Unfortunate iMac G3 death

LOLZpersonok · January 30, 2015

It's just me expressing irritation in a post not meant for other forums on this site. For your information.

My iMac G3 died today. And I'm sad. It was a cool machine, and I liked using it. But, it's dead now, as to be expected with all old computers. I bought it in 2011 or 2012 for $30. I got it for collector's value and as a fun little machine I could play with on the side. And because I'm weird like that. I'm probably the only person in this city who buys up these old, junky computers on Kijiji that no one else wants.

It was fun to play with, and it worked well while it lasted. But, today, the screen suddenly became very fuzzy and weird, and then the machine shut off. Because that happened once before a month earlier, I just shrugged it off, and I tried to turn the machine back on. But, it simply beeped and did nothing after I pressed the power button.

I did some research, and I discovered that it's probably the PAV board that died. Aside from the CRT, it's the worst part to die in the machine. Why? It's something that simply cannot be fixed by a mere mortal, such as I. Besides the CRT, the PAV board (which is responsible for delivering power to the entire system and calibrating the display, as far as I know) is the most difficult and dangerous part to replace, in the slot-loading iMacs, that is. It can't be replaced in the tray-loading iMacs at all! You'll have to work in the CRT housing, and for those who don't know, the CRT can retain voltages that are very injurious, if not out right fatal, even if the machine has been shut down for a long time. So, for those without the skill (such as I) working with a CRT display is totally out of the question. Replacing the PAV board may even require the removal of the CRT. No thank you.

And, even if one had the skill and the aptitude to remove the CRT to replace the PAV board, finding a good, working replacement board will be very difficult, if not impossible. And, if you do find one, expect it to be pricey. Replacing the logic board in an iMac G3 is a walk in the park compared to a PAV board replacement. Therefore, I have no choice but to get rid of it. Talk about disappointment!

So, I'll be sending my iMac G3 to be recycled tomorrow. There's another one on Kijiji for $30 which is supposedly still working, but I don't really want to buy a new one and risk other problems.

What stories of losing random stuff do you have?

KemoKa · January 30, 2015

i had a G3 for a long time. It was my cousins, but he gave it to me to build a quad-core liquid cooled monster (this was back when Quad cores were the cutting bleeding edge).

The G3 is now either being used by starving children in Africa or sitting in a landfill.

Because it had MacOS 9. Gag me with a spoon. It was cute, but it sucked. I'm glad it's gone.

LOLZpersonok · January 30, 2015

i had a G3 for a long time. It was my cousins, but he gave it to me to build a quad-core liquid cooled monster (this was back when Quad cores were the cutting bleeding edge).

The G3 is now either being used by starving children in Africa or sitting in a landfill.

Because it had MacOS 9. Gag me with a spoon. It was cute, but it sucked. I'm glad it's gone.

I want another one, but I don't want the hassle of getting another one. The other one on Kijiji is probably all the way across the city, like the other one was. It was a one and a half hour trip one way and another hour and a half the other way. And the drive isn't fun.