Caution: You need to pour yourself a coffee before you start in on this.
ryck
I have an older 17" iMacG5 with:
1.6 GHz PowerPC Processor
1 MB RAM
533 MHz frontside bus
256 MB PC3200 (400 MHz) SDRAM
80 GB Hard Drive
I few weeks ago I moved it temporarily from one location to another. When I returned it to the first location and plugged it into the power source, I got a bit of a flash.
The power source is an Isobar surge suppressor ( about 12 years old) that has three isolated filter banks (50dB, 75 dB, 100 dB). The machine was plugged into the same 100 dB source that it's always been in.
Within a few days the cursor would freeze and the machine would have to be shut down by holding the power button. On restart The front panel power light would come on but not the monitor. If you listened closely the hard drive could be heard. After about 30 seconds the fans came on high.
I did an SMU reset and everything went back to normal but, after a couple of days, the cursor froze and all of the above had to be repeated. Eventually, the machine would not progress past the condition of: front power light, no monitor, hard drive in motion, fans after about 30 seconds.
It went into the shop who determined the power supply was gone but that everything else, including the logic board, was okay. A new supply was installed and I decided to start from scratch.
1. OSX 10.5.1 was installed with my Family Pack. The install method selected was “Erase and Installâ€. The only Option chosen was to install just the Canon printer driver.
2. The computer was set up for connection to Airport. A bit of time was spent surfing the web.
3. A software update was done through the Apple site. Nine Apple programs were updated, including the system to 10.5.7.
4. Apple iWork, Microsoft Office, and Canon IP5000 software were installed.
5. In succession, iWork and Office were updated through the Apple and Microsoft sites.
6. Time was spent on the web. The computer was shutdown using Shutdown including the 60 second countdown.
All of this, which included several restarts, occurred without incident.
The next morning
1. The computer was turned on. The front panel power light came on but the monitor did not. After about 30 seconds the fans came on high.
2. The computer was shutdown by holding the power button.
3. Number 1 above was repeated with the same result, and the computer was shutdown by holding the power button.
4. An SMU Reset was attempted by unplugging the power at source (wall socket).
The computer was turned on. The front panel power light came on but the monitor did not. After about 30 seconds the fans came on high. The computer was shutdown by holding the power button.
5. Number 4 above was tried three times with the same result each time.
6. An SMU Reset was attempted by unplugging the power at the computer.
The computer was turned on. The front panel power light AND the opening chord played. The monitor did not come on and after about 30 seconds the fans came on high. The computer was shutdown by holding the power button.
NOTE: This is the only time the chord played. Further attempts at SMU reset, whether unplugging at source or at the computer, all generated the original result: The front panel power light came on but the monitor did not and, after about 30 seconds, the fans came on high.
The machine went back to the shop where it was determined that the replacement power supply was faulty. It was replaced and the shop kept the machine running for a couple of days shutting it off, turning it one, using the software et cetera.
Today
I went this morning to retrieve the machine. You guessed it, they demonstrated the fix only to have the cursor lock-up. The computer was shutdown by holding the power button, but the restart was the power light, no monitor, hard drive in motion and high speed fans after 30 seconds.
The Technicians are now scratching their heads and will check with one of their other shops.
Any ideas of what else the problem might be, or other things to check?
