Fixing iMac(CRT) firmware/OS X problems

b I didnt update the firmware on my iMac before trying to install OS X 10.2 or higher on a slot-loading iMac. How do I fix resultant bootup or screen problems?
b Introduction
This topic is a summary of a fuller article which can be found here. It does not apply to tray-loaders but only to slot-loaders. How to differentiate between models
The latest firmware for slot-loading iMacs is 4.1.9. If OS X goes anywhere near an iMac with an earlier version then often peculiar screen problems are caused, or the iMac wont start properly. In most cases it is possible to fix these problems. This topic explains how to do so.
All users who have installed OS X on a slot-loading iMac should make sure that their firmware is at version 4.1.9. Even if the iMac is working at the moment, problems may arise at any time.
If you are having problems then
b do not reset the PRAM
until the firmware is updated, as doing so can make the problems much worse.
To fix the problem you simply need to update the firmware. If your iMac is not behaving properly this can be a little tiresome, but usually not impossible.
b Symptoms
The symptoms are well known and many users have experienced and overcome them:
*     S0: OS X installation attempt fails; there may be a message you need to update the firmware; the iMac freezes (often with a grey screen); the CD is stuck in the drive
*     S1: the iMac starts up but the screen is blank
*     S2: the iMac starts up but the screen is dark and a strange colour
*     S3: on power on or a restart, the green light comes on but nothing else happens
*     S4: after the startup chime the iMac turns itself off after 7 10 seconds
b Overcoming the symptoms
i S0: To get the CD out,
find the emergency eject button inside the right-hand end of the CD slot. Hold it in with a paperclip during power-on. (NB this then disables the CD drive till next power-off.)
i To get round S3,
remove the power cord between reboots.
i To get round S1,
after the iMac has booted, briefly press the main power button to send the iMac to sleep. Wait for the button to pulse orange, then press any key on the keyboard. Usually you will now have symptom S2.
i If you have S2 or S1
and a 400 MHz iMac or later, there may be a VGA connector under a small panel close to the memory access panel on the back of the iMac. Many PC monitors will work if plugged in here.
i If you have S4
then check the suggestions in the full problem solver.
b Upgrading the firmware
The firmware resides on the logic board in non-volatile RAM. To install the latest version (4.1.9) and hence fix the iMacs problems, you first need to boot OS 9.1, or 9.2.x from a local HD. If you have 9.0.x then you can download the 9.1 update from the Apple site.
Make sure you follow all the installation instructions carefully.
Once the firmware is installed (but not before), it is often worth doing an additional PRAM reset: on startup, hold down Apl-Opt-P-R and wait for the second chime.
The most stable version of OS 9 is 9.2.2, so now download and install these updates: 9.2.1 and 9.2.2.
If you need further help then contact Apple Support, check out the full problem solver, or post a new topic in the Apple Discussions iMac(CRT) Usage forum.
Thanks to all contributors.

Giles,
If OS X goes anywhere near an iMac with an earlier version then often peculiar screen problems are caused, or the iMac wont start properly.
You may also want to mention that newer disk utilities such as DiskWarrior can make the iMac boot into Mac OS X, and cause this problem. There have also been a few instances where a user did not believe it was the firmware because they did not install Mac OS X, only boot from it.
(NB this then disables the CD drive till next power-off.)
Could you please fill me in - what does NB stand for?
You may also want to include some sort of disclaimer, that the problem can vary, and is not guaranteed to work for everyone, etc.
Its excellent overall. And, you're not even a full Mac user, which has to make things harder.
Kyle-

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IMAC CRT serious firmware issues dude . . .

I was attempting to update my old iMAC CRT to OS 9, and was given the standard "firmware needs to be updated message". In trying to update the firmware, my screen went grey with the following message:
"Bootr, unknown word
failed to boot
Apple iMAC firmware 3.0 f3"
I've tried rebooting with the startup OS9 disk. I've tried zapping the PRAM. I tried booting with the Techtool deluxe to no avail.
I'm thinking is that it's the PRAM battery that needs replacing? Any chance someone out in "MACLand" can provide some helpful advice. Thanks in advance for any assistance in advance!

