Re: Help diagnosing a hardware failure...lots of possibly helpful info.
On Dec 22, 2009, at 10:18 PM, Len Gerstel wrote: On Dec 22, 10:33 pm, Clark Martin cm...@sonic.net wrote: Len Gerstel wrote: My home Mac has been running rock solid for months with only rare software crashes. My system is a DA with the following: My experience with your configuration is either; 1) Processor failure and 2) Failing power supply. To be truthful, the best aftermarket processor upgrades were the Sonnets. Just my 2¢ worth... JT Save $10 on Flowers and Gifts! Shop now at www.ftd.com/16714 http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2241/c?cp=pwzDZyKDbK4qj41Ft5mw8QAAJ1Hoq79FjCQ74OFkFSWhCpbyAAIUAAAVBABodHRwOi8vd3d3LmZ0ZC5jb20vMTY3MTQ= -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: Help diagnosing a hardware failure...lots of possibly helpful info.
On Dec 22, 9:18 pm, Len Gerstel lgers...@gmail.com wrote: My home Mac has been running rock solid for months with only rare software crashes. My system is a DA with the following: OWC Dual 1.2GHz processor 1GB (2 matching 512MB sticks) Radeon 9600 pro with the pin traces cut Firmtek SATA card with 1TB (boot volume) and 500GB 120GB Seagate on main ata All drives have a bootable OS 10.5 install Running 10.5.8 (or whatever the latest is) with all updates. This morning got the 4 language kernel panic message to restart. Restarted and all was well Came home and tried to start it up and it would not get very far. I have tried with one stick of ram (tried both) in various slots. I have pulled the pram and plug for a few minutes. Hit the cuda with pram in. None of the above helped. Here are the error messages and states that came up on restarts. There does not appear to be a pattern to how they pop up. They are almost in order of how they appeared. Separating each instance with a blank line. snip Any ideas? OK, Just tried starting after pulling the pram and plug for 15 minutes. Got the 4 language restart, Then the kernel panic with cpu faulure, then finally a grey apple with the spinning daisy. Went out to dig out what the plows just covered my driveway with. After 10 minutes, still had the spinning daisy. Forced a restart and got a grey apple with no spinning daisy. Len -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: Help diagnosing a hardware failure...lots of possibly helpful info.
At 6:48 PM -0800 12/22/2009, Len Gerstel wrote: OK, Just tried starting after pulling the pram and plug for 15 minutes. [etc] Ahm assumin it still bongs? Strip the machine - one DIMM, one HD, and just KVM. See if it will run on that much. Boot on an external then after it panics, put that drive on another machine so you can get to the panic and system logs See if it will boot and continue to run on an OS DVD. Try a AHT disc. http://www.info.apple.com/support/aht.html HTH, - Dan. -- - Psychoceramic Emeritus; South Jersey, USA, Earth. -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: Help diagnosing a hardware failure...lots of possibly helpful info.
On Dec 22, 10:01 pm, Dan dantear...@gmail.com wrote: At 6:48 PM -0800 12/22/2009, Len Gerstel wrote: OK, Just tried starting after pulling the pram and plug for 15 minutes. [etc] Ahm assumin it still bongs? Yep, still bongs. No echo bongs, just a single/ Strip the machine - one DIMM, one HD, and just KVM. See if it will run on that much. Got it there and tried both dimms in different slots. Left the Firmtek SATA card in, though, but disconnected the drive cables. Boot on an external then after it panics, put that drive on another machine so you can get to the panic and system logs Will try that tomorrow, no bootable externals at home. See if it will boot and continue to run on an OS DVD. Tried an retail 10.5. did not boot, but do not remember if the drive is bootable. Try a AHT disc. http://www.info.apple.com/support/aht.html Tomorrow, no other Mac at home to burn a dmg. HTH, - Dan. Thanks, Len -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: Help diagnosing a hardware failure...lots of possibly helpful info.
