Blueberry 2nd Gen iMac White screen, crinkling noises, no startup chime? What is wrong?

Froggy814

Tinkerer
May 6, 2026
147
42
28
Squaw Valley, CA
I got a iMac G3 today and went to power it on as a test, and I heard a crinkling noise coming from the inside and there was no startup chime. Which was not unexpected considering the person I bought it from said that it didn't work. Research indicates either the PSU or the Flyback transformer is bad for the crinkling noise and that the no startup chime is a dead PRAM battery. But I want second opinions before tearing into a lethal case. (PSU and CRT can be deadly if handled improperly.) I beleive the hard drive spins up, but cannot be 100% certain. Any help would be appreciated to get the middle man working in my collection! Thanks!
- Froggy