Solid blue screen, but sound at startup

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Level 1

4 points

Solid blue screen, but sound at startup

This eMac recently had the logic board replaced. After repair it ends the startup process with a blue screen. I erased it and installed 10.4. After restarting, I still have only the blue screen, but I can here the Welcome music playing. My local Apple repair guy says it has nothing to do with the work he did and he recommended installing a new hard drive. I thought I would pose the problem here before moving forward. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

eMac 1.25 GHz USB 2.0, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Sep 13, 2007 12:12 PM

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Answer 1

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JMVP

Level 6

16,845 points

Sep 13, 2007 12:32 PM in response to radny

radny,

Welcome to the Apple Discussions!

Boot from the OS X 10.4 Install disc and open Disk Utility, select the hard drive, and check the SMART status at the bottom of the DU window.

If that reads as verified (it's doubtful you could sucessfully get through the OS X Installer if the hard drive were flagged in red as failing), then I'd consider the likely involvement of self-preservation when considering the word of the guy who did the logic board repair that his repair had nothing to do with the fault that immediately followed the repair. I'm pretty sure Apple's rules call for verifying that the computer will boot up after replacing the logic board. Since the replacement logic board is likely to itself be a refurbished unit, you have pretty good grounds to argue for having the logic board replaced again. You may need to contact any higher-ups at the place that performed the repair, or a different Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP), or contact Apple Customer Relations (800) 767-2775 to enlist their aid.

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Answer 2

radny Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 13, 2007 1:20 PM in response to JMVP

JMVP,

I did as you suggested and the SMART status was indeed "Verified".

This is the email message from the Mac repair guy after I had explained the problem:

"If the eMac display works properly during installation, it sounds like a
failing/failed hard drive. The blue screen only is unusual, it seems like
it's trying to boot but hanging before it completes the process.

Also, since the 10.4 installation works (at least until restarting), the
power, display, logic board, RAM and optical drive are all operating
correctly.

I would replace the hard drive and try the install again."

Is there anything else I can do to show that it is not the hard drive? I did start it up using another eMac as a hard drive and got a blue screen with black and white static on the lower half. I have tried to run Hardware Test and it will not run. I don't think it is hanging before completing the booting process, but is, instead, completely booting, but not showing the desktop.

Thanks for the help.

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Answer 3

JMVP

Level 6

16,845 points

Sep 14, 2007 9:04 AM in response to radny

My understanding has always been that booting from the Apple Hardware Test (AHT) bypasses the hard drive. If you can't get the eMac to boot from the AHT disc, that would certainly seem to point to the logic board. It would be interesting to learn the repair guy's explanation of the AHT failure.

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Answer 4

radny Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 1, 2007 1:03 PM in response to JMVP

JMVP,

Just wanted to let you know that it was the logic board. Evidently the replacement logic board was DOA. My faith is restored in my authorized Mac repairman.

Thanks for your help.

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Answer 5

JMVP

Level 6

16,845 points

Oct 1, 2007 4:54 PM in response to radny

Glad to hear you got the matter resolved! Since the eMac has been out of production for a while, replacement logic boards would be coming out of whatever excess stock Apple set aside for future repairs; the unforeseen bad capacitor plague likely means that a number of replacement logic boards are themselves refurbished from earlier repairs. As you discovered the hard way, even factory testing of the refurbished boards can miss problems, especially problems that don't reveal themselves until after several hours on burn-in time / use.

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