This one’s kind of complicated because of the SSD upgrade you plan to do, you may just want get a bootable USB stick of El Capitan to install on both of the machines. As for upgrading the OS on the HDD, all you need to do is click on the Apple Logo at the top left side of the screen, click on software update, and let it download the updates. After that, click on “Show more” and make sure it doesn’t install the Airport of iLife Updates, as it will not be able to update if you try to install those. You may need to repeat that step a couple of times to make sure Snow Leopard is fully up to date, but when it is follow this link on Safari while on the machine: https://apps.apple.com/app/os-x-el-capitan/id1147835434?mt=12 This link should take you to El Capitan’s download page on the App Store, from there all you need to do is download and install El Capitan. If you need more App Support after that, I recommend using the MacOS Catalina patcher, which walks you through and lets you install Catalina on unsupported...
This does seem really strange, have you tried swapping SSDs with a known working machine? I had a mac that was doing that same thing once without the thunderbolt display, and it turned out to be the SSD failing on me. I recommend you back up your data as soon as possible whatever you might do, as it’s near impossible to get data off a dead SSD.
Unfortunately after thoroughly examining and diagnosing the board and finding absolutely nothing that looked wrong or was shorting at all, I have decided that the best course of action is to buy the best compatible motherboard for it (a 3.06ghz T9900 motherboard to be specific). After disassembling it I figured out I actually had been scammed by the seller as well, as the CPU was a 2.66ghz CPU, and not the 2.8ghz CPU that was advertised, not like it mattered though, as the board was completely dead for some unknown reason. I should also mention that I bought this computer as-is specifically to repair, too, so it’s not like the seller was going to accept returns. Anyways, I want to thank everyone that tried to help in this situation, I really, really appreciate it.
Did you try opening it up and checking the soldering points to make sure that there all in tact? That will most likely be your problem. I have a few more ideas of what the problem is if that was not it.
I've tried blowing dust out of the port in mine and spraying condensed air into it. It turns out that the 1st gen fuze is so old that it doesn't recognize anything above windows 7 as a computer. Try getting and sd card so that you can still sync up with the music. That's what I do now.
Sounds like death. Sorry. Have the same exact problem. The ribbon cable inside probably tore. Just to be sure though I would open it up and make sure the ribbon cable didn't just slip out of place. Contact me @G171Ben in twitter if you have another problem or... maybe it didn't work
Try prying up the plastic separating the back from the front but BE CAREFUL of the ribbon cable holding the trackwheel in place and GENTLY unhinge the ribbon cable so you can get the front panel off. Not that you're inside look for all of the screws and unscrew them. After that you should see the battery. Cut the positive (red) wire holding into the motherboard and than let it discharge by attempting to turn it on. Leave it for five seconds and then proceed to strip the positive wire and put it back together after that put electrical tape on it and re- assemble the fuze and than try to power it on. It should work. Contact me on twitter @G171Ben if this didn't work. It sounds like you just got moisture inside it and it just needed a discharge.