My computer is dead.....right?

Shadow WarChief · Post by **Shadow WarChief** » 2004-08-19 11:51pm

Well, after entering it's state of brain-deadness, and the ensuing "recovery" my computer now refuses to turn on....AT ALL. I push the power button and the thing just sits there dumb as a stump. I've done the usual, unplug+replug...but that didn't help.

So is my computer completely fucked, or is there an everso slim chance in hell of it being repaired?

It's not TOO big of a problem if the answer is "no". I'm leaving for college in St. Louis tomorrow morning, so I'll have a brand new computer up and running anyways. But there were files that I was working on, and put quite a lot of effort into (5,000 words) that while of minimal "real" importance (sci-fi debate related), I would really rather not type out again

Alferd Packer · Post by **Alferd Packer** » 2004-08-20 12:13am

Well, it sounds like your mobo's fried. There's a chance your hard drive is undamaged, so you take that out, slave it in your new computer, and see if you can save your files. Bada-bing.

Ma Deuce · Post by **Ma Deuce** » 2004-08-20 12:16am

It could be a problem with the power supply, but of course I can't be sure...

Kamakazie Sith · Post by **Kamakazie Sith** » 2004-08-20 12:32am

Ma Deuce wrote:It could be a problem with the power supply, but of course I can't be sure...

That'd be my guess. I would check that first before going out and getting a new computer.

edit* - Unless of course he has been waiting for an excuse to get a new computer!

Shadow WarChief · Post by **Shadow WarChief** » 2004-08-20 12:38am

College is all the excuse I needed to get a new comp ^_^

And my computer is a mac G3, in case that makes any difference to the diagnosis.

Alferd Packer · Post by **Alferd Packer** » 2004-08-20 12:41am

Oh, shitter. I'm a dumbass about Macs, especially fixing them. My advice: ask someone else.

Praxis · Post by **Praxis** » 2004-08-20 01:11am

I HIGHLY recommend the Macworld forums. They're professionals and can help fix it.

A few things.
A) If you're getting a new Mac, just rip the hard drive out of the old one, and stick it in an external hard drive case, or if you're getting a mac tower, put it as a second HD. What kind of new computer are you getting?
B) Just a guess. Did you attempt to install OS X on an OS 9 iMac, before it died? It's a common problem that if you install it on an older iMac and don't update the firmware first, the MONITOR won't work when you turn it on, and appear to be dead.
C) Try resetting the PRAM. It helps sometimes. You have to hold down a key combo and turn the power on, and hold until you hear 4 or 5 chimes. I *think* the combo was Alt-Apple-P-R
D) If neither of these solutions are good, try Macworld.com

BTW, Macs use the same standard parts as any other PC, except with an IBM or Motorola processor instead of Intel or AMD, for you people who think you have no clue how to fix a Mac

Shadow WarChief · Post by **Shadow WarChief** » 2004-08-20 01:31am

Praxis wrote:I HIGHLY recommend the Macworld forums. They're professionals and can help fix it.

A few things.
A) If you're getting a new Mac, just rip the hard drive out of the old one, and stick it in an external hard drive case, or if you're getting a mac tower, put it as a second HD. What kind of new computer are you getting?

I'll be getting a PC, so no go. I'll be 3,000 miles away anyways. It's not like I'd be able to do it even if I did get a mac. My parents on the other hand hypothetically could do it....but they have the computer skills of infants. It'd be safer if they just took it in.

Praxis wrote:B) Just a guess. Did you attempt to install OS X on an OS 9 iMac, before it died? It's a common problem that if you install it on an older iMac and don't update the firmware first, the MONITOR won't work when you turn it on, and appear to be dead.

As a matter of fact I did. When my computer was brain dead (turned on, but would just sit there with a question mark flashing on the screen), I booted off of the OSX CD (even though it ran on 9.1) and installed X. I then switched the disk back to 9.1, ran some first-aid programs, and (apparently) fixed the problem. It's been on 9.1 since.

Praxis wrote:C) Try resetting the PRAM. It helps sometimes. You have to hold down a key combo and turn the power on, and hold until you hear 4 or 5 chimes. I *think* the combo was Alt-Apple-P-R

Didn't work

Praxis wrote:D) If neither of these solutions are good, try Macworld.com

aye aye.

Praxis · Post by **Praxis** » 2004-08-20 02:00am

Dang

Specifically, try this section of the forum (for Mac hardware):

http://www.macworld.com/forums/ubbthrea ... Board=UBB3

Drooling Iguana · Post by **Drooling Iguana** » 2004-08-20 03:19am

So nothing at all happens when you turn on the power? The CD-ROM drive doesn't spin up or anything? The fans don't come on?

Check to see if there's a master power switch in the back of your computer. I'm not sure if Macs have 'em, but I know a lot of PCs do. Make sure that the circuit breaker on your surge protector didn't get tripped or switched off. It's often the simple things that you forget about. At any rate, try plugging another electricapl device into the surge protector to make sure that works.

If all that fails, then it's probably a problem with your power supply.