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Author Topic: I KNOW I have an Apple  (Read 5344 times)

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patiodaddyo

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I KNOW I have an Apple
« on: August 09, 2009, 01:54:38 PM »
After searching the data base, no questions were asked as dumb as this one, but here goes. I was given a Mac tower with an unknown history. All I know is that I have a Mac tower. Its clean inside and out and hums when I push the start button. Here is what I can tell you about it. It's grey with a blue Apple on each side(my first clue) and has a plastic loop handle at all 4 corners(makes it easy to carry).  One side of it opens up by a ring handle exposing the inside nicely.Motherboard and stuff lays down in front of me and everything inside is connected. I see 3 Seagate hard drives in bottom of the case. Info on the end of the case (outside ) says Macserver G4, Family M5183, and the year 2000. I'm totally clueless as to any other info as to what OS it is or any of that info a lot of you folks refer to. Can anybody tell me what this thing is called? When I push the start button, it fires up and hums, then makes 3 loud beeps, in sequence with a flashing light in the start button itself Then the light flashes once, pause, then 3 times. over and over. No display on a known good monitor. It actually worked one time out of the blue and I was able to click around with the mouse a few places, only to have it lock up after about 5 minuets. Can anyone direct me on what to try at this point? I removed the small battery and DVOM showed it at 3.6 volts  Pushed the "cuda" button (read that some where) No change. Any help at all would be really great. I paid nothing for it, and I may have gotten my moneys worth! But I figured its worth a shot. This website has a great reputation(as stated on the Today show this morning). Thanks for listening and I hope you can help me with what little I know about this. Thanks again, PD. :)

midsail



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    • OS: Windows XP
    Re: I KNOW I have an Apple
    « Reply #1 on: August 20, 2009, 08:29:24 PM »
    Open the Mac and look for a serial number. If u find one go to Apple support site and type the serial #. It will give u all the information to that specific MAC. If u can not find a serial# call APPLE and they will instruct u on where to look inside the MAC for the serial #. They should not charge u for this help. Good luck.

    socrates



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    • I know nothing except for the fact of my ignorance
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    Re: I KNOW I have an Apple
    « Reply #2 on: August 24, 2009, 08:46:10 AM »
    Open the Mac and look for a serial number. If u find one go to Apple support site and type the serial #. It will give u all the information to that specific MAC. If u can not find a serial# call APPLE and they will instruct u on where to look inside the MAC for the serial #. They should not charge u for this help. Good luck.

    This is good advice.  It will at least give you the information as far as hardware specs go.

    Once you find the hardware specs I would try searching for error codes for that machine (the 3 beeps and blinking lights is definitely indicating some type of hardware failure.  My first guess is either cpu or power supply issues).