How can you tell if iMac is worth fixing or replacing?

I think that mactech is right - if you can't repair it by yourself - please do yourself a favour and forget it, sell the stuff and get a working one.

(here comes a little explanation - thats only my opinion -)

i like the old g5 better than the isight or intel models - all iMacs have their problems - the new ones have also problems.

think about it - 600$ - thats a lot of cash - especially in a country where mac's are kinda bargain, a 21.5" costs 1199$ in the us apple store - the same model costs in germany 1099€ - thats 1484$

- BUT - lets come back to the G5 - i paid for a defective 20" G5 115$ (87€) - shipping included, chaged parts for about 10$ and the beaast was working again - thats a priceclass where i would buy it again, even if a had to do some stuff every 9 month - but that is only my opinion and thats only because i can fix those problems on my own.

if you can't change capacitors or rework the gpu - do yourself a favour and forget it (as i said above)

Even assuming the LB is OK, that computer at this point in time is only worth $500-600, in my opinion. Probably not worth the effort, sadly. What other components are missing? PSs are only about $120 and HDs are cheap. Just wondering what it needs that's worth $600.

I got one working again by changing the caps (not really easy to do) and baked the logicboard 45 min at 140 degree centigrade (not kidding) I know it's kind of a cowboy repair (don't forget to remove the backup battery before you put it in the oven, i did). It works a charm now but i woudn't sell a "repair" like that.