Making a Franken-G3 iMac... swap Mobo, or PAV Board?

[Paul F.]

I've got three G3 iMacs with dead PAV boards, but 500-600mhz Motherboards...

I've got Four G3 iMacs with GOOD PAV boards, two marked "Bad Mobo" (by someone else... I got them both to boot just fine, but no further testing) and two that are missing RAM and HD. All 4 are 450Mhz DV models.


Question before the house is this;
To build "good ones" out of leftovers...
Would it be possible to just swap the motherboards? Or should I instead strip the things to their bare bones to swap the PAV boards?

I've done PAV swaps before, and don't much like it... way too many parts, and too much time. (all this is assuming that the PAV boards are the same type, which I have not yet verified...).

[Paul F.]

Temrinology correction:

Logic Board.. according to Apple's manual.
But it's not clear on interchangability of the logic board between models/speeds of iMac DV...

[C(-)ris]

Grim would know this for sure, but I am fairly certain that the motherboards from the 350s up to the last G3 iMacs can be swapped around.

[incognegro]

the faster mobos might fit, but check where the processor is located, i think there's a heatsink that might make it NOT fit.

i recall something like that, anyway.

you're right, a mobo swap is easier than a PAV swap, plus the PAV has to be calibrated to the display.

[The Grim Ninja]

The slot load iMacs are all interchangeable. The processors use a whole-case heatsink. (ie, the heatsink is the entire case chassis, just bolts right up against it). If you had a 350 system, you'd need to swap the port cover too, since they didn't have firewire ports.

[Paul F.]

Thanks Grim, Cris and Incog!

I'll start pulling Mobo's this afternoon...
Hopefully I've still got RAM and HD's enough to put 'em back in service.

[Racer X]

you have the glasses and hairpiece already scoped out?

[mikebw]

yeah, logic board swaps are much faster. Be aware though that some PAV board problems are intermittent so you might want to do some more thorough testing before you make a final decision on the ones marked bad.