iMac knackered?! :(

Maccy

Maccy

Maccy

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Was watching 4od earlier when a load of green pixels appeared randomly around the screen, everything froze. I turned it off by holding the power button, waited, and turned back on.
It now won't boot up, apple logo and spinning lines which then freeze - have to turn off and back on and this has been going on for ages now.

Had a little google, can't boot in safe mode and I don't have an OSX disc either. Going to try fsck but can't see it working.
Anyone got any ideas before I take it apart and try another hdd? It's a 24" 2008 model.
 
Sounds like the GPU has given up.

Although my MBP did have a weird GPU issue and only a reinstall solved it.

Never seen it before and never seen it since. Obviously it was having a moment..
 
Turned off the power at the mains.
Wait 10 seconds
Press and hold power button for 10 seconds
Wait 10 seconds
Turn on power at the mains
Press power button

This should reset the battery or something inside.
 
From what you describe your GPU is screwed. Can you tell me which GPU you have in your model?

You could try replacing the GPU yourself with a guide from ifixit for example. Or you could get a qualified ACMT to repair it for you ( like me).

Depending on your GPU it will depend whether it's better to buy the part and get it repaired through a 3rd party, or go to Apple for the repair.
 
Raymond Lin said:
Turned off the power at the mains.
Wait 10 seconds
Press and hold power button for 10 seconds
Wait 10 seconds
Turn on power at the mains
Press power button

This should reset the battery or something inside.
Click to expand...

Resets the SMC. The other good one to do is a PRAM reset, cmd, alt, P and R, hold them down and turn on the computer until it restarts and you hear a second startup chime.

That said, probably useless in this situation if things are buggered :(
 
It's an 8800 512mb one I think, can't remember any more details off the top of my head.

Tried Raymond's suggestion, no joy. I have an external hdd but no disc image I don't think.
 
I don't think it's worth a replacement gpu tbh, I did have a look online and saw similar prices. Fml, guess its time to get a new machine!
 
The 8800 chips where the faulty ones that Apple did the recall for. Your GPU is dying. The only way you'll be able to fix it is the oven method BluZiff said. And I can't see you wanting to stick the entire board in the oven to reflow the GPU solder only... who knows what you'd end up shorting.

For me it would be new machine time. I'd strip it and take any aluminium bits to the scrap metal merchants and sell on the screen, HDD, ODD and RAM then scrap the main board.
 
OhEsEcks said:
The 8800 chips where the faulty ones that Apple did the recall for. Your GPU is dying. The only way you'll be able to fix it is the oven method BluZiff said. And I can't see you wanting to stick the entire board in the oven to reflow the GPU solder only... who knows what you'd end up shorting.

For me it would be new machine time. I'd strip it and take any aluminium bits to the scrap metal merchants and sell on the screen, HDD, ODD and RAM then scrap the main board.
Click to expand...

That seems like an awful lot of work, won't it be easier just to sell it as broken on ebay?
 
Raymond Lin said:
That seems like an awful lot of work, won't it be easier just to sell it as broken on ebay?
Click to expand...

Probably. But you're looking at 3-400 for working ones. I can't imagine getting more than 150 for one that's GPU is failing and needs an entirely new mainboard, which will cost you about 200 or more from fleabay. Stripping the screen for someone else to use as a repair part will probably nail you that or more itself. Then working things like the HDD, ODD and RAM can be sold on. Then there's the scrap value of the aluminium. And it only takes about 15 or 20 minutes to tear down an iMac with the right tools.
 
Definitely an 8800, interesting read though. That eBay service looks promising, after sleeping on it I think I'd rather try and get this repaired so as to avoid losing my data as well.
 
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