Flyback Transformer Prevents iMac Upgrade
I pulled a "rescued" G3 Rev C iMac out of storage this weekend. It was my sister's, and before that, my college roommate's, and before that, his sister's. It had been around.
My sister ultimately abandoned the machine when it began shutting down without notice, and failing to restart. That should have been my first sign.
So close, yet so far away
Without starting the machine to test it out (generally assuming that a bad hard drive was the source of the original problems), i quickly took it apart based on the instructions from Macworld. A note - use a magnetic screwdriver. Second note - those metal edges are sharp! I sliced both thumbs while removing the drive chasis. Ouch!
I swapped the hard drives easily and re-assembled the iMac. Proud of myself, I pressed the power button. The computer made the familiar chime and then, a pop came from the monitor, and the power died. I tried to restart the iMac; but nothing happened.
I tried again, replacing the hard drive with the original, making sure all of the connections were tight. Same end result. The machine had to be unplugged for ten minutes before getting any response from the power button; but it powers off within 10 seconds. Holding the option key (disabling extensions) encouraged the computer to stay on indefinitely; but there was no image in the monitor.
Research led me across the internet. I couldn't reset the PRAM (nothing happened). I removed and checked the internal battery. Removed the ram, re-installed the ram. Finally, I came across an article on the Flyback Transformer. It perfectly described my symptoms and presented a step-by-step guide to fixing the problem.
I don't solder (That gives me far too much room to screw something else up), and there is no way I'm buying a new board. I've already invested enough time and effort into this machine, so I'm going to have to pass on completing this upgrade. It would have made a great DIY; but instead, it will be a reminder that sometimes, it's better to walk away.