Based on the firmware number, this iMac G3 sounds like a tray-loader. Here is some information about the firmware.
http://www.avnr55.dsl.pipex.com/dotcom/panthereatsimac/tray.htm
Resetting PRAM would be the first thing to try, but you said you already did that...
If you suspect the battery may be weak or dead, you can try removing it and starting up. Some people have reported that it did not work with bad battery in place, but it did start up with it removed; obviously, the PRAM settings will be lost when the iMac shuts down.
If that does not work, you can also try pressing the CUDA button on the motherboard. For tray-loaders, it is located here.
http://mrjcd.com/junk/CUDA.jpg
Note: ONLY PRESS IT ONE TIME between startup attempts.
The only time I needed to use the CUDA button was when the iMac was completely unresponsive to the power button. If you are getting power, pressing it may not help. But I cannot think of anything else.

I downloaded OS X Lion on my iMac and I'm having problems with my computer waking up after hibernating. I can get to the login screen but my mouse will be frozen. The only fix's is a hard reboot. Any help would be great!

I downloaded OS X Lion on my iMac and I'm having problems with my computer waking up after hibernating. I can get to the login screen but my mouse will be frozen. The only fix's is a hard reboot. Any help would be great!

Try resetting the SMC and the PRAM.
1. SMC
Read this and follow the instructions for your kind of mac:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964
2. PRAM
Follow the procedure below:
1. Power down the machine.
2. Locate the following keys on your keyboard in preparation for Step 4:
command–option–P–R
3. Press the ‘power on’ button.
4. Immediately – and before the grey screen appears – hold down ‘command-option-P-R’ all together.
5. Keep them held down until you’ve heard the start-up chime twice. After you release them you should hear it again, and hopefully your Mac will boot up as it should normally.

Is there a fix yet for the no sound problem with lion on the iMac without having to restart every time I switch the computer on?

Is there a fix yet for the no sound problem with lion on the iMac without having to restart every time I switch the computer on?

Try booting in Safe Mode by holding the the shift key immediately after powering on your system. Safe boot mode will for a directory check of your startup volume, then load only the required kernal extensions (kext files), and deletes some cache files. Once the system boots into Safe Mode you can simply restart the system to see whether the issue has been resolved.
If you still have the issue try resetting the SMC by shutting down the system and disconnecting the power cord for ~15 seconds, then reconnecting the power cord. Next, reset the parameter RAM (PRAM) by holding down the option-option-P-R keys after powering ON the system. Wait until the iMac restarts twice, then let the system boot normally.

Green Screen and Freezing on G3 iMac CRT

Hi - My son's Snow Slot Load 500mxh G3 iMac has recently developed some problems. It happened not long after updating to Tiger but seems not to be related to that. I installed the firmware upgrade before updating and the install went fine. It was working fine for a few weeks but started freezing up at random times requiring the power button to be held to restart. It would then restart and work fine but over the last couple weeks, the freeze ups have become so frequent that it's basically not worth bothering with. The freeze ups seem to have some sort of mechanical aspect to them - there is an actual flash or flicker or surge type thing as if the power was interupted. I have plugged the iMac into different power sources, etc. to be sure that it isn't somehow something in the houses wiring but that has not effect. In addition, in the last week or so, the screen has taken on a pronounced green cast. At first this problem was intermitent but now is pretty much permanent (it did come on once properly) It still works fine in terms of resolution, positioning, etc., no weird artifacts, just green. Both of the problems persist even if the iMac is started in OS9 or from a CD. I ran the Apple Hardware Diag CD and it gave a clean bill of health on everything....hmmm!
My guess is that it is a hardware problem and the obvious choice would be the video board. I don't want to put it out to pasture since it works great for my son but I also don't want to put bunches of time and $$$ into it swapping out different boards to try to figure the problem. Does anyone know any fairly definitive tests to determine if it is the Video board or, if not, what it is?
Thanks in advace for any help.
iMac G3 Mac OS X (10.4.9) Slot Load CRT 500mzh Snow

