iMac G3

g4m3rof1337

g4m3rof1337

Active Member
Alright.
Someone threw out a grey iMac G3.

imac-grey-thumb.jpg


I owned one of these awhile ago.

It gives me a beep when powered up, and the power button gives a signal, the screen remains blank.

I do not have a mouse or keyboard plugged in, I assume a PC kind would work.



If I can not get this to work, what do you recommend I do.

Besides, throwing it out, or selling it.



Thanks.
 
A beep indicates an error on POST. Take out the memory and try powering it up with one stick at a time and see if it is bad memory. Also, get yourself an apple keyboard because there are keyboard commands you can do to reset things firmware level wise.

If it is the model where the RAM slot is on the bottom, open it up and look for the PMU button, which is a silver box with a black button on top of it usually located around the battery. Unplug power and press and hold it for approximately one second, no longer no shorter. Leave it sitting unplugged for a few moments then plug it back in and power it back up.

My first guess is unseated or bad RAM. Reset the PMU next to see if it is power management.
 
I wonder what kind of surprises there will be on the Hard drive. :) If the hard drive is even there that is. Maybe the OS was wiped before they tossed it.
 
oscaryu1 said:
Memory, GFX, or motherboard.
Click to expand...

Well, it gets a bit different with those machines. You see, there is the main logic board which has the CPU, the mother board, the GPU, and the chipset all as one part. Then there is the PAV board (most commonly failed part) which is the Power Analog Video board. That part basically takes the video signal from the GPU and directly runs it into the CRT, the board also supplies power to all the machine and to the CRT itself. The DC board (down converter) converts power down to spec for the logic board, since the PAV board and CRT needs different voltages. Those iMacs are engineer by some genius on acid is all I can say. Because it makes no sense, they cram 50lbs of parts in a 15lb case, and who ever engineered has to be a very smart person to fit it all together like that.

I have probably repaired over 1,000 of those iMacs in my life time easily. Several years back when they first came out I worked for an AASP and we were like the only one in town. So, I repaired everyone's iMacs, even businesses iMac's because their IT staff didn't know mac at all. I can probably take one of those apart screw for screw in my sleep and put it all back together with both hands tied behind my back while eating a slice of pizza, because I have had to take so many of them apart.
 
tlarkin said:
Well, it gets a bit different with those machines. You see, there is the main logic board which has the CPU, the mother board, the GPU, and the chipset all as one part. Then there is the PAV board (most commonly failed part) which is the Power Analog Video board. That part basically takes the video signal from the GPU and directly runs it into the CRT, the board also supplies power to all the machine and to the CRT itself. The DC board (down converter) converts power down to spec for the logic board, since the PAV board and CRT needs different voltages. Those iMacs are engineer by some genius on acid is all I can say. Because it makes no sense, they cram 50lbs of parts in a 15lb case, and who ever engineered has to be a very smart person to fit it all together like that.

I have probably repaired over 1,000 of those iMacs in my life time easily. Several years back when they first came out I worked for an AASP and we were like the only one in town. So, I repaired everyone's iMacs, even businesses iMac's because their IT staff didn't know mac at all. I can probably take one of those apart screw for screw in my sleep and put it all back together with both hands tied behind my back while eating a slice of pizza, because I have had to take so many of them apart.
Click to expand...


There you go g4m3rof1337. I bet he even has a few parts laying around you could talk out of him.
 
did you do anything I suggested to see if it works? It would run OS X 10.3 pretty solid and OS X 10.4 kind of sluggish and 10.5 is outta the question. I mean you could do lots of things with it. file server, internet appliance in your kitchen, basic office usage, etc.

If it works keep it or give it to someone who needs a computer. Lots of poor people out there don't have computers you could always donate a working one to them. or you could ebay it. Whatever you want to do.
 
How hard is it to replace the hardware in one of those?

Like mobo size, etc?

I would put like a new Core Celeron in it and run OSX, in a way that defies one's morality.
 
INTELCRAZY said:
How hard is it to replace the hardware in one of those?

Like mobo size, etc?

