Voltage/Harddrive iMac 233 MHz

rockymntnhigh · Apr 22, 2004

Hi everyone!
I got the first imac, with 233 Mhz and the first non-grey one. I bought it 1998 in the states. Moved to Europe two years ago, used a high quality transformer to transform 220 V to 110 V. Worked fine for almost two years. A while ago it the Mac started to make "zapping" noices, very short but frequent, like every 30 minutes or so. Last week the zap was longer (According to my wife) and that was the end of the iMac. At least it does not start anymore...
I assume that the iMac got too much juice so to speak (Even though, the fax that was also attached to the transformer is doing just fine)
So, now I am thinking of buying a used iMac, same model, but with 220 V imput and then switch out the harddrive, because I hope the info is still on it. My question now is, if I can switch out the harddrives without problems or that the current is different "inside a Mac" in Europe and the States for the harddrives.
Hope this makes any sence..
Thanks for your help!

dtx3000 · Apr 22, 2004

i believe somewhere you can buy a little gizmo that plugs to then end of a regular internal hard drive and allows it to be connected to firewire / usb...
so that way you could either get another 233, or upgrade

if i find the link i'll post

Badger · Apr 22, 2004

rockymntnhigh said:
...
So, now I am thinking of buying a used iMac, same model, but with 220 V imput and then switch out the harddrive, because I hope the info is still on it. My question now is, if I can switch out the harddrives without problems or that the current is different "inside a Mac" in Europe and the States for the harddrives.
Hope this makes any sence..
Thanks for your help!

You should have no problem swapping the "old" hard drive into the "new" iMac. In fact, in this model the internal components like the hard drive, CD drive, memory etc are mounted on a removable carrier. You should be able to swap the entire carrier into the "new" iMac. Try this site for a guide through the procedure: http://www.djonmac.com/index.html.
Badger

rockymntnhigh · Apr 22, 2004

dtx3000 said:
i believe somewhere you can buy a little gizmo that plugs to then end of a regular internal hard drive and allows it to be connected to firewire / usb...
so that way you could either get another 233, or upgrade
if i find the link i'll post

Uh, i like the gizmo idea, please keep me posted!
Thanks

rockymntnhigh · Apr 22, 2004

Badger said:
You should have no problem swapping the "old" hard drive into the "new" iMac. In fact, in this model the internal components like the hard drive, CD drive, memory etc are mounted on a removable carrier. You should be able to swap the entire carrier into the "new" iMac. Try this site for a guide through the procedure: http://www.djonmac.com/index.html.
Badger

Badger,
thanks for that website, very very helpfull. Its a true tsrat if I actally know where that sucker is located. Any idea if the 220 V and 110 is "internally" transformed into the same current?
Thanks for your help

witeshark · Apr 22, 2004

rockymntnhigh said:
Badger,
thanks for that website, very very helpfull. Its a true tsrat if I actally know where that sucker is located. Any idea if the 220 V and 110 is "internally" transformed into the same current?
Thanks for your help

The thing about power is it may not be enough to step down to 110 as the current in US is 60 cycle/sec and in Europe it's 50 cycles which results in more heat because of the slower current turn around

Badger · Apr 22, 2004

rockymntnhigh said:
Badger,
thanks for that website, very very helpfull. Its a true tsrat if I actally know where that sucker is located. Any idea if the 220 V and 110 is "internally" transformed into the same current?
Thanks for your help

The internal voltage should be the same. The AC power from the local main is stepped down and transformed into DC. It may even go as low as 3.3 VDC such as RAM uses. The company adapts the system for the local market by installing a transformer suitable for the local supply.
Badger

witeshark · Apr 22, 2004

Yeah, but I bet the slower AC current cycle and increased heat is what caused the Mac to fail

hype.it · Apr 24, 2004

iMac's don't have auto-sensing PSU's?

Badger · Apr 24, 2004

hype.it said:
iMac's don't have auto-sensing PSU's?

You're right, they do. I checked the Apple tech note: 100 to 240 VAC, 50 to 60 hrz. The only localization needed is the right power cord.
Badger

witeshark · Apr 24, 2004

Now that rules! How sweet!

rockymntnhigh · Apr 29, 2004

So do you guys think that I could get an used imac 233 here and just switch out the "sled", which I assume also hosts the harddrive? Or will that ruin my old "sled" for sure?
Thanks!

Badger · Apr 29, 2004

rockymntnhigh said:
So do you guys think that I could get an used imac 233 here and just switch out the "sled", which I assume also hosts the harddrive? Or will that ruin my old "sled" for sure?
Thanks![/QUOTE

You should be able to switch the sleds with no problems. However, if the dead component is mounted on the sled you'll just swap it into the "new" iMac. Since swapping the sleds is an easy procedure I'd try that first. If there is still a problem then swap the "old" hard drive into the new sled and re-install it in the "new" iMac.
Badger

rockymntnhigh · Apr 29, 2004

Thanks, i´ll try that!
rockymntnhigh

Matt · May 12, 2004

This happened in another thread in this forum (except it was a Dual G4). Everyone was posting replys suggesting that some sort of power fuse would have stopped the motherboard from frying and there was a switch on the motherboard to reset it. I would think that there would be a similar safety feature in the iMac???

Voltage/Harddrive iMac 233 MHz

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