[CubeWannaB]

I just put a 60GB Seagate Barracuda 4 in my iMac. It's the most silent HD made. I love it, but there is a problem...

The iMac seems to decide to go to sleep or turn itself off whenever. I bumped the desk it is on today and it went to sleep. Then a little while later it turned itself off while I was browsing the net.

There is a very faint high-pitched buzzer-like sound comming from the computer that I'm not sure is the new hard drive. Has anyone heard something like this before?

Also, the power switch used to get stuck and as per the instructions on apples web site I re-centerd the led and it's fine now. Can't help that think it might be related though...

any ideas are GREATLY appreaciated.

[CubeWannaB]

Update: my mac has the magical ability to turn itself on. Not from sleep, from being OFF. It did it twice last night.

Anyone have any idea what this is?

[vmarks]

Originally posted by CubeWannaB:
<STRONG>Update: my mac has the magical ability to turn itself on. Not from sleep, from being OFF. It did it twice last night.

Anyone have any idea what this is?</STRONG>

You either have a problem with your power supply, or with your CUDA chip.

The Cuda Chip
The Cuda is a microcontroller chip. Its function is to:
• Turn system power on and off.
• Manage system resets from various commands.
• Maintain parameter RAM (PRAM).
• Manage the real-time clock.
Many system problems can be resolved by resetting the Cuda chip
Press the Cuda reset button on the logic board to reset the Cuda chip. (The Cuda reset button is located on the back edge of the logic board between the modem port and the processor module.

The iMac requires +5v trickle to be able to power on. I presume because you can power it on that your power supply is functioning.


If it's neither of these, I ought to ask, how do you have your 60gb partitioned?

On early iMacs, you have to have the system installed on a partition no larger than 8gb, and it must be the first partition on the drive. So, you could have an 8gb partition and a 52gb partition, but not one large 60gb.

[ 08-18-2001: Message edited by: vmarks ]

[CubeWannaB]

Well your I tried your cuda chip solution and so far nothing bad has happened again. *crosses fingers*

I have it partitioned as such: 2 7gb partitions (one for OS 9 one for OS X) and then one big 46gb partition. I have a slot-load iMac, should be ok to boot OS X in this configuration?

[vmarks]

Originally posted by CubeWannaB:
<STRONG>Well your I tried your cuda chip solution and so far nothing bad has happened again. *crosses fingers*

I have it partitioned as such: 2 7gb partitions (one for OS 9 one for OS X) and then one big 46gb partition. I have a slot-load iMac, should be ok to boot OS X in this configuration?</STRONG>

Glad CUDA reset may have helped. I'm crossing my fingers for you.

Your partitioning plan sounds fine. I wasn't sure if you had a slot-loading or not originally, slot-loadings can have a larger than 8gb partition for the boot partition. Still, I like the way you set yours up. You should have no troubles with OS X in this configuration.

Let me know if the problem comes back, here or at [email protected]

Good luck!

Victor

[O and A point 2]

Why is it that u have to literally jam that ram into place to get it in just as it seems its going to snap in half after about a half hour of doing it . it clicks in
<font color = blue> </font>

[vmarks]

Originally posted by O and A point 2:
<STRONG>Why is it that u have to literally jam that ram into place to get it in just as it seems its going to snap in half after about a half hour of doing it . it clicks in
&lt;font color = blue&gt; &lt;/font&gt;</STRONG>

Because you don't know the correct way to insert RAM?

On early iMacs, hold the RAM at a 45 degree angle to the processor card. Insert the connector edge firmly until it stops. rock the memory flat until the two ears click, locking the memory into place.

On later models, open the side ears. place the memory within the guides at the ears. with thumbs on the outer edges of the memory, push firmly until the ears snap into place, locking the memory down.

Now, what were you doing for half an hour?

[vvedge]

Could it just be the power button?

That would account for the sleeping or the startups...

[ 08-19-2001: Message edited by: vvedge ]

[vmarks]

Originally posted by vvedge:
<STRONG>Could it just be the power button?

That would account for the sleeping or the startups...

[ 08-19-2001: Message edited by: vvedge ]</STRONG>

The interesting problem here is that CubeWannaBe's iMac was powering itself on and off magically.

Why would the power button push itself? Ghosts?

There was a TIL about making sure the LED behind the power button was properly aligned, but if the CUDA reset has helped CubeWannaBe, then it's all good.

[PHoynak]

The power button could be sticking. I had mine fixed once at home by a tech. Then when it started to stick again the thing would turn off by itself. When I upgraded the hard drive I used a nail file and rounded out the round plastic button and it has been fine ever since.

[CubeWannaB]

Well everything is fine still. The new HD and its partitions are fabulous.

The comments on the power button are interesting. I'm always worried when I start pulling parts out of the iMac that i'll break something. I think it is possible that by reopenning the iMac I may have righted something that was wrong - including the power button.

Anyways, it is all good.