PM G5 - Not really a troubleshooting thread, but

[QSDP-User]

something of a consensus inquiry (for lack of a better definition).

About 10 days ago a very quick & brief electrical outage (like for one second or less)
occurred while three Mac Pros 1,1 & one PowerMac 7,3 (Mid 2004 2.0 DP PCI-X 2) were running.
The PM G5 wasn't crunching but downloading.
Outages aren't a common thing where I live.
I use common surge extensions cords.
I've never bothered with a UPS (not a real excuse, I know).

The Mac Pros shrugged off the outage and rebooted fine.
Well, the G5 won't boot. This model PM G5 doesn't have the diagnostic LEDs next to the RAM slots.
Googled for same experiences & tried ALL the troubleshooting advice (MacRumors, Apple Discussions, etc) except actually buying a brand new battery.
I did try batteries from working PowerMacs and checked the batteries' voltage (within range)
with a multi-meter.
No joy in getting the PM G5 to boot.

When pressing the start-up button - the "small hole" above the button lights-up,
but it instantly goes off when button is released.
I do hear start-up fans and some kinda loud "whooosh" noise.
I figure the PSU got hit bad, tho could be logic board, dunno really.
So this PM G5 is a parts/fix-it & wait-around-in-storage unit right now.

Granted, I know I'm speaking of a 12 year-old machine.
But what I wanna know is how many folks here experienced the same PM G5 outage scenario
and couldn't get their machines to reboot - even after the standard troubleshooting advice,
short of a new PSU or logicboard.

Meaning, perhaps PM G5 owners should pay extra attention to outage problems?

 

[mikzn]

I have a G5 early version and it still works fine - had many-a-power failure and no such problem.

But hey the older they get - more sudden and unexpected stuff happens.

I did have to replace that same battery once ( more from inactivity - unplugged) and also reset the pram a few times etc.

Hope you figure it out

 

[QSDP-User]

Glad to know your G5 has survived multiple times, mikzn.
But yeah, the luck of the draw for these older machines can be dicey.

 

[MysticCow]

As our machines get older, the probability of a parts failure approaches 100% certainty. Quite bluntly, it's inevitable.

Best bet is to get a "for parts or not working" Mac off of eBay and cannibalize the parts. The case itself can be repurposed for about anything rational you can dream.

 

[MacCubed]

I'm pretty sure this issue is the PSU. I know the service manual for the G5s list a procedure of steps to figure out what the issue is, first test the PSU, then the CPUs, and finally the logic board.

 

[ITguy2016]

something of a consensus inquiry (for lack of a better definition).

About 10 days ago a very quick & brief electrical outage (like for one second or less)
occurred while three Mac Pros 1,1 & one PowerMac 7,3 (Mid 2004 2.0 DP PCI-X 2) were running.
The PM G5 wasn't crunching but downloading.
Outages aren't a common thing where I live.
I use common surge extensions cords.
I've never bothered with a UPS (not a real excuse, I know).

The Mac Pros shrugged off the outage and rebooted fine.
Well, the G5 won't boot. This model PM G5 doesn't have the diagnostic LEDs next to the RAM slots.
Googled for same experiences & tried ALL the troubleshooting advice (MacRumors, Apple Discussions, etc) except actually buying a brand new battery.
I did try batteries from working PowerMacs and checked the batteries' voltage (within range)
with a multi-meter.
No joy in getting the PM G5 to boot.

When pressing the start-up button - the "small hole" above the button lights-up,
but it instantly goes off when button is released.
I do hear start-up fans and some kinda loud "whooosh" noise.
I figure the PSU got hit bad, tho could be logic board, dunno really.
So this PM G5 is a parts/fix-it & wait-around-in-storage unit right now.

Granted, I know I'm speaking of a 12 year-old machine.
But what I wanna know is how many folks here experienced the same PM G5 outage scenario
and couldn't get their machines to reboot - even after the standard troubleshooting advice,
short of a new PSU or logicboard.

Meaning, perhaps PM G5 owners should pay extra attention to outage problems?

Not the same situation but my dual G5 failed to start a day after I had just used it for hours. No warning just failed to start. Traced it to a bad system board. One day it worked, the next it did not. At 11 years old (and a known weakness of these systems) sudden failure is to be expected. A power outage might have been enough to push it to the end of its life.

On another note if my efforts to revive the G5 by reflowing fail what are people's suggestions for what to do with it? Case is beat up but all the other parts work. Part it out?