Hello everyone,
I have a wonderful mid-2011 iMac that I really like. Two days ago we had severe thunderstorms here in Tennessee and there were several power outages. The following day I went to turn on the iMac and it would not power on. Nothing, zero, zilch, nada! Absolutely no signs of life. My first thought was a fried power supply and I was quite frustrated. Repairing an iMac is not the easiest thing to do. Getting the front glass and then screen off is tedious.
Turns out I didn’t have to. Here is the fix:
1) Unplug the iMac power cable from the back of the machine (not from the wall or power strip outlet)
2) Push in and hold the iMac power button for five seconds
3) Release the iMac power button
4) Plug the iMac power cable back into the back of the machine
5) Press the iMac power button normally. The machine will now startup
6) Be happy and breath a sigh of relief!
Best wishes,
Randy The Tech Professor
9:39 pm on July 9th, 2018 1
U are the greatest. Had a power outage, called Apple support, nothing worked…then your suggestion and voila the computer is working again!!!
2:13 pm on August 23rd, 2018 2
Randy! This worked!!! Both my wife and I are breathing again!!! I do not kow how or why this worksbut it did!!!!
Thanks you very very very much!
8:40 am on October 12th, 2018 3
Works! Just tried that after “Michael” 2018
2:49 pm on November 26th, 2018 4
You’re a life saver!!! Thank you!!! All the other tricks I found in the web didn’t work!
3:13 pm on December 26th, 2018 5
Thank you, Thank you. Whew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5:26 pm on January 2nd, 2019 6
Thank you. Used this to fix my Mac after power outage the other day.
Thought my Mac was gone!!!! But this fixed the problem!!!
8:51 pm on February 11th, 2019 7
Thanks so much! We just had a brief power outage during the Seattle Snowstorms and my Mac wouldn’t turn back on. Now it’s fine!
1:03 am on May 12th, 2019 8
Nope! Still got nuthin! And I have my iMac plugged into a strip with a circuit breaker too. Everything else plugged into the strip came back on when the power was restored, but can’t get the computer to turn on still.
8:02 pm on May 16th, 2019 9
Hi Solcalcde,
Try plugging the Mac directly into the wall outlet. Then repeat the entire process once again.
If still nothing, could actually be a blown power supply (not too difficult to fix).
Best wishes,
Randy
11:17 pm on June 18th, 2019 10
Thank You Professor ! It took three tries but it worked! Much appreciated
Best Regards, Greg
8:08 pm on December 22nd, 2019 11
Thank you so very, very much! Yes, same situation here with a power outage, and yes, this trick worked! Mac was slow to power up fully, and the keyboard is blown. But the Mac is OK. Thanks again.
Best wishes always,
John
7:48 am on December 24th, 2019 12
omg i love you you helped meeeee
3:51 pm on January 15th, 2020 13
Fantastic!! It worked. Thank you so much!!!!
9:01 am on February 3rd, 2020 14
Great !!!!!! Its working… Thankyou you;)
11:47 am on February 7th, 2020 15
It worked Thank You!
4:43 am on March 27th, 2020 16
It doesn’t work help please
6:10 am on March 29th, 2020 17
I tried this with the computer plugged directly into the wall and it is still not coming on. Any other suggestions?
5:52 pm on April 3rd, 2020 18
Hi, My problem is a little different. After power is restored my Mac MIni shuts down, when I try to restart it, it goes through the process but immediately shuts down again. In the past I have figured out what to do but now I can’t remember. I tried your suggestion, that didn’t work. Help.
5:56 am on April 9th, 2020 19
So, how hard is it, to fix the blown power supply, other fix not working
8:30 pm on April 15th, 2020 20
I have the same problem (for the 2nd time) and the above solution is not working. The last time I had this, I had to spend $700 on a new power supply and logic board from Apple. I will most likely fix it myself this time though with the help of a few Youtube tutorials
9:16 am on April 16th, 2020 21
Wow – worked just like you said! Thanks
10:24 am on April 20th, 2020 22
Hey! I tried this but doesn’t work. It’s plugged straight into wall socket. The iMac turns on, shows a loading bar, gets all the way to the end and then just turns off. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Gerry
6:02 pm on April 20th, 2020 23
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207019
10:32 am on April 29th, 2020 24
I have a 2014 Mac mini…power outage and will not power on. I replaced the internal power supply. I have tried all of the resets and your suggestion here. Is the logic board gone?
