This is a carry-over post from the old forum.
Originally I thought this issue was a video card issue but now I'm not so sure.
On the advice of Flurk--2008, I set my colors to 256 but this did not resolve the issue. Then I got a pointer to verify I was not having any bulging or leaking electrolytic capacitors. I verified that this is not occuring.

Looking for advice on next steps such as tools/software diagnostics or other things to try.

Restating what's going on:
My G5 has been starting to act up again.
Problem started 3-4 weeks back where on startup i'd get apple splash screen / spinning bar or loading / then screen gets the fuzzies white/gray on top with black background, seems to roll down the monitor then it just shuts down

searched the mac forums and based on findings, I removed all I/O devices except kbd & mouse. still had same problems, then Reset PRAM and this got me further still lots of horizontal lines but I was able to bring system up and lower resolution.
now I have a semi functional machine most of the time but 800x600 stretched on this is not very fun.

still getting intermittent horizontal noise & really need to get resolution issue resolved.

Latest behavior is that the system is shutting down more frequently.

Any ideas?
Joe

The original thread Joe refers to can be found HERE.

Have you run the Apple Hardware Tests from your install discs?

Yes & it didn't find any issues but that was 2-3 weeks back. It didn't find anything.
I'm going to rerun them.
It's gotten to the point where it won't even stay up for more than an hour.

Joe

Have you tried Starting up in Safe Mode? (What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode?)

This is not a guaranteed test, but video issues that disappear in Safe Mode are often hardware related, so if yours do disappear, rerun AHT's extended test in loop-mode (control-L) for at least 5 loops.

Please keep us posted.

I brought up the system in safe mode and screen noise was still happening.

The diagnostics I ran wasn't AHT, it was a separate CD I had gotten called turbo tech tools or something. think it came with my system but its pretty useless cause its finding no problems.

My G5 is PowerPC based so I see that the way to run AHT is by holding either alt or ctl with install CD1 in on startup.
however, this isn't working for me.

not sure if its cause I don't have my original kbd or cause i'm holding ctl & option? I have a usb keyboard. Anyone know how to determine which key I should be hitting, also is it possible to do this with non-apple USB keyboard.
The kbd I had been using was a wireless usb, but i put a cabled usb on for now thinking this was better?

when trying to boot into AHT, the System is coming up in regular mode. While leaving it up looking for more information about AHT and keyboards, etc I hear a faint click & the computer immediately powers off. This has happened 4 times already and it happens after the system is up for about 15 minutes.

HELP!
thanks,
Joe

The Alt key on a Windows keyboard is the equivalent to the Option key on a Mac keyboard.....

To get to the Startup manager with your keyboard, start the Mac while holding down the Alt key and you should then see the startup systems available to choose from. With the CD1 in the optical drive this should now include the AHT.

Let us know.

One other thing to try that hasn't been mentioned yet is to log in to a test Admin user account and see if your issues follow you across account lines.

If you haven't got such an account set up you can do so in /Apps/SysPrefs/Accounts.

Thanks again.
well the alt key by itself works.
when I have mac os x install CD 1 in there I get 2 icons.
Hard Disk & Mac os x install cd 1
i'm not getting the AHT icon though
I tried the same with install cd 2 and only get the HDisk icon.

Any ideas?

AHT is part of disk 1; it should be printed on the label together with instructions for use. Select disk 1 to boot from and hold down the D key to boot into AHD; pressing C would boot into OS X and load the OS Installer.

That seems to depend on the model of G5 under consideration.

Last night, I found four different generations of PowerMac G5 user manuals at Apple Support. Since they're pdfs weighing in at roughly 10 MB apiece and my DSL connection was a bit flakey due to recent rains, I only downloaded the earliest and latest, and neither of those mentioned the D key (which I thought was an Intel Mac development, anyhow).

The first, PowerMacG5_UserGuide.pdf, says this:



The last, Power_Mac_G5_Late_2005.pdf,says:

Yep, Thanks. I just went hunting deeper in the bin with my G5 stuff. My manual says to use the disc labelled "Additional Software & Apple Hardware Test"
This triggered a flashback for me. Years ago after an HDD failure, I took this thing to the local CompUSA where I bought it since it was still under warranty. I left my 3 discs with them & upon picking it up those discs were not with my system. One of the tech guys after much frustration on my part pulled together 3 Apple discs--2 install ones & that other turbo tech deluxe tools disc that i was using before...ugh!
even the install discs are different disc versions--disk 1 is version 1.1 and disc 2 is verion 1.0
Oh the joy. If only I knew then what I know now

by the way, I did add a test admin acct & used it but experienced same behavior.

Has anyone ever been able to download & create AHT discs?
Other recommendations?
I'd rather not have to take the long trip to apple support & pay the big $$$ if at all possible.

thanks again,
Joe

You're right, again: those disk differ quite a bit! (I just have too darn many of these Install disk boxes lying around) To my 'defense' I have to say that the appropriate way to access AHT is (usually) printed on the disk, something I also mentioned...

