Demonic iMac G3

mac_mogul · 05-11-2004, 10:30 PM

Okay, I'm sitting at my mom's newspaper office on the iMac that I adopted (for use only when it's usual operator is absent

) And my mom exclaims that her iMac G3 has shut itself down while she was typing in InDesign.

I just blew it off as something she had done by accident (my mom is no computer genius) And didn't think of it again. Then it kept happening. And just about three minutes ago, it happened again and now her date and time is all messed up. At first I decided this was a battery problem. But then I remembered that an iMac's only warning of a dead battery is a black screen at start-up. But another sign is the date and time problem.

If anyone can maybe give me an idea of what's goin on, I'd appreciate it.

She's running a Graphite iMac G3 @ 600mhz
--OS 9.2.2
--256 mb RAM

g5orbust · 05-11-2004, 11:30 PM

Date and time problems are warnings of a dying battery. A dead battery prevents start up.

Suggestion: replace that pesky battery!

mac_mogul · 05-11-2004, 11:52 PM

Hmm... okay... wanted to make sure....

But it's strange because there are two other iMacs the same age as that one that are chugging along quite nicely... Oh well

Thanks G5

mac_mogul · 05-17-2004, 12:12 AM

Okay, I know this is a double post, but this is also an update on the demonic iMac situation

-Mom's iMac is dead in the water! We can turn it on, we can see the Finder of OS 9 for less than a minute, then the monitor flickers (sometimes the left and right sides are squeezed in together) and then it just shuts off... No warning... no nothing... So we've moved my iMac into the office in it's place and I will be without computer for a while

But the expert on the telephone told my mom that it was not a battery problem and that it had something to do with a deeper inner hardware device.

I'll update this again as soon as I get more info. This is making me very angry because mom will be putting all sorts of crap onto my computer that I don't want and she'll change all my settings and... argh!!! She's even forcing it to be in OS 9... I hate OS 9!!!

Oh well....

g5orbust · 05-17-2004, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mac_mogul
Okay, I know this is a double post, but this is also an update on the demonic iMac situation

-Mom's iMac is dead in the water! We can turn it on, we can see the Finder of OS 9 for less than a minute, then the monitor flickers (sometimes the left and right sides are squeezed in together) and then it just shuts off... No warning... no nothing... So we've moved my iMac into the office in it's place and I will be without computer for a while

But the expert on the telephone told my mom that it was not a battery problem and that it had something to do with a deeper inner hardware device.

I'll update this again as soon as I get more info. This is making me very angry because mom will be putting all sorts of crap onto my computer that I don't want and she'll change all my settings and... argh!!! She's even forcing it to be in OS 9... I hate OS 9!!!

Oh well....

It could very well be a much more serious hardware problem, but i suggest at least trying the battery replacement (the battery costs like, what? A buck...maybe less?) and see if that gives some life into the machine.

RyansTech · 05-17-2004, 10:46 AM

Quote:

-Mom's iMac is dead in the water! We can turn it on, we can see the Finder of OS 9 for less than a minute, then the monitor flickers (sometimes the left and right sides are squeezed in together) and then it just shuts off... No warning... no nothing... So we've moved my iMac into the office in it's place and I will be without computer for a while

Does this happen the same way every time you turn it on or is it random? For example will it go past this point and then shut off or does it happen the same way everytime?

mac_mogul · 05-17-2004, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by g5orbust
It could very well be a much more serious hardware problem, but i suggest at least trying the battery replacement (the battery costs like, what? A buck...maybe less?) and see if that gives some life into the machine.

We did... I took my iMac's battery and put it in hers to no avail. It still shuts off spontaneously within at most two minutes.

mac_mogul · 05-18-2004, 11:32 AM

Okay... we set up my iMac in her iMac's place and I actually got it to recognize her network

(so proud of myself you have no idea

) But her co-worker's computer does not recognize mine; whereas my iMac does recognize hers. It's not a big deal for now since it's a temporary set-up, but I would like to understand why not.

ATIRAGEPRO · 05-20-2004, 01:06 PM

It's the L2 CACHE. It's burned out somehow...

mac_mogul · 05-20-2004, 11:11 PM

Hmm, the woman at the tech-center said she new for sure it was the vid-card when we told her about the screen doin tha squeezy thing.

And I managed to get all the necessary files off of the computer by pressing the PMU reset button on the logic board. It let the computer run long enough to burn a couple CD's of data, but then it flickered and shut off again. And everytime I press the PMU reset button, the computer stays on for around 10-15 minutes at a time. Whereas when I didn't press it, it would shut off right after start-up

But we're taking it up to get the video card replaced and the battery replaced and everything checked out tomorrow. That means I'll get my iMac back for the weekend!

So hopefully, it IS the vid card and it can be easily replaced and there will never be more troubles with it ever again.

