WWYD: replacing sick Mac Pro

[ka jowct]

Buzz wrote:
Get a new active SCSI terminator, and be sure there are no duplicate SCI ID numbers, and also be sure not to hot swap any ADB devices.
==

I guess I should rebuild the desktop, too.

[anonymouse1]

Those are classic signs of power supply degeneration. A new power supply will PROBABLY clear them up.

[aquote=ka jowct]
I got one of the internal drives back by running BatChmod to unlock it and reset permissions. Then I cloned my backup onto to it. Running from it now.

Every drive that was connected and running when the whatever-it-was happened is messed up: locked, no access due to permissions error. I have decent backups, but this is going to take a long time.

I'm not sure how much I can trust the machine, even if I get all the drives working. It's been having start-up issues for 1-2 years. It was also locking up when trying to wake from sleep, which is why I've been shutting it down when I'm not using it.

[ka jowct]

I was suspicious that it could be a power supply issue. I remember similar behavior many moons ago with my MDD. It was the "quiet" replacement power supply that failed, so I had to do that swap twice. I didn't enjoy wrestling that thing into place once, let alone twice. I ended up putting the original one back in. The quieter fan stayed in there, so it wasn't as loud as it had been originally, even with the original power supply back in it.

At that time, it was almost the same $$ to just buy another MDD as it was to buy a power supply. In fact, I did that, but wound up having to fix the replacement MDD too (dessicated thermal paste).

I have tracked a few power supplies for the Mac Pro on eBay. How nasty is the replacement procedure? Used power supplies are much cheaper, of course, but I always wonder whether the sellers have properly tested them.

BTW I am running from my freshly restored main boot drive that I cloned from a backup in the wee hours last night. Luckily, I had a clone from the night before. That leaves only one of the hosed internal drives still to deal with, which is not too bad.

[C(-)ris]

neophyte wrote:
[quote=C(-)ris]
[quote=neophyte]
About 2 months ago I bought a 2010 Mac Pro 2 X 2.93GHz (12-Cores) Xeon 1TB 32GB MC561LL/A-BTO + B Grade from isellimac on eBay. Paid about $1225 shipped. Its was sent in a Mac Pro box and arrived promptly. The only issue is although all 8 RAM slots have RAM sticks (4GB each), when it boots a little popup screen says the RAM slots are not populated in order, and it only sees seven of the eight sticks. I guess either one stick or one slot is bad.

That is VERY common in CPU swaps when the processor isn't seated correctly you lose a slot of ram. Are you sure it is a legit 2010 Mac Pro 2x2.93 and not a 2009 flashed to a 2010 with those CPUs installed?

I would have sent that machine right back to them.
System serial number identifies as Mid 2010 model. Is there another way to confirm this?
If you plug in the serial number on Apple.com and it comes up with a 2010 model then it is. It would show a 2009 on Apple.com if you put in a flashed machine serial number.

At this point, I would take canned air and clean out that ram slot and try swapping sticks around to see if it really is that slot or perhaps a stick of ram. My next step would be to tighten the heatsink screws and make sure they are good, if that didn't resolve it I would remove the CPUs and put new thermal paste on and put it back together. However, tightening the screws and removing and replacing are not for the faint of heart.

[C(-)ris]

ka jowct wrote:
I was suspicious that it could be a power supply issue. I remember similar behavior many moons ago with my MDD. It was the "quiet" replacement power supply that failed, so I had to do that swap twice. I didn't enjoy wrestling that thing into place once, let alone twice. I ended up putting the original one back in. The quieter fan stayed in there, so it wasn't as loud as it had been originally, even with the original power supply back in it.

At that time, it was almost the same $$ to just buy another MDD than to buy a power supply.

I have tracked a few power supplies for the Mac Pro on eBay. How nasty is the replacement procedure? Used power supplies are much cheaper, of course, but I always wonder whether the sellers have properly tested them.

BTW I am running from my freshly restored main boot drive that I cloned from a backup in the wee hours last night. Luckily, I had a clone from the night before. That leaves only one of the hosed internal drives still to deal with, which is not too bad.

The power supply is actually fairly easy to replace.
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac+Pro+Fir...ment/32222

[neophyte]

C(-)ris wrote:
[quote=neophyte]
[quote=C(-)ris]
[quote=neophyte]
About 2 months ago I bought a 2010 Mac Pro 2 X 2.93GHz (12-Cores) Xeon 1TB 32GB MC561LL/A-BTO + B Grade from isellimac on eBay. Paid about $1225 shipped. Its was sent in a Mac Pro box and arrived promptly. The only issue is although all 8 RAM slots have RAM sticks (4GB each), when it boots a little popup screen says the RAM slots are not populated in order, and it only sees seven of the eight sticks. I guess either one stick or one slot is bad.

That is VERY common in CPU swaps when the processor isn't seated correctly you lose a slot of ram. Are you sure it is a legit 2010 Mac Pro 2x2.93 and not a 2009 flashed to a 2010 with those CPUs installed?

I would have sent that machine right back to them.
System serial number identifies as Mid 2010 model. Is there another way to confirm this?
If you plug in the serial number on Apple.com and it comes up with a 2010 model then it is. It would show a 2009 on Apple.com if you put in a flashed machine serial number.

At this point, I would take canned air and clean out that ram slot and try swapping sticks around to see if it really is that slot or perhaps a stick of ram. My next step would be to tighten the heatsink screws and make sure they are good, if that didn't resolve it I would remove the CPUs and put new thermal paste on and put it back together. However, tightening the screws and removing and replacing are not for the faint of heart.
Thank you C(-)ris, I did exactly as you directed to confirm the serial number/2010 model. I just haven't had time to deal with the RAM issue by swapping sticks around. Inasmuch as I never had a machine with more than 8 GB of RAM, now having 28 or 32 is a true luxury. This machine running Snow Leopard is snappier than my i5/2.5Ghz Mini was before I installed an SSD in the latter. Now both are acceptably fast, and the Mac Pro still has room to grow with an SSD install next year.

[~Dan]

ka jowct wrote:
[quote=hal]
One thing to consider in buying from ebay is the seller's ability to properly ship a MP. It's very hard to do it properly without the original box. SOme take the effort to ensure that it will arrive save, some won't. I recently bought a mac mini on ebay and it shipped in a padded envelope!

Once bought an MP that arrive in a box 2" larger than the MP in every direction - all four handles/legs were completely crushed.

If you need some RAM, I have 32GB (4x8) of OWC 1333 ram that I bought by accident. You want it? I might owe you a favor.

Thanks a bunch, but I don't think I'll need it. I currently have two 8GB sticks in there. If I can get the drive weirdness sorted, I will reinstall the 16GB sticks to see if anything changes.

It's hard to believe anyone was dumb enough to ship a Mini in a padded envelope; did it work?

One of the auctions I've flagged is from a NYC seller. Unfortunately, no local pickup. Still, it would not have to travel far.

Packing is always a concern. I found another auction that promised shipment in the original box.
If you want to take a ride up to the Adirondacks I will give you a Mac Pro ... I have several available, and you can take your pick.