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iMac G3 Tray-Loader - Two weird issues

MrMacky

Member
Hi all!

I just got an iMac G3 Tray-Loader a few days ago, and I am experiencing a few issues that I was hoping someone might be able to shed some light on.

First a short note about the machine. From the sticker inside the I/O-compartment I can see that this is a 333Mhz, which would make it a "Rev. D". However, the processor seems to have been swapped at an earlier point, as I am reading 266Mhz from within Apple System Profiler.

My first issue is that I am unable to choose a resolution other than 1024x768 at 256 colours - there is no other option within the Monitors-panel. When I click the Monitor-icon on the Control Strip I also see that there is no other resolution listed, only 1024x768 and "VGA Display"(<- is this correct, I can't remember seeing this on my slot-loaders). I've tried PRAM and NVRAM reset. I've also booted from a Mac OS 9 CD just to check that it is not the installation that has been corrupted.

My second issue is that I am unable to install anything earlier than Mac OS 9. From what I can see both 333 and 266 came with 8.6 (the latter also shipped with 8.5.1), so I had assumed that 8.6 would work on this machine as well. Could it be something with the swapped CPU that confuses the system?

If I try to boot either a 8.6 Restore CD or 8.6 Install CD for this system, I either get a "DEFAULT CATCH" error and get thrown into OF. Or I get a blank, gray screen while I can hear the CD drive chugging away for a few minutes, then stopping. I've tried booting into Mac OS 9 through a CD, then running the Restore utility on the 8.6 Restore CD, which successfully restores the image. Upon boot, however, I get the same blank, gray screen only that now it is the HDD that is chugging away for a short amount of time, then stopping.

The iMac seems to be running the latest firmware, 3.0f2(?).

I appreciate any input that could help me shed some light on these issues.
 

LaPorta

Well-known member
It sounds to me that some of this could be teased out by opening her up and having a look inside!

When you say display stays on, do you mean the image is on as well, or the screen is blank and the power button is still green?
 
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MrMacky

Member
It sounds to me that some of this could be teased out by opening her up and having a look inside!

When you say display stays on, do you mean the image is on as well, or the screen is blank and the power button is still green?
Hi and thanks for replying!

Yes, I was hoping that looking at the logic board or other compoenents inside could reveal the cause, but I am not exactly surr what to look for in this case. To me most of these issues seem like something caused by software/firmware, but may be the result of a hardware fault.

It doesn't always want to sleep, it depends on which system is installed. I believe Panther would sleep normally (screen off, drive off, fan on, orange PB), but I cannot get OS 9 to sleep properly. It either stays on with the same image on the screen and with the hard drive powered off and green PB, or it says that system software to sleep is missing.
 

MrMacky

Member
I may also add that it says "VGA Display" in the Monitor-settings, I don't think I've seen that on my slot loaders.
 

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MrMacky

Member
That looks to me like you have missing extensions or some such.
Yes, that's what I have thought as well - these issues seem very software-related. But I am not sure if I can use the extensions from the original install media, which is 8.6, on an OS 9 installation. And I do not know why I am unable to boot or install the restore disks - as these were the same for both 266 and 333. The fact that I can't even install or run anything before 9.1 surprises me. Almost seems like there is a mismatch with the identifier given by the iMac to the install software, as I am unable to boot 8.6, both from harddrive and CD.
 
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