Mac Pro Desktop Tower help

[ell]

Hi, I've taken in a heavy Mac Pro tower, I haven't done alot of mac stuff, just a few remote fixes and put together a hack-in-tosh once for fun. Anyways this beast powers up and eventually the dreaded gray screen comes up with a little folder icon and flashing ! I have a mac utility dvd I thought I would try, however I only have a pc keyboard, I read where the windows key doubles as the command key so I tried that on boot, doesn't even seem to recognize anything I press. I can't get the cd drive bay open so I connected a usb one, still can't get to a boot menu. Ideas?

 

[14049752]

Hold down the option key (Alt on a PC keyboard) for the boot menu. You can also hold down C to boot to the cd. You can hold down the mouse button to eject the cd trays.

 

[ell]

Hold down the option key (Alt on a PC keyboard) for the boot menu. You can also hold down C to boot to the cd. You can hold down the mouse button to eject the cd trays.

None of those methods worked, doesn't seem to respond to keyboard commands, although I can hear the external dvd spin up, and the lights flash on keyboard when booting, I opened it up and unplugged the two hard drives, still flashing ? can't get it to boot to dvd, any other ideas? thanks in advance!

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

None of those methods worked, doesn't seem to respond to keyboard commands, although I can hear the external dvd spin up, and the lights flash on keyboard when booting, I opened it up and unplugged the two hard drives, still flashing ? can't get it to boot to dvd, any other ideas? thanks in advance!

Basically the folder with question mark means it can't find a boot volume. Do you have anything else like OSX loaded onto an external drive or a disk that actually will boot the machine? You can even try a UBCD4WIN as that machine should boot it. If you still get the same screen holding the option key than you should either try another keyboard or try a PRAM reset and see if it responds to that. Basically holding the option (or alt) key at startup is supposed to bring you to the boot manager so you can see and select available boot volumes.

 

[ell]

Basically the folder with question mark means it can't find a boot volume. Do you have anything else like OSX loaded onto an external drive or a disk that actually will boot the machine? You can even try a UBCD4WIN as that machine should boot it. If you still get the same screen holding the option key than you should either try another keyboard or try a PRAM reset and see if it responds to that. Basically holding the option (or alt) key at startup is supposed to bring you to the boot manager so you can see and select available boot volumes.

Oh, good idea with ubcd4win, I have a live linux too, but I have my doubts. The keyboard is good, the lights flash briefly on boot, and I have used it no probs with a pc. I have tried holding the PRAM reset keys and the alt, C and also the windows keys on boot, nothing seems to make a diff. His OSX cd is damaged and I have to find one someplace. I did try another pc keyboard too, no diff. Could it be the mobo? whats odd is when it finallygets to the flashing folder ? the fans starts to run faster and faster.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Oh, good idea with ubcd4win, I have a live linux too, but I have my doubts. The keyboard is good, the lights flash briefly on boot, and I have used it no probs with a pc. I have tried holding the PRAM reset keys and the alt, C and also the windows keys on boot, nothing seems to make a diff. His OSX cd is damaged and I have to find one someplace. I did try another pc keyboard too, no diff. Could it be the mobo? whats odd is when it finallygets to the flashing folder ? the fans starts to run faster and faster.

Its normal the fans go high speed when the machine doesn't boot. The OS does a lot to control fan speeds. It really seems as simple as a hard drive or no bootable OS, but if you can't get the most basic things like a working kb or boot disk or some sort you won't get far. Maybe try all the other usb ports or with another kb.

 

[ell]

Its normal the fans go high speed when the machine doesn't boot. The OS does a lot to control fan speeds. It really seems as simple as a hard drive or no bootable OS, but if you can't get the most basic things like a working kb or boot disk or some sort you won't get far. Maybe try all the other usb ports or with another kb.

yes, thats the prob, I can't find a way to change the boot options, have tried all usb ports, they all work fine. Funny it won't even work with the drives disconnected. Would it boot directly form ubcd4win without having to change boot options? Do macs automaticly go to first bootable device if there are no hd connected?

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Do macs automaticly go to first bootable device if there are no hd connected?

It depends on what type of software, but its definitely possible. For instance the correct installer should do that automatically if no other boot device is present. I just can't get past the keyboard thing. Are there any stuck keys on the keyboard, because I've found that to be an issue when they don't respond to key commands. Is there a possibility that there is anything else its trying to boot like something already in the optical drive, etc? What happens when both hard drives and the optical drive are disconnected while holding the option key at startup? Are you actually holding the option key down and not tapping it or pressing and releasing?