I'll keep everyone posted

05-11-2004, 10:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
mac_mogul Monster Techie Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,295	Demonic iMac G3 Okay, I'm sitting at my mom's newspaper office on the iMac that I adopted (for use only when it's usual operator is absent) And my mom exclaims that her iMac G3 has shut itself down while she was typing in InDesign. I just blew it off as something she had done by accident (my mom is no computer genius) And didn't think of it again. Then it kept happening. And just about three minutes ago, it happened again and now her date and time is all messed up. At first I decided this was a battery problem. But then I remembered that an iMac's only warning of a dead battery is a black screen at start-up. But another sign is the date and time problem. If anyone can maybe give me an idea of what's goin on, I'd appreciate it. She's running a Graphite iMac G3 @ 600mhz --OS 9.2.2 --256 mb RAM __________________ "Who are you?" "Me? I'm the living embodiment of all that is evil in the computer world." "You're Bill Gates?" iBook G4 1.2ghz PowerPC G4 // 1.25gb PC2700 DDR // ATI RADEON Mobility 9200 32mb DDR // 60gb Ultra ATA/100 Hitachi HDD // Matshita 24x CD-RW/DVD Combo // M-Audio Sonica Theater 7.1 USB Sound Card // Logitech X-530 5.1 Surround

05-11-2004, 11:30 PM	#2 (permalink)
g5orbust Ultra Techie Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 818	Date and time problems are warnings of a dying battery. A dead battery prevents start up. Suggestion: replace that pesky battery! __________________ Apple, Mac OS , and Power PC

05-11-2004, 11:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
mac_mogul Monster Techie Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,295	Hmm... okay... wanted to make sure.... But it's strange because there are two other iMacs the same age as that one that are chugging along quite nicely... Oh well Thanks G5 __________________ "Who are you?" "Me? I'm the living embodiment of all that is evil in the computer world." "You're Bill Gates?" iBook G4 1.2ghz PowerPC G4 // 1.25gb PC2700 DDR // ATI RADEON Mobility 9200 32mb DDR // 60gb Ultra ATA/100 Hitachi HDD // Matshita 24x CD-RW/DVD Combo // M-Audio Sonica Theater 7.1 USB Sound Card // Logitech X-530 5.1 Surround

05-17-2004, 12:12 AM	#4 (permalink)
mac_mogul Monster Techie Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,295	Okay, I know this is a double post, but this is also an update on the demonic iMac situation -Mom's iMac is dead in the water! We can turn it on, we can see the Finder of OS 9 for less than a minute, then the monitor flickers (sometimes the left and right sides are squeezed in together) and then it just shuts off... No warning... no nothing... So we've moved my iMac into the office in it's place and I will be without computer for a while But the expert on the telephone told my mom that it was not a battery problem and that it had something to do with a deeper inner hardware device. I'll update this again as soon as I get more info. This is making me very angry because mom will be putting all sorts of crap onto my computer that I don't want and she'll change all my settings and... argh!!! She's even forcing it to be in OS 9... I hate OS 9!!! Oh well.... __________________ "Who are you?" "Me? I'm the living embodiment of all that is evil in the computer world." "You're Bill Gates?" iBook G4 1.2ghz PowerPC G4 // 1.25gb PC2700 DDR // ATI RADEON Mobility 9200 32mb DDR // 60gb Ultra ATA/100 Hitachi HDD // Matshita 24x CD-RW/DVD Combo // M-Audio Sonica Theater 7.1 USB Sound Card // Logitech X-530 5.1 Surround

05-18-2004, 11:32 AM	#8 (permalink)
mac_mogul Monster Techie Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,295	Okay... we set up my iMac in her iMac's place and I actually got it to recognize her network (so proud of myself you have no idea) But her co-worker's computer does not recognize mine; whereas my iMac does recognize hers. It's not a big deal for now since it's a temporary set-up, but I would like to understand why not. __________________ "Who are you?" "Me? I'm the living embodiment of all that is evil in the computer world." "You're Bill Gates?" iBook G4 1.2ghz PowerPC G4 // 1.25gb PC2700 DDR // ATI RADEON Mobility 9200 32mb DDR // 60gb Ultra ATA/100 Hitachi HDD // Matshita 24x CD-RW/DVD Combo // M-Audio Sonica Theater 7.1 USB Sound Card // Logitech X-530 5.1 Surround

05-20-2004, 11:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
mac_mogul Monster Techie Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 1,295	Hmm, the woman at the tech-center said she new for sure it was the vid-card when we told her about the screen doin tha squeezy thing. And I managed to get all the necessary files off of the computer by pressing the PMU reset button on the logic board. It let the computer run long enough to burn a couple CD's of data, but then it flickered and shut off again. And everytime I press the PMU reset button, the computer stays on for around 10-15 minutes at a time. Whereas when I didn't press it, it would shut off right after start-up But we're taking it up to get the video card replaced and the battery replaced and everything checked out tomorrow. That means I'll get my iMac back for the weekend! So hopefully, it IS the vid card and it can be easily replaced and there will never be more troubles with it ever again. I'll keep everyone posted __________________ "Who are you?" "Me? I'm the living embodiment of all that is evil in the computer world." "You're Bill Gates?" iBook G4 1.2ghz PowerPC G4 // 1.25gb PC2700 DDR // ATI RADEON Mobility 9200 32mb DDR // 60gb Ultra ATA/100 Hitachi HDD // Matshita 24x CD-RW/DVD Combo // M-Audio Sonica Theater 7.1 USB Sound Card // Logitech X-530 5.1 Surround

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