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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > iMac G3 problems. Is it fixable?

iMac G3 problems. Is it fixable?
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nshank
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Tacoma, WA
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May 18, 2004, 12:53 AM
 
Hi all,
I have recently aquired a iMac G3 350. The hdd in it is dead, and I suspect that the cd is dead as well. That said, I have pulled all the drives, and am trying to get a post out of the machine. I get the usual apple gong, and nothing. I can hear the monitor waking up, but I don't get any video. Any thoughts? I have replaced the ram already.
Nick
Primary: Windtunnel (MDD) 1.25DP, 2G DDR, 128M Radeon 9000 Pro (PC Mod, have the original 64M Mac one for GP), Combo drive,
2x NEC 4X DVD-RW's, 2x Seagate 120G, 2x IBM 9.1G U2W in RAID 1, 2x Samsung 191T+ LCD's
     
Will C
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May 18, 2004, 04:58 AM
 
Originally posted by nshank:
Hi all,
I have recently aquired a iMac G3 350. The hdd in it is dead, and I suspect that the cd is dead as well. That said, I have pulled all the drives, and am trying to get a post out of the machine. I get the usual apple gong, and nothing. I can hear the monitor waking up, but I don't get any video. Any thoughts? I have replaced the ram already.
Nick
Have you tried refiiting the CD drive and booting up from that?
     
nshank  (op)
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May 18, 2004, 05:52 PM
 
I'd like to get it to post first...
Primary: Windtunnel (MDD) 1.25DP, 2G DDR, 128M Radeon 9000 Pro (PC Mod, have the original 64M Mac one for GP), Combo drive,
2x NEC 4X DVD-RW's, 2x Seagate 120G, 2x IBM 9.1G U2W in RAID 1, 2x Samsung 191T+ LCD's
     
Dex13
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May 18, 2004, 08:23 PM
 
I would stick a hard drive in there with something like 8.5 or 9 on there to make sure it's the video..
     
formywife
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Oct 15, 2005, 12:30 PM
 
Hi, I have a related question about my wife's IMAC G-3, when you turn it on the only thing I get on the screen is a picture of a small folder with a flashing question mark, nothing else, can anyone tell me what this is? I have very little experience with the IMAC, but before I take it somewhere I would like an idea of what might be wrong, I greatly appreciate the help, David
     
P
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Oct 15, 2005, 12:54 PM
 
Originally Posted by formywife
Hi, I have a related question about my wife's IMAC G-3, when you turn it on the only thing I get on the screen is a picture of a small folder with a flashing question mark, nothing else, can anyone tell me what this is? I have very little experience with the IMAC, but before I take it somewhere I would like an idea of what might be wrong, I greatly appreciate the help, David
It means that it can't find a valid system folder to boot from. Find a system CD or a repair CD or a restore CD- there should be one that the computer came with - and boot from that by inserting the CD and holding C when the computer tries to start. Once the machine is up, use the diagnostic tools to see what is wrong more exactly. I'd start with going to the Disk Utility and try to repair the start-up drive.
     
kick52
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Join Date: May 2005
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Oct 16, 2005, 04:11 AM
 
Originally Posted by nshank
Hi all,
I have recently aquired a iMac G3 350. The hdd in it is dead, and I suspect that the cd is dead as well. That said, I have pulled all the drives, and am trying to get a post out of the machine. I get the usual apple gong, and nothing. I can hear the monitor waking up, but I don't get any video. Any thoughts? I have replaced the ram already.
Nick

have you installed os x on there without updating the firmware?
it might be that youve got bad video ram, ram, processor, bad crt, bad anaslogue board, video board or you might have to reset pram
     
cyclotron
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Oct 16, 2005, 05:26 AM
 
I have repaired my iMac G3 DVSE 400MHz Graphite from a lightning strike. It took me 2 years to find the component, but everything works now. After the strike, the HDD became short circuit and the Analogue Board Switching Transistor , a 5S12656 was blown to pieces. I eventually bought the Fairchild KA 5S1265 which is an upgraded version of the Switching Transistor - with much better dV/dT tolerance.
I simply had to replace the transistor, some nice japanese websites gave full details, and Google gave a reasonable enough translation. I put a 40GB ATA100 Maxtor 4D040H2 5400RPM HDD in with 10.4 that I'd installed in my powerMac tower, and for the first few boot up tests I left the CD/DVD-Rom unconnected. (just in case that was short - but on later testing I found it wasn't damaged)

to solve your problem listed above "I get the usual apple gong, and nothing. I can hear the monitor waking up" it could be as simple as the internal video connectors not plugged in properly, to a particular regulator supplying the video drive circuit going wrong?.
I found my service manuals via Google, typically it could be called "iMac_slotload_CD.part7.rar" or "iMac_DV.part6.rar" and this could allow you to fully dismantle , then re-mantle your iMac, and measure some of the more sensible voltages. Avoid High Voltage!!
when I repaired my analogue board I didn't measure anything, just put it back in the analogue area and everything worked. Good luck!
     
   
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