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The Mac Pro First Generation is an Intel Xeon-based workstation computer manufactured by Apple Inc. The first generation model includes the machines from 2006 through 2008.

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2nd-Hand Mac Pro 1,1 stuck on grey Apple screen

I've just gotten my hands on a supposedly working secondhand Mac Pro 1,1.

At first there were kernel panic issues when I inserted a USB Keyboard, but that went away once I started using Apple Wireless Keyboard.

After I started installing Adobe CS5 and some other applications, there was one incident when it restarted itself, or would just take forever to boot to OS X.

Subsequently, it just refused to boot, with some luck, it gets to Safe Mode sometimes.

I've tried to isolate the issue and now it does not boot at all, it just stays on the grey screen and freezes with the turning gear.

It also has an orange flicker.

The following methods have been used to isolate the item in question:

1. Resetting SMC, PRAM and NVRAM

2. Removing all additional Hard Drives

3. Insertting a new hard drive

4. Booting up from Installation Disc - This leads to a messed up orange display on screen

5. Removing all but original factory ram

6. Removing all but 3rd party ram

7. Disconnecting all optical devices

8. Switching PCI slots for Graphic Card

9. Cleaning up the Nvidia 8800GT which apparently seems to be have overheating issues, or so I've read.

10. Moving to a space with better ventillation

The only items that I can see are not stock in the Mac Pro are the additional 1GB of RAM and the Nvidia 8800GT.

I've suspected that the issue could be the Graphic Card, but I've never thought that a graphic card could prevent a system from booting into the Operating System.

Before I spring another $200 on another graphic card, would anyone have encountered something similar and found a fix?

I'm just concerned that this could be a Logic Board failure and I've just screwed myself.

Would appreciate any help on this, thanks!

Answer this question I have this problem too

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Sounds like a Hard Drive issue you have there.

I've resolved mine by changing the graphic card, works like a charm now. :)

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First we need to know exactly which machine you have. Could be a Power Mac G5 or a Mac Pro. Please give us the last three letters of your serial number. Next see if it will start up from your original system installation disk holding down the "D" key. If so run the diagnostics.

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Hi Mayer,

Thanks for the response.

Last 3 letters of the serial are "UPZ".

It's a first generation Mac Pro.

Identifier: Mac Pro 1,1

Processor: Dual 2.66Ghz Xeon

Graphics: Nvidia 8800GT - upgraded from stock

Unfortunately the seller did not provide the boot-up disk, so I used a retail Snow Leopard disk I had bought for my MacBook.

The booting jams at a grey screen with the spinning wheel before going into a distorted orange screen and freezes.

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Replace or reseat the video card.

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omg- I'm experiencing a similar issue right now, with the same computer.. I don't get the orange screen though. The only way I can get it to boot is to hold down the option key while I start it. My mistake was trying to install windows on it through bootcamp... ugh! Though I did get the OEM disks with mine and I just found them.. I'll let ya know if I figure anything out with it.. ( I also have the 8800GT video card that I've been suspecting is causing problems. Though I did take it out recently and still had issues with just my 7300GT one in....)

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My mac has a cross on the loading screen instead of the apple logo and dosent load I need help

And I've tryed pressing all buttons

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Tay Clement will be eternally grateful.
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