9:30 pm on April 29th, 2020 25
Hi Wayne,
BIOS might be messed up. One guy had success with this technique. Give it a try:
Leave the computer unplugged overnight and then press (ALL AT THE SAME TIME) command+alt+p+r in addition to pressing the power button. If nothing happens unplug from the wall for at least 5 minutes and do it all over again.Occasionally you will see a light blinking and then go off. Regardless, do it all over again.
You may then see/hear the start up sound coming on. In this case wait until the gray bar completes or it fails again, or the fan going full blast. Either way let it start until it either stops and the computer crashes, or if the fan is going full blast and you may have the start up screen. If this is the case click on restart (DO NOT CLICK ON SHUT DOWN OR SWITCH THE PC OFF). Imagine, I did this for 4 days until it started initially the gray bar would go half way and then it would crash or the fan would come full blast. I persevered over and over again until at one moment the gray bar went all the way to stat the computer.
10:17 am on May 18th, 2020 26
I believe I have a blown power supply. How does one do the repair at home. Would rather attempt to fix it myself than use a third party Apple tech.
8:54 pm on May 24th, 2020 27
Hello Corinne,
Go to Ebay and order the correct power supply for you model.
Just watch a YouTube video. Type in “Replace Power Supply for (indicate the model of your Apple product).
Follow the video and do it yourself. Good luck!
Randy Knowles
1:14 pm on May 27th, 2020 28
Same here. Only I tried all the steps and it didn’t work. I then tried plugging it in directly to a wall socket. I did the steps and about 5 minutes later it came on!
You should be patient and try multiple times. It’s also possible the surge suppressor or your cord went bad. Try a wall socket. If not try a new cord.
5:23 pm on June 2nd, 2020 29
OMG thank you I thought it was broken!! Thank you!!
9:22 pm on June 13th, 2020 30
Amazing. I had given up. This actually worked.
5:02 am on June 20th, 2020 31
is there a number of times a mac can handle the “power outages”???
in my house we are having issues with the light power, and we have like 3-4 blackouts per month, and the mac is always on (or in sleep mode) and IM VERY WORRIED for the mac!!!!
do you know anything about it? mmm..
THANKS:)
5:34 pm on June 21st, 2020 32
Hi Julian,
Keep your data backed up, and get you one of these: https://rb.gy/02zgwb.
Best wishes, Randy The Tech Professor
1:37 pm on June 23rd, 2020 33
This worked great on my iMac and here I thought I knew it all about Macs.
Thanks!!!
6:20 pm on July 8th, 2020 34
I tried what you said and it worked like a charm. Thank you so much! God bless you!
7:14 am on July 22nd, 2020 35
Brilliant! – even worked on 2007 iMac!
10:43 am on August 1st, 2020 36
Had the power outage but my computer will allow me to put in my password then gets half way through the indicator bar (I guess that’s what it’s called lol) then shuts back down. Please help. 🙏🏻😁
6:22 pm on August 1st, 2020 37
Hi Christina,
1) Try an SMC reset.
2) Try starting up in Safe Mode.
3) If neither of those work boot into Recovery and Reinstall Mac OS.
4) If none of those work take it to an AASP (Apple Authorized Service Provider).
Best wishes,
Randy
4:11 pm on August 4th, 2020 38
Amazing. It works!!! My PC booted up.
Can you explain why this happens?
Thanks so much
10:31 am on August 5th, 2020 39
Worked like a ,charm!!
9:49 am on August 10th, 2020 40
Hey Randy.
I have an old iMac, 2009 I think. Mine’s not responding to your tips. Plus the lights on my keyboard and mouse are flashing. Any other suggestions?
Many thanks
10:55 am on August 10th, 2020 41
Me again. Very happy to say I am now up and running again. Thanks a lot. Have a great day :)
3:23 pm on August 17th, 2020 42
so I am confused, what if you can’t unplug the chord from the iMac desktop?
9:57 pm on August 21st, 2020 43
Hi Rebecca,
Just pull a little bit harder. The power cord will come out.
10:00 pm on August 21st, 2020 44
Hi Sarah: Glad to hear that you are “up and running” again.
Best wishes!
11:01 am on August 28th, 2020 45
Genius!!! Thank you!
12:10 pm on September 8th, 2020 46
Tried this twice – get a white screen with Apple on it – nothing else – now what?
2:37 pm on September 11th, 2020 47
Hi Jennie,
A faulty hard drive can cause a white screen to appear. Use the Disk Utility to make repairs by following these instructions: Restart your Mac, then press and hold down the Command R keys when you hear the start-up chime. Release the keys when you see the Apple logo.