Unfortunately, the AHT disk is not available other than with the purchase of a Mac or via eBay, but then only if you can be sure the disk is for the exact same Mac model you've got. No downloads either, AFAIK.

The test account showing the same problem suggests that it is system-wide and may require reinstallation of the OS to fix (if you haven't already tried that). Of course, the issue may very well be hardware related and in fact that's what it looks like, in which case reinstallation won't help much. OTOH, there's little to lose at this point.

thanks guys...I called support & pleaded my case. they wanted to charge me $16 and change to get the AHT disc but I was able to get them to waive that with a little negotiating/complaining.
so now I wait a few days for the disc to arrive & see what it has to tell me.
Joe

Apple offers a few AHT images for download. They seem to all be for PPC though.
Apple AHT Images

> Apple offers a few AHT images for download.

Most of them are *not* specific to one particular type of Mac as I expected would be the case after seeing V1's posts that AHT discs are even more specific than grey install discs.

The ones they offer for download are all the older pre-intel discs. I think when apple rules hardware "obsolete", (7+ yrs old) it places the software in publicly accessible areas.

But what about the fact that they are *not* machine-specific?

Example from Gary's linked doc:

"Apple Hardware Test (iBook) - Size 10 MB
Apple Hardware Test for iBook Version 1.2.4 CD for use with iBook (FireWire), iBook (Dual USB), iBook (Late 2001), iBook (14.1 LCD), iBook (16 VRAM), iBook (14.1 LCD 16 VRAM), iBook (Opaque 16 VRAM), iBook (32 VRAM) and iBook (14.1 LCD 32 VRAM)."

2.3.3, 2.5.8, or 2.6.3 is probably going to be required for a G5. I've actually got a stack of 2.5.8 here because at one point I had four running at the same time...

That's not responsive to my question...

You've posted that AHT discs are "even more specific" than grey-label install discs, but the example I cited shows one d/l as being compatible with many different iBooks; has it, and the other similarly multi-machine-compatible d/l's found at Knoodles's URL, maybe been modified?

Sorry I was referring to the AHT disks that ship with newer (intel) macs.

The terminology has changed over time and causes confusion.

Earlier, macs shipped with a hardware test cd that was os 9 running techtool. Later apple started writing some of their own test code, but called it a hardware test disk. these were primarily provided to service providers though not to users. These were produced for all powerpcs through G5. These ran in openfirmware.

When the intels came out apple shifted gears and produced a dedicated Apple Hardware Test (AHT) for each model and shipped that with the computer, and produced a less specific Apple Service Diagnostic (ASD) for the service providers. A typical ASD supports maybe 10 different models. All AHT support ONE model. ASD and AHT for intel all boot in EFI except for the recent OS testing variations.

Any straight numbered (2.3.3, 2.5.8, 2.6.3) is an old AHT and supports multiple models. Any 3aXXX is an AHT and supports one model. Any 3sXXX is an ASD and supports multiple models.

I believe apple now allows download of all AHT, even the current models. Apple does not allow download of ASD without a GSX account. A typical AHT image is 50mb. The latest ASD come on multigigabyte segmented disk images and include both a bootable EFI image and a bootable OS tester. The OS tester is sufficiently large to require installation on a hard drive partition. I don't usually use the OS tester because I get what I need from simply having a bootable 10.5 installation to try.

Thanks for the clarification.

My wife's iMac G5 had similar issues. Her power supply had to be replaced.

thank you...that's what it's looking more & more like.
how/where did you buy the power supply?

got the AHT disc last week & it found no issues...very disappointing.
it does not look like power supply is one of the things thats tested.
Is there anyway other than replacing it to test a power supply?
I have all the details of the machine, such as serial #, Processor type: ppc970 (PowerPC 970), 1.8 GHz Powerpc G%

is the best way to determine what to buy to replace the power supply opening it up & looking for specs on power supply?
or perusing the apple site or another way?

thanks so much,
Joe

> Is there anyway other than replacing it to test a power supply?

I'm far from expert, but the only way of which I'm aware is to take your Mac to either a "Genius Bar" or authorized Mac service center, both of which have access to tools to which we mere mortals do not.

> is the best way to determine what to buy to replace the power supply opening it up & looking for specs on power supply?
or perusing the apple site or another way?

Before going the route you're envisioning I suggest that you do some research to determine whether your power supply is user serviceable.

There is no practical way to test the power supply using software such as the AHT. Testing requires, at a minimum, a Volt/Ohm/Ammeter and a system specification. Unless you are a moderately skilled technician with the proper test equipment replacing the power supply would probably be cheaper than the labor to test it.

Any reputable Apple Certified Repair center can provide you with the specs, the replacement power supply, and install it as well. Power supplies are not considered user replaceable parts.

if it's a non isight g5 imac shutting down during startup, it's almost certainly the power supply. there's no way to test it besides replace it.

Sadly, there is no way to test the power supply with a computer program; it's one of those things that it either works or it doesn't, and if it doesn't, the computer tends to shut down.

It sounds quite likely that that's your problem, but short of replacing it, there's no way to be sure.