The most cursed iMac rebuild.. help!

[SteveC00ps]

OK so I'm new here - Hi

I'm new to Apple devices too - I thought I'd dip my toe in to see what they're like! I've bought and managed to get going a couple old iMacs (white plastic and the first of the aluminium body ones) so I thought I'd try the next model newer - the first unibody aluminium model 2009/2010 model so I bought a couple off eBay which were listed as spares or repair. A Core2Duo 3.06Ghz model and an i3 something model.

These really weren't even spares - almost every wire was cut or broken, some were taped together. Parts missing. A couple of the fan's wires were snipped off completely, both machine's power button cables were cut, both machines LCD panel connectors were torn from the motherboard or from the panel, both machines camera module had the connector torn off etc. I have no idea how or why these are like this.

Anyway, sounds like a project to get at least one going! All the parts were mixed on both machines so I set about testing what I can. One LCD panel came with a spare LVDS connector so I soldered that on. Let's first concentrate on the Core2Duo one as the one LCD panel I soldered then new connector on fits the Core2Duo board, however that logic board has had its LVDS connector torn off and half a tube of superglue poured on the cable and board so it's beyond repair (even though I can get it to play the boot sound). The screen lights up though and seems in OK condition, and the PSU and LED driver boards seem OK so I buy a new motherboard.

I get the new motherboard and can get this now to boot with no HDD to the ? prompt, or if I put in a clone of the drive from a working 2008 core2duo with High Sierra or a bootable USB drive with the El Capitan installer on it then the Apple logo appears (in various states depending on how I hold the LCD ribbon cable - but good enough to see what's going on ) and the progress bar goes up to about 2/3 the way then the screen goes black and the back light turns off. It the same with a Windows HDD in it too, just goes black quicker. Any ideas?

I have no sensors attached to the board, nor an optical drive, Wifi module, bluetooth module nor camera. I know the missing sensors make the fans spin at full speed, but it should still boot right?

Any tips appreciated

Cheers,
Steve

 

[eyoungren]

Hi Steve…

This is a hobby (or lifestyle) where we do engage in pulling things apart and putting them back together again - but not like you're doing. Soldering, missing parts, torn cables, etc - that's not really the challenge. Now, if that is a challenge to you because you really want to do that, then okay. But realistically all you should be doing is upgrading or replacing parts.

It sounds like someone either got cruel and vindictive or just destroyed this stuff for whatever reason. In either case, absolutely no one here is going to fault you for simply abandoning the entire thing. That's really not my idea of trying to get an older Mac working.

I would suggest, salvage what you can (whatever parts aren't damaged), recycle the rest and then move on to a Mac that hasn't been destroyed like that. The main problem here is what you don't know. Which is why you are asking us of course, but generally we deal in whole parts. Some of us may know the fine details, but you're really in for a very long road ahead with a small chance of success at the end.

If we were taking Classic Macs, like over on Reddit that'd be one thing, but these are mass produced iMacs - it's just not worth it. That's just my take on it.

 

[SteveC00ps]

I understand, but I like a challenge to learn a bit of something I don't know. I know the end result will be worth less than the effort

Oh forgot the first Mac I played with a year or so ago - I did get a G4 'Pixar lamp' style one working but that was minimal effort compared to this one haha

But for the current project, just wondered if anyone knew what it meant when it boots to 2/3 - 3/4 of the first grey background progress bar but then the screen just goes black and nothing else happens? I have a new board and the other parts all seem fine.

I will probably just be on the look out for a mac with a smashed glass and damaged case but otherwise working and transplant everything.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[eyoungren]

I understand, but I like a challenge to learn a bit of something I don't know. I know the end result will be worth less than the effort

Oh forgot the first Mac I played with a year or so ago - I did get a G4 'Pixar lamp' style one working but that was minimal effort compared to this one haha

But for the current project, just wondered if anyone knew what it meant when it boots to 2/3 - 3/4 of the first grey background progress bar but then the screen just goes black and nothing else happens? I have a new board and the other parts all seem fine.

I will probably just be on the look out for a mac with a smashed glass and damaged case but otherwise working and transplant everything.

Cheers,
Steve

No problem. Hopefully someone can help. My only thought of a 2/3 boot would be that the OS is too new, but IDK.

Also, I'm not the one to ask regarding soldering. My dad was an electrical engineer, but other than a respect for electricity my soldering skills have killed more parts than they have fixed.