both the CRT and at least the High Voltage section of the PAV are likely bad. Right?<</div>
No only the PAV sounds like it's going bad. The fact that the CRT lights up means that it's good. The silver box on the back of the CRT that Apple refers to as the Video Board is part of the PAV. In fact when you replace the PAV you want to keep that same Video Board with the CRT so it involves cutting and splicing of 2 wires.
Let the HV on the PAV die and use an external Monitor<</div>
Most likely it's the flyback transformer on the PAV that is going and when that goes it's usually it's the Anode section that dies.
If I go with one of the options using an external Monitor, do I need to disconnect the internal CRT? I mean, I know that I don't have to disconnect the internal CRT to use an external Monitor but would it be better to?<</div>
Well if the Anode section dies then mute point because the HV will be gone anyway.
Replace the PAV, use an external Monitor<</div>
If you replace the PAV (deadly voltages involved! Also working PAVs are hard to come by) you wouldn't need an external monitor because the internal one would then work. My son has a 700 Snow that I dropped a DVD-ROM from a 500 Graphite into. Had to use Pacifist to get it to work. Hooked up an external LCD. Now he's watching Pirates II in stereo. He also uses it for Garage Band.
R

IMac CRT dead, buy G4?

Dear all,
Now that my iMac CRT is dead, I'm thinking about getting a refurbished mac. Does anyone have any advice about G4s vs eMacs? I don't do anything more elaborate than surfing, AIM and iTunes. I'll be new to OS X.
Thanks
Irene

Hey iMac,
Does anyone have any advice about G4s vs eMacs? I don't do anything more elaborate than surfing, AIM and iTunes. I'll be new to OS X.
Well the eMac CRTs are VERY heavy but I always thought the picture was very good. I'd avoid the first one, 700, it had the IVAD problem. The 800s and above are nice machines. There was a power supply recall on the 1 and 1.25 GHz machines and this can work to your advantage. I picked up a 1.25 for $50 that was very slow and would freeze up all the time. Turns out it was in the serial # range and Apple fixed it for free.
As to the iMac G4s I like the 17" 800s I think that monitor is very nice and compared to the 15" they're way better. My wife has been using one for 5 months now.
They're a little hard to get since people love the way they look so they're really in high demand. I just got one for $100 that had a bad hard drive and the lady said she didn't believe the response she got on Craig's.
Richard

IMac w/firmware upgrade not connecting thru chooser

Grade school iMacs (crt style) connect to library search software by selecting an alias on the local iMac that is for the program on the shared volume on the library Mac. This share is Read Only to everyone.
Any iMac running OS 9.x that does not have the firmware upgrade for OS X is connecting fine as they always have. Click the alias, brings up the chooser to do the STUDENT logon to the library share and begins the execution of the software on the local mac.
Some used iMacs that were added to the library have had their firmware upgraded for OS X. When these select the same alias - they get an error saying they do not have execution rights to the alias. But, if you manually go to the Chooser and log on to the libary share - then execute the actual program file - it works just fine.
So it appears that the firmware update has glitched the machine's ability to log on to the library share and execute the search program via the alias.
iMac iLamps (flat screen with round base)seem to work fine. Switch to OS9 via Classic, go through the Chooser and run the library search software. So seems our problem child(ren) is/are the CRT iMacs with the firmware upgrade.
Ideas? Anyone else run into this?
Thanks,

You didn't indicate how long the iMac was running without problems, before you decided to upgrade the memory. It's possible that the display's degraded picture quality is not directly related to the memory installation, since that procedure is relatively non-invasive on a slot-loading iMac. The board could have had a problem that would manifest itself after a sufficient period of ON time, that went unnoticed, prior to its sale on eBay. Sellers often buy pallets of computers in unknown working condition, that are stacked on top of each other and wrapped with plastic. Because the cases often have cosmetic damage, they're parted out. If the computer powers up and everything appears to be working fine, it's shut down and disassembled. If the unit were left ON long enough, perhaps any problems that it had (prior to being pulled from service) would eventually surface. I'd suggest trying the other board that you bought.

Windows Vista won't start or install - firmware or EFI problem?

