Matthewlopez

Q: Mac IIci does nothing

got a Mac iici from a storage shed and it powered up didn't have a display though. I disassembled it to get the dirt stuck under the logic board but after putting back together it does nothing. No lights no fan and no sound. It just won't power up anymore! I checked all the connections and they were fine. i tried power button on the keyboard and the machine and nothing at all.

Posted on Dec 9, 2015 3:38 PM

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Q: Mac IIci does nothing

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  • by Jan Hedlund,

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Dec 9, 2015 5:37 PM in response to Matthewlopez
    Level 6 (9,869 points)
    Dec 9, 2015 5:37 PM in response to Matthewlopez

    Accidental short circuit somewhere (check metal parts near the board)? Damaged/discoloured/leaking electronic components (use a magnifying glass to inspect the board)? Bad solder joints? Uncertain whether a bad 3.6 V battery could cause this, but it may be worth checking. Does the computer receive power (AC) from the wall socket?

  • by Matthewlopez,

    Matthewlopez Matthewlopez Dec 9, 2015 7:34 PM in response to Jan Hedlund
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPad
    Dec 9, 2015 7:34 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

    computer is plugged into wall and it powered on before I took it apart but now it is completely dead and won't do anything at all

  • by Jan Hedlund,

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Dec 10, 2015 9:31 AM in response to Matthewlopez
    Level 6 (9,869 points)
    Dec 10, 2015 9:31 AM in response to Matthewlopez

    To begin with, carry out a board inspection (see above); anything could have happened in connection with the disassembly. If this does not reveal anything, one would normally continue with various voltage and resistance measurements (using a multimeter). You may want to try a web search for known issues involving the power supply and the IIci startup or power control circuits.

  • by Matthewlopez,

    Matthewlopez Matthewlopez Dec 10, 2015 7:11 PM in response to Jan Hedlund
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPad
    Dec 10, 2015 7:11 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

    It sat plugged in for over an hour and then booted up thank you anyway.

  • by Jan Hedlund,

    Jan Hedlund Jan Hedlund Dec 11, 2015 1:45 AM in response to Matthewlopez
    Level 6 (9,869 points)
    Dec 11, 2015 1:45 AM in response to Matthewlopez

    Hi,

     

    In a situation like this, a slow "recondition" of electrolytic capacitors could possibly be one reason for the (temporarily?) positive result. It is not unusual to find leaking or bulging capacitors in need of replacement in old computers. It could also have been a thermal issue with another component or connection. Anyway, good to hear that the computer started up.

  • by K Shaffer,Solvedanswer

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Dec 11, 2015 2:52 AM in response to Matthewlopez
    Level 6 (14,269 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 11, 2015 2:52 AM in response to Matthewlopez

    Sometimes when the PRAM battery is dead, the computer may require

    sitting there plugged into AC power awhile to energize the logic board.

     

    Later model G4 Macs such as iMac G4 and some others have issue if

    the clock or pram battery is dead and the computer sits unplugged. As

     

    I've repaired several dozens of the older pre-G3/G4 Macs, I know and

    at one point had been buying sacks of PRAM batteries (three types) at

    good discount, for as little as 50¢ each by mail. Hard to find some of

    those batteries now, and the sources I knew of have moved on...

     

    When I had a room-full of some 80 macs restored, all of them were gifted

    or donated to charity with software, system and applications, and hardware

    with new batteries. {And then there are those capacitors...}

     

    After near 300, I tended to shy away from rescuing more, to fix & give away.

  • by Tdogmd,

    Tdogmd Tdogmd Dec 14, 2015 5:21 AM in response to Matthewlopez
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 14, 2015 5:21 AM in response to Matthewlopez

    test