Just purchased a Bondi iMac for $9.00 will not start...HELP!

[punkmac]

Just picked up an original Bondi iMac at a local thrift store.

I knew it didn't start up but it came with a keybord and mouse and original box.

I needed a new keybord anyway so what the hell...9 bucks.


So here's what it does...


WILL NOT start from keyboard power button (keyboard works)

I can push the power button on the iMac and it turns orange and beeps sadly.

NO image on screen at all.

Power is running to the computer because the fans are on.

I would love to get this thing running for the kids or just an internet & email computer.

Any suggestions?


Thanx


I.

 

[livingfortoday]

Well, sometimes people take out stuff before donating them, so you may wanna check if there's RAM in there, or if anything else is missing. Also, have you tried booting from a system CD?

 

[40167]

I had my green 333mhz iMac quit starting one day, (went to orange, then you'd hear the screen start to power up and suddenly die completely) apperently (found the info on google) you have to open the machine, pull the motherboard out and hold the little button for about 10 seconds. It should be labeled CUDA or PSU Reset.

Suprisingly enough, that fixed my unit... about 6 months later it did the same thing though and I had to repeat the process.

Edit: and yeah, what livingfortoday said... didnt think about that, but the ram is probibly missing. They run so-dimm which can (still) be commonly used in laptops... well PC ones... So thats most likely missing completely as someone would have pulled that.

 

[punkmac]

looking 4 ram

Well, sometimes people take out stuff before donating them, so you may wanna check if there's RAM in there, or if anything else is missing. Also, have you tried booting from a system CD?

I'm gonna open her up and see if Ram is there or even the hard drive. Geez what a project.

Then attack the
PRAM.


Thanks,


I.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Pull out the tay with the logic board and drives to make sure that everything is connected properly and that the RAM is present and seated properly...

The PRAM battery might be dead, in which case you should be able to get a replacement from Radio Shack.

 

[punkmac]

Well, sometimes people take out stuff before donating them, so you may wanna check if there's RAM in there, or if anything else is missing. Also, have you tried booting from a system CD?

I just finished taking it apart from what I can see the factory 32 MB is there.

(Underneath the motherboard) The User slot and SGRAM slots are empty.



The Hard Drive is still there too. It could be wiped. I would still get the folder with a question mark right?

I guess it could be the PRAM and or battery.

Anything else?




I.

 

[Gokhan]

k

i think the ram needs to be a liitle higher than 32mb at least 64mb for osx or 9 to run as far as i know i could be wrong but try upping the ram and reset pram might work

 

[punkmac]

ram and more...

i think the ram needs to be a liitle higher than 32mb at least 64mb for osx or 9 to run as far as i know i could be wrong but try upping the ram and reset pram might work

Nope stock is 32 MB ram with 1 upgrade slot. I think they were still on System 8. SGRAM video upgrade(!) from 2 MB to 6 MB.

I reset the pram (push the button) Still no go. I don't have any CD based OS just Jaguar and Tiger on DVD. These were stock with CD-Rom drives.
I did try the Apple Hardware test CD and still nothing.
Any other ideas?


I.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Nope stock is 32 MB ram with 1 upgrade slot. I think they were still on System 8. SGRAM video upgrade(!) from 2 MB to 6 MB.

I reset the pram (push the button) Still no go. I don't have any CD based OS just Jaguar and Tiger on DVD. These were stock with CD-Rom drives.
I did try the Apple Hardware test CD and still nothing.
Any other ideas?


I.

32MB is sufficient to run any classic OS at least for testing purposes...however you may have bad RAM. If you can get another SODIMM try swapping out your RAM with known good RAM. If that still fails, you may have bad VRAM, or a logic board problem.

The pattern of beeps coming from the logic board may indicae the problem to a certain extent, but you'll have to do some research or take it to a repair specialist.

These early imacs aren't worth much anymore, so don't put too much money into it. A working example of the bondi iMac routinely goes for around $100 or less on the used market.

 

[njmac]

I thought I might try some of these tips on my iMac Bondi, so I went into the basement and brought up my old computer, plugged it in, and it started! First time in 5-6 years! I don't know what did it....

but anyway.... here I have a OS 8.1 233MHz computer. Now what should I do with it?

 

[Lord Blackadder]

but anyway.... here I have a OS 8.1 233MHz computer. Now what should I do with it?

Good question.

I recently converted my lime green rev. C (266MHz) iMac into a dedicated Bittorrent machine. It runs OS 10.3.9 (slowly) with 288MB RAM, and works pretty good for its intended task. Yours would do just as well in OS X with enough memory. I wonder if Jaguar would run faster than Panther though...

...or you could just play old OS 8-9 games with it like Myth: The Fallen Lords.

 

[punkmac]

I thought I might try some of these tips on my iMac Bondi, so I went into the basement and brought up my old computer, plugged it in, and it started! First time in 5-6 years! I don't know what did it....

but anyway.... here I have a OS 8.1 233MHz computer. Now what should I do with it?

Want to sell it?

