Help! Imac popping.

[juliea]

My Imac 333 just started to make this popping sound like a cricket and the screen will sometimes blink (like an old degauss button). It still works and starts, but the sound seems to be getting more frequent as well as the degauss type thing. Is this a sign of bad things to come?

Thanks for any help/advice.

Julie

[Hypernate]

I can't be sure, and I'm not a technician or anything, but I'd guess that the popping sounds are from the monitor, seeing as that's also displaying another problem.

Maybe the monitor on the blink? Get Apple to check it out.

[edX]

popping and cricket sounds are 2 different things. many cricket sounds are the sign that the drive needs to be defragmented. i suggest using Diskwarrior to amke repairs first and then plus optimizer to defrag. get them from www.alsoft.com

[kendall]

This has nothing to do with the HD. This is a known issue with CRT iMacs.

For some reason I can't find the Knowledge Base addressing this issue but I have come across it before. If you have AppleCare, I suggest calling up and having your iMac serviced.

Good luck.

[WoLF]

I had the problem also! I let it go on without messing with it or getting it fixed, and my monitor went out, DEAD!

Get it fixed as soon as possible, before you get in the same boat as I was.

edit: I had the same exact iMac as you have.

[Gwailo]

If your monitor does die, you'll have a hard time accessing your data (I don't think that model has firewire...)

So back up now!

[juliea]

Thanks, I think it is something to do with the monitor as it blinks or winks like someone almost cut the power, though it's not dim or anything. If it does go or if I take it in, is there something I can tell the tech so I don't sound like an idiot or get taken? It's not under Applecare (I inherited it from my brother-in-law).

If it does go, is it worth fixing? I see these 333mhz going for around $250 on eBay. How much should I be prepared to pay to fix it?

Thanks guys!

Julie