I am running Snow Leopard on a 2.4GHz MacBook Pro, late 08 - early 09 model. I have been using boot camp to run Vista for the past year with no problem. This morning, I tried to start up Vista and it wasn't working. I got the option key screen to choose between OSX and Vista, but after choosing vista, the cursor blinks once and I get a black screen. The computer is quiet and nothing seems to be running.
At first I thought it was a boot camp problem. So I went into OSX, de-partitioned the drive, and repartitioned it. I then stuck the Vista install disk in, and clicked through the boot camp assistant to reinstall. The computer restarted to begin the reinstall process, but instead of starting the install disk, it did the same thing - a single blip of cursor, and then a black screen.
I'm not technically savvy, but that seems like it's not a Windows problem, but a firmware or EFI problem. The computer will run OSX, but it won't run boot camp and it won't start from a CD-ROM. The only other steps I've taken are to run Software Update and the Disk Utility from Safari. Neither helped. I'm out of warranty and would love to be able to fix it without spending tons of money. Any help is appreciated.

open terminal, run the following command:
sudo gpt -r show -l /dev/disk0
(press return, enter admin password, press return again)
output should look something like this:
Betsy7:~ kj$ sudo gpt -r show -l /dev/disk0
Password:
gpt show: /dev/disk0: Suspicious MBR at sector 0
start size index contents
0 1 MBR
1 1 Pri GPT header
2 32 Pri GPT table
34 6
40 409600 1 GPT part - "EFI System Partition"
409640 316879664 2 GPT part - "RAPTOR"
317289304 262144
317551448 200889128 3 GPT part - "RAPTOR2"
518440576 262144
518702720 67287033 4 GPT part - "XP"
585989753 82582
586072335 32 Sec GPT table
586072367 1 Sec GPT header
The first line:
"gpt show: /dev/disk0: Suspicious MBR at sector 0"
should be identical to mine. If the "Suspicious MBR"
line is missing, then it is a GPT problem, which indicates
that the MBR information is missing or more likely corrupt.
also the second and third lines will read:
start size index contents
0 1 PMBR
instead of:
start size index contents
0 1 MBR
If the MBR info in the GPT partition is corrupt or missing,
then (obviously) Windows won't be bootable.
The only tool reliably capable (that I know of) of repairing (rebuilding) the GPT/EFI
without wiping off all partitions and repartitioning the drive
is iPartition:
http://www.coriolis-systems.com/iPartition.php
The command line program "gpt" is incomplete, so use
it at your own risk:
BUGS
The development of the gpt utility is still work in progress. Many necessary features
are missing or partially implemented. In practice this means that the manual page,
supposed to describe these features, is farther removed from being complete or useful.
As such, missing functionality is not even documented as missing. However, it is believed
that the currently present functionality is reliable and stable enough that this tool can be used
without bullet-proof footware if one thinks one does not make mistakes.
http://17.254.2.129/library/mac/#documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man8/gp t.8.html
Kj ♘

IMac 400mhz with crazy display problems

I just finished assembling an iMac CRT and everything works great except for the display. For some reason the colors dont wanna line up and i cant figure out what the problem is. Ive tried everything i can think of. I ended up plugging in another monitor and everything on that display is fine. Is my iMac CRT toast?

hi bob robson,
for installing 10,4 tiger, you need an Apple which has built-in fireWire. this means that at least iMac 400 or a later model. 640 MB RAM is enough for installation. By the way, iMac G3 (640MB) is not an enough explanation to classify your mac.
skype 1,4 needs:
Macintosh computer with G3, G4, G5, or Intel processor
Mac OS X v10.3.9 Panther or newer. (The widget requires Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger.)
128 MB RAM
20 MB free disk space on your hard drive
Microphone
Internet connection (either dial-up: minimum 33.6 Kbps, or any broadband: cable, DSL, etc.)
so if your iMac is 400Mhz or more and have 10.3.9 or 10.4.x installed, yes you can use skype.

HT1339 How to fix and restore firmware?

I own a iPod Classic 5th Gen Video and have been getting many problems with it with connecting it to my PC or having it to work properly, I find that it likes to lock up quite often. I've tried to use iTunes and it doesn't see it. How do I fix/restore the Firmware manually? I've read somewhere that you can put it into a recover mode where you can place an update file on it and then it will do the rest and hopefully this will fix it.

found another way.