Best wishes
4:32 pm on September 11th, 2020 48
I had a power cut today and now my mac screen is black and i don’t think the mac is booting up at all. The light on the mac is on as is the screen light but i’ve not heard the chime when i pulled the plug on the mac (it won’t reboot no matter how long i hold the power button down for so the only choice is to unplug and the power light comes straight back on when i replug in before i even have chance to turn the power on?? out of ideas of what to do :( help?!
10:13 pm on September 17th, 2020 49
Hi Sarah,
Take a look: https://blog.macsales.com/42655-what-to-do-when-your-mac-wont-power-up-at-all/#:~:text=Hold%20down%20the%20power%20button,outlet%20and%20wait%2030%20seconds.
Let me know how it goes,
Randy
2:59 pm on September 19th, 2020 50
This method worked on my iMac 2011 (!!), but the keyboard and mouse are no longer connected. I’m staring at the logon screen but have no way of entering the password! So frustrating! Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you very much!
Carolyn
6:53 pm on September 19th, 2020 51
Hi Carolyn,
Try plugging in a wired keyboard and mouse and restart the computer.
Good Luck.
Randy
9:34 am on September 20th, 2020 52
Aha! The old word “Think” comes to mind. Definitely worth picking one up.
Thank you!!
Carolyn
9:38 am on September 20th, 2020 53
Hi Randy,
I thought there might be a magical way without picking up a wired keyboard, but it’s clearly a good idea to have one around.
Thanks again!
Stay well.
Carolyn
1:31 pm on October 12th, 2020 54
We had a power surge here yesterday morning, a transformer nearby our house blew. Today I try starting my imac and it’s dead. No signs of life whatsoever. I’ve tried everything in the comments aside from leaving it unplugged for a day. I have no backups. I am very depressed now. Any other ideas of what I could try?
3:00 pm on October 12th, 2020 55
Hi Tom,
I’m sorry to hear about the power surge. Was the iMac plugged into the wall when the power surge happened?
Was the iMac on or actually running? Let it sit for awhile and try again. If nothing, it may be a blown power supply which is not hard to replace.
Your data is still safe as I doubt anything negative happened to the hard drive. Best wishes.
Randy
9:45 am on October 22nd, 2020 56
Plug in the power cord while simultaneously pressing and holding the power button on the back of the computer.
— Let go of the power button.
— Press the power button once more to start up your iMac.
This worked for me. Hope it helps someone else.
8:22 am on October 23rd, 2020 57
Thank you! Thought my 2010 iMac was done. This worked! Thank you so much!
2:22 pm on November 6th, 2020 58
Just worked for me thank you!
2:55 am on November 12th, 2020 59
Still does not fire up. I have to leave mine unplugged for at least an hour then if I am lucky it will fire up or just leave it unplugged for about an hour hopefully it will then fire up.
5:00 pm on November 24th, 2020 60
it worked!thanks
4:41 pm on November 25th, 2020 61
Hello. I recent found out my 2011 iMac that “broke” over 2 years ago is now working. It was power issues and also because the operating system was broke. If you live in a craphole like me, keep trying different outlets, start it up without RAM installed, and keep trying to boot into recovery(command + R). Each computer is different but sometimes persistence pays off.
6:31 pm on November 25th, 2020 62
Thanks Sean. Great tips!
6:54 am on December 6th, 2020 63
Hi! My iMac 27″ 2013, wont start. I hear a faint attempt to start (fan starts for 0,5 seconds then shuts off), but doesnt go past that.
I have tried:
1. Unplugging from back of computer for 10 seconds then replugging, tried the same for about an hour.
2. Unplugging and holding down power button for 5 seconds, the replugging.
3. Holding down cmd+alt+r+p and trying to power up.
4. holding cmd+r and trying to power up
5. holding down D and trying to power up.
The farthest i get is the fan trying to start, then shuts down…
Any ideas?
9:34 pm on December 7th, 2020 64
Hi Eric,
My idea: Power Supply
Check this out: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iMac+Intel+27-Inch+EMC+2639+Power+Supply+Replacement/20247
Best wishes,
Randy Knowles
12:26 pm on December 8th, 2020 65
You are the star!
1:27 pm on December 8th, 2020 66
Thanks Laura!!
3:45 pm on December 15th, 2020 67
Hello,
We have been using a Mac Mini as a host for home automation for 3 years. After a power outage a couple of days ago, it turned off and we cannot turn it back on. We tried unplugging it and as soon as we plug it back on, it is trying to start itself (without pressing the power button) with light on for about 15 seconds and then it turns off. Then, I tried unplugging it, pressing the power button for 10 seconds and plug it back while still holding the power button. In this case, as soon as I let the power button go, the fan turns on (without the light) and again, turns off after 15 seconds. Since it was used as a host, I don’t have a monitor or keyboard for it. I do have Mac Pro separate. Would you have any suggestions?
