PowerMac G5 weird issue?

[BaddestArvai]

So I had posted questions about this in my "PowerPC Gold Mine!" thread, but I thought I could get more help by making a seperate thread about it. So here is the problem.

I have a Dual 2.0 (Mid 2003 Model) PowerMac G5. I got it with no video card, 1 512Mb stick of ram (whoever was stripping it forgot one stick ), and no HDD. I am trying to fix this computer up and have it running. When I first got it, all it would do is make the double "click" sound when you would hit the power button. So I decided tear it apart to clean it to see what would happen. I removed both CPU's, and the power supply. I cleaned out the entire power supply in hopes that it would power on upon re-assembly. I got it all put back together, and it did indeed boot! I then put 2 1GB stick of ram in it. They do work because I pulled them from another identical 2.0 that was running just fine. I then also used the video card, and HDD from that machine. I went to go boot it up and the following happens:

-Fans revv
-No boot chime
-white screen with grey apple logo + loading circle (sits here for around 20 seconds)
-white screen with grey circle with line through it + loading circle

That is all it does. Then I decided to try running it with a 160GB HDD with an old copy of XP on it. I tried to load the Leopard DVD to wipe the disk and install leopard, but it just does the following:

-Fans revv
-No boot chime
-Screen flashes
-Question Mark HDD screen

I then tried to load my ASD 2.5.7 (I think) and it was able to load it just fine (still did not hear an apple chime). I am a little weirded out that it says my thermal calibration is good even though both CPU's were removed... But right now I am running a complete system test to check everything out. If this helps I am using a 17" 2003 Apple Studio Display.

Any help would be appreciated! (BTW, I am still kind of new when it comes to working on apple machines. So I have no idea how to reset PRAM and other stuff like that)

 

[BaddestArvai]

So yeah it passed...

 

[tampasteve]

Did you try starting withe the Leopard DVD in while you have the HDD that already had leopard on it? You probably did, but the post was not clear.

Try that and run disk utility on the HDD and see if you get anything. You may then be able to reinstall Leopard.

To start from the DVD do this:
1. insert DVD
2. reboot
3. hold C down on the keyboard when you reboot

Try starting in safe mode:
1. Reboot
2. Hold down shift key


Below are some articles that may help too:

Resetting PRAM:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379

About kernel panics:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3742?viewlocale=en_US

 

[BaddestArvai]

Did you try starting withe the Leopard DVD in while you have the HDD that already had leopard on it? You probably did, but the post was not clear.



Try that and run disk utility on the HDD and see if you get anything. You may then be able to reinstall Leopard.



To start from the DVD do this:

1. insert DVD

2. reboot

3. hold C down on the keyboard when you reboot



Try starting in safe mode:

1. Reboot

2. Hold down shift key





Below are some articles that may help too:



Resetting PRAM:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379



About kernel panics:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3742?viewlocale=en_US

Yeah I have no way of getting to disk utility. When the HDD is in and I try to load leopard, nothing happens. It only loads ASD. I actually haven't tried booting leopard on the good HDD. I will try that. I just don't want to mess up that HD because it has a good installation of leopard on it with a lot of files.

 

[eyoungren]

You said the 2.0 G5 is good right? Put the drive you want Leopard on for the 2.5 G5 into that G5. Put the 2.5 G5 in Target Disk Mode (fans will rev loud). Boot the 2.0 from the Leopard install DVD and wipe the drive on the 2.5 and install Leopard.

When done, shut down the 2.5 G5, disconnect and then try to boot from your newly installed Leopard disk.

More than one way to get this done.

 

[BaddestArvai]

PowerMac G5 weird issue?

You said the 2.0 G5 is good right? Put the drive you want Leopard on for the 2.5 G5 into that G5. Put the 2.5 G5 in Target Disk Mode (fans will rev loud). Boot the 2.0 from the Leopard install DVD and wipe the drive on the 2.5 and install Leopard.



When done, shut down the 2.5 G5, disconnect and then try to boot from your newly installed Leopard disk.



More than one way to get this done.

I don't think that will work. First of all, I have a 2.0, and a 1.8 lol. Wish I had a 2.5. Also, I reset the PRAM and I now get the chime when I turn it on. But it still does not want to even attempt to load leopard. When I put the good HDD in with a good clean install of leopard, it starts with the apple logo like always, then this shows up:

I also noticed that when I left it at this screen the fans kept spinning faster and faster. I know that the DVD/CD drive is good because ASD loaded just fine.

