Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iMac will not boot, desperate for help.

H

hydrokayak

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 16, 2008
62
0
Lancaster, NH
My iMac (24" Aluminum) will not boot.. I tried an SMC reset, and have reseated the RAM. It simply shut off on it's own, yet it didn't feel hot, it just felt as it always has. It's sitting unplugged at the moment.

The install disc is inside the drive, but I can't get it to boot to the disc. The drive sounds like it spins, but nothing appears on the screen, and the startup noise fails to play. Everything but power and keyboard is plugged in.

Any recommendations as to what to do? I'm afraid of a failed HD (saw that on the web) or Logic Board. I bought it in Feb. but am afraid of the hardware warranty still...

Please Help! I need it for school in the morning (if possible).
 
Well, it's not a failed HD, or the screen would show the blinking folder/question mark. That's all I know atm :eek:
 
hydrokayak said:
I bought it in Feb. but am afraid of the hardware warranty still...
Click to expand...

I am confused, if its still under warranty than what is the problem?
Do you have the factory installed memory, or did you upgrade it? if so try putting the factory installed memory back in. Did the fans run at high speeds at odd times? Lines on the screen? Anything odd at all?
 
Nothing odd happened at all. It just shut off, and never booted again. I tried the factory memory. It was my first instinct.

Thanks for the HD advice. I'm not really worried about it, just mad that I'm going to have it serviced. I've never had a problem like this with a PC... so it's really confusing me. My guess is that in transport along the road, a cable may have come loose, or the logic board is fried.

Either way, I'm covered. It's just that the nearest Apple Store is 3 hours away, and I'm not too keen on having to pay to ship the thing. I'd like to not be without it.

Luckily... I have my Macbook -- and the PC that this thing replaced. Gotta have a backup I suppose.
 
gehrbox said:
I have repaired MANY HP's with this kind of issue. Either power supply failure or motherboard. Not a unique problem to any brand of computer.
Click to expand...

Agreed- and with the symptoms I would lean toward a power supply failure but that is just guessing based on the problems several iMacs have had with PS issues (like the twice my GF's 20" PS died :( ). Of course there was always the logic board swollen capacitor problem on some early models that led to a warranty extension program too, but I would think that would have that problem sorted out by now!

To the OP- since you are that distance from an Apple store be sure to call 1-800-SOS-APPLE regarding this rather than thinking right off the bat that you are going to have to pay shipping. For most warranty backed issues they will usually ship you appropriate prepaid shipping materials or in some cases offer on site service. I don't really know how far from an Apple store you have to be to offer the on site servicing so the call is in order.
 
sickmacdoc said:
Agreed- and with the symptoms I would lean toward a power supply failure but that is just guessing based on the problems several iMacs have had with PS issues (like the twice my GF's 20" PS died :( ). Of course there was always the logic board swollen capacitor problem on some early models that led to a warranty extension program too, but I would think that would have that problem sorted out by now!

To the OP- since you are that distance from an Apple store be sure to call 1-800-SOS-APPLE regarding this rather than thinking right off the bat that you are going to have to pay shipping. For most warranty backed issues they will usually ship you appropriate prepaid shipping materials or in some cases offer on site service. I don't really know how far from an Apple store you have to be to offer the on site servicing so the call is in order.
Click to expand...

They shipped me a pre paid box for my PowerBook about 3 years ago, took 2 days to get it back. I'm 45 minutes away from an Apple Store.
 
I also have a 24" Intel iMac that I just purchased in January, and this same thing happened to me about a month ago. I tried to restart, but it wouldn't start back up. Then when I tried turning it on, it wouldn't turn on.

What I did was just unplug all power sources and waited about 30-60 seconds, and plugged everything back in. It powered right back on. So far, I haven't had it happen again (knock on wood).

So maybe after you have replugged everything back in, it will work. Good luck.
 
No such luck on any case.

Apple doesn't accept mail-in support for their desktop machines. They claim that it's too much of a liability, yet they accept mail-in support for their laptops (and that's not a liability???). I've mailed it to a computer store just south of me. It ends up being cheaper for me to ship it to the computer service tech, then to drive it there.

I'm really disappointed with this flaw in their service. I love the Apple machines, but I'd think twice before buying one again. I know multiple computer companies that offer mail-in support for desktops, so I'm really put off that they didn't allow me to mail-in the iMac.

At least it's getting fixed, and it's covered under the warranty. Too bad it cost 40 bucks to ship it (and that's just UPS ground shipped within a 4 hr radius).
 
hydrokayak said:
No such luck on any case.

Apple doesn't accept mail-in support for their desktop machines. They claim that it's too much of a liability, yet they accept mail-in support for their laptops (and that's not a liability???). I've mailed it to a computer store just south of me. It ends up being cheaper for me to ship it to the computer service tech, then to drive it there.

I'm really disappointed with this flaw in their service. I love the Apple machines, but I'd think twice before buying one again. I know multiple computer companies that offer mail-in support for desktops, so I'm really put off that they didn't allow me to mail-in the iMac.

At least it's getting fixed, and it's covered under the warranty. Too bad it cost 40 bucks to ship it (and that's just UPS ground shipped within a 4 hr radius).
Click to expand...

Wow even HP paid round trip shipping for my desktop they even had UPS pick it up at the house.Really want an Apple but the more I read the forums I'm having second thoughts about it.Maybe I should stop investigating my purchase and just buy but I have done that with everything I buy and very Seldom am I disappointed with the purchase.:)
 
yellowcanary73 said:
Wow even HP paid round trip shipping for my desktop they even had UPS pick it up at the house.Really want an Apple but the more I read the forums I'm having second thoughts about it.Maybe I should stop investigating my purchase and just buy but I have done that with everything I buy and very Seldom am I disappointed with the purchase.:)
Click to expand...

HP is also famous for asking customers to replace their own motherboards and power supplies. I know from experience as an HP warranty service tech. We would get sent out after the user was unable to do the repairs. Usually arrived to find the computer in pieces in a box.

That was several years ago, so hopefully they have stopped the practice. I also would like to believe that the people you call for service speak better english now.
 
gehrbox said:
HP is also famous for asking customers to replace their own motherboards and power supplies. I know from experience as an HP warranty service tech. We would get sent out after the user was unable to do the repairs. Usually arrived to find the computer in pieces in a box.

That was several years ago, so hopefully they have stopped the practice. I also would like to believe that the people you call for service speak better english now.
Click to expand...

They sent me a whole new desktop but then again I have built my own computers in the past.Also helps when your wife has worked for company like Apple,Rockwell,Fujitsu,Raytheon in the manufacturing aspects.:)
 
hydrokayak said:
Apple doesn't accept mail-in support for their desktop machines.
Click to expand...

What? :confused:
[Some Apple reps do like to off-lead people, like the one who told me that by plugging in my iPhone with a USB cable, I could use its AT&T internet for my laptop].

When I got my first iMac, it would do nothing but play sound. Apple offered to repair it [yet I convinced them to replace it]. All I had to do was pack it back up in the original shipping box [or request one], and they sent me FedEx labels.


But I may be wrong, this was all under the 14-day period from my purchase so my situation is different than yours. I just think they'd offer the same thing for iMacs in need of repair, that are still under warranty at least.


In any case, I wish you the best. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back