I have the original iMac. (version: OS 9.2) I need help. Has anyone ever looked at the lettering on the side of the standard cord? If so can you post it? I've tried several of the "Mickey Mouse" cords and the Mac overheats badly on the left side. Thanks.
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I NEED HELP! (please?)
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You're talking about the power cord here, right? If so, the power cord those iMacs use is a totally stock "3-prong" style one, and the cord off of nearly any piece of electronics--all tower computers, many printers and copiers, and lot of other stuff.
If that area of the case is overheating, either you're not pushing the cord in all the way and it's making a VERY poor connection (I would also expect the iMac to periodically flicker off, so I doubt this is it), there's a short within the power cord you're using (in which case, it's dangerous--replace it immediately), or there's something entirely different wrong with the machine and I'd get it looked at ASAP--it's probably a fire hazzard.
If that area of the case is overheating, either you're not pushing the cord in all the way and it's making a VERY poor connection (I would also expect the iMac to periodically flicker off, so I doubt this is it), there's a short within the power cord you're using (in which case, it's dangerous--replace it immediately), or there's something entirely different wrong with the machine and I'd get it looked at ASAP--it's probably a fire hazzard.
the cord is all the way in, and it's a black cord. It starts to get hot after the first 40 minutes of use. And it takes an hour and a half to cool down. (15 minutes if I put it over the air-conditioning vent) Also, do iMacs have cooling fans like tower computers do? If so, mabye that's why it's overheating. 
The vent's either on the bottom, or near the handle on the top. That might cuase general over heating but I can't think of why the heat would be isolated to the left side. I've often seen imacs with clods of dust in them, if you can see dust bunnies through the translucent plastic I'd take it apart and take a can of compressed air to it.
I wonder if it's the fact that I bought it at Goodwill for $50.00 as is? The last time I used it was yesterday for two hours and I touched the top of it and the top of the computer felt to my hand like a cat's paws on a hot tin roof. It's 8 years old.
Ok, so you have a slot-loader, which are passively cooled. If everything is working properly and you haven't obstructed the inlet vents on the bottom or the outlet vents in a ring around the handle on top, then the top will get nice and toasty under use, but not painfully so.
If it's getting that hot, either the inlet vents are getting obstructed (Dust? Piece of paper under the computer? Something else?), or something inside is malfunctioning and generating far more heat than it should. If it's localized to one side, it sounds very much like a component failure, probably the power supply.
It's really not worth much--you can buy a replacement for less than it'd cost to fix--so I'd probably give up on it unless you like tinkering. Otherwise, give it to a friend who does, and maybe they can buy a dead one off eBay and swap components to get one that works.
If it's getting that hot, either the inlet vents are getting obstructed (Dust? Piece of paper under the computer? Something else?), or something inside is malfunctioning and generating far more heat than it should. If it's localized to one side, it sounds very much like a component failure, probably the power supply.
It's really not worth much--you can buy a replacement for less than it'd cost to fix--so I'd probably give up on it unless you like tinkering. Otherwise, give it to a friend who does, and maybe they can buy a dead one off eBay and swap components to get one that works.
I always found that the passively cooled iMacs ran hot, pretty hot on the top.
Side note: please use better thread titles. Everybody needs help here.
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Side note: please use better thread titles. Everybody needs help here.
Read the stickys at the top of this forum.