Thank you in advance,
Pavel
9:25 pm on December 16th, 2020 68
Hello Randy,
Thank you for your promp reply and information.
I’ve tried many times but, so far, hasn’t worked.
I was able to start it in recovery mode which took me to the disk utility. After trying to restart, the same thing keeps happening.
For some reason it seems that the hard drive is full and first aid also fails.
Thanks.
9:28 pm on December 19th, 2020 69
Worked first time like a champ, thx
7:26 pm on January 13th, 2021 70
Wow, this totally worked! Thank you so much!
2:46 pm on January 14th, 2021 71
Hi Paul,
Sounds like you need a new Hard Drive.
Best wishes,
Randy
11:30 pm on January 19th, 2021 72
Remarkable. Thank-you very much.
1:48 pm on January 23rd, 2021 73
I didn’t believe it until it worked. Huge.
10:37 pm on January 23rd, 2021 74
Oh ye of little faith!
3:31 pm on January 27th, 2021 75
I cannot believe that worked! Thank you.
5:03 pm on February 1st, 2021 76
Echoing many other comments here. I have no idea why that just worked … but it did! Thank you!!
3:09 am on February 3rd, 2021 77
Thanks for this. I left my iMac unplugged over the night and the morning it opened just fine. Good tip for the future.
1:30 pm on February 7th, 2021 78
I’m amazed!!!! Worked like a charm!!!! Thank you!!!!!
3:24 pm on February 8th, 2021 79
Randy,
This worked on my mid-2010 Mac, but just once, which allowed me to make some key transfers from the old machine to a new 27″ Mac. So, thanks for that! There is, however, some older software on the old machine that I’d like to keep using, namely the Adobe CS5 suite and Acrobat Pro. New versions of those require a subscription, and I don’t use the programs enough to justify paying for a subscription. So I’d like to resurrect the old machine. Do you think the old machine probably just needs a new power supply? I’m inclined to try replacing that myself. If it’s a faulty power BUTTON, however, that’s something I wouldn’t attempt, based on the tutorials I’ve seen on YouTube. I can purchase a power supply for $149. Do you think the problem is likely the power supply?
Thanks very much,
Chris Keledjian
3:29 pm on February 8th, 2021 80
Randy,
I swear to God, just communicating with you must be some sort of magic. I just tried the “trick” again, and it worked again! I wish I could depend on it working from now on. I’m mystified!
Chris Keledjian
3:36 pm on February 8th, 2021 81
Now I’m mystified that my previous comment about it only working once has disappeared as well as my question about whether the likely culprit is a faulty power supply or a broken power button.
Chris
11:41 pm on February 14th, 2021 82
Brilliant
10:14 am on February 19th, 2021 83
Thanks
6:05 pm on March 3rd, 2021 84
Hey man, I´ve had the same issue before, when that happened I unplugged the iMac and left it laying flat on a bed, screen facing down…I was going to take it to the repair center but for some reason I tried plugging it again and it worked…ever since whenever that happens I just left it unplugged for a few hours laying flat, and then it works again…after reading your post I think I´ll try your solution next time and so I´ll save a few hours!!!!
9:21 am on March 11th, 2021 85
You are best.. Brillant.. worked for me.
4:30 pm on March 16th, 2021 86
On my 2007 Mac… it worked!!! But when it came on there was this loud fan sound. Never heard that before ever. I tried restarting it but it logged out and did not boot up and the fan sound continued. So I pushed the button and boom it booted up and the loud fan sound was gone. All seems to be working A-OK now. Thanks so much!
11:40 am on April 5th, 2021 87
U are a legend!!!! Thank u so much!!!!🎉🎉🎉
7:35 pm on April 29th, 2021 88
I thought all was lost for good…thank you so much!
9:58 pm on April 29th, 2021 89
You are most welcome. Glad you got it going again.
8:01 am on May 5th, 2021 90
Worked perfectly on my 2009 iMac. I had to unplug it from the wall instead of the computer but it still worked in one try. Thank you so much!
5:54 pm on May 9th, 2021 91
You saved the day. The suggestion on Apple didn’t work, but yours did!
7:41 pm on June 27th, 2021 92
I think I love you Randy!!! 😂😂😅😅 Thank you!!
