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Why is this iMac dead?

This is an iMac that someone donated to our church for the children in our Christian School. When I try to start it, there is no chime and the iMac never goes pass the grey screen with the apple and spinning clock. After a short time it just freezes and goes no further. I have tried to start the iMac with a Disk Warrior start up disk and a Snow Leopard install disk. When I use either one after a short time a dark window shade comes down and I get a message to hold down the power key and restart the iMac. Can anyone tell me what the problem is with this iMac?

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Posted on Feb 2, 2015 11:13 AM

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12 replies

Feb 2, 2015 2:46 PM in response to Rod LoScalzo

Check inside the RAM access door to see if there is any RAM installed and make sure it's seated into their respective slots properly.

Make sure you are using just the Apple keyboard and mouse (or other supplied input device) and have nothing else connected to the IMac.

Try a PRAM/NVRAM reset.

Resetting NVRAM

  1. Shut down your Mac.
  2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command (⌘), Option, P, and R.
  3. Turn on your Mac.
  4. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys immediately after you hear the startup sound.
  5. Hold these keys until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for a second time.
  6. Release the keys.

After resetting NVRAM, you may need to reconfigure settings for speaker volume, screen resolution, startup disk selection, and time zone information.

The iMac's internal watch-type PRAM battery maybe low OR dead and maybe need a replacement from Apple or Apple Authorised service/repair center.

Look at the bottom display stand and tell us all the info about this iMac that is listed there.

Is your Snow Leopard disc a gray colored disc that came with this IMac OR are you trying to use a gray colored disc from another Mac.

This will NOT work as gray colored discs from another Mac will never work because gray colored install discs are Mac machine specific.

You would need to use a white, retail copy of OS X Snow Leopard and, even with that, it would have to be the proper version of Snow Leopard.

The current purchase-able retail version of OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard is OS X 10.6.3. Some newer iMacs need newer versions of 10.6 like OS X 10.6.4, 10.6.5, 10.6.6 or 10.6.7.

Feb 2, 2015 4:41 PM in response to MichelPM

Okay, I reset the PRAM and checked the RAM. The RAM is seated properly. After resetting the PRAM I now have a chime on startup but shortly after the chime and the iMac tries to boot up it restarts trying to do the same thing. If I let it go it seems to be stuck in a loop trying to restart with the startup chime every time. Also the Snow Leopard disk is not the grey disk but the original disk purchased from Apple with the Snow leopard silk screened on it. Here is the info on this iMac.

User uploaded file

Feb 2, 2015 7:32 PM in response to Rod LoScalzo

Rod LoScalzo wrote:


Yes, and the grey window shade came down telling me to hit the restart button.

That is a 'Kernel Panic'. OS X: About kernel panics - Apple Support

Google for it if you want to understand more than the old tech note explains.

It's a low level failure, since it happens when booting from other media it is probably the hardware that is dead.


You may want to speak to the old owner - if it was taken to an Apple store & techs failed to repair it you probably don't stand any chance of a resurrection unless you have an Apple service technician to help you.


An Apple tech would test & replace parts until it started working. iFixit.com may help you get inside if you are feeing adventurous, but actually fixing it would be complex unless you are lucky enough to see an obviously damaged part.

Why is this iMac dead?

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