Apple mac pro early 2009 User Manual

Mac Pro (Early 2009) Symptom Charts — Hard Drive Read/Write Issue 71 2010-09-27
Mass Storage
Follow the steps in the order indicated below. If an action resolves the issue, retest the 
computer to verify. If the issue persists after retesting, return to step 1.
Hard Drive Read/Write Issue
Unlikely cause: speaker, fans, processor board, AirPort card, Bluetooth card, power supply
Quick Check
SymptomQuick Check
Hard Drive Read/Write Issue 
Bad Sector/Defective 
Drive Formatting Issue
• Cannot save...

Mac Pro (Early 2009) Symptom Charts — Hard Drive Read/Write Issue 72 2010-09-27
2. Verify that Disk Utility is able to 
mount, and the affected hard 
drive is successfully repaired.
YesRestart the computer. Go to 
step 6.
NoIf the computer has not 
been verified with a known 
good hard drive, go to step 3; 
otherwise take affected hard 
drive to step 6.
3. Install a known good 
compatible Mac OS X bootable 
hard drive. Verify the computer 
boots to desktop.
YesRe-install the affected hard 
drive. Go to...

Mac Pro (Early 2009) Symptom Charts — Hard Drive Not Recognized/Not Mounting 73 2010-09-27
Hard Drive Not Recognized/Not Mounting
Unlikely cause: speaker, fans, backplane board, processor board, processors, power supply, 
enclosure
Quick Check
SymptomQuick Check
Hard Drive Not Recognized/Not 
Mounting 
Drive No Boot
• Flashing question mark
• Boots to grey screen
• Boots to blue screen
1. Reseat all DIMMs. Refer to Memory Diagnostic 
LEDs. 
2.  Remove all peripherals from the computer 
including...

Mac Pro (Early 2009) Symptom Charts — Hard Drive Not Recognized/Not Mounting 74 2010-09-27
3. Install a known good 
compatible Mac OS X bootable 
hard drive. Verify the computer 
boots to desktop.
YesRe-install the affected hard 
drive. Go to step 2.
NoIssue not hard-drive related. 
Continue to use the known 
good bootable hard drive 
to determine computer root 
cause. Go to step 4.
4.  Install a known good 
compatible Mac OS X bootable 
hard drive into a different hard 
drive bay. Verify the computer...

Mac Pro (Early 2009) Symptom Charts — Hard Drive Noisy 75 2010-09-27
Hard Drive Noisy
Unlikely cause: speaker, backplane board, processor board, processors, memory, power supply, 
fans, Bluetooth card, AirPort card
Quick Check
SymptomQuick Check
Hard Drive Noisy
• Noise during start up
• Noise during operation
• Noise when drive is copying or 
saving data
1. Test with known good media to see if noise is 
optical drive related. 
2.  Check with Activity Monitor for any hard drive 
access when assessing...

Mac Pro (Early 2009) Symptom Charts — Optical Drive Won’t Accept/Reject Media 76 2010-09-27
4. Erase the affected hard drive 
and reinstall Mac OS using 
Installer (if it was a boot 
volume). Verify the  process 
completed without any errors.
YesRestart the computer. Go to 
step 3
NoReplace the affected hard 
drive. Go to step 5.
H06
5. After replacing with a known 
good hard drive verify 
excessive noise levels no 
longer occur
YesIssue resolved.
NoGo to step 6
6.  Remove the customer hard 
drive(s),...

Mac Pro (Early 2009) Symptom Charts — Optical Drive Won’t Accept/Reject Media 77 2010-09-27
Deep Dive
CheckResultActionCode
1. Is optical drive listed in the 
device tree for SATA devices 
with System Profiler?
YesOptical drive has power and 
is communicating with the 
computer. Inspect disc load/
eject operation. Go to step 2
NoGo to Optical Drive Not 
Recognized/ Not Mounting
2.  Inspect computer enclosure 
optical drive door and the 
optical drive tray. Verify there 
are no obstructions, the drive...

Mac Pro (Early 2009) Symptom Charts — Optical Drive Read/Write Data Error 78 2010-09-27
Optical Drive Read/Write Data Error
Unlikely cause: speaker, fans, backplane board, processor board, processors, memory, power 
supply, enclosure
Quick Check
SymptomQuick Check
Optical Drive Read/Write Data 
Error
• Read or write speeds slower 
than expected.
• Unreliable recorded media
• Failure to complete recording 
on high quality media
1. Check with known good optical media. ie the 
Install media that came with...

Mac Pro (Early 2009) Symptom Charts — Optical Drive Read/Write Data Error 79 2010-09-27
2. Can customer’s optical drive 
read both known good CD and 
DVD media?
YesRead functional, verify write 
to disc. Go to step 6.
NoOptical drive reads CD only, or  
optical drive reads DVD only 
indicates optical laser issue. 
Replace optical drive. Go to 
step 6
J03
Optical drive can not read any 
media reliably,  Go to step 3
3. Reseat SATA/Power cable 
connections between 
backplane board and optical 
drive (check...

Mac Pro (Early 2009) Symptom Charts — Optical Drive Not Recognized/Not Mounting 80 2010-09-27
Optical Drive Not Recognized/Not Mounting
Unlikely cause: speaker, fans, backplane board, processor board, processors, memory, power 
supply, enclosure, Bluetooth card, AirPort card
Quick Check
SymptomQuick Check
Optical Drive Not Recognized/
Not Mounting
• Discs inject and eject, but do 
not appear in Finder
1. Verify in Apple System Profiler the Serial-ATA 
section lists any optical drive in the device tree....