 

[14049752]

I'm wondering about when you're pressing the buttons. Could be that you're timing it wrong or something. There's not really much to it, but just for good measure, make sure you're pressing and holding "alt" as soon as you hear the chime, then hold it until the boot menu comes up.

 

[ell]

Basically the folder with question mark means it can't find a boot volume. Do you have anything else like OSX loaded onto an external drive or a disk that actually will boot the machine? You can even try a UBCD4WIN as that machine should boot it. If you still get the same screen holding the option key than you should either try another keyboard or try a PRAM reset and see if it responds to that. Basically holding the option (or alt) key at startup is supposed to bring you to the boot manager so you can see and select available boot volumes.

Having tried two known working pc keyboards I doubt thats an issue, (but I am having to use a ps2 to usb adapter on both.)I do have a osx image on an external usb drive, but wouldn't I still have to set it to boot too it? I have tried holding the alt key to and the PRAM combo windows-alt-p-c. I will try to ubcd4win when I get home, but I have my doubts, this thing just seems jammed, it takes forever just to get to the gray screen, then another eternity to get to the folder ! message (I as getting the ? when I disconnected the hd)

 

[14049752]

(but I am having to use a ps2 to usb adapter on both.)

Ah ha.... There is the issue. Sorry, that won't work.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Ah ha.... There is the issue. Sorry, that won't work.

Yeah, no kidding about that. I had a feeling it was something weird. That's why I couldn't let the keyboard thing go. This is another reason why I don't miss doing phone support. This whole thread and many others on this forum are so much less painful (and shorter) when the OP gives us important details first as opposed to not mentioning something, thinking the machine must be broke (or broken worse) because is doesn't recognize something it probably won't recognize.

@OP Get an actual usb keyboard/mouse and get back with us.. Other than that pull the drive(s) and slave to them to another machine and pick your method for diagnosing the drive(s). I'll bet there is a possibility one is bad and the one that's bad probably was the boot volume.

 

[ell]

Yeah, no kidding about that. I had a feeling it was something weird. That's why I couldn't let the keyboard thing go. This is another reason why I don't miss doing phone support. This whole thread and many others on this forum are so much less painful (and shorter) when the OP gives us important details first as opposed to not mentioning something, thinking the machine must be broke (or broken worse) because is doesn't recognize something it probably won't recognize.

@OP Get an actual usb keyboard/mouse and get back with us.. Other than that pull the drive(s) and slave to them to another machine and pick your method for diagnosing the drive(s). I'll bet there is a possibility one is bad and the one that's bad probably was the boot volume.

I'm so sorry to have left that out, it just dawned on me actually, cuz I knew the keyboards were fine, sorry to have wasted your time, this forum has been invaluable to me for my business, my bad, a detail I shouldn't have over-looked. I will go pick up a usb board tomorrow.

 

[ell]

I'm so sorry to have left that out, it just dawned on me actually, cuz I knew the keyboards were fine, sorry to have wasted your time, this forum has been invaluable to me for my business, my bad, a detail I shouldn't have over-looked. I will go pick up a usb board tomorrow.

ok, I have a usb board now, still having boot troubles, I did manage to get to a screen on boot with the alt key that showed two icons, see jpeg, my cursor appeared as a spinning little clock, I tried to click on the arrow or hit enter to get anything to happen, nothing

 

[14049752]

That just means that it can't find a boot device. If it could, it would show up as a square button above the two that you see. If you wait long enough, the cursor will probably change to an arrow and you may or may not see a button for the hard drive. You can press F12 to eject the cd once it does....although, holding the mouse button during the chime should do that for you.

As has been said, it's likely that the hard drive is just bad.

 

[ell]

That just means that it can't find a boot device. If it could, it would show up as a square button above the two that you see. If you wait long enough, the cursor will probably change to an arrow and you may or may not see a button for the hard drive. You can press F12 to eject the cd once it does....although, holding the mouse button during the chime should do that for you.

As has been said, it's likely that the hard drive is just bad.

