MP All Models Mac Pro (Mid 2010), Power button has to be pressed couple of times before completely turning on

[NeedAnswer100]

I have a A1289 Mac Pro, and every morning, I have to press the power button a couple of times for it to turn on.
What happens is, when I press the power button, the power led light, graphics card fan, fans turns on, but only for a few seconds (1 to 2secs), so I have to press it again and again until everything stays powered on. maybe at least 5 times onwards...

I don't think it is an OS issue, as it has been happening since Sierra to High Sierra...

As for Troubleshooting:
I did SMC reset

1. Shut down your Mac, then unplug the power cord.
2. Wait 15 seconds, then plug the power cord back in.
3. Wait 5 seconds, then press the power button to turn on your Mac.

Used blower to blow off the dust, reconnected the CPU bay, hard drives, RAMs, and disconnected the Optical Drive...

I am suspecting a PSU issue as it does not get to a point where the MAC does hardware checks, it does power on but intermittent.

It is like I am trying to kick start a motorcycle wherein I have to kick and kick until the engine completely runs...

I want to make sure what part to replace as I don't want to buy the replacement part and then after replacing, the issue is still there...

 

[wjesse]

You got a bad PSU.

 

[startergo]

I have replaced 3 already with similar symptoms...

 

[tsialex]

I have a A1289 Mac Pro, and every morning, I have to press the power button a couple of times for it to turn on.
What happens is, when I press the power button, the power led light, graphics card fan, fans turns on, but only for a few seconds (1 to 2secs), so I have to press it again and again until everything stays powered on. maybe at least 5 times onwards...

I don't think it is an OS issue, as it has been happening since Sierra to High Sierra...

As for Troubleshooting:
I did SMC reset

1. Shut down your Mac, then unplug the power cord.
2. Wait 15 seconds, then plug the power cord back in.
3. Wait 5 seconds, then press the power button to turn on your Mac.

Used blower to blow off the dust, reconnected the CPU bay, hard drives, RAMs, and disconnected the Optical Drive...

I am suspecting a PSU issue as it does not get to a point where the MAC does hardware checks, it does power on but intermittent.

It is like I am trying to kick start a motorcycle wherein I have to kick and kick until the engine completely runs...

I want to make sure what part to replace as I don't want to buy the replacement part and then after replacing, the issue is still there...

When you remove your PSU, please upload a photo of the label.

There are two manufactures, Delta and ACBel, and several revisions. People here are tracking the models more prone to failure.

 

[Snow Tiger]

Remove the Optical Disk Drive Carrier . Blast both sides of the retained PSU with a compressor 60 PSI at 6 inches . Repeat again . Let dry thoroughly - usually for 12 to 24 hours before powering on again .

If you really want to do a good job , remove the PSU and blast it with the compressor , per above method . It would not hurt to have a replacement set of four PSU fasteners , as the factory used a lot of Loc Tite to retain these when the Macs were shipped . So , they are hard to remove and easily strip .

Don't use a vacuum cleaner , hair drier or canned air . Canned air has chemicals in it and we don't know how it will interact with electronic components in the long run . Vacuums and hair driers will have static issues that might cause an ESD event .

I used to manufacture chemicals and I collect vintage computers . Chemicals are often harmful and should usually be avoided . Compressed air is nothing but air , water particles and a trace amount of lubricant . Use a filter on the compressor line and a water trap is also a nice addition . If you are worried about what is coming out of the hose , blast a clean piece of white writing paper and notice any possible impurities before using it on your electronics .

If your cleaned PSU is still causing problems , you'll have to replace it .

 

[NeedAnswer100]

When you remove your PSU, please upload a photo of the label.

There are two manufactures, Delta and ACBel, and several revisions. People here are tracking the models more prone to failure.

I will do that... and thank you!!!
[automerge]1583388451[/automerge]

Remove the Optical Disk Drive Carrier . Blast both sides of the retained PSU with a compressor 60 PSI at 6 inches . Repeat again . Let dry thoroughly - usually for 12 to 24 hours before powering on again .

If you really want to do a good job , remove the PSU and blast it with the compressor , per above method . It would not hurt to have a replacement set of four PSU fasteners , as the factory used a lot of Loc Tite to retain these when the Macs were shipped . So , they are hard to remove and easily strip .

