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RKOrton
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Posts: 2
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Click here to see the profile of this user 		iMac G3 - 2008/12/16 02:37 My friend bought an iMac G3 500 Mhz at a thrift shop for $14. I had told her about my deal (I got one above her model for $18 at a thrift store in like new condition) Anywayz, she wasnt as lucky. The built in CD-RW drive is dead. Appears to have a CD stuck inside it. Anywayz, she turned all extensions off, and now the computer won't recognize the mouse or keyboard when you turn it on. I can't even get to extensions manager on startup holding spacebar. How could I get the extensions back on or get the keyboard/mouse to recognize? My goal is to upgrade it for her so she has a decent basic internet browsing computer. Any suggestions appreciated!

System Specs on it:

iMac G3 500 Mhz
Mac OS 9.1
128 MB RAM
Dead CD-RW drive
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rbauset
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Posts: 21
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Click here to see the profile of this user 		Re:iMac G3 - 2008/12/16 08:29 Which model of 500Mz do you have? Some will take a DVD, others not. See Mac Specs.
You need to solve your optical drive problem. Since OS 10.4 comes on DVD's, you might as well replace with a CD/DVD drive. Then boot with a bootable disc, wipe the hard drive and reinstall the system. If you intend to upgrade to OSX, upgrade first 9.1 to 9.2.2 which will permit classic mode when in OSX.
Any high school nerd should be able to do the work or perhaps have another solution.

Post edited by: rbauset, at: 2008/12/16 11:47
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krowmagnum
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Posts: 948
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Click here to see the profile of this user 		Re:iMac G3 - 2008/12/16 16:34 The PRAM battery may be dead and causing a problem. Try booting while holding the Command, Option, P, and R keys and wait for at least 3 start up chimes. Hopefully that will straighten it out so it can boot properly. If not, you will need to boot from a disk and manually put the extensions back into the extensions folder. The disabled extensions will be in a folder labeled "Disabled Extensions" in the System folder. Just drag all of the extensions back to the Extensions Folder.

You should get OS 9 working before installing OS X:

On a G3 iMac (before installing OS X) make sure the Firmware is updated or you will loose the video and it's tough to get it working again. The installer will run fine but when it's time to restart you will have no more video image.

If you are not sure, download and run this update. If you don't need it, the installer will let you know. Some OS X install disks have the update included on the disk. My OS 10.2 install disks do.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75130

You can find replacement (used) optical drives on eBay or LEMSwap Google group. The late model G3 iMacs were all basically the same so any slot load iMac DVD drive will work. Or you can boot from a Firewire DVD, or possibly a USB drive. (I've had a couple 400MHz iMacs that would boot from USB) If you have a USB DVD or can borrow one try it.

You can eject the CD by inserting a small object like a paper clip into the far right side of the slot in the slot load optical drives. There is a small button there you can push to eject the disk. (if the eject works).
(Holding down the mouse button on boot also ejects the disk.)

The CD drive may be ok once you get the disk out.
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RKOrton
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Click here to see the profile of this user 		Re:iMac G3 - 2008/12/17 01:27 Thanks for the replies. disk would not eject, so I took the bottom half of the computer apart to get to the drive. The previous owners had a floppy disk jammed into the CD drive. I removed the disk and put it back together, but still won't take any CD's, so will definetely replace with a dvd player probably. I did the Ctrl Option P R and let it reboot a few times before letting go, didn't do anything, so I will be replacing drive then starting up from CD. Thanks for help guys
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krowmagnum
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Posts: 948
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Click here to see the profile of this user 		Re:iMac G3 - 2008/12/17 08:50 Floppy in the slot ? Ouch !

Never seen that before but it's not surprising.

I forgot to mention.... you can also fix the extensions with another Mac and a firewire cable. You can boot the iMac into Target Disk Mode, attach it to another Mac via Firewire cable and you can access the hard drive to move the extensions back. TDM will make the iMac into basically an external firewire hard drive.

You can also use this method to install the OS.

Apple's page on how to use TDM:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1661
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mercuryc78
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Posts: 24
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Click here to see the profile of this user 		Re:iMac G3 - 2009/02/11 20:40 I had an iMac with a floppy stuck in the drive! I thought it was crazy myself.... and yes, it totally destroyed the drive.
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