Freelance Badger

Running a G5 Intel twin core Mac (only had it for a month) this evening was dumping a file in the trash and machine locked up and diagonal 'bitmap' kinda lines apppeared all across the screen and the file I was attempting to dump seemed to be 'stuck' on the mouse pointer.

Turned on and off several times, tried to start with original disc etc but only get as far a a blue background with these same diagonal lines across it and file still 'stuck' to pointer

Help line is useless as ever.

Had to get my old G4 Mac out the loft to post this!

To me it seems like a total screen failure? but on a month old Mac?

Got work on the G5 that I really need to access...

Any ideas?

Markus

I don't mean to be rude, but what type of Mac is it? There is no such model as a G5 Intel Twin Core. I'm guessing you mean it's a Mac Prowith two Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors?

Try resetting the PRAM (reboot and then hold down command + option + P + R and keep them held down until you hear the restart chime twice, then let go) and also try resetting the SMC (see here for info on how to do that)

Have a look here and tell me if the screen looks something like that (it's probably a bit more corrupted than what you're seeing though). The machine in question is a MacBook Pro, so it is different to yours, but the problem sounds a little similar, someone mentions having the issue and a reset of PRAM fixed it.

If that does not work, Apple should replace it under warranty and if you can get it to an Apple Store I think they may even copy over the data from the existing drive onto a new machine.

Having said that, if you need data on the Intel, then you could try the following:

1) Restart the Intel Mac and hold down the T key, this should start it in Firewire Target Disk Mode

2) Connect a firewire cable between the Intel Mac and the G4. The Intel Mac's hard drive should appear on the G4's desktop, and you should be able to copy off what you need

The above might not work as the partitioning scheme on the Intel machines is different from the non Intel machines, and thus the G4 might not "see" the drive because of this.

Freelance Badger

Machine is an iMac Intel duel core (so wound up cant even remember my own name!)

Tried all the restarting/resetting things and still get the same lines. Doens't really look anything like that MacBook screen - this is individual 'bitmap' lines across the blue screen at 45 degrees diagnonally.

Tried to Firewire my G4 up to it to transfer the info I need but it won't recognise the G5 :-(

So does this sound like a graphics board failure? On a month old machine?

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

markus has given some very good simple troubleshooting advice...if none of his work (and it sounds as you have already), then apart from starting in safe boot (hold down shift key) or starting it in single user mode and using the fsck command, then yes it may be a terminal failure.
I know it is a pisser on such a young machine but it has happened before..
apple will sort you out, or your local retailer...

sorry to not be able to offer any more constructive advice...

Markus

OK, if it's an iMac then the SMC thing won't work anyway. It really does sound as though there is a failure on the logic board, so getting it replaced will be the best bet.

I've had a few machines over the years, PC and Mac's turn up dead on arrival, or had them die a few weeks after purchase, so you're not alone. Same kind of thing as getting a brand new car that has various faults.

Freelance Badger

So if it's the logic board - would they just replace while I wait? Send machine away and then return / just give me a new one and be able to transfer my stuff across to it?

mattbeef

Unplug the power cord for 10 secs then power back up that resets the PMU

Failing that do the PRAM thing but hold the combination down till you hear the machine chime 3 times as it can take a few clears of the PRAM

Markus

I seriously doubt they'd replace the logic board while you wait. I think the usual procedure would be to give you a brand new machine in place of your existing one. They might also install OS X while you wait and part of the process allows you to transfer settings from another mac, so they may well do this to copy the data from the duff machine.
From what I've read, the only time they can't do a straight swap is if the machine is built to order, as it would possibly have hardware that the standard boxed machines don't. If it's just RAM then that'd be easy enough to swap so not a problem, but if there's an HD upgrade then that'll be a problem and you'd probably need to wait until they send out a new machine.

Best bet would be to call your local Apple Store or Reseller and ask them what they suggest.

marklemac

depends on who you bought it from as to whether you get a brand new replacement machine, or if you have to wait for a new logic board to be fitted.

Give them a call.

RichB

Are you sure you've done the firewire thing properly
I would connect both machines together with cable - G4 can be on at this point - then power up the iMac and immediately press and hold the 'T' key.
The disk should appear...

I had to have my G5 logic board replaced and it took just under 2 weeks
Ended up borrowing a G3 laptop for the time which was hard work...

Freelance Badger

Yer Firewire sees the G5 an an uninitialised disc and wants me to either eject or initilise and if I did that it would wipe it out...must be something to do with the G5 being an Intel/ newer OS system than my G4...

ScoobyDoo555

I didn't think that the machine was that specific..... regardless of the actual OS, as it's not actually looking for an OS, just a mountable disk.......

Best of luck though

Dan

Markus

OK, bit more on Target Disk Mode. Have a read of this. So, bottom line, sounds as though the G4 isn't running 10.4.0 or later. Though I'd guess that it would need to be at least 10.4.4, as that's the OS that shipped with the intel machines, and I'd be surprised if there's support for the GUID partition map (the type used by Intel macs) in a prior version of the OS, but there may be.

Freelance Badger

Update: Went to PC World , not my local branch cos they didn't have a replacement in stock. Hooked up my iMac to one of theirs on display in the shop and successfully Firewired across the vital things from my broken machine which seemed to work ok. I set it all up myself (even supplied my own Firewire cable) and got the feeling I knew more about Macs than any of the staff - and that's saying something...! Then downloaded that onto an external hard drive of mine. Took about 2 hours in total with me just hanging around the Mac counter so nobody came and turned them off or played about with the machines.

Got a new iMac and came home to start loading it up again etc. Expect questions about re-loading/ saving settings etc in the near future ;-) Wont be 2morrow though cos off to photograph Fensports 650 bhp Celica !

ScoobyDoo555

good news

Dan

ScoobyDoo555

ps forgot to add, my workmate's G5 is going in for repair tomorrow/Monday. Suspected fubar'd logic/motherboard

He's having to use an old G4 in the meantime!!

Dan

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

its your curse dan