 

[eyoungren]

I don't think that will work. First of all, I have a 2.0, and a 1.8 lol. Wish I had a 2.5. Also, I reset the PRAM and I now get the chime when I turn it on. But it still does not want to even attempt to load leopard. When I put the good HDD in with a good clean install of leopard, it starts with the apple logo like always, then this shows up:

Image



I also noticed that when I left it at this screen the fans kept spinning faster and faster. I know that the DVD/CD drive is good because ASD loaded just fine.

Sorry, all these numbers I got confused.

Basically what I am trying to say is boot the Leopard DVD from your good Mac and have the problem Mac connected to the good Mac via TDM. From the good Mac, format the HD on the problem Mac and install Leopard. Then reboot the problem Mac.

 

[BaddestArvai]

Sorry, all these numbers I got confused.

Basically what I am trying to say is boot the Leopard DVD from your good Mac and have the problem Mac connected to the good Mac via TDM. From the good Mac, format the HD on the problem Mac and install Leopard. Then reboot the problem Mac.

I don't know how to do that lol. What kind of cord do I need?

 

[bax2003]

I don't know how to do that lol. What kind of cord do I need?

TDM = Target Disk Mode

Connect your problematic Mac to a another via FireWire cable.
Reboot problematic Mac while holding "T" key and all its drives will appear on other Mac like FireWire external drives.

Any FireWire combination: 400-400, 800-400, 400-800, 800-800.

 

[tampasteve]

TDM basically turns your machine into a large external drive so you can install things, move things, etc. to and from the HDD directly via a Firewire connection.

Here is more information on Target Disk Mode (TDM):
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1661

TDM can be your best friend when trying to resurect a mac that is having issues with any number of things. The two things all Mac enthusiasts need to know are PRAM resets and TDM.

As a side note, I believe it must be Firewire, USB will not work. Also, if the HDD is completely dead it will not work either as the machine in target disk mode will not have a HDD to install onto, it will go into TDM, but the HDD will not show up on the other machine.

 

[Altemose]

I don't think that will work. First of all, I have a 2.0, and a 1.8 lol. Wish I had a 2.5. Also, I reset the PRAM and I now get the chime when I turn it on. But it still does not want to even attempt to load leopard. When I put the good HDD in with a good clean install of leopard, it starts with the apple logo like always, then this shows up:

Image



I also noticed that when I left it at this screen the fans kept spinning faster and faster. I know that the DVD/CD drive is good because ASD loaded just fine.

Let me explain what is going on here. When a Mac chimes it means it completed Power On Self Test (POST). That is the same thing that a PC does, and the chime is there to alert you that it passed. Back in the old days around 2001 with up to OS X 10.1, Macs used to show a Happy Mac when booting!

Since it is chiming, you know it passed a relatively crude boot up check which essentially says that the Logic Board can communicate with all parts. It may still chime with bad memory banks however, so only critical errors cause it to not chime...

Since your hardware passed, hold CMD V at boot up and let us know where it hangs when starting Leopard. A picture of the read out would do wonders in us helping you here!

The reason that the fans get louder and louder is that they are controlled by a computer which monitors the temperature. OS X has a driver (also called a kext) which allows it to control the fans. When this driver is not loaded (e.g starting up, on a non OS X operating system, in Open Firmware, etc) the Mac doesn't know how hot it is and begins to ramp up the fans to cool it. If you ever pull the clear acrylic air deflector out when it is running, the fans will max out.

 

[BaddestArvai]

TDM basically turns your machine into a large external drive so you can install things, move things, etc. to and from the HDD directly via a Firewire connection.

Here is more information on Target Disk Mode (TDM):
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1661

TDM can be your best friend when trying to resurect a mac that is having issues with any number of things. The two things all Mac enthusiasts need to know are PRAM resets and TDM.

As a side note, I believe it must be Firewire, USB will not work. Also, if the HDD is completely dead it will not work either as the machine in target disk mode will not have a HDD to install onto, it will go into TDM, but the HDD will not show up on the other machine.

I plan on doing a lot of testing tonight so I will see how everything works out. I got to get a hold of a firewire cable though...

 

[Altemose]

I plan on doing a lot of testing tonight so I will see how everything works out. I got to get a hold of a firewire cable though...

I would start by seeing where it hangs too. Use verbose mode and post the picture.

 

[eyoungren]

As a side note, I believe it must be Firewire, USB will not work.

Yes, FW only. However, if you have USB drives connected to the machine that is placed into TDM those drives will show. As will any CD/DVD you put in the TDM Mac's optical drive.