Very dark iMac G3 screen?

[JCLrox]

I opened up my summer 2001 iMac G3, and did a little bit of dusting on the inside. Quite a bit of dust and little pieces of junk fell out, but it did not look like any thing that actually broke off of the computer. I would think that it was stuff that fell in when the previous owner opened up the computer. When I put it back together and powered it on, I was very dismayed to see how dark the screen had become. It is quite hard to see anything. The brightness is all the way up, and I turned it up and down just to be sure. I shut it down then powered it back up, but to no avail. Could I have damaged something in the computer? Can I fix this? Thanks!

 

[Intell]

That's a sign of a failing flyback transformer. Did you open the CRT half of the iMac or only the computer half?

 

[JCLrox]

I took off the white bottom shell. Is the CRT half the part you can see through the top colored part?

 

[Intell]

You only accessed the computer half. The CRT half is in the colour shell. This isn't caused by your cleaning. It's caused by heat and old age. A lot of G3 iMacs are showing this problem.

 

[JCLrox]

So the computer can't be saved? Does it need a replacement part?

 

[Intell]

The flyback transformer can be replaced, but it is a very difficult part to replace and can be deadly for an untrained person to service.

 

[JCLrox]

So a replacement part is the only way to fix the computer?

 

[Intell]

Yes, unless you want to resolder thousands of wires the width of your hair.

 

[JCLrox]

Okay, thanks for your help.