G5 PowerMac Help

Willis · 22 May 2008 at 12:35

Ok after getting the lead for my G5 Power Mac I've tried starting it up and get no display. The fans, hard drives etc all seem to be working (or sound like they are working). Now I think It could be faulty RAM or Graphics card. Am I right in thinking I cant use any PCI express card and that the RAM has to work in pairs on the board. Last question should you get a apple chime from it or do you need speaks plugged in to here it. :confused:

Deleted member 651465 · 22 May 2008 at 16:53

Did you buy this without checking it out first, or did you buy it as a project? :eek:

The startup chime usually comes from the internal speakers, however, if the previous user has disabled it in user preferences it'll need to be turned back up.

Yes, the RAM needs to be in pairs, and the graphics card needs a special BIOS/EFI firmware loaded before it will work in OS X.

Willis · 22 May 2008 at 17:30

EVH said:
Did you buy this without checking it out first, or did you buy it as a project?

The startup chime usually comes from the internal speakers, however, if the previous user has disabled it in user preferences it'll need to be turned back up.

Yes, the RAM needs to be in pairs, and the graphics card needs a special BIOS/EFI firmware loaded before it will work in OS X.

I got it as part of deal, so can I use any Graphics (eg PC one) card just to boot it up. Then if it works I can get a special one for within OSX.

Ender · 22 May 2008 at 21:34

out of interest, how much did you pay for it if you don't mind me asking?

Willis · 22 May 2008 at 22:00

Ender said:
out of interest, how much did you pay for it if you don't mind me asking?

I paid £200 but that was part of a deal, Its the Dual Core G5 which are very rare

MagicBoy · 22 May 2008 at 22:29

Willis said:
I got it as part of deal, so can I use any Graphics (eg PC one) card just to boot it up. Then if it works I can get a special one for within OSX.

Part 1 - No.
Part 2 is therefore irrelevant.

You need a graphics card with a Mac BIOS on it.

Logsi · 22 May 2008 at 22:31

You bugger!

Running a Dual 2.0Ghz here with 4GB of RAM. Still a very capable machine that runs everything excellently! Only think letting it down is the 9600 Pro graphics card that slows down the graphical things in OS X.

You should hear the Apple Chime from the front in built speaker if you have no speakers connected.

If yours is a late G5 it may have PCI-Express whereas mines a PCI and AGP only one. I'm not sure what cards you can use but i think there is a X800 mac edition you can get on PCI-Express.

If you wanted to get a PC card and put it in you'll have to search around and see what a suitable card is and find the firmware to flash the card with.

If your getting nothing on the screen is the white light on the front flashing more intense every now and then?

Josh

Founder_film · 23 May 2008 at 08:07

5bjoshua said:
Running a Dual 2.0Ghz here with 4GB of RAM. Still a very capable machine that runs everything excellently! Only think letting it down is the 9600 Pro graphics card that slows down the graphical things in OS X.

Josh

Same here, I keep searching the bay for a better agp graphics card but they are always really over priced

Willis · 23 May 2008 at 08:43

The one I have is a PCI Express one, I've decided to just sell it on for someone else to fix it

G5 PowerMac Help

Deleted member 651465

Deleted member 651465