1:10 am on June 29th, 2021 93
This worked perfectly! Thank you so much
9:50 pm on June 30th, 2021 94
Well done Randy! Saved the day. Thanks pal
8:38 am on July 16th, 2021 95
Lifesaver Randy Thanks
9:03 am on July 26th, 2021 96
Works for MacMini too! Thank you!!
4:23 pm on August 1st, 2021 97
OMG. It worked!!!! It is also a 2011 iMac. Thank you, you are a genius!
Now I will plug into a surge protector from now on.
12:33 am on August 9th, 2021 98
OMG. Such a simple fix. 4 years later, your solution fixed my imac after a power surge.
THANK YOU!
6:29 am on August 10th, 2021 99
Fantastic thanks
4:39 pm on August 10th, 2021 100
Can’t thank you enough🙏🏻✌️
6:21 pm on August 12th, 2021 101
Thank you, Randy!
9:52 am on September 16th, 2021 102
The unplugging and pressing the button for 5 seconds isn’t working for me. The transformer blew last night and it was so loud. This imac from 2011 is the only device to seem to be affected. I have it unplugged now and hoping letting it sit unplugged overnight will help???
7:29 pm on September 21st, 2021 103
Try it again Melissa following the instructions to a “T”.
It is possible that your 2011 iMac needs a new power supply.
They are inexpensive and quite easy to install.
Best wishes,
Randy Knowles
8:37 am on September 27th, 2021 104
Still saving people from heartbreak 4 years later. Lol thanks so much for this. I have a 2009 iMac that I still use and wouldn’t want to upgrade. Amazing how this machine can still pull its weight and then some. I run a lot of audio software and I’m always surprised at how flawlessly it handles all of that. So, suffice to say, I was so glad to find this post and even more grateful that it worked. Hero of the day!
9:43 am on October 6th, 2021 105
Thank you very much, its working! :))
9:19 am on October 28th, 2021 106
THANK YOU!!!! 😭
9:51 am on November 9th, 2021 107
This is the second or third time these instructions have saved me; I, too, have a 2011 iMac that goes dead as a door nail after every power outage. Stupidly, I had bookmarked this page — on the iMac! But fortunately I found it again today, and now have both printed out the instructions and put them on my phone.
3:17 pm on November 10th, 2021 108
Hi Jonathan: Glad that this method has worked for you. Instructions should be safe on your phone.
Best wishes,
Randy Knowles.
5:56 pm on November 26th, 2021 109
Thank you!
11:04 am on February 9th, 2022 110
I just plugged in an old imac 21 2006 ish and when I pressed the power button there was noise like a fuse blowing and a slight smell of burning so I thought it had burned out so before I dumped it I visited this forum and tried your method and it came back to life ! Thank you !
11:05 am on February 9th, 2022 111
tried your method and it came back to life ! Thank you !
11:31 am on February 19th, 2022 112
You’re still saving people with this trick. Thank you!!
1:26 pm on February 26th, 2022 113
Hey Randy,
I was doing the latest Apple Security/Software update (on 2-21-22) and lost power in the middle of the update. Now, when I start the computer I can feel air off of the fan, but nothing other than my USB mic powers up (I can tell because there is a light on the mic), but the screen never comes on and the mechanical keyboard that I use (plugged into the iMac) doesn’t light up or work? Will the unplug method work for this or do you think it’s something else?
9:35 pm on February 28th, 2022 114
Hello James,
By all means try the method as described. Also try a PRAM reset:
Shut down your Mac, then turn it on and immediately press and hold these four keys together: Option, Command, P, and R. You can release the keys after about 20 seconds, during which your Mac might appear to restart. On Mac computers that play a startup sound, you can release the keys after the second startup sound.
Good luck,
Randy
10:24 pm on March 2nd, 2022 115
Worked on 2nd attempt for my IMAC 27″.Thank you Randy!Promote yourself to Legend status!!
4:02 pm on March 6th, 2022 116
Wow, this thread is a true lifesaver. Found it when I searched for help after my 2011 iMac was impossible to start after being in sleep mode during a power failure that happened at night. Your first simple solution didn’t work but when I tried the thing that Miguel suggested (placing the Mac face down overnight and connecting power cord directly in wall socket) my iMac started again today. Absolutely love you guys, thanks a lot!
1:27 am on April 13th, 2022 117
Buddy, you’re my hero! Never in my dreams would I have thought this would help, and I was almost going to discard my machine!
Really happy I happened to read your article! And thank you from me and all the others who found your post helpful. We are grateful for this, and for your workaround!
Cheers mate!
9:59 pm on April 15th, 2022 118
Glad this worked for you GB!
Cheers also to you mate!!
