iMac made a loud 'pop' sound when pressing the power button.

[MrRoberts]

A friend of mine has a blue fruit looking iMac (600MHz, 256MB, CDRW) and it just died.

Every time my friend pressed the power button it makes a 'pop' sound and that it is. It doesn't power up.

I tried the reset button inside the iMac next to the RAM slot, which didn't help.

What is wrong?

 

[mad jew]

If the pop is the only response you get then it's quite likely you have a power supply issue. Replacing the power supply might help, but I doubt it's worth it.

 

[Counterfit]

A common part to blow on those iMacs is the power inverter. It's possible to replace it, but it's probably too much of a hassle.

 

[MrRoberts]

I thought it might be the power supply and it is really that hard to replace it?

 

[MrRoberts]

I took it apart, pressed the reset button and checked the 3.6v battery with a multi-meter, which gave out a 3.49v reading.

Put it all back together, pressed the power button and behold!... it came up. Seconds later, it made that loud 'snap' sound before shutting down again.

It is really the power supply?

 

[RobTuck]

I took it apart, pressed the reset button and checked the 3.6v battery with a multi-meter, which gave out a 3.49v reading.

Put it all back together, pressed the power button and behold!... it came up. Seconds later, it made that loud 'snap' sound before shutting down again.

It is really the power supply?

It sounds like something may be shorting. Any chance some dust/debris might be floating around inside?

 

[savar]

It sounds like something may be shorting. Any chance some dust/debris might be floating around inside?

Sounds like it has to do with the power supply. IF you can turn the computer on for a bit after its been off for a while, then it sounds like something in the power supply is heating up, expanding slightly, and causing some sort of failure.