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Please Help with 2009 Mac Pro Quad Core 2.66 GHz No Display or Keyboard/Mouse Power

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wolfman_rob

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 18, 2023
13
2
HI I apologize in advance for not being more knowledgeable . I have a 2009 Mac Pro Quad Core 2.66 GHz . I had it running working on a Pro Tools Project stepped away for a little while . When I came back the displays wasn't working also the mouse wasn't lit up on which is plugged into the keyboard so I would assume the keyboard wasn't working either . Had to do a hard shutdown . I unplugged the mini display port to VGA and powered it back up and it worked with one screen. I then powered it back down and hooked the mini display port to VGA back up and both screens worked as well as everything else . Once I shut it down the next day it wouldn't work once again . The Tower powers up and I can hear the drives on startup as well as the fan but no displays or mouse/keyboard.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
 
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wolfman_rob

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 18, 2023
13
2
I haven'ever had it online . always kept it offline . the Keyboard is plugged into the usb on on the keyboard and the red light on the bottom of the mouse isn't lit up . I can plug the mouse directly into any other usb and it lights up though
 
Amethyst1

Amethyst1

macrumors G3
Oct 28, 2015
9,786
12,185
You need to find out if the Mac Pro has booted up despite the displays being dark. If it has, this can point to the graphics card having gone bad. If it hasn't, the issue may also be elsewhere.
 
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eyoungren

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,604
28,365
You could try resetting SMC. That'll reset the USB ports.

On a Mac Pro…

- Shut down the device and disconnect it from the power supply
- Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds
- Release the button
- Connect the computer to the power source again and restart as usual
 
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wolfman_rob

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 18, 2023
13
2
wonder how would be the best way to see if it has booted since it isn't on a network?

I will try resetting the SMC.
 
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wolfman_rob

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 18, 2023
13
2
Thansk so much guys for all the help . I got a new keyboard ordered a couple of days ago just in case.

I tried resetting the SMC with no luck . I also forgot to mention that a couple times on startup it ejected the DVD Tray and the hard drive sounded a little different for about 2 seconds which then the DVD tray was ejected. Wonder if It could be a system Hard Drive issue or would it do that if it was a hardware problem?
 
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wolfman_rob

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 18, 2023
13
2
Just a quick update. I ended up getting a used Mac Pro with the same specs as mine . I put my system drive in and it worked just fine . Also the old keyboard mouse and screens as well as all the display connections work .

Must be some kind of hardware failure in the old mac but unfortunately the Mac that just came in was dropped and damaged pretty bad by UPS so gonna have to send it back even though it works I don't want to take a chance on something going wrong with it from the hard drop it took.

Any ideas if there is anything that I could replace in the old one to start with to see if it could be fixed ?
 
MrScratchHook

MrScratchHook

macrumors 6502
Dec 17, 2022
288
100
United States
wolfman_rob said:
I will give that a try
Click to expand...
if you still have the mac your returning, i would put that graphic card in your mac and see if it works, if it does then you return the damaged mac and get a saffire pulse rx580 8gb. if the graphic card switch doesn't work, report back and we'll suggest something else...
 
broly

broly

Suspended
Apr 1, 2020
64
13
edmonton
well fam, if you want to remove all sources of error, that would be the last one.

just see if that slot is dead. from what you're saying you've tried a different card and it did not work either, right?

and you tried the peripherals on another machine with the same specs and it worked, right?

so, remove one of those pro tools cards and see what happens when you put the GPU in it.

pro tools was kind of a let down tbh. it has a limit on the number of channels that their visualiser can display. i was fooling around some some signal separation and noticed this limitation.

feels like a bloatey java program. i know it's "industry leading" but i was underwhelmed. the license manager, whilst understandable, was bloatey too.

kudos for them giving a full trial of their top version though.
 
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wolfman_rob

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 18, 2023
13
2
I will give it a try

I don't disagree with the pro tools comments . many of the other programs have alot less limitations and more features for less money . I have just used it for so long it is a very comfortable place to be if that makes sense . One of these days I may go another route.
 
broly

broly

Suspended
Apr 1, 2020
64
13
edmonton
wolfman_rob said:
I will give it a try

I don't disagree with the pro tools comments . many of the other programs have alot less limitations and more features for less money . I have just used it for so long it is a very comfortable place to be if that makes sense . One of these days I may go another route.
Click to expand...

oh for sure it makes sense.

you're definitely "experienced" (can't be old without some!) and you sound like a "wealth creator" in the "industry", especially if you're using their add-on cards.

i loved mac, but i have accepted that we're eventually going to have to move operating systems man. mac is done.

they want a "one world operating system" where they expect us to use mobile phone processors to do real work.

their driver code for what they expect us to do for sound drivers is a bloody joke, but i shouldn't get too off topic.

but again since you're still on mac, and using an older mac pro, probably a comfort thing.

i'm not going to like leaving, but i started on windows and it looks like i'm going back to where "i belong". this OS has served its purpose. i came in a noob and walked out an expert in various fields. just like sir tim and his nextcube, i have made my mark with this box.

www.pro-tools-expert.com

Avid Quietly Discontinue Their Pro Tools HD Native PCI-e Cards - Is This A Sign Of Things To Come? | Pro Tools - The leading website for Pro Tools users

We saw a rumour on social media that Avid has discontinued their HD Native PCI-e cards and so we have done some research and we can confirm that Avid has chosen to stop selling their HD Native PCI-e cards. But what about the Thunderbolt HD Native unit and the HDX range?
www.pro-tools-expert.com www.pro-tools-expert.com

not surprised that avid killed off PCI-E support. just a sign of things to come. "one world operating system" where phones and desktops are "unified". almost like a "you'll own nothing and be happy". :(
 
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wolfman_rob

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 18, 2023
13
2
You are correct in prett much everything that you say. I am not happy with the almost everything Avid has done since Digidesign has been no more . Also hate alot of the direction Apple as well as alot of other computer manufactures have went.

Also correct that it is a comfort thing but also been in a business working day and night for clients all over the world a system that just works is a must . Anything I had besides my Mac and my TDM system I spent more time keeping them working than I did working . The mac and TDM system all it ever did is work till now . Even the few hundred dollars it takes to replace the tower that isn't working is only a small downtime.

I know one day I will have to jump ship or at least upgrade beyond where I am at currently but right now getting back to working would make me and my clients happy. I got another Mac coming and after giving my drives a check in this damaged tower I am pretty positive that getting back to working in a week or two is certain if no bad luck but wouldn't be disappointed to get my old trusty Mac Pro back working .
 
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wolfman_rob

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 18, 2023
13
2
not seeing anything lit up when running only thing that lights up is when you power it down on the CPU tray
 
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