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Dead Mac Pro with red blinking light

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whitcomb

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 16, 2015
6
0
I have a Mac Pro 2009 quad4 3.33Mh machine. We had a bad electrical storm last night and this morning (I had left the machine running) the unit was off no response to start up, blank monitor, bud I do have a blinking red light. It seams it is on the back board just under the CD drives. It blinks ever 2 seconds or so. When I hit the re star the red light stays on. Tried option-start.... Nothing. Tried shift start button.. Nothing. I took it to Apple store and they could not get it started and suggested it was the power supply, and did not have any parts for equipment this old. I have checked online and a new power supply is around $300.... but that could be a gamble.... I have read some of your threads and you said it could be memory sticks. OK I am not able to start the unit..... I am thinking first to re set the memory.... then try to start if it is a no go ho for the hard drive, now my big question is once I get the hard drive out, is there a test I can run say with a vom? Will find a part number on the drive so I can order a new one? Pulled ram out and re seated them, did not help. Ordered and replaced the power supply ($378 overnighted) and still red light and now boot.. no sound at all just blinking red light..... help
Many thanks. whitcomb
 
This is why I keep my Mac - and all electronics - plugged into a surge protector, and in my Mac Pro's case, a surge protector with all the plugs plugged into ANOTHER, high quality on wall surge protector. Two failsafes.

Was yours plugged into any kind of protection or straight into the wall?
 
There's like a dozen diagnostic LEDs so just saying one of them is flashing is not very helpful. What is the label for the LED?

I suggest following the "No Power / Dead Unit" troubleshooting procedure in the service manual.
 
Which diagnostic light is blinking?

What happens when you push the DIAG button below the LEDs when off?

What happens when you push the DIAG button and press the power button?
 
location of blinking red light

with the side of the case off you can see it just under the cd/dvd on front/top edge of the back board. No I did not press the DIAG, I did not know to. Thanks hope this helps.
 
First step:

Press DIAG LED button while power cable is connected:

17015652249_c297f27b6c_b.jpg


If the STBY LED does not illuminate when you press the DIAG button, verify the power supply No Power symptom chart:

17201846805_0d20da483c_b.jpg
 
Before you have another storm, assuming it was only on surge protector, I would also order a 1300-1500VA UPS. I switched from APC RS-1500 to CyperPower units (have them in every room but bedroom for equipment, TVs - the works).

I know there are some good threads around here, most recently came upon this one on MacIntouch.

$300 and you are even getting close to prices for used 2009s.
 
blinking red

the blinking light is farther up... at the top left corner of the backboard... out of the photo you placed.
 
yes

I think it is one to the top two........ I think it is the second one down. The computer is not in front of me .........
thanks
 
So, if it is one of two Over Temp Lights (OVTMP CPUA/B) you should check any build up dust in CPU heatsinks and remove heatsink and reapply thermal paste.

Do you know that fans were working properly before this problem ?

This is optimistic, but in reality OVTMP CPU probably means dead logic board.
 
whitcomb said:
with the side of the case off you can see it just under the cd/dvd on front/top edge of the back board. No I did not press the DIAG, I did not know to. Thanks hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Was it plugged into any kind of surge protection or straight into the wall?
 
surge protector

Yes i did have it plugged in to a Isobar Trip Lite noise filter and surge suppressor a six port...I thought it was a good one but it did not help.... I have talked to the nabobs around me one had three TV fried, another lost all power in the house, another computer all with in one block.
 
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