9:09 am on May 10th, 2022 119
Hi there Randy
We have tried the 4 button reset on keyboard with the power button on our iMac, and the computer is still as dead as a Dodo, with no noise or lights. We have probably done this about 10 times – P + R + Alt + Command with power on button. I plugged the iMac directly into the wall socket to bypass the extension cable too. We just bought a new power cord for the iMac too, to check if this had been damaged when the original issue occurred.
Still hopeful but thought we would reach out for help or other ideas, as this literally happened out of the blue. One minute the iMac was fine, and then it just went off without warning and we have not been able to get it to switch on. I do believe the issue is related to the power, but do not know what to do next? Apple are calling the device VINTAGE, as it’s a late 2013 model, but it was hardly used, so it’s very strange that it just stopped working?
Any thoughts/ideas would be appreciated? Thanks :)
12:49 pm on May 12th, 2022 120
This method still works!! Thanks, a ton. No other sequence made my 2011+ iMac come back, but this one did. Outstanding
11:42 am on May 14th, 2022 121
Randy, you are the guy!! Thank you. Your method worked like a charm!!
7:42 am on May 24th, 2022 122
Thank you so much, Randy – this worked! So grateful!
7:11 am on June 7th, 2022 123
Thank you
It worked perfectly
9:55 pm on June 7th, 2022 124
Glad it worked for you Robert!
Best wishes,
Randy
7:10 am on June 12th, 2022 125
Randy,
Thanks so much for this! I have a conference tomorrow and have some files I haven’t put into the cloud yet, so I was getting really worried. This worked like a charm!
4:34 am on July 5th, 2022 126
WOw! you just saved me a couple of hundred dollars!
11:07 am on July 14th, 2022 127
Wow that worked on my 2020 iMac 27″! We had a power outage as well. iMac started but then flashed and shut down. It was plugged into a good surge protector that also went out at that point. That surge protector was plugged into a really powerful surge protector which seems fine. Glad to have found this fix!
1:14 pm on July 15th, 2022 128
Hi Vern,
Glad the fix worked for you but I must tell you: You should never plug one surge protector into another. Surge protectors don’t always come with directions. Many people aren’t aware that there is a right way to use these devices. When you piggyback one surge protector onto another, you’re creating hazardous electrical issues.
Best wishes,
Randy
8:56 pm on August 6th, 2022 129
Unplugging from the BACK of the unit is absolutely NO different from unplugging from the wall socket, there is no special switch or circuit in the back of imac’s and the cord is just an extension to the outlet. The reason this works on most computers (PC’s as well) is that you are dissipating the capacitors and clearing faulty codes stuck in the BIOS / CMOS. Holding the power button is the first thing to try for at least 10 seconds (with the power cord unplugged from EITHER end to assist with a clean reboot if you’ve had any trouble starting up. Just wanted to clear that one bit of information up, thanks and good luck.
8:49 am on September 5th, 2022 130
It worked! I have a late 2011 iMac and there was a power blip from a storm the other day in Nashville. Went in to update my iPod (main reason I’m still using this computer), and nothing happened. Tried your solution a few times while plugged to a power strip and nothing. I finally plugged it into a wall outlet and it worked the first time. I had to hold the power button for a bit of time though, as if I was force restarting. Thank you so much for the solution.
8:34 am on September 12th, 2022 131
You are the best! Totally worked and save me from just going straight to tearing it apart. Thank you so much!
6:54 am on September 15th, 2022 132
THANK YOU!
This really saved a lot of trouble and money.
5:25 pm on October 3rd, 2022 133
So, we had our lights ‘flicker’ several times during a storm. Afterwards, our (2011-ish) iMac would turn on – load only about ⅔ way along the bar, then turn black (shut down).
Attempted the CMD+ALT+P+R Many, many, many times. Each time I tried, the start up ‘bong’ would occur over an over again about 5 – 10 times, then finally the Apple would appear, and load about ⅔ of the way, then shut down. I did this over, and over again (if you’re trying this method… keep trying).
Finally, I saw a black screen with ‘code’ writing all down the page. At the bottom it said, “To boot type: $exit, so I typed ‘exit’. But that must have been the wrong choice as it began loading more code, then shut off. I took several pictures of this code.
Now, (again, after so many attempts) 1. I see a white screen with an earth turning 2. I entered my network info, and 3. I see a loading bar with a clock underneath with 24:00. So maybe another 24 hours?
I am going to wait. But any feedback would be appreciated if you see something pertinent here. Thanks so much!!
