My sad 20" iMac G4

[The Watcher]

Hi there

Our iMac G4 20" just came back from storage and the screen no longer
works, there is some shadowy activity but no image of any sort. Startup
chime's all good.

Plugging in an apple adaptor which takes the DVI output to yellow RCA
and S Video I have the image running on a LCD TV. So the logic board is
sound. Web searching indicates that the "inverter" might be hosed which
isn't an expensive repair.

Can anyone advise if they have done this repair recently? Or should I
just buy another adaptor which runs the image to an external monitor and
not attempt the repair?

Am I stuck with an apple $35 adaptor by the way – are there generic
mini-DVI to VGA/ HDMI adaptors which will work?

Cheers

[David Morrison]

Post by The Watcher
Hi there
Our iMac G4 20" just came back from storage and the screen no longer
works, there is some shadowy activity but no image of any sort. Startup
chime's all good.
Plugging in an apple adaptor which takes the DVI output to yellow RCA
and S Video I have the image running on a LCD TV. So the logic board is
sound. Web searching indicates that the "inverter" might be hosed which
isn't an expensive repair.
Can anyone advise if they have done this repair recently? Or should I
just buy another adaptor which runs the image to an external monitor and
not attempt the repair?
Am I stuck with an apple $35 adaptor by the way ­ are there generic
mini-DVI to VGA/ HDMI adaptors which will work?

Went through a similar exercise with a laptop recently. It can be the
inverter that has failed, but it can also be the tiny fluoro that lights
up the LCD. Hard to know which one it is though. I did find one site
that described how to test them but I don't know what it was now.

I gather both are relatively easy to fix if you can get the parts.

[The Watcher]

Post by David Morrison
Went through a similar exercise with a laptop recently. It can be the
inverter that has failed, but it can also be the tiny fluoro that lights
up the LCD. Hard to know which one it is though. I did find one site
that described how to test them but I don't know what it was now.
I gather both are relatively easy to fix if you can get the parts.

Are you suggesting I might be able to do the repair myself? I'm hoping
for a Melbourne repairer who someone might recommend.

ALways happy to pull apart PCs - enjoy replacing all manner of
componentry in my mini towers - but the iMac G4 seems effectively
inpenetrable. Even the screws/fasteners on the bottom plate seem to
need special tools.

[Stephen Harker]

Post by The Watcher

Post by David Morrison
Went through a similar exercise with a laptop recently. It can be the
inverter that has failed, but it can also be the tiny fluoro that lights
up the LCD. Hard to know which one it is though. I did find one site
that described how to test them but I don't know what it was now.
I gather both are relatively easy to fix if you can get the parts.

Are you suggesting I might be able to do the repair myself? I'm hoping
for a Melbourne repairer who someone might recommend.
ALways happy to pull apart PCs - enjoy replacing all manner of
componentry in my mini towers - but the iMac G4 seems effectively
inpenetrable. Even the screws/fasteners on the bottom plate seem to
need special tools.

From what I can see on iFixit (usually a good source for Apple hardware)
<http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Browse/iMac_G4>
<http://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/20408/Issue+with+screen+-+possible+problem+with+inverter>
it may be the inverter as suggested above. In the latter article they point to:

<http://dremmeljunkie.blogspot.com/>

Many Apple computers use special tools, usually Torx screws (the Torx
screwdrivers are readily available). I replaced my iBook's hard drive
following a guide on iFixit, this required at least one Torx
screwdriver.

[Dietrich]

Post by Stephen Harker

Post by The Watcher

Post by David Morrison
Went through a similar exercise with a laptop recently. It can be the
inverter that has failed, but it can also be the tiny fluoro that lights
up the LCD. Hard to know which one it is though. I did find one site
that described how to test them but I don't know what it was now.
I gather both are relatively easy to fix if you can get the parts.

Are you suggesting I might be able to do the repair myself? I'm hoping
for a Melbourne repairer who someone might recommend.
ALways happy to pull apart PCs - enjoy replacing all manner of
componentry in my mini towers - but the iMac G4 seems effectively
inpenetrable. Even the screws/fasteners on the bottom plate seem to
need special tools.

From what I can see on iFixit (usually a good source for Apple hardware)
<http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Browse/iMac_G4>
<http://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/20408/Issue+with+screen+-+possible+problem
+with+inverter>
<http://dremmeljunkie.blogspot.com/>
Many Apple computers use special tools, usually Torx screws (the Torx
screwdrivers are readily available). I replaced my iBook's hard drive
following a guide on iFixit, this required at least one Torx
screwdriver.

I bought a set of 'security tools' from Tandy, and have used these for
years to operate on my Macs. I've no experience on the iMac though.

Dieter