Switch an eMac monitor?

My office is about to throw out three eMacs that each have random problems. One of them boots and works fine, but the monitor is shot. The monitors are fine on the other two, so I was wondering if it's possible to switch the monitors out. They are all the same size eMac G4 models. I want to salvage one for my mom to use (her old PC is much worse than the eMac G4). Any help would be greatly appreciated!

bobmobile said:

My office is about to throw out three eMacs that each have random problems. One of them boots and works fine, but the monitor is shot. The monitors are fine on the other two, so I was wondering if it's possible to switch the monitors out. They are all the same size eMac G4 models. I want to salvage one for my mom to use (her old PC is much worse than the eMac G4). Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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Sure you can...it's just not easy.

- Nick

have you ever done it? what tools would i need?

It would probably be easier to swap the innards of one with the none working display into the shell of one with a working display.

bobmobile said:

have you ever done it? what tools would i need?

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When it comes to good/bad CRT monitors (what the eMac's have) there are a number of components that can go "bad"...it's just not the actual CRT picture tube itself that can be good/bad.

You also need to be aware that there are some VERY high voltages that are stored in the components of a CRT monitor setup...so they need to be properly discharged before you start any sort of disassembly.

Swapping the components responsible for the proper functioning of a CRT display is not easy...and is actually a more advanced sort of activity. Some of the components may need soldering/desoldering...and you would have to do a bunch of troubleshooting or "trial & error" before you find the "bad" components.

Here are some eMac disassembly DIY's:

http://www.wilko.com/emac/
http://www.applerepairmanuals.com/emac-disassembly-sheet.pdf
1 Working eMac from 2 Broken Ones

...these DIY's really don't go into too much detail regarding swapping the display's.

Like I said...this can be done...it's just not easy. If someone asked me...can an automobiles engine be rebuilt (which I have done)...I would also reply...yes...but it's not easy.

So just because I said that it can be done...does not necessarily mean everyone can do it!

- Nick

Stretch said:

It would probably be easier to swap the innards of one with the none working display into the shell of one with a working display.

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What parts would need replacing? I'm confident I could get it done with good instruction. Thanks for your replies

bobmobile said:

What parts would need replacing? I'm confident I could get it done with good instruction. Thanks for your replies

Click to expand...

Basically the way you've described it you have:

- eMac "A" with a bad display (but everything else works)
- eMac "B" with a good display (and "something" not working on it)

What you need to do is...figure out whats wrong with "eMac B"...and take it out of "eMac A".

One other thing to consider. There were about 6 different e-Mac models (700mhz cpu to 1.42ghz cpu) released over a 3 year period. There's no guarantee that all parts are 100% compatible between models. So it would be good to know what model e-Mac's you have. If they're exactly the same model...then the parts are probably 100% swappable. If the models are different or significantly different...then some parts may be swappable...and some may not.

- Nick

p.s. I know that you mentioned that you actually have 3 eMac's...but for discussion purposes (to keep it simple) I only mentioned eMac "A" and eMac "B". You also mentioned that these 3 eMacs have "random problems". Thus you need to figure out what exactly these "random problems" are before starting to swap parts...or do a lot of "trial & error" parts swapping...to figure out what's wrong with each.

Sounds like a nightmare to me!
Far easier to try and fix one of the ones with a working display, as Nick suggests.
How about throwing some syptoms our way, and then we can guide you in a suitable course of action.

Kevriano said:

Sounds like a nightmare to me!
Far easier to try and fix one of the ones with a working display, as Nick suggests.
How about throwing some syptoms our way, and then we can guide you in a suitable course of action.

Click to expand...

Sorry it took a bit to get back...but one of the eMacs will only boot into safe mode, one begins to boot up and then shuts down and the third has the shot monitor.
I'm not sure about the one that boots in safe mode, but the one that shuts itself down during start up: I've tried the PRAM reset as well as a reset-all after holding Apple-Option-O-F during start up. I've heard that the logic board could need replaced in that one (from reading other posts on these forums).
Any suggestions from what I've tossed out there?
Thanks again for your replies!

There's really not enough information to recommend anything. On the surface...having 3 eMac's that don't work...it would seem to be easy to get one working one out of all three.

But...in reality...working with these "All-In-One" computers is not nearly as easy as working with three Windows desktop "boxes"...where almost everything can be unplugged & swapped between boxes.

At the moment you NEED to know two things:

- what exactly is wrong with each computer (so you know what parts are "good" & thus swappable...and what parts are "bad" and NOT swappable)
- you also need to find out what model eMac's you have...and if they are different models...if the parts are even swappable.


There's no guarantee that some or all the parts from a 700mhz eMac will be swappable with a 1.42ghz eMac.

- Nick

My two bob's worth:
1. Establish exactly which model is which by looking at their serial numbers (inside the optical drive flap). Check them against Apple's database.
2. Try to establish what's wrong with the parts (other than monitor) of each eMac that don't/won't work. That may not be a simple matter, and your description is fairly general at this stage.
•Have you for example checked the state of the capacitors that can be seen through the RAM/battery hatch? a sample eMac logic board pic is attached to show you the location of the capacitors.
•Have you tried booting from an eMac install disk, and running Disk Utilities to analyze the hardware?
•Have you checked the state of the PRAM batteries? Some Macs will not boot fully if the battery is dead.

I agree with others that your best option from the situation you've described is to use the eMac with a working monitor as your 'host' or recipient computer, and then put any necessary working parts from the other two eMacs into it. [I will send you links to full technical eMac manuals if you PM me.]

Lastly, consider using an external monitor with any one of the eMacs that will boot and stay running. This is what I intend doing, just as soon as the requisite mini-vga>vga adaptor arrives. My eMac monitor has discolored blotches at each edge of the screen, everything else is fine.