Help - Gigabit Ethernet G4 will not do anything!

[ReanimationLP]

I bought a GigE tower from another Macrumors member, he said it was working months ago. Turns out it isnt working anymore.

I've pushed the power button in, nothing. Tried a USB keyboards power button, still nothing. Its stock so-to-speak except for the 1 GHz Sonnet G4 card that came with it. I believe the Sonnet may still be warrantied too. Why wont it turn on at all though?

When I got it, it came with a funny power supply extenstion cord that had the two white wires hacked out of it, then some red wires patched. Its all very confusing to me.

The pass through port on the power supply works. I've also tried a PC PSU with the hacked cable, still nothing, same with a Blue and White PSU.

Help is highly appericated.

 

[Unorthodox]

When I got it, it came with a funny power supply extenstion cord that had the two white wires hacked out of it, then some red wires patched. Its all very confusing to me.

The pass through port on the power supply works. I've also tried a PC PSU with the hacked cable, still nothing, same with a Blue and White PSU.

Did the seller mention that when you bought it?

 

[ReanimationLP]

Did the seller mention that when you bought it?

No. He said they were in operational condition and tested perfectly, and all they needed was drives.

I put in a Combo drive and a 40 GB hard disk, tried turning it on, boom. Not a damn thing happened. -.-

I dont think I'll be getting any kind of refund either.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

If the machine has never worked since it arrived, something may have loosened in transit.

Check every connection on the logic board. Re-seat the RAM, video card and CPU.

However, since it doesn't even seem to try to turn on, I'm leaning towards it being a PSU problem. A B&W PSU won't work; you'd need another Gigabit Ethernet PSU to test it, and they aren't particularly cheap.

If it is still totally uresponsive, and you've checked all the connections (and ditched the funky power-cord), I would consider it DOA.

 

[gman71882]

That computer doesnt require ANY type of special power it takes just a regular three prong power cable with nothing else attached to it!!!

 

[ReanimationLP]

That computer doesnt require ANY type of special power it takes just a regular three prong power cable with nothing else attached to it!!!

I'm talking about a power supply extenstion that connects to the mainboard.

 

[SC68Cal]

I'd be more than happy to share pictures of the inside of my Gigabit Ethernet Powermac so you can compare a true stock config with whatever god-awful hackjob he did.

 

[ReanimationLP]

The extension cable comes off the power supply cord.

Theres no damage done to the power supply.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Definitely ditch that extension and try booting without it.

 

[ReanimationLP]

Definitely ditch that extension and try booting without it.

Have tried it.

Nothing.

 

[spinne1]

Have tried it.

Nothing.

Try resetting the motherboard PMU chip. Here is a page describing the reset button procedure:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=95037

If that doesn't work, look here for more extensive testing procedures:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=95038

If the above does not work, you likely have a dead power supply (the second link above has a link to the G4 power supply test--do it if the first link does not fix it). If you do need a power supply, check ebay. Here is the only one I found for sale right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Powermac-G4-Gig...ryZ51044QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I hope you get it working.

By the way, who sold the computer to you?

 

[ReanimationLP]

Try resetting the motherboard PMU chip. Here is a page describing the reset button procedure:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=95037

If that doesn't work, look here for more extensive testing procedures:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=95038

If the above does not work, you likely have a dead power supply (the second link above has a link to the G4 power supply test--do it if the first link does not fix it). If you do need a power supply, check ebay. Here is the only one I found for sale right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Powermac-G4-Gig...ryZ51044QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I hope you get it working.

By the way, who sold the computer to you?

Thanks for the tip!

I'm gonna find me a voltmeter and test it all right away. Unless anyone knows of a way to just trip the PSU on like you can with PC power supplies.

I'll be bidding on that PSU too.