Hello,
A family friend just landed me in this. Her son's iMac won't boot. When the power button is pressed there is a small flicker in the lower left corner and there is a sound as if the computer is trying to access the cd-drive. Then the sound stops and the power button just goes green. Nothing happens again. Meanwhile there are no startup disks.
As far as I can see from the base of the computer, these are the specs:
350MHz/512K L2/64MB/6GB/24CD/56K

Any help would be greatly appreciated, before the computer is dumped.
cheers

I would first get a hold of the system install disks for that model. or any Mac OS 8.6 or OS 9 install CD will do. see if it'll boot.

Thanks Zoddy,

Unfortunately they do not seem to have a system install disc. I have just called a friend who used to have a Mac and he only has the Mac OS 8 cd. I suppose that will be too old.

cheers
akonta

that OS 8 cd may work. Just to check if it will bootup from any CD. It may tell you that OS doesnt work with that model or something, but at least you know its booting to the CD. Otherwise, it maybe some other hardware issue.

I have the 333mhz model with OS 10.3. Its a little slow, but its good for the basics.

Zoddy, thanks once again. I thought of doing just that - ie inserting the CD and trying to boot from it but I do get the feeling there is a CD in the drive. I seem to feel something when I attempt to insert a CD. As I said before, when you try to boot the computer up there is a sound as if it's trying to access the cd drive.

Now I don't know is whether it's a good idea to force the cd in even if there is one already in the drive - and what the effect might be.

cheers

Slotload iMacs are a pain when CDs get stuck. When you turn on the system hold down the left mouse button. It should make the disc eject. If not you will have to take out the drive and open up the drive then take out the stuck CD. I heard of a credit card trick by sliding a card from the top left to the top right or use a paper clip but you have to hit it at the right spot.

If nothing comes up on the screen at all you will have to reset the PRAM on the system, theres a small button on the logicboard. It's located in the door/hatch on the bottom of the system.

If all fails it sounds like the system is dead. iMacs are known to die after a few years. Most of the time it's the CRT monitor that goes out. Once in a while it's the CD/DVD drive.

You might try another monitor just to see if that's the problem, assuming you have one available to use. If it is, you're saved. If not, take the darned thing to the repair shop and see what the dude there can do...

Naughty but Nice