G5 imac (isight) problem

G5 iMac (iSight) problem

Hi, I have been given a G5 isight imac that kernel panics all the time. I have run the hardware test from the install cd and this checks out with no problems and also techtools aswell. However the keyboard and mouse will freeze whatever you are doing (USB versions) if you try and reinstall the os it kernel panics or just locks up.

Any help would be appreciated

Cheers

Kernel panics are usually caused by hardware issues. Since you have an iMac...there is not a whole lot of hardware to troubleshoot as a user.

Your iMac has 1 ram slot. Turn off the computer, remove this one stick of ram, and then restart the computer. If the kernel panics disappear...then the stick of ram you removed is bad.

HTH,

- Nick

I 2nd Pigoo's advice. I own and still use daily an iMac G5 2.1 Ghz iSight. It's been a VERY reliable machine but after a few months I put in a 1GB stick of RAM in the bottom slot. After 2 months I started to get KP's and freezes. In my case the AHT said that stick was bad. I took it out and the machine was like new again. I bought a 2GB Kingston and installed that and never had a KP again except once which a software issue. If there is RAM installed in the bottom slot under the cover, remove it and see if the errors go away. There is 512Megs RAM on the main board so the system will still work with that RAM out of the slot.

Please let us know what happens so we can help you farther if this does not work.

dtravis7 said:

I own and still use daily an iMac G5 2.1 Ghz iSight.

I bought a 2GB Kingston and installed that and never had a KP again except once which a software issue.

Click to expand...

I didn't realize that you could put a 2gig stick of ram into the 2.1ghz G5 iMac iSight (1 ram slot)...all the other pre-iSight iMac G5's maxed at 2.0gig of ram (two ram slots).

But then I checked my favorite Mac info website...and saw that the later iMac G5's have 512meg of motherboard ram vs. no motherboard ram on earlier models.

- Nick

The last iMac G5 was a very different machine. Back no longer came off. The front comes apart like the White Intel iMacs with hidden locks. Real pain to take apart. Like you found there is 512Megs soldered to the mainboard and you can put a 2GB PC2-4200 DDR2 Module. At first the 2GB Module was well over $500 at Ebay so I waited and went with 1GB till the price dropped!

Hi, the imac only has the 512meg onboard ram. I have run the Hardware Test numerous times and everything passes ok, I was wondering if it could possibly be a temperature problem ie getting to hot when on for a while (only because if you turn it on the first kp is maybe 15-20 minutes in after that they become more frequent) is it possible to dissconnect the temperature gauges? and still power on the machine. Also if i were to boot into single-user mode would a kp be logged somewhere?

chrisbingo said:

Hi, the imac only has the 512meg onboard ram. I have run the Hardware Test numerous times and everything passes ok, I was wondering if it could possibly be a temperature problem ie getting to hot when on for a while (only because if you turn it on the first kp is maybe 15-20 minutes in after that they become more frequent) is it possible to dissconnect the temperature gauges? and still power on the machine. Also if i were to boot into single-user mode would a kp be logged somewhere?

Click to expand...

Well if there is no ram on the expansion slot...that sort of simplifies things!

Too high of a temperature can cause problems...thus here are some ideas:

1. Install a program called "Temperature Monitor"...and see what sort of temps. you're getting (assuming you can run the program long enough to get operating temps without a kernel panic).

Temperature Monitor: Description

2. It's possible your cooling fan(s) are not operating properly...or could be failing.

3. If you feel confident enough...you could take your iMac apart, and try cleaning it out. Dust/dirt buildup can decrease cooling efficiency.

Hope this helps,

- Nick

Hi, the mac has no os on it because I originally thought it could be a failing hdd so I decided to do a zerowrite on it. This process finished even though the keyboard and mouse had frozen during it. Unfortunately the installer kp's before it has finished. So therefore I cannot run any software.

Any ideas?

Cheers
Chris

chrisbingo said:

Hi, the mac has no os on it because I originally thought it could be a failing hdd so I decided to do a zerowrite on it. This process finished even though the keyboard and mouse had frozen during it. Unfortunately the installer kp's before it has finished. So therefore I cannot run any software.

Any ideas?

Click to expand...

Yes...to be honest you probably shouldn't have cleared the hard drive before posting here...because that makes things more complicated!

If your Hard drive is failing clearing it will not fix it. A failing hard drive is a mechanical thing...clearing the hard drive is a software thing...so the one doesn't fix the other.

But be that as it may...you could try suggestion #3 I made above...which is open up your iMac & see if it needs a good cleaning.

I hope this helps,

- Nick

Hi

The reason I zeroeod the drive was because if it was a bad sector(s) then they would be rendered out of action for a clean install. I have had the imac open and cleaned it out I also removed the hdd to do a scan with spinrite everything is a ok no bad sectors.
I am not sure whether if a boot into single user mode will cause it to freeze haven't tried that yet.

Thanks so far.

Chris

chrisbingo said:

Hi
I have had the imac open and cleaned it out I also removed the hdd to do a scan with spinrite everything is a ok no bad sectors.
I am not sure whether if a boot into single user mode will cause it to freeze haven't tried that yet.

Thanks so far.

Chris

Click to expand...

Good to hear that you have had you iMac open & were able to clean any dirt or fuzz.

Basically I'm trying to suggest ideas that an "end-user" can troubleshoot & repair themselves. Kernel panics are usually caused by bad or failing hardware issues...such as bad ram, bad video card, bad motherboard.

Generally speaking, bad hard drives are not something you look at first for solving kernel panics...check out this article:

http://www.index-site.com/kernelpanic.html

In your case (because you have an iMac)...the only thing you can really troubleshoot is the user upgradable ram...but you've already mentioned that you don't have any additional ram installed in your iMacs ram slot. An iMac's video hardware is soldered to the logic board...so you can't troubleshoot this by removing it.

Do you know if your iMac's fan is operating properly? If you turn on your iMac does the fan rpm's speed up as you do various tasks. I'm thinking that since you say your iMac is clean...that if your fan is not working properly, then your iMac may be getting too hot due to the fan not working properly. This may be a long shot idea...but something to consider.

Worst case scenario is something has gone bad on your motherboard...and there's not too much we can do about that...other than replacing the motherboard (expensive).

So try:

- to determine if the fan is working properly (if you don't already know)
- running the hardware test again just to be sure
- boot from your OS install CD/DVD, launch & run "Disk Utility" and see if finds any problems with the hard drive.
- boot from your OS install CD/DVD and try installing the OS
- if you are successful installing the OS, install "Temperature Monitor" to get a handle on how warm your iMac is running.

Beyond this we may be running out of options.

Good luck,

- Nick

EDIT: Here's another good link for explaining Kernel Panics, and Kernel Panic Resolution:

http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/kernelpanics.html