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Mike
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Internal drive slow, externals work fine

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Internal hard drive became super slow to startup, (over 5 minutes). Also any task took longer, (about 10 times longer.)

Zapped pram, rebuilt permissions, and repaired disk, no improvement.

Disk utility, and techTool both reported OK, but took forever to run the tests.

Replaced internal drive with new, same results.

Everything is fine when starting from a cloned system on any external drive. (firewire,usb,flash, all work fine.)

I now suspect the HD cable, HD controller, or power supplies.

Any idea what to check next?

-Mike

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mayer
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This may be caused by failing capacitors. Examine the cans on the logic board for swelling and or corrosion and let us know your results.

I have not seen a G5 question to remember that! +

nick,

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nick
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Usually, when a drive slows down this much, it is failing

Try reinstalling the OS clean first, but back up your data first

If it sill does this, time for a harddrive, however, your replacement drive may be bad too, exchange it and try again

update

I was doing a little eBay hunting and found the data and power cables

Here is the data cable

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-iMac-G5-17...

Power(VERY unlikely you need it, only if needed!)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-iMac-A1058...

Now remove the display assembly and find these connectors and remove these ONLY

Installing iMac G5 17" Model A1144 Display

Just in case, here's the logicboard removal guide to find the connectors

Installing iMac G5 17" Model A1144 Logic Board

If replacing the data cable did no justice, sadly the SATA controller is likely dead at this point and you would need to buy a whole new board for it, and no, I do not suggest reflowing iMac motherboards in the oven like before, they're best reballed if the SATA controller can be reballed, so google any and all part numbers that look like the SATA controller for it

Edited by: nick ( )

My first thought. Hard drive has been replaced, and a virgin system installed. same result. External drives work fine with the previously cloned system, and a virgin install. (both Tiger, and SL work fine on the externals.)

Mike,

Start over with a fresh OS next time

nick,

Started with a new HD and fresh tiger install. Same failure.Erased drive and fresh install SL. Failed again. Booted from externals, all good.

Mike,

My awnser is updated

nick,

Cellers is just having an off night. He'll return to his kind loving self after his PMS is over ;-)

mayer,

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