Power Mac - G4 1Ghz tower... bad power supply?

khemik · khemik #1 (**permalink**)

10-13-2007, 10:08 AM

I have a G4 1ghz tower that I inherited from a school that was throwing it away. I"d like to get it running and operating properly. When I got it I plugged it in, connected it to the monitor, and hit the power button.....
I heard the hard drives spool up, the indicator on the front of the machine that illuminates the button lit up... but it appeared that nothing else was getting power.... I plugged a few USB devices into it to try to eject the disk drive....
CD rom drive will not respond at any point after starting it... all usb buses appear to have no power (laser mouse wont light up)and the firewire drive (I had OSX on) would not boot from firewire drive, and the monitor never got out of standby. I know the monitor works, because it will wake/sleep with my powerbook. Anyone help me out with this one?

Thanks,
Jason

Sherman Homan · Sherman Homan #2 (**permalink**)

10-13-2007, 10:43 AM

Good description of the problem! Seriously, you give more detail than many, but I am looking for one more: how about that startup chime?! Any sound?

newcitizenship · newcitizenship #3 (**permalink**)

10-13-2007, 02:36 PM

Try these:

-Reset the PMU (unplug the power cord, open the computer, press the little round black button near the battery and hold it for about 1 second, then plug in the power cord and try to start it up.)
-Reseat the RAM
-Reseat the video card.

If none of these work, I would take it in to a local Apple Specialist to get it tested.

khemik · khemik #4 (**permalink**)

10-15-2007, 08:06 PM

Thanks guys... appreciate the input. About the chime. Its a very strange sounding chime, it almost sounds like the old school 5 1/2 in floppy drives sound when they grab the floppy??? does that make sense? but a chime? definitely not. I didnt mention this but this is a G4 server, and I wasnt sure if the os x server application that I believe is on it, perhaps has a different sound.

Newcitizenship... Thanks, I did try all that first before I posted, but thanks much for the input. Its a 50/50 that its either PS or the Motherboard... I just hate having other people fix my stuff... LOL.... thanks much guys! (or gals?) no offense...

Geeky1 · Geeky1 #5 (**permalink**)

10-15-2007, 08:42 PM

If it turns on at all, it's more likely to be the mobo than the psu, imo.

Sherman Homan #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 27, 2006 Location: Norwell, MA Posts: 897	10-13-2007, 10:43 AM Good description of the problem! Seriously, you give more detail than many, but I am looking for one more: how about that startup chime?! Any sound? Sherman Homan http://macintoshsolutions.com http://shermanhoman.com http://grumblefix.com http://www.merchantcircle.com/busine...s.781-749-9162 http://www.merchantcircle.com/busine...x.781-424-5722
	QUOTE Thanks

Geeky1 #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Jul 14, 2007 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 589 Mac Specs: See Sig...	10-15-2007, 08:42 PM If it turns on at all, it's more likely to be the mobo than the psu, imo. MCCCXXXVII Notebook RAM Buyer's Guide- How much, what type, what brand, where to buy, etc. MBP: 17" WUXGA/2.4/4GB/160GB 7.2K G4: Heavily modified Dual 533 DA
	QUOTE Thanks

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Power Mac - G4 1Ghz tower... bad power supply?

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khemik #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 05, 2007 Posts: 16	10-13-2007, 10:08 AM I have a G4 1ghz tower that I inherited from a school that was throwing it away. I"d like to get it running and operating properly. When I got it I plugged it in, connected it to the monitor, and hit the power button..... I heard the hard drives spool up, the indicator on the front of the machine that illuminates the button lit up... but it appeared that nothing else was getting power.... I plugged a few USB devices into it to try to eject the disk drive.... CD rom drive will not respond at any point after starting it... all usb buses appear to have no power (laser mouse wont light up)and the firewire drive (I had OSX on) would not boot from firewire drive, and the monitor never got out of standby. I know the monitor works, because it will wake/sleep with my powerbook. Anyone help me out with this one? Thanks, Jason
	QUOTE Thanks

khemik #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 05, 2007 Posts: 16	10-15-2007, 08:06 PM Thanks guys... appreciate the input. About the chime. Its a very strange sounding chime, it almost sounds like the old school 5 1/2 in floppy drives sound when they grab the floppy??? does that make sense? but a chime? definitely not. I didnt mention this but this is a G4 server, and I wasnt sure if the os x server application that I believe is on it, perhaps has a different sound. Newcitizenship... Thanks, I did try all that first before I posted, but thanks much for the input. Its a 50/50 that its either PS or the Motherboard... I just hate having other people fix my stuff... LOL.... thanks much guys! (or gals?) no offense...
	QUOTE Thanks

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