I would put like a new Core Celeron in it and run OSX, in a way that defies one's morality.
Click to expand...

have you ever taken apart a CRT before? The capacitor in there can hold a charge technically powerful enough to kill you. You need a discharge tool, ground it, then stick it under the anode cap to discharge the CRT. That is the hardest and most dangerous part. The rest of it is easy, as long as you make sure you get all the necessary screws off before taking the snap parts off. If you miss a screw and try to snap a snap part off you can easily break it. I've broken a few in my time for being careless or if there was a stripped screw.

The main logic board is all integrated so you can't upgrade it. You would have to build a whole new PC out of it, and there is no PC motherboard that would connect to the PAV board for video. You would have to mod that machine to hell and back to get it to work. It would be possible though.
 
tlarkin said:
have you ever taken apart a CRT before? The capacitor in there can hold a charge technically powerful enough to kill you. You need a discharge tool, ground it, then stick it under the anode cap to discharge the CRT. That is the hardest and most dangerous part. The rest of it is easy, as long as you make sure you get all the necessary screws off before taking the snap parts off. If you miss a screw and try to snap a snap part off you can easily break it. I've broken a few in my time for being careless or if there was a stripped screw.

The main logic board is all integrated so you can't upgrade it. You would have to build a whole new PC out of it, and there is no PC motherboard that would connect to the PAV board for video. You would have to mod that machine to hell and back to get it to work. It would be possible though.
Click to expand...

I don't screw with CRT's, I have had a couple blow up back in that day and time. I just trashed them, I hate CRT's, the most inefficient, space-taking monitor ever....
 
INTELCRAZY said:
I don't screw with CRT's, I have had a couple blow up back in that day and time. I just trashed them, I hate CRT's, the most inefficient, space-taking monitor ever....
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was forced to, as part of my job. Then it migrated to HD TVs and LCDs but yeah, they are all the same once you work with it enough. It really is not that big of a deal. it only takes a second to discharge them and it isn't hard.

I have never been shocked and I admit I don't follow safety protocols like I should, but I just wanted to toss that disclaimer out there because I don't want you to hurt yourself off my advice, or bad advice depending on how you look at it.

CRTs are still superior in contrast:ratio and response time, and they display true black over LCDs. However, LCDs are getting better and better every year. I also agree that they take up too much space. I need to go get a nice big display and a 6port DVI/USB/Audio KVM switch and be set.
 
tlarkin said:
Yeah, I was forced to, as part of my job. Then it migrated to HD TVs and LCDs but yeah, they are all the same once you work with it enough. It really is not that big of a deal. it only takes a second to discharge them and it isn't hard.

I have never been shocked and I admit I don't follow safety protocols like I should, but I just wanted to toss that disclaimer out there because I don't want you to hurt yourself off my advice, or bad advice depending on how you look at it.

CRTs are still superior in contrast:ratio and response time, and they display true black over LCDs. However, LCDs are getting better and better every year. I also agree that they take up too much space. I need to go get a nice big display and a 6port DVI/USB/Audio KVM switch and be set.
Click to expand...

What is the discharge thing like? A outlet plug in that uses the ground wire? And you hook and Alligator clip to the output side of the capacitor?
 
its a rubber handle with a metal prong on one end, and an alligator clip on the other. You make sure the power is not plugged in, clip the alligator clip onto something solid metal that is grounded and slide the prong under the anode cap, and all at the same time keep one arm behind your back. I am serious, safety protocol is to keep one arm behind your back.

here is the best pic I could find

crt_dischargeE.gif
 
tlarkin said:
its a rubber handle with a metal prong on one end, and an alligator clip on the other. You make sure the power is not plugged in, clip the alligator clip onto something solid metal that is grounded and slide the prong under the anode cap, and all at the same time keep one arm behind your back. I am serious, safety protocol is to keep one arm behind your back.

here is the best pic I could find

crt_dischargeE.gif
Click to expand...

Why don't they just make one that you plug into a home outlet and it uses the ground plug?
 
INTELCRAZY said:
Why don't they just make one that you plug into a home outlet and it uses the ground plug?
Click to expand...

you can't do that, because the machine is already grounded. The anode cap is what carries this charge, so if you ground the machine, then ground the anode cap you are making a direct line for it to discharge along your ground.

Does that make sense? I am not good at explaining electrical currents really.
 
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