iMac G4 will not boot, not even to Open Firmware

[dustinschings]

I have an iMac G4 that has been a bit of a project. I got it as a parts machine. It was actually working fine, but the screen and neck had been removed. Well, I came across another iMac G4 that was the same exact model and, what do you know, the dome is bad. So I did the screen swap and now the iMac does not boot. It powers on and goes to the blank gray screen. It will not boot to the HDD which has Tiger on it. It will reset the PRAM when I use that key combination on boot, but will NOT boot to Open Firmware.

At this point, I am kind of stumped. Anything I can do? I really don't have any reason to suspect the screen is bad, I have seen the machine it was on power on to a flashing ? folder just the other day.

The only thing I can think of is that even though they are both 1GHz 17" models, the two computers had different looking PSUs. Could this be it?

Dustin

 

[dustinschings]

Anybody? Any suggestions or ideas welcome! Hate to trash it if there is some hope left!

 

[0248294]

No need to trash it, even if you fail to fix it, if the screen still works, you could always try putting an Intel NUC inside and making it a Hackintosh.

 

[dustinschings]

Not interested in putting a NUC inside. I am interested in turning a 20" model into a monitor with built in External HDD/Optical/USB 3.0 Hub. Too bad this isn't a broken 20" (I thought it was supposed to be a 20" when I ordered from eBay, but when it arrived, was a 17". This was my mistake for assuming the size based on a photo.)

Since I only want to do that to a 20 inch model, I may just use this one as a "practice run".

But is it really dead? Nothing else to try?

 

[Intell]

Are you able to test with an external display?

 

[dustinschings]

I can. What is your suggestion? Prior to my having a screen, I was using this "Dome" as a Mac Mini G4 with a monitor and keyboard and mouse.

 

[Intell]

With the iMac together, connect an external display and see what it shows.

 

[dustinschings]

I connected it to an external, and it worked fine!. I opened it back up and reseated the video connector, but still just back light. I swapped out the power supply temporarily and it still had the same issue. Finally I swapped out motherboard and what do you know? A working combination! It is working fine now.

 

[Intell]

Happy to see that you got it working.