edmundironside
Registered
Hi, I have been given a faulty iMac PowerPC G5 20" ALS 2GHz 2GB RAM running OS X 10.4.11 Tiger (it's my first Mac). It has an intermittent blue screen problem but it doesn't sound like the usual capacitor-related posts I have read through...
The computer freezes for 1-2 seconds and then I get a blue screen for around 3-5 seconds after which the it carries on with whatever it was doing. The epsiodes are either singular or I get a couple in quick succession but then it often works fine for a few hours. I do not have any screen pixellation or similar display degregation. I am not experiencing any shutdowns or boot problems. I've mainly been using the computer for web browsing (Firefox/Safari) but have been able to watch DVDs without it occurring.
Suspecting the obvious G5 capacitor problem I took off the back of the machine but there's no sign of bulging or leaking elctrolytic fluid anywhere. After a really good inspection only one cap has any visible defect; a tiny 'scuff' to the paint of its outer jacket, but it isn't bulging and, to me at least, it doesn't look like heat damage (it's so small that I can't even get it to show up on a picture). All of the caps have a 105 degree rating (having read elsewhere that the infamous 'bad caps' were only 85 degree rated?).
Thinking it could be a G5 overheating issue I downloaded a Temperature Monitor app but everything seems to be running within normal parameters (CPU & hard drive running at 50-75 degrees) and the problem has occurred when the temp is only at the 50-55 degree mark.
I wondered if anyone had come across a similar problem where the capacitors were not the cause?
Unfortunately I do not have the original install discs so have not been able to run a hardware diagnostic.
The computer freezes for 1-2 seconds and then I get a blue screen for around 3-5 seconds after which the it carries on with whatever it was doing. The epsiodes are either singular or I get a couple in quick succession but then it often works fine for a few hours. I do not have any screen pixellation or similar display degregation. I am not experiencing any shutdowns or boot problems. I've mainly been using the computer for web browsing (Firefox/Safari) but have been able to watch DVDs without it occurring.
Suspecting the obvious G5 capacitor problem I took off the back of the machine but there's no sign of bulging or leaking elctrolytic fluid anywhere. After a really good inspection only one cap has any visible defect; a tiny 'scuff' to the paint of its outer jacket, but it isn't bulging and, to me at least, it doesn't look like heat damage (it's so small that I can't even get it to show up on a picture). All of the caps have a 105 degree rating (having read elsewhere that the infamous 'bad caps' were only 85 degree rated?).
Thinking it could be a G5 overheating issue I downloaded a Temperature Monitor app but everything seems to be running within normal parameters (CPU & hard drive running at 50-75 degrees) and the problem has occurred when the temp is only at the 50-55 degree mark.
I wondered if anyone had come across a similar problem where the capacitors were not the cause?
Unfortunately I do not have the original install discs so have not been able to run a hardware diagnostic.