I have a late 2006 24" iMac with the nVidia 7300GT GPU, 4GB RAM and 500GB HD.

It is starting to fail. It is displaying video artifacts on the screen, lines, etc. I think that the display is fine but the video card is failing. It is probably time to replace it. Is there a way to use just the display without using the CPU? Can I connect a Mac Mini to it? It seems a waste to buy a whole other computer with display when I just need a new CPU.

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Nothing to see here, move along.

No. There is no easy way to repurpose the display. If the iMac was still working properly, there are apps that can repurpose the iMac as a network display ( ScreenRecycler as an example [www.screenrecycler.com]).

Have you asked Apple or certified repair center for a repair quote?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2012 12:41PM by silvarios.

Pretty sure you can replace the video card in that iMac, but the process is time consuming and you need a specific type of card.

That was what I was finding online too. I hate to see that large monitor go into e-waste. I did get 6 years out of it, but still, that seems like getting rid of a whole set of tires because of a cracked windshield.

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Nothing to see here, move along.

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silvarios
Pretty sure you can replace the video card in that iMac, but the process is time consuming and you need a specific type of card.

If it was already on the way out, this is what I would do. Unless it's exorbitantly expensive what have you got to lose?

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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity

Yep, you can replace the video card, if you can find one. Last time I checked (probably 4 years ago) the whole repair ran about $300 with parts and labor. I did that on a 24" iMac 2.16 that is still in use today...

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StingMe

So where does one look for a 6 year old GPU that is integrated into an iMac? eBay?

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Nothing to see here, move along.

i'd start by looking at ifixit and then check ebay

24" White you can replace the video card. 20" you cannot. You can get a card on ebay for about $150 if you can do it yourself. Otherwise around $400 for the repair.

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C(-)ris

If you have to chuck it and it has a Core 2 Duo CPU in it, a, early Mac Mini owner could use the chip. Removing it is a pain but there may be a local someone interested in removing it for that chip.

As the owner of a Core Solo Mac Mini, I appreciate that Apple still removable CPUs in these machines.

[www.ifixit.com]

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[www.giyf.com]