Troubleshooting is essential for diagnosing and resolving issues with your Power Macintosh 6500. This guide covers common problems and their solutions.
Before troubleshooting, verify:
- Power cable is securely connected
- Monitor is connected and powered on
- Keyboard and mouse are connected to ADB port
- No disks are in the floppy or CD-ROM drives during startup
Power Issues
| Symptom |
Possible Cause |
Recommended Action
|
| No response when power button pressed |
Failed power supply |
Check power outlet; test with known-good cable; inspect PSU capacitors
|
| Power light on but no startup |
Logic board failure |
Reseat RAM and PCI cards; check for capacitor leakage
|
| Clicking or ticking sound |
Power supply fault |
Replace power supply
|
| Powers on briefly then shuts off |
Short circuit or thermal protection |
Check for loose screws or debris; inspect for failed components
|
Startup Problems
| Symptom |
Possible Cause |
Recommended Action
|
| Chime but no video |
Video circuit failure or RAM issue |
Reseat RAM; test with different monitor; check VRAM
|
| No chime, no video |
Dead logic board or RAM failure |
Remove all RAM and test; reset PRAM (Cmd+Opt+P+R)
|
| Flashing question mark |
No bootable system found |
Check hard drive connections; boot from CD-ROM; reinstall system
|
| Sad Mac icon |
Hardware failure |
Note error code; see Sad Mac Error Codes
|
| Gray screen with no boot |
System software corruption |
Boot from CD; reinstall system software
|
The 6500 may display Sad Mac codes indicating hardware failures. See Sad Mac Error Codes for a complete reference.
Common codes:
- 0000000F / 00000001: RAM failure (check/replace RAM)
- 0000000F / 00000005: ROM checksum failure
- 00000003 / 00000001: Bus error during boot
Memory Problems
| Symptom |
Possible Cause |
Recommended Action
|
| System reports less RAM than installed |
Bad DIMM or incorrect speed |
Verify 60 ns or faster DIMMs; test each DIMM individually
|
| Random crashes or freezes |
Faulty RAM |
Run memory test software; try known-good RAM
|
| Death chimes at startup |
RAM not recognized |
Reseat or replace RAM; clean DIMM contacts
|
Storage Problems
| Symptom |
Possible Cause |
Recommended Action
|
| Drive not recognized |
Cable connection or drive failure |
Check IDE cable; verify jumper settings; test drive externally
|
| Slow performance |
Failing drive or fragmentation |
Back up data immediately; consider replacement
|
| Clicking sounds from drive |
Imminent drive failure |
Replace drive immediately; attempt data recovery
|
| "This disk is unreadable" |
File system corruption |
Run Disk First Aid; reformat if necessary
|
Optical and Removable Drive Problems
| Symptom |
Possible Cause |
Recommended Action
|
| CD-ROM not reading discs |
Dirty lens or laser failure |
Clean lens; check for disc damage; replace drive
|
| CD tray won't eject |
Belt slippage or mechanical failure |
Use paperclip emergency eject; replace belt
|
| Zip "click of death" |
Drive head or media failure |
Replace Zip drive; do not use affected disks in other drives
|
| Zip drive not recognized |
SCSI termination issue |
Check internal SCSI chain; reseat drive
|
Display Problems
| Symptom |
Possible Cause |
Recommended Action
|
| No video output |
Bad connection or video circuit failure |
Check monitor cable; test with different monitor
|
| Distorted or wavy display |
Refresh rate mismatch or interference |
Adjust monitor settings; move away from interference sources
|
| Wrong colors or color banding |
VRAM issue |
Zap PRAM; check video settings in Monitors control panel
|
| Video works only at low resolution |
VRAM or video chip failure |
Video subsystem may need repair
|
Sound Problems
| Symptom |
Possible Cause |
Recommended Action
|
| No audio output |
Muted or disconnected speakers |
Check Sound control panel; verify speaker connections
|
| Distorted audio |
Bad capacitors or speaker damage |
Recap if necessary; test with headphones
|
| Crackling or popping |
Capacitor failure |
See Power Macintosh 6500 Capacitor Replacement Guide
|
If the system loses settings, displays wrong date/time, or has unusual startup behavior:
- Reset PRAM: Hold Cmd+Option+P+R during startup until you hear a second chime
- Replace PRAM Battery: The 4.5V alkaline battery may be depleted