Networking iMac intel(OSX4.4), iMac CRT(OS9.2), printer, scanner, and cable

I am trying to set up a network with my new iMac Core Duo and my old iMac CRT and a printer and a scanner. I want the printer and scanner to work with both computers, and for the Core Duo to be the one connected with the internet via cable. (My ISP will only allow one computer to be connected.) I also want the two computers to be able to work with each other's files. The Core Duo has OSX 4.4 and the iMac CRT has OS 9.2. Previously, I had two iMac CRT's working on a network as just described. I was using a 5 port hub.
Now, my question is: Can this be done? I have tried everything I could think of, but have had no luck. I can get one or the other computer to work the internet, which is fine, but I can't get them to talk to one another. At one time I managed to get the iMac CRT's icon to appear of the Core Duo's desktop, and could pass stuff one direction, but I could not get the Core Duo's icon to appear on the CRT's desktop.
Another problem: Each computer has a single Ethernet port so I can't tie them together directly and still access the modem. Can I tie the stuff together using Ethernet cables? There are plenty of Ethernet ports available.
Is there some website I can go to to get educated about this?
This is the longest question I have seen on this discussion forum!
iMac iintel,iMac CRT Mac OS X (10.4.4) also, OS9.2

Sounds like you need a router. Connect the modem and the Macs to the router so both of your machines have internet access. The modem will assign a single IP to the router and then the router will assign IPs to the Macs. You can also connect the printer to the router so both machines have access. I'm not sure about the scanner though as I've never seen one with ethernet connections.

TS3824 How can we install the iMac Graphics Firmware Update if the screen is white and I can't get to the Apple menu?

How can I install the iMac Graphics Firmware Update 2.0, if the screen is white and I can't get to the Apple menu? My computer has 5 vertical purple lines against white screen at startup before the Apple logo appears and the spinning gear...then everything disappears and the screen hangs on the white screen. I have tried unplugging and removing all my peripherals and the COMMAND, OPTION, P & R set of keys and still nothing. I have tried COMMAND C to start up from cd and it only tells me to turn off the computer and turn it back on. I found information on Apple's Support pages regarding the iMac Graphics Firmware Update but I am unable to download and install if I can't get to the Apple menu. Can anyone help?

You may have hardware problem, I think a visit to your local Apple Store or AASP is in order.

IMac CRT slot loader doesn't get past apple symbol at startup

I've got an old iMac CRT, 600mhz slot loader that I want to give away to a friend.
I've lent it to a couple of people in it's life (I now have a different computer), and I can't find the system disks.
The computer had Panther installed on it (can't find those disks either - can't remember how I even got Panther on to it) and was working fine. I deleted all the old users off it to just have my friend's user ID. So technically, there was nothing personal on the computer, just a bunch of applications. However, out of the 40 gigs of HD space, it was telling me that there was only 9 available, which I found strange.
Anyway, while I was installing Adobe CS on it, just before it was finished I tried to find out where all the HD space was being used. So I opened the Applications folder and did Apple-I to get info. When the dialogue window opened, it said it was calculating folder size.
As this was happening while I was also installing CS, I didn't worry about it, just thought it would complete after installation was finished. However, this didn't happen, and I found that not only did the folder size not get calculated, the whole computer had frozen. Not even a force quit would do anything, it was like an old fashioned system 9 crash.
So I forced shut down and tried to start up again. So now it won't get past the OS X grey apple screen. Not even the spinning dial appears and you just see the apple icon for eternity. Have tried zapping PRAM, holding down option key, shift key. Nothing works.
So I'm wondering: what do I need to do to get it to work? Do I need the system disks? Or is there some other way to fix this?
Thanks in advance,
Lachlan

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106464
My guess is that you are going to need System disks available here.
Good luck. These things get really frustrating.
David

PB G4 15" Using FW direct won't clone to ext FW drive using iMac CRT (G3)

