On 31/01/2004, at 3:57 PM, Antony N. Lord wrote:
Machine : 400Mhz iMac DV (Graphite)
Machine was working fine with OS 9, decide to do a fresh install [with
no OS 9], erase HD, partition, install 10.2 (with view to install
10.3)
OS X works fine but machine hangs a few hours later. Restart it and it
does this :
Chimes, powers up (green power switch visible), sound of screen
energizing, HD spins up then about 5-6 seconds in (before anything
visible appears on screen) the machine partially powers down.
Sounds as though you are the victim of a really, really nasty bug in
these iMacs. It has already bitten me twice (the second time was really
embarrassing because I should have remembered from the first time, but
didn't until it was too late).
Typically, you would have set about installing OS X on the iMac. The
machine would have started just fine from the CD, then stopped at some
point, showing a message indicating that the Firmware needed to be
upgraded. Innocently (and BTW, by now it's already too late) you would
restart the computer, expecting to have a second chance to update the
firtmware. By-bye computer. Logic board replacement indicated.
In your case, your machine was one where this little nasty lulls you
into a false sense of security by not showing up until a few hours
later. In either case, I'm reliably informed that it's a result of
MacOS X trying to force a display setting with which the un-updated
display controller chip cannot cope. The firmware update fixes this,
but by the time you find there's a problem it's too late. The damage
has already been done.
There is a note in the MacOS X Read Me that points all of this out.
Apple's official line is that you should always read the Read Me. The
guy I spoke to at Tech Support was not even aware of the problem. His
best advice was to take to my nearest Apple Centre.
One thing is sure. Your computer is dead. You logic board needs to be
replaced. Not a word to any Windows users you know!
--
Peter Hinchliffe
Apwin Computer Services FileMaker Pro Solutions Developer
Perth, ::::::::::::::::::::::::
Western Australia Phone (618) 9332 6482 Fax (618) 9332 0913
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Mac because I prefer it -- Windows because I have to.
