G5 Will Not Start After Crash-Please Help, Desperate.

[BWCDoc]

I have a PPC G5 1.8 DP (PCI) running 10.5.8 that has begun to crash randomly. When I try to restart, it will boot up to the Apple screen and then click off again. Rarely, I can get it to restart, occasionally I can get it to boot in Safe Mode and I can always get it to boot in Slave Mode. If I can somewhat rarely get it to boot with the OS 10.5 CD, I can use Utilities to run Disk Repair (it's always O.K.) and do a Permissions Repair (usually 12-15 files need adjusting). Usually, it will then reboot to the HD afterward. But not this time. This time I can't get it to boot with the CD. It booted once into Safe Mode but won't again.

I have tried many things to try to get the G5 to boot including holding my breath. Among the more practical things were resetting the PMU (many, many times), removing and reinstalling the battery, unplugging the computer, testing the memory and just letting it sit. Once it began crashing, I have been forced to leave it running, but it sleeps and wakes normally.

I have a PPC G4 MDD that I am using at the moment and have connected the G5 to it via firewire. I can see and use the G5 HD with no problem. It is currently running in slave mode. Since I get an error message stating that Safe Mode was unable to repair the disk when I run Disk Utility from the G4 (the only time that this message has appeared), I have added another internal HD and am copying the contents from the G5 system hard drive onto it (minus the system files). When that process is completed after about 50 hours, I'm thinking that I will reformat the HD and reload the system. That is unless someone has a better idea.

Needless to say, I would be EXTREMELY appreciative if someone could help me solve this problem, otherwise, I'll have to buy a new computer.

Now for those masochists who want to know what I have done to try to get the G5 to restart, I give you "The List":

-First Time-
Would not restart after installing QuickTime 7.7
Booted in Safe Mode
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Would not boot in Safe Mode
Reset PMU
Booted with OS 10.5 CD
Selected G5 HD in Start Up in Disk Utility
Booted in Normal Mode successfully

-Second Time-
Would not boot after restart
Reset PMU
Booted in Normal Mode successfully
(Clock was set wrong => battery?)

-Third Time-
Would not boot after power outage
Reset PMU
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Would not boot in Safe Mode
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Reset PMU
Booted with OS 10.5 CD
Selected G5 HD in Start Up in Disk Utility
Booted in Normal Mode successfully

-Fourth Time-
Would not boot after restart
Reset PMU
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Reset PMU
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Reset PMU
Booted in Safe Mode
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Would not boot in Safe Mode
Reset PMU
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Reset PMU
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Unplugged power cord overnight
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Reset PMU
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Reset PMU
Would not boot in Safe Mode
Reset PMU
Booted with OS 10.5 CD
Ran Repair Disk (X2) and Repair Permissions (X1)
Would not boot in Normal Mode using CD Start Up Disk
Reset PMU
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Reset PMU
Booted in Safe Mode
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Reset PMU
Reversed battery
Booted in Normal Mode successfully

-Fifth Time-
Crashed without warning or obvious reason
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Reset PMU
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Booted in Slave Mode
Forced quit with power button
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Booted in Safe Mode
Put computer to sleep after using it in Safe Mode but cooling fans revved to maximum and computer froze
Forced quit with power button
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Would not boot in Safe Mode
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Booted in Slave Mode
Reset PMU
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Reset PMU
Would not boot in Safe Mode
Reset PMU
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Booted in Slave Mode
Unsuccessfully tried to repair G5 HD from G4
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Would not boot in Safe Mode
Reset PMU
Did memory rearrangements to determine if memory module might be a problem. Tried all memory combinations.
Reset PMU
Would not boot in Safe Mode
Reset PMU
Booted with OS 10.5 CD
The HD slot was visible in Disk Utilities but the volume could not be selected.
In System Profiler, HD was not visible
In Start Up Disk, HD was not visible
Selected Verify in Disk Utilities and HD mounted
Repaired Disk and Permissions
Booted in Normal Mode successfully

-Sixth Time-
Computer crashed while watching a downloaded movie (it makes the same click sound when crashing as it does when it is shut down from the menu)
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Booted in Safe Mode
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Booted with OS 10.5 CD while selecting Safe Mode
Ran Disk Repair (X2), ran Permission Repair (X2)
Would not boot in Normal Mode
I disconnected the Super Drive, thinking it may be the problem
Computer immediately failed to boot
Re-installed Super Drive
Booted in Normal Mode successfully

-Seventh Time-
Computer crashed while watching a downloaded movie
Booted in Safe Mode (but VLC, my movie application, will not run properly)
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Removed the Super Drive (SD)
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Would not boot in Safe Mode
Removed power connection to SD (data connection attached)
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Removed data connection to SD (power connection attached)
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Removed power and data connections to SD
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Reattached both power and data connections
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD in Safe Mode
Reset PMU
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Reset PMU
Would not boot in Safe Mode
Booted in Slave Mode
Would not boot in Safe Mode
Let it sit for a couple of hours
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Booted in Normal Mode successfully

-Eighth (and current) Time-
Clicked and crashed while using Safari
Let it sit for a couple of hours
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Booted in Safe Mode (and I used it in this mode for several hours)
Reset PMU
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Reset PMU
Reset PMU
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Would not boot in Start up Manager
Would not boot in Start up Manager with OS 10.5 CD
Would not boot with OS 10.5 CD
Booted in Slave Mode
Uninstalled QuickTime 7.7
Would not boot in Normal Mode
Would not boot in Safe Mode
Booted in Slave Mode

 

[Dronecatcher]

Disconnect the hard drive and try a Linux live disk and use it for a while - if all ok, that would indicate the problem is hard drive and/or it's data bus. Trying another hard drive in there would provide some answers. I'm guessing too that if the power supply is failing it might be struggling to spin up the drive consistently?
Have you tried a fresh install, zeroing out the disk first?

 

[BWCDoc]

Disconnect the hard drive and try a Linux live disk and use it for a while - if all ok, that would indicate the problem is hard drive and/or it's data bus. Trying another hard drive in there would provide some answers. I'm guessing too that if the power supply is failing it might be struggling to spin up the drive consistently?
Have you tried a fresh install, zeroing out the disk first?

[doublepost=1472321959][/doublepost]Thanks Dronecatcher, I installed a second internal drive and am backing up my boot drive to it. It will take another 15 hours to complete. Once backed up, I will try to reformat and reinstall the operating system on it on the original boot drive. The only problem that I see is that I need to be able to boot the G5 using my OS 10.5 CD. So far, this has been impossible since the start up process never gets past the Apple screen. Is there a way to install Leopard on the G5 in slave mode using my G4? Any other suggestions?

I will save using a Linux live disk (probably using a USB flash drive) as a last alternative since I'm not familiar with Linux. I do have an external USB HD but I use it as a back up and would have to transfer those files before installing Linux. That would probably take another24-36 hours.

If it is a power supply problem wouldn't that also effect the ability of the HD to spin up in slave mode? It always boots successfully in slave mode (as a matter of fact I have been transferring files to a second internal HD for about 30 hours in that mode.)

 

[Dronecatcher]

Is there a way to install Leopard on the G5 in slave mode using my G4?

Yes, you should be able to install from your G4 (just take care to select the right drive!)
At first boot fix permissions from the disk utility as well.

Yes, I know logically spinning up the drive in target mode would suggest the power is fine but you never know....