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Red LED on daughter card blinks with power on...

A

AppleWorking

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 20, 2009
178
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I just installed 8GB in a early 2009 2.66 Quad (I know I'll lose triple channel) but now it looks like there is a red LED on the daughter board that blinks when the power button is pressed. It also blinks for a second when the computer shuts down.

If you have a surge protector, I know there are two red LEDs on the mother board that blink when the surge protector is switched on (right under the optical drive). I think those are normal since it's been that way from the very beginning. But I don't ever remember seeing the red LED on the daughter board light up when the power button is pressed. The LED is just left of the large heatsink, and it is not part of the LEDs associated with the RAM or Riser.

Does anyone know what this LED signifies? Is it associated with the daughter card not being seated properly? If anyone knows I would really appreciate your help, because this thing worries me slightly. The MacPro seems to be operating fine, but it is a little annoying since I know that all of the LEDs usually signify something to the Apple techs.

If anyone knows something, please post, I would really appreciate it. Thanks
 
Have the case open during startup, and if you can find where the light blink is from, look and maybe you will see an LED label. I remember crapping my pants when I got my G5, hit the power button and saw this HUGE red flash, but upon inspection it was a perfectly-normal lED labeled "POWER_ON". I then saw that it was labeled in the instruction manual.
 
iHateMacs said:
I see the same red flash through the grille on the front of my MP on powering up. Just have the standard 6gb in mine.
Click to expand...

So I assume you see the two red LEDs blink when the power cord is plugged in (surge protector switched on) right under the optical bay. (I think this one is normal.)

But do you also see a red flash on the lower-right-side of the cheese grater (looking from the front) as soon as you hit the power button?

Thanks for your help.

Who else sees this? (I figure if enough of us see this it means nothing?)




(BTW, the LED is not labeled, checked...)
 
Does anyone else see this same red light blink on a 09 Quad with the case open? It's not the Ram or Riser LEDs, but just left of the heatsink if looking at it with the door off.

Thanks :)
 
AppleWorking said:
Does anyone else see this same red light blink on a 09 Quad with the case open? It's not the Ram or Riser LEDs, but just left of the heatsink if looking at it with the door off.

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

I have the same led, i suppose this is normal.
 
Whiteyez said:
I have the same led, i suppose this is normal.
Click to expand...

Hey, thanks. :) So yours blinks when the power button is pressed? Then it immediately goes out, right?

And just to be sure I'm not talking about the 4 LEDs right next to the Ram or Risers. And I am also not talking about the 2 LED's (under the lower optical drive) that blink red as soon as a surge protector is turned on. The one I want to know about is just left of the heatsink when looking at the MacPro from the side with the door off, it blinks red as soon as you press the power button.

What is odd is that I never saw this red flash from this location before until I installed my extra Ram. :confused:
 
AppleWorking said:
Hey, thanks. :) So yours blinks when the power button is pressed? Then it immediately goes out, right?

And just to be sure I'm not talking about the 4 LEDs right next to the Ram or Risers. And I am also not talking about the 2 LED's (under the lower optical drive) that blink red as soon as a surge protector is turned on. The one I want to know about is just left of the heatsink when looking at the MacPro from the side with the door off, it blinks red as soon as you press the power button.

What is odd is that I never saw this red flash from this location before until I installed my extra Ram. :confused:
Click to expand...

Thats correct, its the same led.
 
I'd say the LED is a small POST test.

If I recall correctly from my 2 previous MacPros (2.66 and 2.8 first/second gens) they would flash a solid red LED for a split second then the apple chime would come on.

same as power down...LEDs will light up then the PSU would click and it would shut down.
It's if it stays on while booting or while booted is when you need to have cause for concern.
Otherwise I would think you should have any issues.

perhaps to ease your mind, run the Apple Hardware Test.
 
AppleNewton said:
perhaps to ease your mind, run the Apple Hardware Test.
Click to expand...

Yep, I ran the test looped overnight, and also memtest for a day or so. No errors, just the blink. Sure wish Apple would make things like this known...seems every blink means something to the techs, number of blinks, steady on, fading, etc.
 
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