HELP! Mac Pro 1,1 won't boot

[thevaas]

Hello all,

So yesterday, while transferring a 2mb file to an external pen drive, my Mac Pro 1,1's (2006, A1186, 2.66 Quad Core version, 8gb RAM / 6Tb HDD (2+2+2) / ATI Radeon 4870 512 MB Graphics Card) video suddenly went blank. The white light was constant (no blinking nothing). I figured it might have gone to sleep (despite no sleep setting), so I long-pressed to switch off and after 15 mins, switched the machine on. No startup chime, only the GPU (ATI Radeon HD 4870) fan spins at a high speed, no display. Nothing.

So after scouring the internet and these forums, I employed all the workarounds suggested by lots of users (namely, resetting SMC/PRAM, Reseating RAM, GPU, Removing external drives, peripherals, etc etc.) Still nothing. The white light is shining bright, the fans spin noiselessly, the GPU fan spins at top speed (with three LEDs lit, not the 601 LED), no startup chime.

I then chanced upon the Diagnostic LED function via the manual. This is what happens when I press the DIAG_LED button :

LED 1 ("Trickle") - ON
LED 6 ("GPU") - Off [The ATI is connected in the PCIe slot 1]
LED 7 ("Power On") - Off
LED 8 ("EFI") - ON

Now, here in India, the Apple Customer Care sucks and that's why it's out of the question to involve them at this point. Had a tough time replacing the original NVIDIA card. The ATI 4870 was flashed in 2011, again with help from online forums and it has worked perfectly fine till last night.

What do you think could be the issue? I can provide more information for you'll to understand the issue better.

 

[louishen]

My first suspect would be the graphics card

 

[pigoo3]

Just to verify…when you try to reboot does the Mac Pro…does it give give you the normal startup chime? I know that you said it didn't the first time you tried rebooting. What about the 2nd or 3rd time?

If still no chime…try removing the video card…then try restarting the computer again. Do you get a normal chime now?

- Nick

 

[thevaas]

Just to verify…when you try to reboot does the Mac Pro…does it give give you the normal startup chime? I know that you said it didn't the first time you tried rebooting. What about the 2nd or 3rd time?

If still no chime…try removing the video card…then try restarting the computer again. Do you get a normal chime now?

- Nick

Hi Nick,

No startup chime on multiple reboots. I removed the video card and restarted the machine - just the fans spin (at a calming speed). The white light still stays bright (no blinking). No startup chime.

I haven't checked the Diag_LED when the video card is out. I can try that out tomorrow and post my findings.

 

[pigoo3]

Hi Nick,

No startup chime on multiple reboots. I removed the video card and restarted the machine - just the fans spin (at a calming speed). The white light still stays bright (no blinking). No startup chime.

I haven't checked the Diag_LED when the video card is out. I can try that out tomorrow and post my findings.

Ok…thanks for trying.

I found this Service Manual for 2006 Mac Pro's on the internet. On page 115 there's a chart with info regarding the diagnostic LED's. Give it a read…and see what you think:

http://tesselator.gpmod.com/_Text/MacPro_Service_Manual.pdf

- Nick

 

[thevaas]

Ok…thanks for trying.

I found this Service Manual for 2006 Mac Pro's on the internet. On page 115 there's a chart with info regarding the diagnostic LED's. Give it a read…and see what you think:

http://tesselator.gpmod.com/_Text/MacPro_Service_Manual.pdf

- Nick

Hi Nick,

In response to your earlier query, I removed the Video card and tried to boot. Same effect. No startup chime/Just fans spinning/White light is steady.

I checked the Diag_LED and this time LED 2 and 7 (Power On) light up. The LED 8 (EFI) sometimes lights up green when I keep the DIAG_LED pressed for sometime. Other than that it's still the same.

I also tried putting my old NVIDIA graphics card (It could boot on safe mode the last time I checked), but it shows the LED 6 (GPU) as off and again same effect.

Could it be the PSU or the Logic board? The PDF document doesn't talk about this - just the precautions or troubleshooting by removing/adding cables etc.

UPDATE #1: I kept the machine switched on (without the video card) for a good 10 minutes. Now the "EFI" LED 8 lights up green along with LED 1 ("Trickle"). The LED 7 (POWER ON) is off

UPDATE #2: I removed both the RAM Risers, to check whether the machine would blink or chime (to show no RAM). I switched on the Mac Pro and believe it or not, it still shows no change in behavior. The white light is steady, no blinking, fans spinning. I doubt if it even registered that there are NO RAMS attached to it.

Should I book a coffin for it?

 

[gsahli]

Could it be the PSU or the Logic board?

Unfortunately, we don't know. This is the point where swapping in "known good" parts would be used for troubleshooting.

My bet is on power supply - that's also the cheapest between PSU or MB to replace (usually).

Maybe you can do some probing with volt/ohmeter? Or look inside the PSU for things like caps leaking or bulging.

 

[thevaas]

Unfortunately, we don't know. This is the point where swapping in "known good" parts would be used for troubleshooting.

My bet is on power supply - that's also the cheapest between PSU or MB to replace (usually).

Maybe you can do some probing with volt/ohmeter? Or look inside the PSU for things like caps leaking or bulging.

Hi gsahli,

If you check my update posts above - I even removed the RAM risers to figure if the white light would blink or show an error. No change in behavior. And those were all in working condition - because I was also in the middle of an edit job, no errors throughout.

I do not know much about voltage meters or anything, I can try disassembling the PSU to check but I will have to research again for that

 

[gsahli]

I can try disassembling the PSU to check but I will have to research again for that

I don't recommend taking it apart - just look through openings (maybe with flashlight).

