iMac 333 startup problem

[Greg Dunn]

Here's a strange problem.  My son's iMac, a 333mhz tray loading model, Will not start up.  Originally, it would consistently start up, the HD would start spinning, and it would then shut down, and repeat the cycle again.  After I pushed the power button on the computer, it stopped restarting, but will just start, spin, and shut down.  I disconnected everything except the power cord, and it still does the same thing.  If it's a HD problem, or a memory chip problem, I can replace one or the other myself, but before I start disassembling it, I thought I'd post this and see if the problem sounds familiar to anyone out there.

[kelly]

Hi Greg.  

PRAM Battery?

Did you add some RAM?

Will it start from a CD?

Have you Zapped the PRAM?

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14438

Related

[Greg Dunn]

I've added some RAM recently (about 2 months ago). I hadn't  thought of the PRAM battery.  Is that a symptom of the problem I'm experiencing?  It won't start from a CD, i tried TechTool Pro 3 (OS9) and the Jaguar install disk.  It's running 10.2.3 as the primary system.  I get the proper startup chime, though.  Press  the power button, chime, HD spin for a few seconds, then shuddown.
 
 [ 03-27-2003, 10:44 AM: Message edited by: Greg Dunn ]

[kelly]

Greg. I would pull that RAM first and see what happens.  

Low PRAM Batteries do different things on different machines.

I would replace that next if called for.

[Greg Dunn]

The new RAM's not the problem.  Pulled it, replaced it w/the RAM chip that was in there before, same problem.  Took out the old RAM chip, no memory in top slot, tried it again, same problem.  Is it possible that the problem lies in the RAM in the lower slot?  Don't know if the iMac will run with no RAM in the lower slot.  If it will, I can run the machine on the upper slot RAM (256meg).

[chuckwagen]

The PRAM battery's 5 years old if you haven't replaced it yet; I would do that first. Are you still on the original 6GB hard drive? Mine is starting to make grinding noises. OSX is painfully slow on my 333...

[swhitset]

Chuckwagon,

How much Ram do you have in your  333?

I have both an 800MHz FP G4 imac with 512 MB ram, and a 333 mhz g3 imac with 288 MB ram.  The 333 has a 7200 RPM maxtor 30 GB hard drive in it.

Both macs are running OS X.2.4.  I will admit that the 333 mhz G3 is slower than the 800 mhz G4, but it is very useable.  I would never characterize it as "painfully slow".  I noticed a huge difference in OS X performance on the 333 when I increased the Ram from 160 MB to 288 MB.

Greg,
Sorry I can't add much insight to your problem.  the only time my 333 would not start up, I had a bad Ram so-Dimm.  Replacing it solved the probem.

Steve

[chuckwagen]

40 GB (5400 RPM) Maxtor HD, 256 MB RAM. I've tried two (DMS, OWC) different RAM vendors with 256 chips, and the machine won't recognize anything larger than 128 MB. As hard drives are cheap, if a 7200 RPM drive would speed things up, I'll do it! It's cheaper than a hARMONI upgrade.

[swhitset]

I,ve heard that before about other people with 333's.  That is very strange, I have a 256 MB low profile so-DIMM in the lower slot and the original 32 MB so Dimm in the upper slot.  I have actually had both of these chips in the upper and lower slot-- both work in either slot. The computer recognizes all 288MB

   

I have considered adding even more Ram, but that computer is used mostly by my wife for nothing but, word processing, email, and Web surfing  (plus a liitle bit of Scrabble playing     ) I doubt that the 7200 RPM drive makes all that much difference... I wouldn't go out and pull that 40GB drive if I were you.  
Steve
 
 [ 03-28-2003, 07:36 PM: Message edited by: swhitset ]