[VegasACF]

Greetings,

My Dad's G4 (model M8570) went to sleep as ordered on Thursday night. On Friday morning it was not turned on. And it would not turn on.

My first thought was to reset the PMU. Did so, in compliance with Apple's instructions. Nothing. So I wondered if the battery was dead. Got a replacement. Followed replacement procedure. Nothing.

I also tried resetting the lone PCI card in it. Nothing. I also tried it with various configurations of the RAM that was in it. Nothing.

I'm thinking maybe the power supply has died. Is this a correct assumption?

If so, my only recourse is to take it into the shop, right? My Dad knows next to nothing about computers, so this has fallen to me to repair. I'm hoping I can just convince him to go out and get a new iMac, as that would more than fulfill his meager computing needs. Either that or a mini, since he already has keyboard, mouse and monitor.

Any thoughts on anything else I could check before undertaking repair or replacement? Thanks in advance.

[VegasACF]

Just to head off dead ends before they appear...

Tested the outlet. It's fine. Tested both the new and old batteries. Both read near 3.6v.

I'm thinking dead power supply. Any ideas what replacement (and labor) will cost? If it's enough, I can likely convince him to get an iMac and not have to do cross-town tech support any more.

Just wondering.

[Yankee Rose]

Hi Vegas - how is that new little addition?

Is this Power Mac an FW800 or a MDD (Mirrored Drive Doors)?

Do you have access to a voltage tester? I'd try that next. Then if it IS the power supply, you can save $$ on labor by installing a new one yourself.

One other thing to check - does the power button light up at all when you press it? Even press/hold ...

Do you have any Genius Bars close by? You could always pick their brains.

I believe the current part number for a power supply for an FW800/MDD is 661-2816. This is a 350 watt and quieter than the 400 watt one they replaced. Maybe you can check prices and then determine from that whether to recommend to your dad that he upgrade. (I personally am all for upgrade, but if it is just a PS then that might be a simple and more cost-effective fix.)

Hope that helps!

[ehwood]

I once read about a similar G4 that mysteriously wouldn't turn on. The owner had thought it was dead and let it become a parts machine. But then he tried starting it again and it mysteriously worked.

I might have had my own G4 (a Digital Audio) stop starting - I'm not sure now. I would suggest unplugging the power supply from the board and replugging it. Otherwise.. it may be possible to get an ATX power supply and modify it to work. xlr8yourmac.com is a wonderful resource for such nitty gritty detailed information about hacking a Mac.

[VegasACF]

Originally Posted by Yankee Rose

Hi Vegas - how is that new little addition?

He's now nearly seven months old. And he's not so little anymore. The kid hasn't missed any meals, let's say.

We've moved 2,000 miles from our former home (and have been living in my Dad's home [hence my duty as tech support for his computer!] while we awaited the sale of our Vegas home and purchased a new home). Now both of those things have been satisfied, and we are two weeks away from both selling the Vegas house (thank God) and moving into our new (and quite roomy--prewired for sound, no less) house. Those two weeks cannot come fast enough, I assure you. There's nothing quite like being in your mid-30s and living in your Dad's house with your wife and kids. Oy. I am most thankful for his having allowed us to live here during our transition. But no house is big enough for two generations. I don't care what the second and third worlds have to say about the matter!

Originally Posted by Yankee Rose

Is this Power Mac an FW800 or a MDD (Mirrored Drive Doors)?

I've been wondering about that, myself. It's definitely got mirrored doors, but I'm certain it's a single-processor. Methinks it's one of those reissues that they did to fit the needs of people who needed OS 9 bootable machines. It was a gift (white elephant) from my brother's business to my father. I think he might have known I would be back here when he gave it to him, though it would have taken a medium (or a large) to have foreseen such a thing back when it happened.

Originally Posted by Yankee Rose

Do you have access to a voltage tester? I'd try that next. Then if it IS the power supply, you can save $$ on labor by installing a new one yourself.

I do, but I don't know where to put the leads to find out the answer. This power supply appears to be a pretty well encased thing. Any wires (or bundles thereof) that come out of it are well buried in the bowels of the machine. And I wouldn't even begin to know which parts of a ribbon wire are the ones that carry anything worth measuring. Hey, I'm a lawyer, not an electrical engineer. And my former life in tech support was limited to software.

Originally Posted by Yankee Rose

One other thing to check - does the power button light up at all when you press it? Even press/hold ...

Nada. It doesn't know I exist.

Originally Posted by Yankee Rose

Do you have any Genius Bars close by? You could always pick their brains.

Yeah, there's an Apple Store in my vicinity. But I've been underwhelmed by the results therefrom. Mayhaps I should give them another chance.

Originally Posted by Yankee Rose

I believe the current part number for a power supply for an FW800/MDD is 661-2816. This is a 350 watt and quieter than the 400 watt one they replaced. Maybe you can check prices and then determine from that whether to recommend to your dad that he upgrade. (I personally am all for upgrade, but if it is just a PS then that might be a simple and more cost-effective fix.)

Hope that helps!

More than you'll ever know. Thank you for your assistance. I will put it to good use. Or will endeavor to do so. At the very least, I'll stop before I fry myself. Better a three-generation-old computer go the way of the plesiosaur than for me to follow their lead!

[Yankee Rose]

Hi again Vegas -

I found a link to the Service Manual for your system. Page 107 explains how to verify the power supply, should you attempt to do so. Hope that helps.

Good luck! And enjoy that new home and this exciting time in your lives!

[ehwood]

Originally Posted by VegasACF

He's now nearly seven months old. And he's not so little anymore. The kid hasn't missed any meals, let's say.

We've moved 2,000 miles from our former home (and have been living in my Dad's home [hence my duty as tech support for his computer!] while we awaited the sale of our Vegas home and purchased a new home). Now both of those things have been satisfied, and we are two weeks away from both selling the Vegas house (thank God) and moving into our new (and quite roomy--prewired for sound, no less) house. Those two weeks cannot come fast enough, I assure you. There's nothing quite like being in your mid-30s and living in your Dad's house with your wife and kids. Oy. I am most thankful for his having allowed us to live here during our transition. But no house is big enough for two generations. I don't care what the second and third worlds have to say about the matter!

I care what they have to say about the matter, but then they're accustomed to that living. For Americans, crowding together like that is practically culture shock. Kind of funny to think of how much complaining there would be if Americans had to live like the poorer peoples of the world..