Apple RAM... where to get it cheap like...

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makemassairmakemassair
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
My G5 crashed about a week before Christmas. It won't load up beyond the spinning grey screen. I've tried Disk Utility, Disk Warrior and even reinstalled the OS from scratch on there, so I know it isn't a software thing. I've also tried resetting the PRAM and booting up in safe mode.



This doesn't work, but I can do FireWire target and use the G5 like an external HD. This leads me to think it's either the Logic Board that has gone or the RAM. RAM for an older PowerPC G5 should be pretty cheap right? The G5 isn't covered by Applecare anymore and weighs a fucking ton so I'm not likely going to be taking it to the nearest Apple Store, which is Oxford St.



So, where is a cheap place to get RAM to replace what I've got and see if it fixes the issue. Also, how to I ascertain which is the correct RAM to use?



Ta muchley.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    makemassairmakemassair Posts: 14member
    I've come across Crucial.com/UK and they have a helpful tool you can download, but I can't install that on the system I need.



    Alternatively if anyone knows anything else that might fix my G5, be my guest.
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  • Reply 2 of 20
    bbwibbwi Posts: 812member
    I don't understand your logic. The computer will boot up using an external HD and you think it's the RAM?
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  • Reply 3 of 20
    makemassairmakemassair Posts: 14member
    No it won't boot up. It will let me use the internal drives of the G5 in Target Mode. i.e. Turn power on and hold the T key on my keyboard.



    I've eliminated the issue being software based, the HDs still work fine so that leaves the logic board and RAM surely?
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  • Reply 4 of 20
    amoryaamorya Posts: 1,103member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by makemassair View Post


    No it won't boot up. It will let me use the internal drives of the G5 in Target Mode. i.e. Turn power on and hold the T key on my keyboard.



    I've eliminated the issue being software based, the HDs still work fine so that leaves the logic board and RAM surely?



    Have you tried the diagnostics test on the original DVD?



    Amorya
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  • Reply 5 of 20
    makemassairmakemassair Posts: 14member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Amorya View Post


    Have you tried the diagnostics test on the original DVD?



    Amorya



    Nope. How do I do that. I can't get the CD drive on the G5 open to boot from CD, is there a way I can run it from my Macbook through Target mode? \
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  • Reply 6 of 20
    amoryaamorya Posts: 1,103member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by makemassair View Post


    Nope. How do I do that. I can't get the CD drive on the G5 open to boot from CD,



    Try holding down the mouse button when you power up (keep it held down for a while). That's supposed to open the drive.
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  • Reply 7 of 20
    makemassairmakemassair Posts: 14member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Amorya View Post


    Try holding down the mouse button when you power up (keep it held down for a while). That's supposed to open the drive.



    Ok, if that does work how do I get the G5 to boot from CD or will it automatically check the CD drive first like Windows based machines will do from the BIOS?



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  • Reply 8 of 20
    makemassairmakemassair Posts: 14member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Amorya View Post


    Try holding down the mouse button when you power up (keep it held down for a while). That's supposed to open the drive.



    Ok this doesn't work.
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  • Reply 9 of 20
    bbwibbwi Posts: 812member
    I think we need more info. How did you get the OS reinstalled if you can't get the CD drive to open?



    You can remove the CD drive from the case and see if you can't pry it open
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  • Reply 10 of 20
    makemassairmakemassair Posts: 14member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bbwi View Post


    I think we need more info. How did you get the OS reinstalled if you can't get the CD drive to open?



    You can remove the CD drive from the case and see if you can't pry it open



    I did it by booting up in Target mode and using my girlfriend's iMac which we then installed OSX by selecting that drive to erase and format.



    I also don't fancy prying open the drive with force. hmm.
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  • Reply 11 of 20
    bbwibbwi Posts: 812member
    So is there a CD currently stuck in the drive or does it just not open?
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  • Reply 12 of 20
    makemassairmakemassair Posts: 14member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bbwi View Post


    So is there a CD currently stuck in the drive or does it just not open?



    No CD, just won't open using the mouse button as suggested above and doesn't get far enough into the loading of the OS to allow the eject button on the keyboard to work
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  • Reply 13 of 20
    amoryaamorya Posts: 1,103member
    Try this:



    "Turn the power on with the power button and hold Command-Option-O-F -- this will boot you into open firmware. Now type eject cd and wait until the CD pops out. Type mac-boot and you are ready to rock!"
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  • Reply 14 of 20
    makemassairmakemassair Posts: 14member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Amorya View Post


    Try this:



    "Turn the power on with the power button and hold Command-Option-O-F -- this will boot you into open firmware. Now type eject cd and wait until the CD pops out. Type mac-boot and you are ready to rock!"



    If this was to work, what tools should I run from the OSX Boot CD?
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  • Reply 15 of 20
    makemassairmakemassair Posts: 14member
    Right. I've successfully got it into Open Firmware. Rebooted and held down C. The CD spins goes to a dark grey screen and then goes to the lighter grey screen with the dark grey apple. No spinning loading thing below it thou, it just hangs.



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  • Reply 16 of 20
    makemassairmakemassair Posts: 14member
    Found this http://www.memtestosx.org/



    How would I go about running it, when I can't seem to boot from CD?
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  • Reply 17 of 20
    makemassairmakemassair Posts: 14member
    I've also tried reset-all as a command from the open firmware. No joy.
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  • Reply 18 of 20
    makemassairmakemassair Posts: 14member
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  • Reply 19 of 20
    guszernguszern Posts: 5member
    I have found that crucial has the cheapest ram for out needs. Actually the university that I work for has a tech store that sell crucial instead of the apple certified ram. I recently purchased a MacPro for a user that wanted 16GB of ram installed. The cost of the ram on apple store was almost $3900 for educational pricing while our tech store sold it for just under $1400.



    We haven't had any problems with the crucial ram.
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  • Reply 20 of 20
    royboyroyboy Posts: 459member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by guszern View Post


    I have found that crucial has the cheapest ram for out needs. Actually the university that I work for has a tech store that sell crucial instead of the apple certified ram. I recently purchased a MacPro for a user that wanted 16GB of ram installed. The cost of the ram on apple store was almost $3900 for educational pricing while our tech store sold it for just under $1400.



    We haven't had any problems with the crucial ram.



    2/1/09



    http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory



    $369.99 16 GB Mac Pro (2008)
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