come with a power cord. For the price I paid though, I had to take the gamble. ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: eyoungren
dbdjre0143 said:
Thanks for the encouragement. :) I can't see any crystals just looking at it easily. I'm gonna go ahead and try to fire it up Weds with the AHT disc when the power cord comes in. If all goes well at that point, I'll go ahead and order an SSD (it came without a hard drive).
I can't really say that mine came from a "reliable" source. It was from a GoodWill on eBay. Claimed to be tested and working, but not certain about the validity of that claim since it didn't come with a power cord. For the price I paid though, I had to take the gamble. ;)
Click to expand...
I've had a fairly good track record with Goodwill. Still wouldn't worry too much.

The Quads do draw a lot of power though so just make sure you've got it plugged into a good socket or powerstrip.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back