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Level 1

1 points

Mains power cut to house - iMac now DEAD

Today I turned off the mains power to change a light bulb in a room that has given me some problems with sparking in the past. Unbeknown to me, my son was using my iMac... (no, I failed to check properly, now I am suffering, believe me😢..). After I switched the power on, my son exclaimed "Well, now the computer won't turn on!" We have a surge protector which would have been on and working, but as the computer - a 17" intel duo core iMac purchased new in mid 2006 is old, and the surge protector is the same age, I am sick with worry wondering what it could be, and there are no repair shops near us open tomorrow, or even in our town! I have to wait a week, and travel 100kms to the apple service specialists.... This computer is home to all our music (massive amounts my son has on there) and my photos - thousands, a serious hobby. As well the computer runs Final Cut Pro Studio software, as we do a bit of video editing. I have backed up no files, always meant to get around to it..... As the computer is older, the main thing that devastates me at this point is my photos - a life history really, and thousands of hours too, photoshopping, etc..... I have tried to computer in different power outlets, tried turning on, off, unplugging, all I can find recommended on these kind of sites - but to no avail. The screen is black, and not a sound can be heard. Completely dead. Not one sign of life in the 8 hours since..... I have been reading about PRAM batteries... this computer has had a massive amount of use, daily and in the house of serious creative insomniacs - for six years now, so almost daily serious use, and as yet just two dead keyboards, no other problems.... I got some extra RAM when it was purchased. But recently it has not liked shutting down (it hasn't) so it has been pretty much permanently on, with the screensaver up,..... could this suggest a dying PRAM battery? experts please, this internet reading has done my head in, now I have to wait a week!!!!! to know if our photos and music can be recovered.... if not the computer itself revived....?

Thank you for any help. I know, I am SUCH an idiot for not checking all electronic devices were off, but as we know, this MAC hasn't been turning off recently...

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.4), duo core, running tiger, 06 model

Posted on May 12, 2012 7:24 AM

32 replies

Dah•veed

Level 9

64,717 points

May 12, 2012 8:36 AM in response to John Galt

I use a UPS for every piece of "expensive" electronics I have.

The UPS folks love people like you! You keep them in business. 😉

jacqui71 Author

Level 1

1 points

May 12, 2012 8:41 AM in response to John Galt

The week won't go fast enough, and I hope, hope you are right. I suspect you are, (I'm a stupid optimist too) as I had already googled costs of Power Supply for iMac before I first posted here, as only a few months ago the problem with the computer not wanting to sleep had started, hence it staying on indefinitely (until today...). Yes, I guess that surge guard had done its dash, NZ runs on river power and I've seen a few power cable boxes go boom and leave us in the dark (while my Mac had been going) and it happily restarted many times over.... oh, it deserves that new Power Supply if that's all it is, thank you for that hope

jacqui71 Author

Level 1

1 points

May 12, 2012 8:44 AM in response to Dah•veed

I had never heard of UPS until I started problem-shooting here tonight, so yes, I need to look into that once I sort the main problem with the black screen😟

John Galt

Level 10

141,210 points

May 12, 2012 8:47 AM in response to Dah•veed

The UPS folks love people like you! You keep them in business. 😉

They actually replaced one and reimbursed me for the equipment it failed to protect. In their defence it was a result of a direct lightning strike. It was quite the explosion.

I've noticed the manufacturer no longer advertises protection against lightning. Nothing in the world can protect against a few million volts.

Unless you want a few of these in your office

I used to endure several power anomalies a week and can say the iMac's power supply is about as bulletproof as they come.

jacqui71 Author

Level 1

1 points

May 12, 2012 8:54 AM in response to John Galt

Quite the explosion I bet!

Good heavens, don't tell me that's a UPS????? When I first bought the Mac we lived on the West Coast of NZ where lightning strikes more than in any other area and we had rods on the roof, and surge guards for everything - no one mentioned UPS though - they must cost a fortune.

So, hmmm, maybe it was really just due to go, as my Mac has also endured a lot of power cuts until today; I thought it was bulletproof too

John Galt

Level 10

141,210 points

May 12, 2012 1:11 PM in response to jacqui71

No, that's a metal oxide varistor - your surge suppressor has several of them inside. They are considerably smaller 🙂

May 12, 2012 3:55 PM in response to jacqui71

What about the PRAM battery ?

A flat battery (lithium CR2032, 3Volt) can cause all sorts of problems in a Mac one of which is power/boot problems.

Custom mini.

jacqui71 Author

Level 1

1 points

May 12, 2012 4:16 PM in response to custom mini

Thank you, too - from my googling that is something else I found often was the case of such problems where Macs go dead. Hopefully someone will have some ideas why this is not an 'obvious' cause - as I had wished vainly last night that was all it might be. It's morning here now and I've woken totally depressed about the dead computer, mentally going over things I may have lost for good... about to ring about and try and get it booked in to be seen, though it is Sunday. Have you had this PRAM battery problem yourself...

John Galt

Level 10

141,210 points

May 12, 2012 4:20 PM in response to jacqui71

Your disk is probably fine. The computer just won't boot. It can be fixed.

Relax and enjoy Mother's Day.

May 12, 2012 4:28 PM in response to jacqui71

Yes, I have but it was on an older machine an iMac G3 - like you the power went out (fuse blew) and when I tried to turn on the machine it was dead no power or anything in my case it was the PRAM battery but I did think the machine was a goner !

Did you have any problems with the time/date ever resetting or strange things like that before ?

Custom mini.

jacqui71 Author

Level 1

1 points

May 12, 2012 4:32 PM in response to John Galt

Thank you John, I so so want to believe you. I've just got off the phone to our local Mac people (the technicians only work Mon-Fri) and I'm also reassured they are keen as could be to see it. It costs $79 to run the tests to tell me what's wrong. That's about $65 US. Does that sound reasonable? then I get the verdict from there.

Son not up, no doubt in a deep depression so am enjoying some good coffee and happy to read your post just after the gloomy "we might have to send it to America and that's really expensive" idea that the retail girl at Apple did share with me moments ago....

jacqui71 Author

Level 1

1 points

May 12, 2012 4:35 PM in response to custom mini

To be honest there was recently a strange incident with the time. It was really wrong and for the first time ever, I did have to reset it. But only once, (it was sometime this year though) oh I would LOVE that to be the problem... but I guess my hoping can't change the outcome. Thank you though, hope is what I need just now 😉

John Galt

Level 10

141,210 points

May 12, 2012 4:41 PM in response to jacqui71

$79 is not unreasonable for a diagnostic fee. In my opinion it should be negated if you decide to have them repair it though. The policy may be different than stores in the US.

I doubt anything has to be sent to the US, after all it was built in China. They may have to buy a power supply and have it shipped. The power supply itself is (very approximately) $150 US.

jacqui71 Author

Level 1

1 points

May 12, 2012 4:52 PM in response to John Galt

No I thought it fine, too - the $79. Thank you for the Power Supply price, too as it is the first I've come across. Is it something I could order myself, if they tell me that's the problem (so they don't mark up the price heaps as chain stores like they are tend to , on parts) I buy a lot of sports gear straight from the states, due to the exchange rate making specialty items much cheaper, even with post than we are charged here.... Cheers

jacqui71 Author

Level 1

1 points

May 21, 2012 10:12 PM in response to jacqui71

The computer has been fixed by technicians. It was a burnt out power supply. The assessment, part and labour came to NZ $411. This was very pleasing to me! Will arrange back up when I collect the computer. Impressed most of you on here predicted the power supply as the source of the problem Thank you

Mains power cut to house - iMac now DEAD