Len, do you by any chance have the original CPU from that machine to swap back in? I know my MDD started acting almost exactly like that when my CPU was dying. Just a thought. -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: Help diagnosing a hardware failure...lots of possibly helpful info.
Len Gerstel wrote: My home Mac has been running rock solid for months with only rare software crashes. My system is a DA with the following: OWC Dual 1.2GHz processor 1GB (2 matching 512MB sticks) Radeon 9600 pro with the pin traces cut Firmtek SATA card with 1TB (boot volume) and 500GB 120GB Seagate on main ata All drives have a bootable OS 10.5 install Running 10.5.8 (or whatever the latest is) with all updates. This morning got the 4 language kernel panic message to restart. Restarted and all was well Disconnect the STA drives to force ata drive to boot. get the following System Failure cpu=0 code 0001 BSD Process corresponding to current thread kernel_task Panic CPU 0 (Caller 0x000DXE6C) System failure cpu=0 on restart- Grey Apple with no spinning daisy Reconnected SATA drives and hold option key to choose startup drive. See 2 of the 3 drives with a restart arrow on the left and an arrow to the right (for more drives). Mouse is a frozen watch (old OS 9 looking) and does not move. No keyboard response either. That it hung with two different drives and in the boot select screen implies it's NOT the software. Possible problems, in likely order, bad memory, corrupt NVRAM or PRAM, wonky devices on any drive bus (ATA, SATA,...), wonky PCI cards, motherboard gone BAD, sick processor card. Try resetting NVRAM (and thus PRAM). Pull first one then the other RAM cards, booting after each. In general start disconnecting things, working your way toward the motherboard and then boot to test it. I would boot with the option key held down each time. It seems to be the shortest route to the kernel panic and it doesn't involve the HD booting so it's safe to restart at that point if needed. Keep debugging like this until you get to the point where you can disconnect one item and only one item and eliminate the problem. -- Clark Martin Redwood City, CA, USA Macintosh / Internet Consulting I'm a designated driver on the Information Super Highway -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: Help diagnosing a hardware failure...lots of possibly helpful info.
On Dec 22, 10:14 pm, Chance Reecher cnrtechh...@gmail.com wrote: Len, do you by any chance have the original CPU from that machine to swap back in? I know my MDD started acting almost exactly like that when my CPU was dying. Just a thought. Nope, but I may be hitting the swap list for one. Len -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
Re: Help diagnosing a hardware failure...lots of possibly helpful info.
On Dec 22, 10:33 pm, Clark Martin cm...@sonic.net wrote: Len Gerstel wrote: My home Mac has been running rock solid for months with only rare software crashes. My system is a DA with the following: snip That it hung with two different drives and in the boot select screen implies it's NOT the software. My thoughts, unfortunately Possible problems, in likely order, bad memory, 2 matching sticks and tried swapping them around with no help. corrupt NVRAM or PRAM, wonky devices on any drive bus (ATA, SATA,...), wonky PCI cards, motherboard gone BAD, sick processor card. Try resetting NVRAM (and thus PRAM). Reset the NVRAM and got the following: On automatic restart, it immediately went to the 4 language restart and then shut down. Restarted again. This time came up with a 680 x 480 screen LARGE grey apple, but no daisy. Twice. Boot into open firmware and get the following: WARNING MSSCR Values mismatch Googling turns up nothing on msscr Date was reset to 1904, so the resetting worked. In general start disconnecting things, working your way toward the motherboard and then boot to test it. I would boot with the option key held down each time. It seems to be the shortest route to the kernel panic and it doesn't involve the HD booting so it's safe to restart at that point if needed. Keep debugging like this until you get to the point where you can disconnect one item and only one item and eliminate the problem. Will try stripping down the system further tomorrow. Will also try booting off a firewire drive just with all internals disconnected, just in case. Thanks all, Len -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to g3-5-list@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list