 

[punkmac]

32MB is sufficient to run any classic OS at least for testing purposes...however you may have bad RAM. If you can get another SODIMM try swapping out your RAM with known good RAM. If that still fails, you may have bad VRAM, or a logic board problem.

The pattern of beeps coming from the logic board may indicae the problem to a certain extent, but you'll have to do some research or take it to a repair specialist.

These early imacs aren't worth much anymore, so don't put too much money into it. A working example of the bondi iMac routinely goes for around $100 or less on the used market.

I don't plan on spending a whole lot on it.

I think the lower slot is a regular DIMM. If I could find some RAM cheap I might give it a try. Also, I'm going to give my local Apple reseller a call and explain the beeps( 4 low toned beeps) and see what they say.

I would just love to get it running my kids are hijacking the main iMac.

Thanks everyone for the help so far.



I.

 

[njmac]

Want to sell it?

I may want to sell it. I really haven't thought about it, up until now I thought it was a dead mac.

 

[njmac]

Good question.

I recently converted my lime green rev. C (266MHz) iMac into a dedicated Bittorrent machine. It runs OS 10.3.9 (slowly) with 288MB RAM, and works pretty good for its intended task. Yours would do just as well in OS X with enough memory. I wonder if Jaguar would run faster than Panther though...

...or you could just play old OS 8-9 games with it like Myth: The Fallen Lords.

It came with a game that I really liked... I don't remember what it was called, and I can't seem to find it on the HD, I'm having trouble navigating os 8

 

[punkmac]

I may want to sell it. I really haven't thought about it, up until now I thought it was a dead mac.

Well if you feel the need to get rid of it...I am in PA.


Oh, to find the game just use spotlight...oh wait LOL!




I.

 

[mrichmon]

Also, I'm going to give my local Apple reseller a call and explain the beeps( 4 low toned beeps) and see what they say.

4 beeps seems to indiate that the boot ROM is bad. Power-On Self-Test Beep Definition.

You should be able to find a replacement boot ROM online. You may also want to investiage the processor upgrade available from http://www.macsales.com. The upgrade might replace the boot ROM.

You could also just get a replacement logic board from http://www.welovemacs.com

 

[Lord Blackadder]

you could always get a complete, functioning iMac for around $100+shipping here or here.

Or just bite the bullet and get a Mac Mini for your kids.

Buying parts for these old macs just isn't worth it these days, since the price of a complete used system is lower than the cost of many of the components.

 

[punkmac]

new battery

I just popped in a new battery and...nothing.

Same beeps. Any other ideas?


I also took the RAM out and swapped slots and made sure all the connections are good.


Thanks,


I.

 

[kalisphoenix]

OP: Richmon said it sounds like the boot ROM. Couldn't be that much $ on eBay. They're socketed, right?

If nothing else, you could hide out a bit and prowl eBay for a Sonnet Harmoni board. That'd get that iMac into good, functional shape.

I thought I might try some of these tips on my iMac Bondi, so I went into the basement and brought up my old computer, plugged it in, and it started! First time in 5-6 years! I don't know what did it....

but anyway.... here I have a OS 8.1 233MHz computer. Now what should I do with it?

You could run Linux on it. Don't think X11 would be that good, but you could always turn it into an Ampache server for your music (my favorite idea), an Apache webserver, get good with your UNIX-y CLI skills, if you aren't already (always a nice bonus for OS X)...

Any reasonably modern computer can be useful for something. I'm not much for games and hate the classic OSes, but you could have a lot of fun with it if you want to get your feet wet.

 

[jeremy.king]

I just popped in a new battery and...nothing.

Same beeps. Any other ideas?

How many beeps? http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58183

Edit: I'm a doofus...you said 4, but the link should help others.

 

[njmac]

Well if you feel the need to get rid of it...I am in PA.


Oh, to find the game just use spotlight...oh wait LOL!




I.

spotlight would be sooooo helpful, I can't find on thing on that machine.

Where in PA are you?

 

[CanadaRAM]

I don't plan on spending a whole lot on it.

I think the lower slot is a regular DIMM. If I could find some RAM cheap I might give it a try. Also, I'm going to give my local Apple reseller a call and explain the beeps( 4 low toned beeps) and see what they say.
I would just love to get it running my kids are hijacking the main iMac.
Thanks everyone for the help so far.
I.

No, both memory sockets are PC66 SODIMMs. You have to disassemble the upper RAM carrier from the motherboard to reach the lower socket.

 

[TheMasin9]

good luck

i have to wish you good luck on that project, i myself am workin on gettin an graphite g3 up and running. Its kinda fun, i just put at 120 gig hd in it today!!

 

[California]

I have a Sonnet Harmoni board that I don't know what to do with; no longer have a pre firewire iMac.

I like these old machines. If you want to buy the Harmoni card from me (i bought it last year from someone on MR) let me know. It adds firewire and I think bumps you up to 600mhz.

I don't know how it would affect the boot rom or whatever is wrong with your machine, though. But again let me add that I got a friend's Bondi 233 running with Panther on 384mbs and got her to get a new deskstar 80 gig 7200 in there and it runs great. You can always pull out the ram and hard drive when you are done.