Found an iMac at work

[Martinsen]

So this was going to be tossed because it doesn't work.

It's a big beautiful 27" iMac that doesn't turn on. When I turn it on it beeps with about 5 seconds between. After a quick Google search it seems like it might be the RAM.

The package says IMACMC813HA. After googling I find this link http://www.digiart-av.com/en/Brendy/Apple/_734.html

If that's correct, this is actually a decent computer that deserves to be fixed.

My question is, do you guys think it's the RAM? The link says 1333Mhz RAM, am I able to insert 1600Mhz RAM perhaps?

Thanks in advance.

Martin

 

[Krayzkat]

I think faster Ram would work but be limited to the 1333MHz.

You could try taking out each RAM stick one at a time, to see if it turns on (good chance that only 1 RAM is dud)

I still use my 2010 iMac (think yours is same year, or maybe 2011)

 

[elf69]

Is this the error beeps you get?

• 1 tone, a 5-second pause, repeat = No RAM installed
• 3 successive tones, a 5-second pause, 3 successive tones = RAM does not pass data integrity check

 

[macintoshmac]

Sigh. In my country, as in most other well populated countries, we usually find (useless) humans at work instead of (priceless) iMacs.

 

[BlueTide]

You could try taking out each RAM stick one at a time, to see if it turns on (good chance that only 1 RAM is dud)

What he said. It should boot with 1 stick and that would be an easy first step to gauge a bit better if it's a RAM issue or not. Assuming not all the sticks are busted.

 

[weckart]

This is the 2011 model, the same as mine. The 6970M graphics card gets quite toasty and is prone to dying. The owner might have salvaged the RAM sticks and chucked the iMac out as not worth repairing.

 

[Martinsen]

Is this the error beeps you get?

• 1 tone, a 5-second pause, repeat = No RAM installed
• 3 successive tones, a 5-second pause, 3 successive tones = RAM does not pass data integrity check

Yes the first one.

This is the 2011 model, the same as mine. The 6970M graphics card gets quite toasty and is prone to dying. The owner might have salvaged the RAM sticks and chucked the iMac out as not worth repairing.

I tested with one RAM stick from another computer and the beep is gone but it won't give any graphics. So might be the gfx-card.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

You can try and take out the graphic card and bake it, and stick it back in.

 

[Razzerman]

You can try and take out the graphic card and bake it, and stick it back in.

Certainly worth trying, although you'll have to shell out for some ram to know whether the reflow has worked, I think.

Out of four imac that were discarded at our place, all four had the reflow work, and my three are still working some 9 months later.

Good luck

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Certainly worth trying, although you'll have to shell out for some ram to know whether the reflow has worked, I think.

Out of four imac that were discarded at our place, all four had the reflow work, and my three are still working some 9 months later.

Good luck

I am running at 18 months following a reflow of my 2011 iMac GPU, and still going strong. Absolutely worth trying.

 

[weckart]

If you are going to reflow, then make sure you install MacFans to keep the innards as airy as possible. That will prolong the life of the revivified GPU card. If the reflow doesn't work, then keep an eye on this thread

2011 iMac Graphics Card Upgrade

as HD6xxx era AMD GPUs will not run Mojave with accelerated graphics. Oddly enough, older cards such as the 2400XT seem to work with some caveats.

If you have access to another monitor with DP/TB inputs, you might want to try that first before baking to discount the possibility of a busted display.