iMac G3 won't power on completely

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Level 1

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iMac G3 won't power on completely

My old iMac G3 DV graphite edition (slot) is having issues with powering up. For the last year or so, there were times when I had to push the power button 3 or 4 times or hold it for a while for it to "turn over" (to use a mechanical term) and power up completely. I recently moved and now when I push the button, it still flashes green briefly, you see a flash sometimes at the edge of the screen, and even a crackle like it is trying, but it never comes on.

Tonight, I put a new 3.6v lithium battery in it and also tried pressing the PMU reset switch, and nothing has changed. A friend recommended trying to reseat the the memory, but I'm not sure if that will help (?).

I have a brand new PC now, but I'd still like to get this iMac powered on so I can at least move some of my files & my iTunes library over to my external hard drive & then over to my new PC. Is there something else I can/should try to get it working, even if for one last time? If not, can I take out the hard drive & put it in a hard drive container & hook that up to my new computer via USB to be able to access the files I need, or would the formats not be compatible?

Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

iMac

Posted on May 30, 2013 7:14 PM

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Answer 1

Jeff

Level 6

12,328 points

May 31, 2013 8:07 AM in response to mtdewbuzz

Because you heard a crackling noise, I don't think that resetting the PRAM is going to make any difference. From your description, the iMac sounds as if it has developed P-A-V (Power-Analog-Video) board failure. Correcting this should only be attempted by someone experienced with CRT-type TV repair, because of the potential for serious electrical shock. Additionally, there are no new parts for an iMac of that vintage, so you'd have to pay someone to install a used/pulled P-A-V board. The remaining service life in a part acquired that way is anybody's guess, so you could be throwing your money away on a temporary fix. If you've removed the bottom housing (which doesn't expose you to electrical shock hazard) for battery replacement, you're already familiar with the hard drive's location. Disconnect its power and data cables, remove the (4) machine screws securing it in the mounting bracket, then slide it out. Rather than spend the money on an external enclosure for the iMac's original/small hard drive, you should consider purchasing a USB-to-IDE adapter. It plugs into the back of the bare drive, enabling connection to another computer's USB port for data transfers. A separate power supply is included to power up the hard drive. This adapter isn't platform-specific for Mac-only use, so you can buy one from any local electronics/PC store. For temporary use, it's more practical than installing an old hard drive in an enclosure, especially since USB flash drives exceed the storage capacity of that iMac's original hard drive.

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Answer 2

mtdewbuzz Author

Level 1

0 points

May 31, 2013 8:28 AM in response to Jeff

Thanks for your informative reply, Jeff.

One question about the adapter you suggested: if I were to buy one and connect it up to the iMac and then to my new PC (or external hard drive even), am I going to have any trouble with file formats? Most of what I am removing from my old iMac are jpeg & tiff files, as well as my iTunes library. Thanks again for your help.

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Answer 3

rccharles

Level 6

13,037 points

May 31, 2013 9:28 AM in response to mtdewbuzz

You bought a real real PC? Yes. Microsoft has never heard of Apple.

You could install Ubuntu on your pc. It will read mac file files system.

"Experience total communication between Mac & Windows with the industry’s highest performing file system technology

Paragon HFS for Windows is the only solution that provides full read-write access to HFS /HFSX partitions on any type of disks (GPT, MBR) under most of Windows versions!"

http://www.paragon-software.com/home/hfs-windows/

There are others:

windows mac HFS file system driver

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Answer 4

Jeff

Level 6

12,328 points

May 31, 2013 10:10 PM in response to mtdewbuzz

Whether you used the small adapter or installed the drive in an external enclosure (which for a 13 GB drive, isn't worth the expense), as has been pointed out, the PC wouldn't recognize the HFS+ formatted Mac volume. My recommendation is to try "MacDrive 9 Standard," available for a 5-day trial period by download. If you wish to purchase it, it sells for $49.99. I have an older version for Windows XP and it's very useful for the assorted USB flash drives on which I transfer graphics files between my HP and Apple computers.

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