Apple PowerMac G5

Model: PowerMac G5 1.8 / DP (PCI) - A1047

  • Machine model: PowerMac G5
  • cpu: 2 x PowerPC G5 @ 1.8 GHz - PowerPC G5 (3.0)
  • memory: 2 GB (512 MB x 4 - DDR SDRAM - PC3200) - all slots filled (memory must be installed in pairs)
  • hard drive: 160 GB - Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 - 160 GB - SATA/150 - 655T0188 (6Y160M0), revsion: YARS1HW0, 7200 rpm,
  • optical drive: Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-117D, revision 870S, CD-RW / DVD-RW, ATAPI, Apple Supported / Shipped
  • graphics: nVidia GeForce FX5200 Ultra (AGP) 64 MB VRAM, DVI, ADC outputs
  • network:
  • usb: 3 ports (1 front, 2 back)
  • firewire: 800 Mbps, 2 ports (1 front, 1 back
  • audio:
  • other: internal modem
  • boot-ROM version: 5.1.8f7

os testing on this machine: FreeBSD, OS X, Ubuntu,

boot keys: alt (option) - show boot menu / select drive to boot from, shift - Safe Boot, C - boot from optical drive, N - boot from NetBoot server, T - firewire target mode, X - force OSX Startup, Command-S - start in Single User mode, Command-V - start in verbose mode,

eject cd on boot: hold down the (left) mouse button,

reset PRAM: Command-Option-P-R, hold until reset

open firmware: Command-Option-O-F

OS X keys: Force Quit - Command-Option-Escape, Restart - Command-Control-Power, force shut down - press power button for 10 seconds,

back to machines page.

links

Memtest, Rember, Resetting CUDA/PMU on PowerMac G5, Your Mac won't start up in OS X, boot a PowerPC Apple from USB,

History

2021-08-22: I re-created this page on my self-hosted web server.

2011-01-25: so I took apart the machine, following the "Service Source Power Mac G5 20 june 2006". The hex bolts were not as badly damaged as I first thought. I took out the PSU and cleaned it, it was full of dust. Put the machine together, after securing both CPUs, I realized I had forgot to put the PSU cover back in, so I had to take out the PSU again. After finally getting the machine back together again, it will not power on. The relay(s) in the PSU engage when the power cable is connected, that's all. Well, too late now to take the machine apart, I'll have to do that another day.

2011-01-25: after having worked for many days without problems, today the machine refuses to boot from any hard drive, or cd. But - booting with the Option key held down gives me the screen where all devices can be selected and the selection works, and booting with Command-Option-O-F works; it puts me into Open Firmware. But the machine simply will not boot from a hard drive or a cd, neither from Open Firmware, the selection screen or just plain power on. Damn!

2011-01-15: I tested with a couple of other DIMMs: 2 x 256 MB, in the inner slots. Test? Well, they work, same as the other DIMMs. I was unable to take out the two CPUs; someone before me have used the wrong size tools and destroyed the heads of the hex bolts that holds the heatsinks in place. All of them!

2011-01-15: I took out the PRAM / PMU battery and measured the voltage, it reads 3.67 V, so it is good. I also verified that the SuperDrive works; I burned a disc image to a CD.

2011-01-10: one more: I tried to reset the PMU with the button inside the machine. And now the machine boots. I wonder if it will stay that way. Time will tell.

2011-01-10: I tried this, booted to open firmware, and did reset-nvram, followed by reset-all, but the machine just hung after the reset-all command, hmm. Next, It tried this, reset-nvram, set-defaults, reset-all. Still the machine hung after the reset-all. Ok, more later.

2011-01-10: I verified that that the machine could read the Install Disc 1 (which is a DVD) in the optical drive. So the optical drive works.

2011-01-09: On the first try, the machine stopped at the grey screen with the apple on it, on the second try it started up and loaded OS X.

2011-01-09: I bought this machine second hand, for NOK 300.- . It came with a power cable, keyboard, and a Mac OS X Install Disc 1 (Mac OS version 10.3.5, disc version 1.3). The previous owner warned that the machine was hanging at a grey screen most of the time. I'll see if I can fix it.