Want to highlight a helpful answer? Upvote!

Did someone help you, or did an answer or User Tip resolve your issue? Upvote by selecting the upvote arrow. Your feedback helps others! Learn more about when to upvote >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

My old 24 inch iMac (2008 model) will not start. Graphics card query!

Hi


My old iMac now fails to start. On pressing the start button, the screen lights up and shows an Apple logo and the progress bar appears and moves across the screen. The machine then simply restarts - again and again - before the progress bar has reached its normal finish position. Rather as described in this previous case: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8291590


I've tried everything suggested as a solution in that particular case.


At one stage, I did manage to achieve this result:-


User uploaded file

Neither Apple nor the local Apple Authorised dealer would look at the machine as it is now classed as 'vintage', so I took it to a local computer repair shop who said they'd inspect my machine without charge. At first they reported that the hard drive had failed and that they would replace the drive for a charge of £150, or £200 if I elected to have an SSD fitted instead.


When I baulked at the cost on this old machine, they then told me that it wasn't worth repairing anyway as they had determined that the graphics card had also failed. I subsequently removed my machine from the shop; no money was requested, nor paid.


A computer-savvy friend has suggested that there's probably nothing at all wrong with the graphics card and that replacing the hard drive is probably all that is really necessary. Now I am wondering if he's right.


So, I'd welcome the views of folk reading here too. Is there some way I can 'test' the graphics card myself?

Posted on Sep 20, 2018 11:30 AM

Reply

Similar questions

17 replies

Sep 22, 2018 12:01 PM in response to Eric Root

Hello again, Eric


I'm not sure if you can help further in any way, but today I took a practical step and dived inside my computer! I watched a number of YouTube videos first! 😉 I installed a brand new hard drive and reassembled my iMac. 😉


On switching on, I saw the Apple logo ..... and then a small spinning gear wheel. After a while, I saw a grey folder containing a question mark which flashed on and off.



User uploaded file

I've read widely on the Internet but nothing I've found and tried has got me past this stage.


That is, apart from one thing, which sadly I cannot reproduce. 😠


I tried starting whilst holding down the 'Cmd' and 'V' keys (Verbose mode).


I saw a black screen with lots of orange text which appeared to be running some kind of sequence until it completely filled the screen before it went black again.


Additionally .....


The wide key above the shift key on the left hand side of my wired keyboard has a small green indicator light. Sometimes the light illuminates if I press the key - at other times no light shows (indicating to me that the keyboard has no power.)


Any ideas as to what I might try next?

Sep 23, 2018 12:46 PM in response to Eric Root

You've hit the nail on the head, Eric! 😊

I've not been able to do so, but I've just read at your links and tried starting holding down Command + S. I took a photograph of what I saw .....


User uploaded file


If this means anything to you, please advise further!


My original OS X disk is in my computer DVD/CD drive but does 'run' when I try starting with Command + 'C'.

Sep 24, 2018 10:27 AM in response to Eric Root

Today I dug out a stand-alone Liteon LH-20A1PX USB 2.0 External DVD CD Rewritable Drive Burner which I was given by a very elderly ex-client about 8 years ago but which I have rarely used. I tested it on my new iMac and it appeared to work perfectly!


But a day of frustration followed - I'm fairly sure my keyboard doesn't always receive power when I switch on my computer - so the various keys do not function as hoped. 😕


However - I DID get to this position on a couple of occasions:-User uploaded file


I clicked on the arrow --> to proceed to the next step, accepted the Apple Terms and Conditions but then before I knew it I was looking at a blank white screen. I THINK it showed that there was no disk to install upon but cannot be sure at this stage. I'll try again shortly! 😢

Sep 25, 2018 12:08 PM in response to Eric Root

Progress - but slow! 😠User uploaded file


I have now used Disk Utility to format the drive - but whenever I try to proceed beyond this point and carry out installation, SOMETHING is preventing same. 😕 Perhaps there's something else hidden within the hardware which knows that the last installation on the machine was El Capitan and won't permit a retrograde installation.


Does this help clarify matters?


User uploaded file


I am unable to upload any OS from the App Store now that my main machine is using macOS Mojave, so I cannot make a bootable USB stick as you suggested. 😢


Which of the other Utilities available on the Mac OS X Installer could I use to help me get an operating system installed?


Ideas welcomed.

Sep 24, 2018 9:40 AM in response to GA11

You are welcome. What happens when you try to boot off the DVD? Have you tried restarting with the option/alt key held down and selecting the DVD?


If you have access to another computer, sign into the App Store, and download an OS from your purchases tab. Quit the installer. You can make a bootable USB stick to install using these free programs which will do all the work for you.


Bootable USB Flash Drive – Diskmaker X Disk Creator oruse Apple’s method Create a bootable installer for OS

Sep 23, 2018 1:50 PM in response to GA11

I don't see anything there, but I'm not very good at deciphering that sort of thing.


If you can boot off the DVD, run Disk Utility Verify/Repair Disk and Repair Permissions until you get no errors. Reformat the drive using Disk Utility/Erase Mac OS Extended (Journaled), then click the Option button and select GUID. Quit Disk Utility, then install the OS. If that will reboot and run normally, you can upgrade from there.



When you reboot, use Setup Assistant to restore your data.

Sep 24, 2018 11:51 AM in response to Eric Root

Oops! 😠


I've just notice that I said this earlier:-


"My original OS X disk is in my computer DVD/CD drive but does 'run' when I try starting with Command + 'C'."


I had MEANT to say that the DVD does NOT run in the DVD drive - so I cannot run any instructions from it.


I apologise for my error. 😊

Sep 25, 2018 1:53 PM in response to Eric Root

Whenever I have clicked on 'Continue' I see the hard drive icon and sometimes, even before I click on it the machine reverts to a black screen and the DVD runs down and stops.


I'm convinced that it is something deliberately causing this. I tried using Disk Util from Terminal and it found a listing rather like that shown here:- http://osxdaily.com/2013/05/13/mount-unmount-drives-from-the-command-line-in-mac -os-x/


Sadly, the machine went to a black screen before I could photograph the result. 😠

Sep 26, 2018 3:24 PM in response to Eric Root

FYI, 'Kappy' is also trying to help too. See thread .....


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8548379?answerId=33925462022#33925462022&ac_cid=op123456#33925462


I've read a little about 'System Integrity Protection' - as I had El Capitan installed as my last OS, might that be coming into play? If so, how can I overcome its interference with me trying to install a new OS?


My understanding trying to start with Command + R will never work because no recovery partition has ever been installed on my new hard drive.

My old 24 inch iMac (2008 model) will not start. Graphics card query!

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.