Friend\'s "early" iMac, kaput

[RHPConsult]

A friend (retired accountant) with a serious case of techno-fright, has one of the early iMacs . . . not Bondi, but early.    

He's been an enthusiastic, if clueless, Mac user for some time.

Today, in the midst of typng something . . .poof. Gone. Sayonara. 'Nuthin'. The power light remains illuminated; but, no screen, at all.

Where do  "we" start on any kind of diagnosis, short of the shop? (Apple+CNTRL+Power doesn't do anything). He tells me he tried the restart button (does that puppy have a programmers button - or whatever - to force a reboot?)

Or, does a completely blank screen, no "?", no tones,  no bongs, no generic icons, no picture whatsoever, mean that it's simply a dead monitor and nothing can even be atempted to test anything else?

Thanks for any advice.

[kelly]

One would hope it's just a PRAM Battery Richard.  

I don't have a link to how to replace that offhand.

Here's an interesting Thread.

imac Thread

[pendragon]

Dick, The early iMacs do have a programmer's button. It is on the right side, in the same recessed area as where the cables connect. But, it is very small (about 3/16") and you may well have to depress it with a  paper clip.

Also, the early iMacs needed a firmware update.Has this been been installed? But how and if this (even) relates to the situation at hand, I dunno.

Harv

[RHPConsult]

Thanks, Kelly.

Nice thread. (BTW is he the Gene Steinberg?)

I speculated, first, about the PRAM batt, but my only experience with expired ones (as best I recall) has been with symptoms somewhat short of a dead monitor, things like krazy clocks, dates and such.

Since I am well-equipped - - in my bookmarks - - with a thread on Apple Manuals, which you generously volunteered some time ago, I suspect I can help him get the job done. I've never opened an iMac before. This could be interesting.

Compared to his knowledge/confidence, I'm Dr. Mac!

Think about it!    
 
 [ 05-03-2003, 07:33 PM: Message edited by: RHPConsult ]

[Paddy]

Dick, it could be a dead PRAM battery - some Macs don't give much warning before going poof, or the warnings may have been missed. Probably the best place to start, at any rate.

Unfortunately, Apple has removed all of their iMac take-apart articles from the Knowledge Base.

I did find this guide to replacing a hard drive in an iMac however, which should give you a good place to start:

http://www.theimac.com/drive_steps.shtml

[RHPConsult]

Those photo-illustrated articles are always easier for me to follow, Paddy.

I'm assuming, until I actually get started on this task (probably tomorrrow), that the battery can only be reached by removing the chassis - - as shown - - and flipping it over.

I'll look carefully before getting too involved, but that would seem to be logical - - in the abstract .

I smiled when I saw the author give the "screw count" in successive steps . . . reminding me of the theme in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Thanks much, Paddy.
 
 [ 05-03-2003, 10:00 PM: Message edited by: RHPConsult ]

[bil207]

Apple has a Quicktime move on opening an original iMac  here.

The movie is on installing memory in the iMac but you can see where the battery is located (on the left under the cable).