04-19-2012, 10:19 PM

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forums here so please for give me if I sound "noobish" haha!

Anyways heres the story, my father has a 24" iMac I believe its a mid-2007 model here are a run down of the specs: 2.4GHz Intel core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR2 RAM, 1.5TB HDD, and a ATI video card (I'm not sure of the model number I think its a 2600 something).

Anyways one day the display just decided to stop working so I opened up the Mac to see what was troubling it. As I was looking around I decided to unscrew the logic board because I thought maybe the GPU was bad. As I was unscrewing BAM out of no where a really big spark came out of no where, I was working near the power supply and I guess my screw driver had touched one of the points on the PSU (being the idiot I am I still had the machine plugged in but I had forgotten to unplug it). So I was quite sure that I just killed the power supply (oops). So I had brought it in to a computer shop called Carbon Computing, their an authorized Apple Repair centre. They tested the computer with a new power supply and sure enough the computer did power up... for a second, the guy had told me there was no bong, nothing on the screen but the computer tried to start up. He also told me that LED number one on the logic board was lit so the logic board is getting power from the PSU. My dad wants to get this machine up and running again but I'm pretty stumped. If anyone has any suggestions or comments please feel free to leave them, as anything will help me (I hope)

04-19-2012, 11:35 PM

They tested the computer with a new power supply and sure enough the computer did power up... for a second, the guy had told me there was no bong, nothing on the screen but the computer tried to start up. He also told me that LED number one on the logic board was lit so the logic board is getting power from the PSU. My dad wants to get this machine up and running again but I'm pretty stumped. If anyone has any suggestions or comments please feel free to leave them, as anything will help me (I hope)

What can I say? Working on a live machine is a good way to zap something which it certainly appears you did. Off hand I would say you're looking at replacing the logic board which is going to cost more than the machine is worth.

The logic board may be getting power but that means nothing if some of the circuitry has been shorted out, which is very likely when your screwdriver became part of the circuit.

It's possible I guess to replace the logic board with a refurbished one, but even that is going to cost a bunch. My advice is to dig in your pocket and offer to help your father to buy a new machine. The hard drive probably can be salvaged so he likely won't lost any data.

Sorry for the bad news.

04-19-2012, 11:39 PM

Ah I was afraid of this! Oh well.. looks like I will be looking out for a new iMac haha I really got to be more careful next time. Thank you very much for the reply!

04-20-2012, 12:00 AM

try searching ebay if you would like you might be able to pick one up for a couple hundred bucks. For what its worth you should be able to get $50 on ebay for your nonworking logic board.

good luck

04-20-2012, 12:02 AM

Ah Brunhild, I already posted an ad on kijiji people are offering up to 200$ for the way it is so I think I might just start saving up for a new machine! Thanks for the suggestion though!