I suspect that too, he has two in there, but I want to run a diagnostic from cd, can't seem to get it done, I have it in the drive, I can get it to eject if I wait long enough, my usb dvd drive doesn't appear to get recognised. I don't have another mac to put the drives into.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

ok, I have a usb board now, still having boot troubles, I did manage to get to a screen on boot with the alt key that showed two icons, see jpeg, my cursor appeared as a spinning little clock, I tried to click on the arrow or hit enter to get anything to happen, nothing

Based on what you are describing here, you didn't give an accurate description of the machine. This looks to be a PowerMac G5 and not a Mac Pro. Once again, something it would have been nice to know up front. So don't even think about trying to boot ubc4win on that machine as it has a Power PC processor(s) and not an intel processor(s) like a Mac Pro. The screen that you saw with the arrows was boot manager. Did boot manager show any volumes to boot from or did you just see two arrows? I assuming it only seen two arrows so now you would pull the drive(s) and run drive diagnostics just like you would any other HD except you are working with a non-Windows file system. Furthermore, the reason the optical drive door wouldn't open is because once it gets to the boot manager screen and the little clock icon turns into a black mouse pointer, then its just not going to open that way. But at that point hit the f12 key (or the eject key on an Apple keyboard made in the last 6-7 years) and it should pop open.

But anyway, you don't have anything else to boot this machine, so you don't have even close to the proper tools. The only thing you can do now is try to determine the condition of the drive(s). Because without any known good functional device to boot the machine with, how can you possibly go further? I'm not trying to be an a** by saying this, but if you can't just find a way to diag the drive(s) to at least verify hardware wise they are OK, then this is getting into way to much hand-holding. Even if you can figure out a way to diag the drives and it just so happens they are good, there is nowhere else to go as you don't have any installers to boot that machine as far as I know? At this point even if it was a customer or friend I don't mind helping (at least direction wise) I would have probably told them to bring the machine in.

EDIT: If I mentioned anything that has already been mentioned by 14049752 or the OP its because I didn't see those posts before I finished my book I just posted..

 

[ell]

Based on what you are describing here, you didn't give an accurate description of the machine. This looks to be a PowerMac G5 and not a Mac Pro. Once again, something it would have been nice to know up front. So don't even think about trying to boot ubc4win on that machine as it has a Power PC processor(s) and not an intel processor(s) like a Mac Pro. The screen that you saw with the arrows was boot manager. Did boot manager show any volumes to boot from or did you just see two arrows? I assuming it only seen two arrows so now you would pull the drive(s) and run drive diagnostics just like you would any other HD except you are working with a non-Windows file system. Furthermore, the reason the optical drive door wouldn't open is because once it gets to the boot manager screen and the little clock icon turns into a black mouse pointer, then its just not going to open that way. But at that point hit the f12 key (or the eject key on an Apple keyboard made in the last 6-7 years) and it should pop open.

But anyway, you don't have anything else to boot this machine, so you don't have even close to the proper tools. The only thing you can do now is try to determine the condition of the drive(s). Because without any known good functional device to boot the machine with, how can you possibly go further? I'm not trying to be an a** by saying this, but if you can't just find a way to diag the drive(s) to at least verify hardware wise they are OK, then this is getting into way to much hand-holding. Even if you can figure out a way to diag the drives and it just so happens they are good, there is nowhere else to go as you don't have any installers to boot that machine as far as I know? At this point even if it was a customer or friend I don't mind helping (at least direction wise) I would have probably told them to bring the machine in.

EDIT: If I mentioned anything that has already been mentioned by 14049752 or the OP its because I didn't see those posts before I finished my book I just posted..

I appreciate your hand-holding with me, just trying to learn more about these, inside the case I found more info, it is a g5, weird nothing at all on the outside at all, came from some college. I am struggling to get a linux live cd to boot now. would seem if both drives were bad I should still be able to boot to cd.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

I appreciate your hand-holding with me, just trying to learn more about these, inside the case I found more info, it is a g5, weird nothing at all on the outside at all, came from some college. I am struggling to get a linux live cd to boot now. would seem if both drives were bad I should still be able to boot to cd.

Please say your are trying through the internal optical drive. If the machine won't boot the linux cd (which maybe it will or won't?), you'll have to pull the drives and check them slaved to another machine.

 

[ell]

Please say your are trying through the internal optical drive. If the machine won't boot the linux cd (which maybe it will or won't?), you'll have to pull the drives and check them slaved to another machine.

Yes, trying with the internal drive, no go with the linux either, not seeing the drive in the boot menu, even with the internal hd disconnected. I am just thinking theres more wrong than bad hard drives here.