Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

Headshot · Feb 3, 2007, 08:09 PM

Really bad things are happening to me today:

first I went to
install the BT card, and when I put the lid back on now upon boot
the fan (the one connected to the speaker by the powerswitch) is
revving so high it's driving me nuts...

NEXT: now that I'm trying to figure all this out, the monitor (23" ACD)
started booting up funny too. The little wheel would start to spin, and then
be covered by a barcode looking icon.

NOW the monitor wont even turn on! This is aweful, I supect maybe the incredible
static in the air and on my body may have something to do with this, I dont know.

And yes, I DO have the plastic shield replaced, that's a no brainer.
Now I have to use my Powerbook to read the HD's in my G5 to do any work.
At least the drives boot up (T) via firewire....

Help, I'm freaked out and starting to majorly panic.........

Chito · Feb 3, 2007, 08:21 PM

Often adding new hardware requires a PMU and nvram reset for everything to play nice together. Instructions are here:
Mac Owners Support Group :: View topic - Reseting the PMU and NVRAM

I know you've got the air deflector in place but check the foil tab at the lower right corner and make sure it's there and in good shape. If that foil gets screwed up the fans will rev.

Headshot · Feb 3, 2007, 08:50 PM

Thanks Chito,
I did the first part, pressing the PMU reset button, just like it says, then to reboot, upon plugging
in the powercord, the litttle white light is just pulsating. Can't restart at all!

Well, that did something, but now I cant even reboot to start the NVRAM process. Not even holding
down the button shuts it off!

Hmmmm, almost there, now any ideas???

Chito · Feb 3, 2007, 09:15 PM

Did you have everything unplugged when you reset the PMU? That's supposed to be the best way to do it.
Have you tried removing the bluetooth card to see if the computer will start without it?

Headshot · Feb 3, 2007, 09:25 PM

yeah, everything was unplugged. ill try and remove the module...and pray!

let you know in 5

Chito · Feb 3, 2007, 09:35 PM

keeping my fingers crossed............

Headshot · Feb 3, 2007, 09:36 PM

finally worked when pressing the PMU button with power cord plugged in...
then reset nvram successfully...

fan still on high! at least my G5 boot again...
will try to reset PMU button again.....

Chito · Feb 3, 2007, 09:40 PM

did you check that foil tab on the air deflector?
did you have to pull the bt card to get it started?

Headshot · Feb 3, 2007, 09:46 PM

i know the tab you mean, it's the one that shuts the red light off and normallizes the lower big fans, thats fine.
its the small fan connected to the speaker that's revving a million miles an hour, and now it boots, loads the OS, and goes black on me, with the fan still on high!

This sux bigtime, as soon as the White apple screen comes on after the tone, the screen goes black.
what on earth can it be? thanks again Chito...

seanc · Feb 4, 2007, 04:52 AM

Pull out that card you installed, first rule of troubleshooting.
Does it work without the card?
Either your card is faulty or you didn't put it in right.

Headshot · Feb 5, 2007, 12:47 AM

card's been out. no dice, still revs high, no boot.

Big Mac · Feb 5, 2007, 01:41 AM

That's awful man, sorry about that.

Chito · Feb 5, 2007, 05:45 AM

The fact that your computer is staying powered leads me away from a power supply issue for now. It's starting to look like a video card problem.
1. Remove and reseat the video card and the cable from the display to the card. Try again.
2. Do you have your install discs? Try to restart with the dvd/cd and run the Apple Hardware Test. Some info on that here:
The Apple Hardware Test
3. Also here's Apple's take on no video:
What to do if you see black, white, or no video when you start up your Power Mac G5
4. Which video card do you have?

Headshot · Feb 7, 2007, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Chito

The fact that your computer is staying powered leads me away from a power supply issue for now. It's starting to look like a video card problem.
1. Remove and reseat the video card and the cable from the display to the card. Try again.
2. Do you have your install discs? Try to restart with the dvd/cd and run the Apple Hardware Test. Some info on that here:
The Apple Hardware Test
3. Also here's Apple's take on no video:
What to do if you see black, white, or no video when you start up your Power Mac G5
4. Which video card do you have?

Hey Chito,
THanks for sticking with me.
Took it up to a place in Evanston, and got a call back today.
2 things...
• new front fan - Maybe this is from having the power running when I put the fan back in? (insert flame here)
• possibly new Vid card. He said he 'receded' the Vid card (take out and put back in) and it booted fine.
then problem came back.

The fan he can have asap, the vid card I'm searching on Ebay for. OWC is only a few miles away and can have it here by mañana. BUT they only have the X800 or whatever it is for $350.

Then I see the ATI Radeon 9600XT 256MB AGP 9600 XT 256 Video Card V11 on Ebay for $65...but don't know if it will fit my G5.

That's the update.
Worst case scenario is, the card base or mount. Which means the "L" word......

kick52 · Feb 7, 2007, 11:40 AM

did you ground yourself before installing the card?

improper grounding can fry something.

Headshot · Feb 7, 2007, 11:54 AM

hey Kick,

Ohhh, I'm sure that was the issue. Still, I touched plenty of metal before I got to the juicy parts and I was seated, so not a lot of movement.
But, being about 0% humidity on a 0˚ day in Chicago? Loads of static in the air. Shoulda waited for a nice spring thunderstorm, lol.

Chito · Feb 8, 2007, 09:34 AM

What card do you have now? If it's a Radeon 9800 maybe it's just a bad fan on the card. I replaced mine before it failed but I've read that others have had fans fail and after the card gets warm problems start. You can get an Arctic Cooler fan for $20. The X800 is the bomb card but it is pricey and you've got to decide if you want/need that much video card. If a bare bones bottom of the barrel card will get you by you can get a new Radeon 9600 64mb card here for $40.
MegaMacs.com - Your source for Mega Mac Deals

If you go the ebay route make sure that you get a card that is specifically Mac. There are alot of sellers on ebay with flashed PC cards. Some will work, others won't but you're getting into a whole new world trying to figure out which is which and if problems develop you'll have a harder time figuring it out.

Headshot · Feb 8, 2007, 12:58 PM

Chito, my guy.
Because of that link to megamacs, i have one on the way.

If this works I'm gonna send you a deep dish pizza, and maybe a little Italian Beef on the side.......

Apparently, this is the same card that went bad, and he's pretty sure that it is the card because
it overheats and then cuts. So I guess I been living with "Bare bones" for 2 years, can't wait ti get the 256 bad boy when it';s available again!!!!!

The front fan is replaced and fine now.

Guess my own body spark put the zap on things......

Chito · Feb 8, 2007, 01:18 PM

Static can be a bear sometimes. I'm glad that the link helped you out. I don't know when new cards from ATI are going to be available for our Macs...the X800's OWC is selling are old stock that they've been sitting on till they could drive the price up.

Chito · Feb 17, 2007, 09:29 PM

Headshot, did you get this fixed?

Headshot · Feb 18, 2007, 12:23 PM

I got it back and it's on fire. Back to normal.
Unreal Tourney is smooth so I guess 64mb is plenty for me right now.
Before I upgrade the card I'll probablt sell the G5 and upgrade to a MacPro desktop.
$200 for a better Card, $200 for 2 more gigs of RAM, and not being able to add more than
2 total internal drives make the upgrade a no brainer.

But, the fan and graph-card got fried probably from static. Unplug everything, my bone-head move of the year.
I had to search all over to get a card, but your Mega Mac link was the KEY.
Shipped from Tulsa to Evanston in 18 hours, incredible.

thanks a ton!