 

[harryb2448]

Could well be the power supply from your description. Have a look on eBay and such for a used Mac Pro 1.1 power supply. Later models have different connectors so must be a 1.1 or a 2.1.


https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/86528/Mac+Pro+(2006)+Power+supply-replace

 

[thevaas]

Ok thanks, Gsahli. I'll try checking the PSU unit.

@Harry: Yup, will try looking for a used PSU unit. But you read that the machine doesn't even detect missing RAM - so logic board might still be functional?

 

[johnodd4]

It might not be the power supply.

Let me ask you a simple question you said.

you power on the machine but no chime and the white light is on on the front of the machine.

if so the board isn't dead nor is your graphics card you could have lost a processor if you have a processor fault the machine will power up but will not chime and just spin up the graphics card and the hard drives had this happen to one not a fun time to repair.

However there is a fix but you would most likely not like the answer the main reason mac users where using the 1.1 to 2.1 firmware conversion flash method was to fix a bug in 1.1 that causes stability issues with the graphics card this is why people where using the firmware hack to upgrade the mac pro from 1.1 to 2.1 because there the same boards

 

[thevaas]

It might not be the power supply.

Let me ask you a simple question you said.

you power on the machine but no chime and the white light is on on the front of the machine.

if so the board isn't dead nor is your graphics card you could have lost a processor if you have a processor fault the machine will power up but will not chime and just spin up the graphics card and the hard drives had this happen to one not a fun time to repair.

However there is a fix but you would most likely not like the answer the main reason mac users where using the 1.1 to 2.1 firmware conversion flash method was to fix a bug in 1.1 that causes stability issues with the graphics card this is why people where using the firmware hack to upgrade the mac pro from 1.1 to 2.1 because there the same boards

Hi Johnodd4,

So you're saying that maybe if i flash my board to 2.1 firmware, it might work? But how can one do that when the machine won't boot up at all?

Secondly, I'm afraid that my graphic card won't work if I manage to upgrade to 2.1 successfully. The reason - It was a PC based card which I flashed for working in the 1.1. I'll have to recheck if they've released a hack for the 2.1 firmware for the card.

 

[thevaas]

I got a friend who has a Mac Pro 1,1. Was wondering if I could just borrow his logic board for the time-being, swap it with mine and try booting up?

Do you think I'll need to install any drivers or anything considering the only thing that I had flashed was the ATI Video card?

 

[gsahli]

Was wondering if I could just borrow his logic board for the time-being, swap it with mine and try booting up?

I think you can try that without installing anything.

BUT - you know there is a "slight" risk that your power supply and other cards, etc could damage the motherboard.
(just don't want you to think there's No risk - if it were me, I'd try it)

 

[thevaas]

I think you can try that without installing anything.

BUT - you know there is a "slight" risk that your power supply and other cards, etc could damage the motherboard.
(just don't want you to think there's No risk - if it were me, I'd try it)

Haha thanks for the tip, gsahli

But in fact, I figured a place that offered to take a look and diagnose the machine for me. It's not an Apple store, but almost like a group of techno-enthusiasts who have started their own 'unauthorised apple' servicing. Will post the results

 

[johnodd4]

good to here by the way the tool i am talking about is the macintosh 2006/2007 firmware tool google it on google it will stabilize a lot of the 1.1 issues

 

[adiqziom]

Haha thanks for the tip, gsahli

But in fact, I figured a place that offered to take a look and diagnose the machine for me. It's not an Apple store, but almost like a group of techno-enthusiasts who have started their own 'unauthorised apple' servicing. Will post the results

Well, there is still someone waiting for your response ;D

 

[thevaas]

Well, there is still someone waiting for your response ;D

Hey, sorry for the delayed response. Been 2 years since the Mac Pro was placed in its coffin

Flashback:
So I took it to the 'techno enthusiasts group' to have it checked. And as someone on this thread had suggested 'swap good parts with the bad' - they tried that method. The problem was that Mac Pro 1,1 was already a vintage model with Apple discontinuing most of its parts (logic board, PSU et all). So they swapped it with a working 1,1 logic board - it booted with the chime but the graphic card LED was off. The existing PSU was working fine as well. The graphic card had gone kaput and since it was 'flashed' the only way was to get a replacement one which again, apple had stopped manufacturing (the original one NVIDIA 256mb).

So logic board and graphic card had to be replaced. The cost given to me was something way above - so used the case and the existing HDDs and got a hackintosh done instead. Been working perfect since 2014.

 

[pigoo3]

Hey, sorry for the delayed response. Been 2 years since the Mac Pro was placed in its coffin

Ha ha…almost 2 years is a while.

And as someone on this thread had suggested 'swap good parts with the bad' - they tried that method. The problem was that Mac Pro 1,1 was already a vintage model with Apple discontinuing most of its parts (logic board, PSU et all).

"Vintage" or not…Apple doesn't sell parts. eBay, Craig's List, and other online retailers are the sources for parts (not Apple).

So logic board and graphic card had to be replaced. The cost given to me was something way above..

A very common situation.

Just in case you haven't looked recently. A Mac Pro 1,1 (100% working) can be "snagged" via eBay for around $150 (or less) now. And maybe even lower on Craig's List. At that price now…totally not worth it to do any parts swapping (on a non-working Mac Pro). Just purchase another used one!

- so used the case and the existing HDDs and got a hackintosh done instead.

Which we won't & don't discuss!

- Nick

p.s. Thanks a million for the update. Especially after almost 2 years!