Display is dead. Can I hook up an external one?

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Level 1

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Display is dead. Can I hook up an external one?

Initial problem with display randomly switching off was solved with change of battery and thorough clean of machine. (See this thread: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3832132). But more recently the only thing that could bring display back to life was a good whack to the side of the machine where the power button is, or just leaving the machine alone for 20-30 minutes allowing for the display to come back of its own accord. Now, the display has completely packed up. No signs of life. So, what I'd like to know is:

1. Any ideas what's up and if there's anything I can do or if a professional repair is worthwhile?

2. Since the processor and Hard Disk are working fine, is it possible to attach an external display to the emac and have it work in exactly the same way as the in-built display (when it was healthy, of course). I know about the VGA adaptor - but would this reproduce a black screen or my desktop?

Thanks in advance.

emac, Mac OS X (10.4.11), powerPC G4

Posted on Jul 12, 2012 9:14 AM

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Answer 1

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BDAqua

Level 10

239,471 points

Jul 12, 2012 12:10 PM in response to cloudysunday

It should produce a Desktop, assuming that it's the CRT that is bad & not the Graphic card, which is indeed the most likely scenario.

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Answer 2

cloudysunday Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 12, 2012 1:26 PM in response to BDAqua

If it's the Graphic Card, is this common and something I can get repaired straightforwardly (and reasonably cheaply)? I don't want to give up on my emac just yet.

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

239,471 points

Jul 12, 2012 1:48 PM in response to cloudysunday

No, the Graphic card is part of the Logic Board, but I dout it is the card, eMacs are famous for bad Capacitors & the CRT giung black.

If you could boot it up from an external drive seup to do Screen Sharing that'd tell you for sure, or if you could wait till it's booted then do a screen capture then grab that file say with the eMac in Target mode, that would tell you which it is also, as both methods get their info from the graphic card, not the screen.

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Answer 4

cloudysunday Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 15, 2012 5:27 AM in response to BDAqua

Not too sure what you're suggesting. Perhaps you could clarify. What I have been able to do is hook up my eMac to a laptop with a firewire cable and, using the laptop as the Target. bring up my eMac's Hard Drive.

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Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

239,471 points

Jul 15, 2012 12:58 PM in response to cloudysunday

Actually, the eMac would be the Target, whichever one boots with the t key held down.

With the eMac booting normally & given enough time to fully boot, do SHIFT+CMD+3 on the eMac, this should save a screen shot to likely the Desktop folder, with name Picture x.png or such.

Then boot the eMac in t mode, you the Laptop to find the eMac's User folder & Desktop folder in that, view the screen shot.

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