iMac 233MHz Help please?

[gutterflowerjc]

Ok, so I am a High School mac-addict. I am taking a computer maintenance class this year, and I was given ANCIENT macs to work on, (I'm the only one allowed to work on them, [the teacher likes me]) And I finished all my work early one day, and I asked if I could look at the old imac in the corner of the room, and or course, the teacher said yes. So i proced to look at it, and hook up the keyboard, and mouse, and plug it in, it chimed (YAY) but the light on the power button stayed orange (Booo!) so I played with it, gave it a lil' shake, (nothing to big, just a lil' wobble) and tried turning it off and on multiple times. I finnaly got the button to glow green (Yay) but the screen would not come on (booo!) and it was making a clicking type noise toward the middle, to the back area, (Booo!) I told the teacher that I thought it could be Arching, or something, and after lots of talking, and emails back and forth I was told that If I could get it to work, that for all my hard work that I could keep it, and take it home!!! YAY!!!! So, my question, what are the possibilities that could be wrong with it, it is I think a Rev.A and it looks just like it came out of the box, NO JOKE, I would really like to fix it. And maybe after that, I can talk him out of his Mac Plus.... does anyone know where to get an original boot disk for one of those by the way?


ALL HELP IS EXTREMELY APPRECIATED!!!!!!

 

[strider42]

Most likely, based on what you said, is that the flyback transformer has gone bad. That means replacing the analog board. that is a pretty common fault on the 233 mhz machines.

 

[gutterflowerjc]

Thanks

Thanks, do you know how, or where I could get this replaced? If I am not mistaken, It would be very bad if I TOUCHED the flyback, wouldn't I be electrocuted? (SP) I had a TV one that had a bad Fly on it, it would still show a picture, just that whenever the scen would chage suddnely, from say, Black to White, it would flicker a few times. Id this a fairly Cheap/Easily done repair. remember, I am in High School, I can get the teacher to help, and my dad is a pretty good guy when it comes to electrics... really good,



THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!!

 

[EricG07]

This link should tell you everything you need to know about replacing the flyback.. I did it in an old 233mhz bondi blue iMac .. worked fine , just follow the directions explicitly .. and if you aren't comfortable with a soldering iron, see if a local TV shop could do it for you .. or better yet check your local city recycling and see if they hold an annual PC recycling day.. chances are someone is gonna toss another old imac.. (thats how I found a few others)..

its not terribly hard to do this repair if you are comfortable with basic soldering.. but PLEASE TAKE ALL PRECAUTIONS AS YOU CAN GET SERIOUSLY HURT... OR WORSE..

http://www.macopz.com/columns/imacrepair/

 

[gutterflowerjc]

Thank you!

Thank you so much!!! This is so helpful, I dont think that I am going to do any soldering, because I have resources to get the part for around 30-70 dollars, I don't know if I should pay 30, for the Flyback, or beef it up to the 70 for the entire analog board. Which would you reccomend?

Thank you for all the help!!!

 

[CanadaRAM]

Certainly, a reconditioned analog board would be more reliable.

 

[motulist]

If you're looking to fix this machine up as a fun project, then by all means, purchase any parts that you need. But if you're looking to fix this machine up because you want a good deal on a computer, then you absolutely shouldn't spend more than a dollar or two on it.

 

[gutterflowerjc]

Thanks everyone

I thought that the whole new analog board would be better also.

Yea, I'm not wanting to actually use it as a primary computer, I've just wanted one, because of their "uniqueness" and I thought it would be cool to have one in the corner of my room, running a weird screensaver, or to use it as a Juke-box type deal. I think I might actually use it as a permentantly logged on Instant message thing.

I decided that, if for some reason, something was to happen, and it got fried, that it would make a nice blue macquarium, for some goldfish

 

[CRAZYBUBBA]

it would be cheaper to pick up another used one rather than perform repairs.

 

[gutterflowerjc]

yes, but...

I think that it would be alot more fun, and meaningful to me to be able to fix one. I like to get the expierience, because being someone like a mac genious is one of my "dream-jobs" and I like to woek on old stuff to

 

[ethernet76]

I thought that the whole new analog board would be better also.

Yea, I'm not wanting to actually use it as a primary computer, I've just wanted one, because of their "uniqueness" and I thought it would be cool to have one in the corner of my room, running a weird screensaver, or to use it as a Juke-box type deal. I think I might actually use it as a permentantly logged on Instant message thing.

That's one expensive screen saver. I'd kill my kid if he left a computer on for a screen saver or always-on AIM.

 

[shoulin333]

i have a perfectly good bondi blue 233mhx imac g3...


.... with keyboard and mouse running OS 9.2.2


and 96mb ram...

if you want to pay shipping i will send the whole thing to you for free

lemme know i can send pics if u want

 

[gutterflowerjc]

Free!

That's one expensive screen saver. I'd kill my kid if he left a computer on for a screen saver or always-on AIM.

Apart from having to buy the part, It's FREEE!!!!!! It'l prolly just get uwed for myspacing, and crazy English assignments, I love the original keyboards that shipped with them! SO it won't just be a dust collector.

 

[gutterflowerjc]

really?...

i have a perfectly good bondi blue 233mhx imac g3...


.... with keyboard and mouse running OS 9.2.2


and 96mb ram...

if you want to pay shipping i will send the whole thing to you for free

lemme know i can send pics if u want

That would be really nice of you, can you please send me some pictures, if you don't mind? I would have to ask my parents though, they handle all my money, because they are afraid that I will blow it all on useless stuff, which is prolly the truth!!!



THANKS!!! you are a very nice person!!!

 

[shoulin333]

Some pics

Here's some pics man

**correction** it has 128mb ram


just know that it runs os 9.2.2 great, but has no wireless

... will run osx 10.3.9 highest ( for im, would be fine, but no real use.. if u want to use it u would want to leave it 9.2.2)


anyways i weighed it on my bathroom scale and it weighed in right at 40lbs, so i donno how much shipping would be, i can check for u if u want

 

[gutterflowerjc]

dude!

you are most amazing!!!! I will ask my mom and dad about it. if i did want to buy it, how do you do payment? money orders? Paypal... etc..... YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!!!

If there is anything I can do for you, just LET ME KNOW!!!

 

[shoulin333]

ya no hurry bro it is just sitting here, i would do paypal

anyways let me know, either reply to this message or PM me

 

[California]

I fixed up one of these for a friend of mine three years ago and dropped an 80gb 7200 new hd in it and bumped the ram up to 384mb... she's still runnning good on Panther after three years.
The bitch is it takes laptop 144pin ram. More expensive than later iMac G3's.