Andrea
10:21 am on October 4th, 2022 134
Hi Andrea,
Give this a shot: It’s called Single User Mode (you may need to repair your hard drive)
Turn you Mac off if it is on. You can also hold the power button down until it shuts down if needed.
Press the power button and then immediately press the Command (cmd) and the S key together and hold till you see a black screen with white writing.
If the Mac goes into Single User mode successfully then you will see the following at the bottom of the screen:
“If you wish to boot the system: Exit”
“:/Root#”
Type this command in exactly as you see it here (with a space between the k and –), then press Enter:
fsck -fy
If it comes back “command not found” then try again and check the spelling and spacing.
Once you have done this, you will have white text scroll down the screen.
If the machine is fine or cannot find the issue it will say at the end:
“The Volume Macintosh HD appears to be OK.”
If it does find some issues, you will get either of these messages:
“Macintosh HD has been repaired.” or ”Macintosh HD has been modified.”
It may give additional details with what has caused the issue if the drive cannot be repaired.
If you get any errors then you can try running Step 4 again a few more times.
If these steps do not work then it may need to have the operating system re-installed or a repair carried out by Apple.
3:59 am on October 13th, 2022 135
Thanks my imac had crashed due to faulty kettle fusing the whole house. Wouldn’t work properly until I followed your advice.
9:33 am on November 9th, 2022 136
Hi Randy,
My 2003 MAC OS X won’t turn on after a power surge. The computer was in sleep mode. This happened once before and your fix worked. This time nothing I do works. Do you have any suggestions? I know this MAC is old but it has been a “workhorse” for me.
1:16 am on November 15th, 2022 137
When people say they left their Mac unplugged for hours or overnight do they mean unplugged from the wall or unplugged from back of the computer? Being specific would help a lot of us. I’m still trying to get my old iMac back to life. Thanks!
2:24 pm on November 20th, 2022 138
People most likely mean unplugged from the wall outlet. Try this: Unplug from back of computer. Hold down power button for five or six seconds. Re-plug into back of computer and try to start normally. I’m assuming this is an iMac.
7:47 pm on November 28th, 2022 139
Worked for me 😄
12:21 pm on December 2nd, 2022 140
I have the 2003 OX Mac Panther. I did unplug from the back of the computer and the wall outlet. I held down the power button 6 seconds and re-plugged. No luck. I have done this several times. I ended ordering a new power cord. That has not helped either. Is there anything else I can do to start this computer. Thanks
2:31 pm on December 8th, 2022 141
Hi Janice,
You may have a bad power supply or a bad motherboard. A 2003 machine is extremely old. Could also be a bad hard drive.
Do you see any lights come on? Do you hear any fans running? It was good to try another power cord but I see you had no luck.
Give it another shot unplugging from back of computer only and lets hope for the best! May be time for a new computer.
Best wishes,
Randy
7:10 pm on January 11th, 2023 142
Hi Randy we had a power cut the other morning I have older Imac when turning back on it gets 2/3 of the bar start up and turns off. I have tried the unplug from back of machine and power on and I have tried restart with commd S and still nothing any help would be appreciated please… desperate!!!
8:34 pm on January 25th, 2023 143
Hi Kelsey,
You need to diagnose the hardware in your iMac. You can solve the problem by restarting the Mac while holding down Option+D. This will start an internet-based hardware test.
This test will tell you if there is a hardware issue and then you can act accordingly. Might be a bad hard drive. Let me know.
Randy
12:04 am on May 28th, 2023 144
Hello,
This method has worked a few times since I have bought my 24” iMac in December. Been doing a few room rearrangements and would first shut down the computer then turn the surge protector that is used off and unplugged. I had trouble powering on and your method worked. However for some reason, the second time the computer was moved (shut down, unplugged and then replugged), this method would not work. I’m not sure why. Both instances were identical. I’m getting it serviced soon but any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
6:07 pm on May 28th, 2023 145
Hello Michal,
Go through the process again but plug the iMac directly into a wall socket.
Do not use the surge protector. Give it a try and good luck.
Randy
2:22 am on June 7th, 2023 146
May we add our own grateful thanks to the multitude? Sooo simple, yet sooo effective.
4:02 pm on June 18th, 2023 147
This help was invaluable! I thought my 2020 IMac was dead after some electrical problems. Following your tips, and plugging directly into a wall socket, got the computer operating again, thank goodness! I was able to determine that the additional problem was with the surge protector, which apparently suffered some damage. Thanks so much for this site! ☺️
5:06 pm on June 18th, 2023 148
Good for you Debra. I have two 27″ iMacs and I really like them.
I was hoping that Apple would continue the 27″ iMac (M2 chip maybe), but so far it doesn’t
look like it.
