Ailing iMac Progress Report

[Thrift Store Scott]

Follow-up to this thread- https://forums.macresource.com/read.php?1,2671382,2672060#msg-2672060

My new RAM arrived today, I removed the old chips, installed the new ones, turned on the computer, and...

No change. The problem wasn't the RAM after all, though it definitely needed more anyway.

In the previous thread the possibility of a fried hard drive was raised, but since it won't start up from a disk I'm giving that possibility a very low likelihood.

One other possibility mentioned in the previous thread is that the insulating goo under the main processor has dried up, melted, evaporated, or some such, so that's the next thing I'll check.

One symptom I've seen no explanation for is the evenly spaced translucent vertical yellow lines on the screen when it's trying to start up. Barring other suggestions, I'm assuming that's indicative of a main processor problem if not a video card issue.

One bright spot: I experimentally tried sticking my thumbnail between the glass and the case to see how hard the glass would be to remove, and it slid right in. I put my other thumbnail in the gap and slid it across the top and the glass popped outward with very little resistance at all.

As always, thanks for any hints, tips, or suggestions.

[jdc]

yeah, glass just peels off on those imacs. pretty simple. =)

but be careful when putting it back on, the magnets can make it snap on and crack the glass. Costs $40 or so to replace.

I didn't see what size your iMac is, but at least here on my local CL, there are a half dozen 2011, 21.5" with 16/1TB for $150.

[Sarcany]

Thrift Store Scott wrote:
In the previous thread the possibility of a fried hard drive was raised, but since it won't start up from a disk I'm giving that possibility a very low likelihood.

Sometimes hard drives "chirp" when they've had a head-crash.

...They use a pair of suction cups to safely remove the glass from those displays.

[Thrift Store Scott]

jdc wrote:
yeah, glass just peels off on those imacs. pretty simple. =)

but be careful when putting it back on, the magnets can make it snap on and crack the glass. Costs $40 or so to replace.

I didn't see what size your iMac is, but at least here on my local CL, there are a half dozen 2011, 21.5" with 16/1TB for $150.

Mine is exactly that size. Where (in general, at least) are you located? I'm in Birmingham, Alabama.

Sarcany wrote:
[quote=Thrift Store Scott]
In the previous thread the possibility of a fried hard drive was raised, but since it won't start up from a disk I'm giving that possibility a very low likelihood.

Sometimes hard drives "chirp" when they've had a head-crash.

...They use a pair of suction cups to safely remove the glass from those displays.
I was using mine when it went down. The screen suddenly went black and it made a continuous "dit-dit-dit-dit" sound until I shut it off. When I tried to start it again, the progress bar stopped a little less than half way and would go no further. When I tried to start it from an install/repair disc, it stopped at the same point and emitted the repeating three tones indicating bad RAM or at least a problem therewith.

[jdc]

3000 miles away, sorry.