Grape iMac DV Revival

[CYB3RBYTE]

Hey everyone! I've posted a few revivals before, mainly about my classic Macs. I recently obtained an iMac G3 DV with the original box and accessories for $100. It was listed as working, however it did nothing other than let out a quick speaker pop when pressing the power button. I've recapped my classic Macs before to some success, so I decided to try again with this one!









I got it apart and ordered all the caps for the downconverter, the PAV, and the neck board. Also managed to find the service guide online, thank god for that, as I had yet to find any decent take apart guide on a slot loader. I've got everything recapped and cleaned up, now to get it back together and see if it boots!










Fingers crossed it works! Also have an SSD replacement ready to go for it, and an airport adapter on the way. Hoping to do some old school miniDV video editing once I get a working camcorder.

 

[GRudolf94]

Those things are so annoying to pull apart without the stupid inner bezel crumbling to pieces. Don't forget the speaker foam surrounds!

 

[Juror22]

That is so nice looking, and you took such great care in disassembling it! I have an orange DV (also in the box) and I dread the day I have to recap it. I did not enjoy changing out the battery earlier this year and there are SO many caps in your picture! Where did you get the list for re-capping from, or did you put it together yourself as you removed them?

 

[68kPlus]

Awesome! I have the 266MHz grape trayloader, and I'll be eventually recapping mine as well. Along with my two other slot loaders... fun

 

[CYB3RBYTE]

It was by far the hardest Mac I've encountered to take apart. Second only to the iBook G4 / Powerbook G4 for getting to the hard drive. Third only to the 2015 MacBook.

Hopefully I can get everything back together and it's working. I reflowed the flyback solder pads so hopefully that works. Won't be able to test it until Monday, so I'll update then. I got the full cap list on here somewhere but I'll post it shortly!

 

[LaPorta]

You need a replacement bezel. Support the project!
@GRudolf94 too!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/maceffects/replacement-injection-molded-inner-bezel-for-apple-imac-g3/rewards

 

[68kPlus]

It was by far the hardest Mac I've encountered to take apart. Second only to the iBook G4 / Powerbook G4 for getting to the hard drive. Third only to the 2015 MacBook.

Hopefully I can get everything back together and it's working. I reflowed the flyback solder pads so hopefully that works. Won't be able to test it until Monday, so I'll update then. I got the full cap list on here somewhere but I'll post it shortly!

I hear a lot of people say this - my tray loader is actually fun to take apart, and I find the whole disassembly (down to the analog board) quite enjoyable.

Guess I'm just weird lol

 

[CYB3RBYTE]

I hear a lot of people say this - my tray loader is actually fun to take apart, and I find the whole disassembly (down to the analog board) quite enjoyable.

Guess I'm just weird lol

I find iBook G4's enjoyable to work on contrary to many other people too. I just think the screw locations / plastic bosses on this model are really bad and weak. Time will do that to any computer but especially these.

 

[GRudolf94]

I don't mind iBooks either - poor HDD placement is a thing in all of them, Clamshell thru G4, but other than that, they're nice to work on.

Slotloaders, though? Pass.

 

[LaPorta]

Well, my iMac DV SE has been mine since it was brand new in 2000, so it really has a special place for me. I brought it with me to a summer program in Boston that year, and I even had to bring it to CompUSA via a bus for it to get a new logic board! Only once we get the new bezels will I open her up and do the recap/drive maintenance. I’ll likely also do some polishing on the rear panel.

 

[akator70]

I like the grape iMac colors a lot more now than I used to, I think it would look good in many settings. I never disliked them or anything like that — perhaps I couldn't shake the color association with purple Kool Aid / purple-fake-grape-flavored-drink.

 

[CYB3RBYTE]

That's super cool, LaPorta. I work for  retail as a technician, I love hearing stories like that in my store. I have a few of my original products I bought or were gifts, with my first being my iPod shuffle (which I was just messing around with today) and my engraved 5th gen Nano.

Unfortunately most all of the original PPC and Intel Macs I used are long gone, with the exception of my first new Mac ever, my 2014 MBA which still pulls travel duties for my parents. I now have replacements for my old Macs as I grow my personal collection / help others with theirs.

 

[LaPorta]

That's super cool, LaPorta. I work for  retail as a technician, I love hearing stories like that in my store. I have a few of my original products I bought or were gifts, with my first being my iPod shuffle (which I was just messing around with today) and my engraved 5th gen Nano.

Unfortunately most all of the original PPC and Intel Macs I used are long gone, with the exception of my first new Mac ever, my 2014 MBA which still pulls travel duties for my parents. I now have replacements for my old Macs as I grow my personal collection / help others with theirs.

Not to thread hijack, but I have my original, absolute first-gen iPod as well. Haven't broken into that...but it still will hold a charge and syncs well over FireWire. Mostly just stays in its box now, however. The DV SE is also complete in box, too. I used to get such joy out of getting a new machine. Now it is kind of....bland.

 

[68kPlus]

Well, my iMac DV SE has been mine since it was brand new in 2000, so it really has a special place for me. I brought it with me to a summer program in Boston that year, and I even had to bring it to CompUSA via a bus for it to get a new logic board! Only once we get the new bezels will I open her up and do the recap/drive maintenance. I’ll likely also do some polishing on the rear panel.

That's awesome! I hope you have a new flyback sitting around for it though - they are getting pretty iffy with age now, even the slot loaders

 

[LaPorta]

I’ll have to order a spare from somewhere…

 

[Dude.JediKnight]

Hey everyone! I've posted a few revivals before, mainly about my classic Macs. I recently obtained an iMac G3 DV with the original box and accessories for $100.

Reminds me of when I replaced the internal HDD on one of these … must be 20 years ago at this point. I remember it being quite an endeavor just to pop it open to get down to the HDD… I can’t imagine fully stripping one down, especially with how brittle the plastic must be these days.

It was by far the hardest Mac I've encountered to take apart. Second only to the iBook G4 / Powerbook G4 for getting to the hard drive. Third only to the 2015 MacBook.

No experience with the 2015 MacBook, but can definitely agree on the G4 iBooks, as well as the dual USB G3 iBooks that came before it.

That reminds me, still need to find time to get that iBook G4 fully put back together and finally get it up and running. Always the same story, too many projects and never enough time!

 

[CYB3RBYTE]

Unfortunately, after putting everything back together tonight, upon testing it, something let the magic smoke out. I was fairly thorough when putting everything back together, and it pains me to rip the machine back apart again. Ever have that defeated feeling?

I'm going to get a better screw organizer, then tear it back down. Guess this is going to be a longer term revival than I originally thought...

 

[joshc]

Capacitor put in the wrong way round?

 

[68kPlus]

Unfortunately, after putting everything back together tonight, upon testing it, something let the magic smoke out. I was fairly thorough when putting everything back together, and it pains me to rip the machine back apart again. Ever have that defeated feeling?

I'm going to get a better screw organizer, then tear it back down. Guess this is going to be a longer term revival than I originally thought...

Oh shame. I always triple check every capacitor and ensure I have the correct one in, so I'd say start there. Also check for loose connections

 

[CYB3RBYTE]

So I tore the G3 back down yesterday and the eagle eyed among you may see the problem.









Although I had checked for no extra metal segments or solder left on the board, as well as cleaning it of flux, I put a single 100v 100uf capacitor in backwards at C949. That created a dead short and killed whatever resistor lived at R992. My excuse: it was late at night when I did this lol. Any idea what resistor goes here?