Best wishes,
Randy
12:06 am on July 9th, 2023 149
Hi Randy, I have a 2012 iMac that wont turn on even with these tips. I was wondering if you think its a lost cause now because… I’m not sure if it was in sleep mode or switched off completely during the power outage. If it was in sleep mode it had been that way for a few months at least (I had a bub and things got crazy :D ). It had a spinning drive, and due to its age and limited use over the last two years maybe it just gave up? I can’t pay for repair and I’m not even sure if i need anything on it badly enough to pay for such, but I did love it a lot! If you have a chance to share your thoughts that would be so helpful, thank you. Cali
9:25 pm on July 9th, 2023 150
Hi Cali,
Sorry about your 2012 iMac. Try the fix again following the exact instructions. Plug the iMac into a wall outlet not a power strip. Make sure that the wall outlet is working properly.
The power supply may have actually been damaged. You can replace it by getting a used one from ebay – of course you would need someone to install it.
Even though your screen does not come up, do you see any signs that power is getting to the iMac? Do you hear any sounds?
It would not cost much to have a repair guy just diagnose the problem – then at least you would know what the issue is.
From afar I cannot diagnose. May be a hard drive issue, may be a memory issue, may be a screen issue. Is the iMac 100% dead?
Make sure you pull out the power cord from the back of the iMac. When you plug it back in, make sure that it is fully seated.
Wish I could help you more. Let me know how things go.
11:08 pm on July 27th, 2023 151
Hi Randy, I had a power outage today due to the powerboard in our house short circuiting.. prior to coming to this website, I tried similar scenarios from some YouTubers – none of them worked. Tried with the power board, with the wall socket – no luck. IMac gives no signs of life whatsoever… no noise, no light – nothing.. when the power outage happened, the Mac was running and I was watching a video on it. I’m not sure about the exact age of it as I bought it second hand but I believe it’s either 2013/14 and apart from it being slow after the iOS update, it was working pretty good. Any help would be very much appreciated, as I’m feeling quite desperate! Thank you 🙏
4:00 pm on July 31st, 2023 152
Hi Alina,
Sorry about your iMac. Please carefully follow the instructions again and make sure that you then plug the iMac into a good wall power source.
If you see nothing happening at all then it could be a memory problem. Remove one memory stick at a time and try to power on.
If you still have no luck, then it could actually be a fried power supply. They are not very expensive on ebay but you would have to find someone to install it.
I doubt seriously that it is the actual power cord, but it would not hurt to try another one if you have another.
Sorry but it is very hard to diagnose from afar. Are you in the United States?
Best wishes,
Randy
2:49 am on August 4th, 2023 153
Hi Randy,
Thank you for your suggestions 🙏 I don’t have any memory sticks inserted but I will try to see if other methods may work. I am in Australia.
Best regards,
Alina
2:32 pm on August 4th, 2023 154
Hello Alina,
I am referring to the memory modules that are inside the iMac (as opposed to a USB flash drive).
Remove one at a time and attempt to restart the iMac (open the memory compartment door by pressing the small grey button located just above the AC power port).
Best wishes,
Randy
8:24 pm on October 17th, 2023 155
Hi Prof Randy,
Thank you so much! The method really works for my iMac 2011 too! Just that my iMac needs overnight to work (happened twice), and it works even plugging into an extension, not direct wall socket. Your sharing is indeed a life saver!
The first time it happened, I thought it’s caused by another fried power supply issue (I have changed my power supply once), and I dare not turn off my iMac once I can turned it back on. I leave it on 24/7, only put to sleep when I’m not using it. After reading your sharing, I think it could be just causing by the sudden power shortage, and maybe I can power it off like normal? This is better than I keep it on 24/7 and only put it to sleep right?
Thank you again for such great tips!
Best regards,
Ng
9:04 pm on November 25th, 2023 156
wow thank you this worked !!
5:24 pm on December 3rd, 2023 157
Thank you, this happened to me yesterday and the fix worked.
11:09 am on January 10th, 2024 158
Just in case this helps someone, I just tried this with my iMac after a power outage. Did not work the first two tries. Then I decided to unplug all peripherals (external drives) except for the keyboard/mouse. Then I unplugged the power from the back of the iMac and held the power button for 5 seconds. After that it worked.
5:07 pm on January 30th, 2024 159
There is a surge protector button above the power jack. Sorta like the reset button on your kitchen outlet. Find another regular power cable, one where the connector doesn’t have a round “cover”. Plug in that cable to the wall and computer and hit the reset button.