Info:
PB G4 15" 1.5, 512 mb ram, original 80gig internal HD having sleep issues (meainging it will go into sleep mode whenever it wants and will not stay "awake")
iMac CRT G3 as stable platform, still running strong after 6 years :^) !!
Both are still running (ugh, I know) 10.3.9
I recently purchased an IBM/Hitachi Deskstar 3.5" 80 gig HD and an no-name-brand 3rd party ext. FW/USB 2.0 drive enclosure to (hopefully) clone the G4 15" PB and wipe out it's drive and start from scratch to see if it's a OS issue rather than a hardware issue causing my sleep issues.
I originally partitioned the PB 15" HD to have 3 partitions and the cloning process SEEMED ok on the non opertating system partions, but carbon copy cloner is having problems with any folder larger than 4 gigs, e.g., a VPC drive image doesn't clone properly, CCC only cloned 1 gig whereas my VPC image is about 6 gigs, also, my applications folder, which is approximately 5 gigs on the PB G4 15", hangs when CCC tries to clone it to the Ext HD drive.
Did I shoot myself in the foot by buying a non-name-brand Ext Hd FW/USB enclosure? Are there jumper settings on the Ext HD that I should pay attention to? I currently have the Deskstar HD set to "Primary," Disk Utility partitions the ext HD ok and First Aid results in no ploblems. Is my iMac DV 500mhz too slow to keep up with the cloning process? I only have 256mb ram/original 20gig HD.
I've heard/read that 10.3.6 and up causes problems with ext HD FW/USB enclosures.
Any help would be greatfully appreciated!!
Greg
PB G4 15" 1.5 Mac OS X (10.3.9) iMac, Pismo, PB 1400cs, Apple ][+

Hi, mattn.
Here's a better idea. Erase the external drive. Clone your brother's internal hard drive to it as a backup. Test to see whether the Powerbook will boot normally to the clone. If it doesn't, stop right there and run a full battery of first aid and repair utilities on the internal drive, then clone it again and test again. If all tests on the internal drive are OK, your external drive enclosure(s) may just not be bootable — some aren't.
If the clone on the external drive boots the PB with no problems, upgrade the internal drive to Tiger so your brother can put it through its paces for a couple of weeks. If he likes it and decides to keep it installed, clone the internal drive again to the external drive, so Tiger and any work done in the interim is backed up. If he wants to stick with whatever older OS he was using, erase the internal drive and clone the external drive back to it. In the latter case, be sure to make a separate backup of any documents that have been created or modified during his trial period, before restoring the older clone to the internal drive.
Note that a Powerbook with Firewire 800 is Aluminum, not Titanium, and there's a separate set of forums for the Albooks:
http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=135
Any future questions related to the Powerbook's hardware should be directed there to reach the folks who are most knowledgeable about those models.

Question about imac graphics firmware updates

My Imac model identifier is imac8,1; the machine is a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, with 2 GB 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM. I am running OS 10.6.7. I have an ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro graphics card.
Firmware Update 1.0.1 is apparently installed, since my graphics ROM version is 113-82250L-259.
Symptoms occurring within last 6 months or so: Without notice, the screen goes black, though I can detect light “behind” (i.e., it doesn’t look powered off). The only remedy I’ve been able to get to work is to use the power button (or unplug) to turn the machine off. I don’t know whether the system has frozen or not. I’ve looked at the console and system log, but I can’t tell from them what’s happening.
I have reset the SMC and PRAM. The computer passes the extended Apple Hardware Test.
My question: is one or both of the imac graphics firmware updates 1.0.2 (September 10, 2009) or 2.0 (June8, 2011) appropriate for my machine?

If there is an update to your particular graphics firmware, Software Update will let you know; if there is nothing showing there, it means there is no update available for your configuration. Do not simply download from the Apple website and install something that could cause havoc on your machine.
I'm not sure what the problem might be, but it could be graphics card and/or logic board related. Since you've already done the SMC and PRAM resets, unless someone else has another idea, I'd suggest booking an appointment at your nearest Genius Bar for a free evaluation and diagnosis. If the problem is intermittent, take screen shots or video of it so you can show it to them.

Fixing iMac(CRT) firmware/OS X problems

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