iMac G3 Screen Problem

[SeatIbiza]

Hi everyone,

I've just been given an iMac G3 in Bondi Blue. Unfortunately it has a problem with the screen.

What happens is, I plug the machine in, then press the power button, the button lights up green, you can hear the fan and hard drive, and the usual Mac OS bootup sound plays. However, the screen stays completely blank. It doesn't do anything, just stays black. Although it makes the usual CRT screen startup sounds, which has confused me.

Any idea what the problem could be and how to fix it?

Thanks in advance,

Joe

 

[Altemose]

Hi everyone,

I've just been given an iMac G3 in Bondi Blue. Unfortunately it has a problem with the screen.

What happens is, I plug the machine in, then press the power button, the button lights up green, you can hear the fan and hard drive, and the usual Mac OS bootup sound plays. However, the screen stays completely blank. It doesn't do anything, just stays black. Although it makes the usual CRT screen startup sounds, which has confused me.

Any idea what the problem could be and how to fix it?

Thanks in advance,

Joe

Check the connection to the PAV board. If this is a slot loader I think some models had a VGA port on the bottom. Try using an external monitor. If it doesn't have one or the VGA port doesn't work, then my money is on a blown PAV board.

 

[SeatIbiza]

Check the connection to the PAV board. If this is a slot loader I think some models had a VGA port on the bottom. Try using an external monitor. If it doesn't have one or the VGA port doesn't work, then my money is on a blown PAV board.

Hi, thanks for replying. It is indeed a slot loader. As I'm a complete novice when it comes to these things, how would I go about checking the connection to the PAV board? Is it an easy thing to do? Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have a VGA port.

And are PAV boards easily replaceable? Many thanks for the advice.

Joe

 

[LOLZpersonok]

Hi, thanks for replying. It is indeed a slot loader. As I'm a complete novice when it comes to these things, how would I go about checking the connection to the PAV board? Is it an easy thing to do? Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have a VGA port.

And are PAV boards easily replaceable? Many thanks for the advice.

Joe

PAV boards are possibly the hardest parts to replace in the iMac G3, and because it is in the CRT housing, it is dangerous to access. I have an iMac G3 with a bad PAV board, only except I get no Mac startup chime when I turned mine on. The hard drive in mine wouldn't even spin up. I wouldn't try replacing the PAV board in mine.

Here's to hopes that it isn't your PAV board. Because yours makes the startup chime, I'm not so sure it could be the PAV board. Frankly, I don't know what could be causing the issue, it could be a number of things.

 

[MisterKeeks]

Hi, thanks for replying. It is indeed a slot loader. As I'm a complete novice when it comes to these things, how would I go about checking the connection to the PAV board? Is it an easy thing to do? Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have a VGA port.

And are PAV boards easily replaceable? Many thanks for the advice.

Joe

The VGA port is in a tricky location on iMac G3s. It is not located with the other ports on the side, rather, it is on the underside/back of the machine. I attached a picture that may help with this.

 

[Intell]

Not all G3 iMacs have a VGA port. Some of the earlier slot loading ones do not.

 

[Altemose]

Hi, thanks for replying. It is indeed a slot loader. As I'm a complete novice when it comes to these things, how would I go about checking the connection to the PAV board? Is it an easy thing to do? Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have a VGA port.

And are PAV boards easily replaceable? Many thanks for the advice.

Joe

The connection would only come undone if it was serviced recently. It is in a position where it could not simply "come undone" by moving the Mac.

 

[SeatIbiza]

Hey everyone, thanks for all the replies.

It sounds like I might have to look for another G3 instead, as it's sounding like this one has pretty much had it. Maybe I could take it somewhere to be repaired? Until then, it can just sit on the shelf looking pretty

It doesn't have a VGA port, so I'm guessing this is an earlier slot loader?

Thanks again for all your advice,

Joe

 

[Altemose]

Hey everyone, thanks for all the replies.

It sounds like I might have to look for another G3 instead, as it's sounding like this one has pretty much had it. Maybe I could take it somewhere to be repaired? Until then, it can just sit on the shelf looking pretty

It doesn't have a VGA port, so I'm guessing this is an earlier slot loader?

Thanks again for all your advice,

Joe

Most of the models 400 MHz+ had the VGA port. It sounds like the PAV board is blown.