Don't use a vacuum cleaner , hair drier or canned air . Canned air has chemicals in it and we don't know how it will interact with electronic components in the long run . Vacuums and hair driers will have static issues that might cause an ESD event .

I used to manufacture chemicals and I collect vintage computers . Chemicals are often harmful and should usually be avoided . Compressed air is nothing but air , water particles and a trace amount of lubricant . Use a filter on the compressor line and a water trap is also a nice addition . If you are worried about what is coming out of the hose , blast a clean piece of white writing paper and notice any possible impurities before using it on your electronics .

If your cleaned PSU is still causing problems , you'll have to replace it .

unfortunately I do not have the equipment to do that, and paying for someone else to do it will cost as much as getting a new PSU, buying a compressor for the task is not worthy at all as we only have 1 mac pc to use it for... thanks for the suggestion though, i probably have done this if i had the equipment...

 

[wjesse]

There are two manufactures, Delta and ACBel, and several revisions. People here are tracking the models more prone to failure.

this is my dead PSU

 

[jmrthms]

I have a A1289 Mac Pro, and every morning, I have to press the power button a couple of times for it to turn on.
What happens is, when I press the power button, the power led light, graphics card fan, fans turns on, but only for a few seconds (1 to 2secs), so I have to press it again and again until everything stays powered on. maybe at least 5 times onwards...

I don't think it is an OS issue, as it has been happening since Sierra to High Sierra...

As for Troubleshooting:
I did SMC reset

1. Shut down your Mac, then unplug the power cord.
2. Wait 15 seconds, then plug the power cord back in.
3. Wait 5 seconds, then press the power button to turn on your Mac.

Used blower to blow off the dust, reconnected the CPU bay, hard drives, RAMs, and disconnected the Optical Drive...

I am suspecting a PSU issue as it does not get to a point where the MAC does hardware checks, it does power on but intermittent.

It is like I am trying to kick start a motorcycle wherein I have to kick and kick until the engine completely runs...

I want to make sure what part to replace as I don't want to buy the replacement part and then after replacing, the issue is still there...

I have the same issue and I'm going crazy.Thanks for sharing this!

 

[jmrthms]

this is my dead PSU
View attachment 897567

Where did you buy the new PSU from? Thanks!

 

[AidenShaw]

I have a A1289 Mac Pro, and every morning, I have to press the power button a couple of times for it to turn on.

Have you realized the even the newest cMP systems are way past their "use by" date?

Look for "plan B".

 

[tommy chen]

do you use a switchable power strip?

then wait 5 - 7 seconds before you press the button

 

[JhnsSch]

When you remove your PSU, please upload a photo of the label.

There are two manufactures, Delta and ACBel, and several revisions. People here are tracking the models more prone to failure.

I have a A1289 Mac Pro, and every morning, I have to press the power button a couple of times for it to turn on.
What happens is, when I press the power button, the power led light, graphics card fan, fans turns on, but only for a few seconds (1 to 2secs), so I have to press it again and again until everything stays powered on. maybe at least 5 times onwards...

I don't think it is an OS issue, as it has been happening since Sierra to High Sierra...

As for Troubleshooting:
I did SMC reset

1. Shut down your Mac, then unplug the power cord.
2. Wait 15 seconds, then plug the power cord back in.
3. Wait 5 seconds, then press the power button to turn on your Mac.

Used blower to blow off the dust, reconnected the CPU bay, hard drives, RAMs, and disconnected the Optical Drive...

I am suspecting a PSU issue as it does not get to a point where the MAC does hardware checks, it does power on but intermittent.

It is like I am trying to kick start a motorcycle wherein I have to kick and kick until the engine completely runs...

I want to make sure what part to replace as I don't want to buy the replacement part and then after replacing, the issue is still there...

I hope my not yet investigative experience will still benefit your troubleshoot process in some way;

For me this issue seems to be related to me using my Mac Pro on a 4K TV & the way my GPU does impact how and when my Mac goes to sleep in some way related to the TV being on or not.

..hence, when I change the source on my TV the Mac lock screen screen sometimes won’t appear, then either reconnecting hdmi does the trick immediately, or other times it for some reason does not.
[I’ll share my results, after I found time to investigate what the issue here is]

 

[startergo]

this is my dead PSU
View attachment 897567

All of mine are the same too.

 

[wjesse]

Where did you buy the new PSU from? Thanks!

from ebay, used but not brand new.