2008 iMac: Start up tone cycles, iMac doesn't start up

[Poprocks4u]

When I turn on my Mac, the start up tone keeps cycling and the computer doesn't start up. Any help/experiences/feedback is appreciated.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Try holding down the SHIFT key to see if it will boot up in Safe mode. If not, then try resetting the NVRAM and SMC to see if that does anything.

 

[chscag]

LOL, at least he's getting a start up tone. New Macs no longer play the tone. I miss the "Bong" when my 2017 iMac boots, and it appears Apple has removed the tone forever in the latest firmware updates.

 

[Poprocks4u]

Thanks for you input. I have been online chasing this problem and have tried your solutions, and 2 others suggested by Apple (on the phone) and unfortunately, I've had little success. My iMac is about 10 years old and things are bound to go wrong for any computer being around that long. It seems like the problem, whatever it is, is caused by a software/hardware problem EARLY in the boot process. I am not familiar with this process. I have seen on the internet several people, who seem quite knowledgeable of this process and talk about replacing a certain chip on the motherboard.

I have now begun to study Telepathic Appleography. This is the science, and I use that term lightly, of solving problems of Apple computers my mind (whatever is left of it) by wishing they would just go away.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Traditionally, if there is a software issue (regardless of where it is), going into safe mode should allow the machine to boot up to discern what the issue is. The Mac startup sound does mean that the system thinks everything (hardware wise) is in order. The iMac is an all-in-one computer and there likely no user-replaceable parts on the logicboard save maybe the CPU.

 

[pm-r]

LOL, at least he's getting a start up tone. New Macs no longer play the tone.

At least they won't sound any "chimes of Death" either!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n23dp8caq9A



- Patrick
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[Poprocks4u]

The computer does not respond to any keystrokes while starting up. It just stays in the "chime loop". Thanks for your input.

 

[Poprocks4u]

Atleast Apple had enough imagination to change the "chime of death" tone compared to "other" computer manufacturers!

 

[harryb2448]

OP if you are running Lion OS X.7, or later, go into Recovery Mode to check pout the hard drive:-


https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201314

If you don't have the original dsics that came with the iMac download the appropriate file from this link. There are a couple of 2008 models so get the right model. Both the 20"and 24" models are known as iMac 8.1. Drag the file to the desktop, pop in a USB thumb drive and burn the file to that drive, and it will be bootable. Boot from it and run Utilities and check out the state of your hard drive:-


https://github.com/upekkha/AppleHardwareTest