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G5 1.8dp pci-x

jhorvath911

Well-known member
So found this computer in the neighbors garbage today only thing missing is hdd. However when I plug it in and press power button I get nothing. This is my first time touching one of these so not sure where to start.

I did try resetting the pmu with no change.

 

TheWhiteFalcon

Well-known member
It's probably dead. Not kidding.

That was the model I owned; absolute heat pig.

I'd start with the PSU, you can also check the caps on the board. Most likely is that the U3 memory controller on the back broke from its solder, with the PSU being next.

 

jhorvath911

Well-known member
I thought these only had the ram slot problems after the board had been over flexed. This still has the stock amount of ram512mb.

 

TheWhiteFalcon

Well-known member
They all had the memory controller issue, excepting the final multicore machines which have the far superior U4 memory controller. Let me put it this way; your model here had a 40% failure rate in the first year.

 
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jhorvath911

Well-known member
Well thanks for the information. Figured I will still pull out the multimeter tomorrow and check the power supply but if that's not the problem then I guess see what I can throw in the case.

 

Unknown_K

Well-known member
Bummer they are nice machines. I have the original 1.6 single CPU machine and it works great, but slower then my other DC 2.0GHZ PCIE models. So many decent motherboards end up dead because of the switch from lead to silver solder and bad caps. Capacitors can be easily replaced but I don't have the skills of equipment to do reballing (could save a few video cards I have as well if I did).

 

Elfen

Well-known member
Sad to hear the demise of such a machine.

Q: Cant the U3 memory controller desoldered, the pads cleaned up and fixed and the chip soldered back on?

 

Schmoburger

Well-known member
Yep it's almost guaranteed that the PSU is cactuar, and this will be the primary issue that prevents it powering on... However it is likely that it has logic board issues or will have them eventually. Unfortunately, the PCI-x G5's were complete and utter garbage. I have a 2.0DP that makes a good shelf for this reason... It's unstable and unreliable as hell, and sometimes dumps a CPU when it feels like it, rendering it only a single-processor machine. In the end I opted not to fix it and simply replaced it with a PCI-e 2.0 dual-core instead given how far the prices of 2nd had G5's have dropped. I can't say a bad word about this machine... it's fantastic, and appreciably quicker than the one it replaced.

Not sure about the U3 controller... does it use normal feet or is it a BGA arrangement? If it is BGA then I beleive it has to be essentially flowed onto the board with localised heat. If its normal pins, well one may be in luck, however I beleive part of the issue was simply that the memory controller itself was complete and utter rubbish... just like the IDE controllers on early B+W G3's.

 

waynestewart

Well-known member
I had good luck with a 2.0DP. The owner had the cooling system fixed under warranty but said it wasn't stable after  that and gave it to me. I didn't look at it for 6 months then also has issues. Used my compressor to blow out a ton of dust and it's been rock solid since.

Yep it's almost guaranteed that the PSU is cactuar, and this will be the primary issue that prevents it powering on... However it is likely that it has logic board issues or will have them eventually. Unfortunately, the PCI-x G5's were complete and utter garbage. I have a 2.0DP that makes a good shelf for this reason... It's unstable and unreliable as hell, and sometimes dumps a CPU when it feels like it, rendering it only a single-processor machine. In the end I opted not to fix it and simply replaced it with a PCI-e 2.0 dual-core instead given how far the prices of 2nd had G5's have dropped. I can't say a bad word about this machine... it's fantastic, and appreciably quicker than the one it replaced.
 

Unknown_K

Well-known member
I like the case too, which is why I bothered getting something that I can't boot OS 9 directly from.

 
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