02-06-2012, 04:22 PM

Hi , all im new on here.

Ok basically , i run my own pc repair business and have never owned a mac in my life. i have an iphone ect and love that but never owned or worked on a mac.

Ok so i know pc's and windows inside and out but dont know where to start with the imac!

Basically i bought this imac as i was told it made a clicking sound and then went off.

It was bought in 2008 (apparently)

Ok here are the symptoms:
Press the power button no chime but the fans spin and the hdd spins and the dvd drive seeks , then the screen goes white. then grey. then the apple logo comes on with the spinning circle, it then cuts out.
I was going to open her up and see if taking out the hard drive and turning it on made any difference ? i also tried an ATX reset.

Any advice would be highly appriciated.

Thanks!

02-06-2012, 04:46 PM

Just to say , I tried holding down apple+S and it got to the menu then cut off.

Its like it gets 10 seconds then it switches its self off.
if you try turning it instantly back on when it goes off you get around 2 seconds.
but if left for a few mins it will give you the full 10 seconds again?

Possibly a heat problem ?? :S

02-06-2012, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by Themask

Ok so i know pc's and windows inside and out but dont know where to start with the imac!

I'm surprised to hear you say that! A computer is a computer... Power supply, motherboard, hard drive, RAM, DVD drive. Only thing I can think of that's different - no user settings in a BIOS.

What would you do with a PC? I'd suspect the power supply first, and would have to confirm it by swapping out power supplies.

02-06-2012, 05:46 PM

I do not have another power supply to switch as its a mac...

The LEDS on the back are all lighting up as they should until it cuts out.

any ideas anyone ?

02-06-2012, 10:33 PM

Reset SMC Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
Reset PRAM Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM

It's unlikely heat, since it's not really running long enough to generate any from the sounds of it.

02-07-2012, 04:44 AM

Thanks for the reply.

Ok so i did the Pram reset, the system now chimes everytime you turn it on but its still getting to the same stage.

I then tried the smc reset.

but when i first plug the imac in it doesnt respond to the power button i have to switch it off and back on at the mains a couple of times for it to respond to the power button.

Any ideas ? thanks for the reply tho!

02-07-2012, 10:55 AM

One poster on Mac Forums had the same basic issue and Apple told him it was the Hard Drive.

Is your iMac the one with the Aluminum front with Glass over the screen? You need Suction Cups to get the Glass off without breaking it.

This is the other persons thread with the same issue. Read their post at the end of the thread.

24" intel iMac shuts off during startup

02-07-2012, 11:36 AM

Sorry i got mixed up its the imac G5.

I removed the hard drive and it shows the flashing folder with a question mark, it then cuts out. the same as it does with one in.

It cant be the hard drive then right ?

02-07-2012, 11:39 AM

This is just a guess, but it sounds Power Supply related. Do you know which iMac G5 that you have? Does it have the isight camera at the top of the bezel?

02-07-2012, 12:49 PM

Its the one without the Isight.

I feared it might be the psu as there not that cheap are they ?

and wheres the best place to get one ?

02-07-2012, 03:55 PM

For starters check out page 3:-


Apple iMac Power Supply's