System Failure

Question

When I started up my G5 imac yesterday, it instructed me to do a restart - nothing else on the screen.  My only option was to use the power button to shut it down.  When I attempted to start up again, I received a dozen lines of "info" which I understood nothing of except for the words "system failure".  Can anyone tell me what this probably means?  I am hoping this implies a circuitry issue, and not a hard drive failure.  I haven't been as regular as I should at backing up files, etc.  Any ideas/help would be appreciated.  Thanks.

Answer 1

There are companies who can repair the logic board, so you don't have to pay the full tilt replacement cost; but that would mean the board would have to be removed and certain parts that come off easily, taken off, in order to send the board into a testing and repair facility.
I'd check to see if anyone has posted a how-to youtube video on how to use a fine de-soldering tool to remove a failed memory chip on a logic board, and a fine soldering tool to install a suitable spec like-build replacement RAM chip on the logic board. There are some about how people fixed portable Mac computer boards, and this has been going on since some users chose to fix out-of-warranty iBook G4s in the later model years that had the cory allen and other effect issue. A solder service where re-balling helped some of those more permanently, since some did not require chip replacement.
To have a company test the board beyond just a failed on-board RAM, would help resolve the possibility that the graphic processor chip could also be among those with a partial failure history. Some users of the G5 iMac were able to resolve issues by resoldering or replacement of on-board other components. A few newer intel-based iMacs have also seen user-innovation where unprescribed actions were used to re-solder logic boards in a household oven at melty temperatures over a certain time. Not too melty, and all at once.
To contact some company that has a major workstation for resolding even the processor and graphics cards, to logic boards or other parts, would be one to ask. Some of them do their own work and offer spares that are either new-old-stock or ones they have in-house tested and thoroughly; and repaired, then retested. I'd call a company such as wegenermedia with the product serial number, and model identifier, and ask. Another source may be powermax, powerbookmedic, owc, and maybe to get another possible shocker, ask places that may not even deal in older hardware at all. Just to see what they say. If the cost is to high, you can check into these companies repaired older models, should you have software for a specific vintage you need to use.
Not sure how accurate the iFixit take apart guides or repair guides are, but a matter of detailed assembly or disassembly that involves  down time, tends to let people who only do one of these in their life, forget important details and the on-the-fly learning of fine motor skills you were careful to use during takeapart... Before the orginal fixed part or suitable replacement finally arrives. An advantage to getting the original repaired, is that the serial number would likely be the same, if not flashed.
Usually capacitors or power supply items are a demise of these G5s, and some G4s.
So your choice is to ask some questions by email and free 800 number service people to see what they say; then if the news and level of difficulty is not worth the explorative surgery, then a replacement device may be an answer. There are several Intel-based Macs, restored & repaired, that could run older OS X if that's where your software needs are. Newer hardware usually necessitates other upgrades, as you know.
Good luck & happy computing!