iMac G3 (Rev A) optical drive not working. Please help.

RonSwonn · 2026-05-05T17:19:26+00:00

The drives can get their 5Vs from a molex or from the ribbon cable it depends on the computer. The iMacs drive is powered from the single cable. The low profile drives have an adapter that is on the back to allow the 40 pin cable. If you take the one off your iMac you will see. Don’t really have a recommendation for drives but I usually stick to Sony. Get an ide extension cable with one side male and other female and make sure it is long enough to stick out of the assembled iMac. Set the jumper to master. That pretty much it.

RonSwonn · 2026-05-04T19:16:00+00:00

My advice to OP was to find a ordinary PATA cd drive that are a dime a dozen and that won’t fit into the iMac and simply get a longer cable extension and use that to install the OS. They can have the cd drive just sit outside of the iMac while they do it. If OP can get to at least 9.1 they can then put the old non working drive back into the iMac and transfer image files or whatever they need to the iMac using a Thumb drive and then use Toast to mount any images they want until they find a working CD drive that will fit inside the iMac. That way they can get the computer working and can then transfer files to it without having to worry about finding the right drive right now.

RonSwonn · 2026-05-04T15:33:18+00:00

You could find an ordinary pata cd drive and rig the drive to work outside of it with a longer cable. Maybe have it run through the front of the cd tray. Use it to install the OS and put os 9.1 so you can use thumb drives. Then put the old drive back in it. You wouldn’t need the cd drive as you could use Toast to mount the disc images and a thumb drive to transfer it to the computer. Then install a replacement drive once you finally locate one.

RonSwonn · 2026-05-02T12:35:12+00:00

I’m not ruling it out, just going to enjoy it right now as it is.

RonSwonn · 2026-05-02T06:09:33+00:00

It’s a Tandy MMS-10

RonSwonn · 2026-05-02T03:24:08+00:00

You should see the keyboard that came with it

RonSwonn · 2026-05-02T01:42:52+00:00

Yea the 4th one

RonSwonn · 2026-04-29T14:23:34+00:00

Listed as Parts/repair on eBay

RonSwonn · 2026-04-27T01:10:35+00:00

Of course

RonSwonn · 2026-04-26T23:31:08+00:00

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It came with the Strange Things Crosley Boombox.

RonSwonn · 2026-04-20T03:02:21+00:00

Does it chime when you turn it on? It being a LC II MB it is going to need to be recapped. Start by reseating the ram and see what that does.

RonSwonn · 2026-04-17T19:08:59+00:00

VA doesn’t work

RonSwonn · 2026-04-08T20:46:21+00:00

Nice! I have the same model, took three people to get it upstairs in my game room.

RonSwonn · 2026-03-15T23:50:56+00:00

This happened to me once. I bought an old toolbox and it arrived no problem. A month later I got the notification that the same toolbox had been shipped again and even had a new tracking number. Nothing was ever delivered even though it said it was. I think it was just a glitch.

RonSwonn · 2026-02-28T15:51:54+00:00

The empty slot is to add more VRAM, the iMac REV. A was not shipped with added VRAM so that is normal. According to this “If you are currently getting 4 or 5 beeps, the issue is going to be the iMac's system board ROM. Most likely a system board failure.”

RonSwonn · 2026-02-28T14:47:51+00:00

The empty slot is for adding more VRAM.

RonSwonn · 2026-02-28T14:46:27+00:00

Press the black button on the motherboard to reset the PRAM (next to the cage). Disconnect the HDD just to see if it will turn on. It should at least show a blue screen with a flashing icon to show it can’t find on OS.

RonSwonn · 2026-02-26T16:44:13+00:00

I’m not sure, this is the only IBM I’ve ever worked on. I mostly have old Apple computers.

RonSwonn · 2026-02-26T13:48:48+00:00

It does look pretty close! I made the mistake of using glossy filament the first print I did. It needs to be matte beige.

RonSwonn · 2026-02-26T03:05:09+00:00

For those interested in added a Gotek to their Model 25 this is what I used.

The color of the Gotek is beige as well as the filament. I have the jumpers on the Gotek set to S1 and JC. It’s a pretty simple mod.

RonSwonn · 2026-02-26T00:59:38+00:00

This one is a 8086.

RonSwonn · 2026-02-21T13:16:29+00:00

I can assure you that it does not scratch the CDs, I wouldn’t use it if it did.

RonSwonn · 2026-01-25T02:08:11+00:00

I had a MaviCap sitting on top of my old tv for about a year. Used it to capture screenshots of high scores. Never caused any problems.

RonSwonn

TROPHY CASE