[avahifi]

It just turned off, won't light up again.  Dead as a doornail.

Its the dumb little "pod with a stick on top" model.

Any suggestions?  I was able to economically replace the power supply module in a bigger iMac G5 flat screen model a while back with the help I got herein.

Help please!

Thanks,

Frank Van Alstine

[orthobiz]

Is the pod with a stick a white iMac computer with the round base, silver bar that connects to a flat screen?

Did you unplug the computer and plug it in again?
Does it have soft power (which means turning it on by pressing on a power key on the keyboard)? If so, try to start it by pressing a power key on the side of the computer...

No whirring noise of a hard drive trying to start up?

Paul

[andrewbee]

Frank,

Borrow another hand from someone and then hold down the option, control, P and R keys at the same time and then turn on the computer (thats for the borrowed hand to do) and keep holding down the keys. Hopefully, the computer will chime, keep holding the keys and you should get a second chime. If you get the second chime then release the keys and it should boot up.

If that does not work look through the holes in the top of the computer base where the arm that holds the screen is. You should be able to see the cooling fan blades. Turn on the computer and see / listen if the fan comes on.

[andrewbee]

Frank,

I made a boo boo above, its not the control key, its the command or apple key, the one to the left of the spacebar.

[orthobiz]

I like holding the option/command down with my thumb, the R key with my index finger and the P key with my pinky. It gives me a false sense of accomplishment.

But it is good advice...

However, from Frank's post, it sounds like NOTHING is happening, like the everything is burned out???

Paul

[planet10]

Also known as the luxolamp iMac (harking back to one of the early Pixar (steve jobs) animations).

Even thou they have an aweful lot crammed into a really small space, the power supplies on these don't seem to be failing yet but that is a likely cause (i work part time at a Mac dealer so i get to see a good cross-section of what gets tossed in the parts bin).

A common cause of a Mac not starting up is that the PRAM battery has gone flat.

I currently have 2 luxolamps, 1 out on loan and another that won't recognize any internal HD yet will boot from the install CD.

These are really painful to pull apart so doing trouble-shooting is a pain.

dave

[planet10]

(harking back to one of the early Pixar (steve jobs) animations).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4UtJ84lse4

if you swap the base & the light hood you end up with the cosmetics of an iMac G4 pretty much

dave

[avahifi]

Thanks for the help.  Are there any instructions posted on the web anywhere as to how to tear the this little computer apart?  (Big dome shaped pod with screen on top of a swiveling stick).

If you can direct me to any useful documents I would appreciate it.

Thanks,

Frank Van Alstine

PS  This my back up back up Mac, kept around because it will boot under native OS9.  The main Mac and backup number one are still up and running, so it is still business as usual here including reading and responding to e-mails.  I will be back at business e-mails again on Monday.

PPS  It died while running normally, just a "bloop" and all went dark.  Is this still possibly a PRAM battery issue?

[Nels Ferre]

Hi Frank,

Sorry you are having computer issues. Here is a disassembly guide with pictures.

http://www.faqintosh.com/risorse/en/guides/hw/imac/g417hd/

I hope this helps.

Nels

[Nels Ferre]

Frank,

If the PRAM battery is dead, I believe this is the one you need.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104707

Nels

[planet10]

Sorry you are having computer issues. Here is a disassembly guide with pictures.

One thing that seems to be missing is that you need some heat-sink grease when you put it back together...

Ouch, RS is charging a lot for those batteries... we sell them for $12 CAD

dave

[dB Cooper]

Frank, isn't Mall of America not too far from the Minn/SP area? There's an Apple store there. They will give it a look at the Genius Bar (their pretentious title for the tech support team) for free (you book an appt.)

iFixit is another good source for DIY info.