27" iMAC - post here if you flicker post firmware update

[dambox]

I have a 27" i7, 8Gb memory. I have had the machine for @ 8 days and had experienced the tear/flickering after 2 days. I was advised to do the PRAM reset which seemed to stop it.

Last night I applied the firmware update successfully. Today, I spent the morning working in iPhoto.

I CAN CONFIRM AT THE FIRMWARE DOES NOT CURE THE FLICKERING

While I am sitting here typing the screen is flickering every 20-30 seconds. It varies from the odd flicker in an area of the screen to the whole screen flickering. I can also confirm that I have just has the screen tear 10 cm from the top of the screen, icons have shifted to the top of the screen.

I took a screen shot - but that seems to not be effected by the graphics problem. I will see if it happens again and post a picture with the system profiler showing with the ROM version

Update 1

I have taken a picture of the screen with the "tear" corruption - also with the profile settings showing the upgraded Graphic rom in the picture:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2539/4205297361_ac964390de_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2485/4205297555_af7494c177.jpg

[iMacKeung]

that's damn bad...hopefully it works with others...

[Drzed]

Yep same here. Firmware seems to have minimised the flickering (certainly not as severe or frequent post update) BUT I have had at least a dozen shot lived flickers since the update today.

So I don't think it is the solution we were all waiting for...

Personally, given this is already a replacement i7, will probably be pursuing a refund at this point....don't think I can keep doing this machine swapping forever.

[fukuhela]

I received my i7 last monday and all was perfect (except for a slightly yellow tinge, which doesn't bother me at all) until it started flickering friday/saturday (can't remember). But the flickering isn't severe (not anything near the clipse I've seen posted on youtube), and if I play a movie it doesn't flicker AT ALL.

Last night I installed the firmware update and all seemed fine - no flickers. However I've only used the computer for appr. an hour, so it's to early to say whether the flickering has come to a full stop or not. But I'll keep testing during the christmas holidays...

Have any of you noticed that during some task that the screen stops flickering - like I've noticed while playing a movie?

[dambox]

I think the behaviour is very similar to me. In order to get rid of the flicker I did a PRAM reset. The system now seems stable as it was before the firmware update. I have the system on all morning. I believe something is causing the card to get unstable - I believe a software issue. Temperature on box has been stable

[fukuhela]

If mine hasn't stopped the flickering I will certainly try to reset the PRAM, thanks. I might even do it even if flickering has come to a stop - I guess it wouldn't do any harm...

[OasisNYK]

I am not home so I havent done the update yet but I did not have flickering prior to this.

Where did you get that background? Its awesome

[dambox]

The background is one of the default ones with snow leopard. Located in nature I think

[beepy]

My youtube video of the vertical displacement problem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZGKUDcW1AY) post-firmware update.

This machine has had its video card replaced, its display replaced, and its v-sync cable replaced. This is driving me nuts and costing me way too much time for a $2000+ machine,

[nuwonda]

My youtube video of the vertical displacement problem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZGKUDcW1AY) post-firmware update.

This machine has had its video card replaced, its display replaced, and its v-sync cable replaced. This is driving me nuts and costing me way too much time for a $2000+ machine,

amen. i sent mine back and got a full refund, I will stay away from anything with ATI inside henceforth...

[stonemann]

amen. i sent mine back and got a full refund, I will stay away from anything with ATI inside henceforth...Is this flickering screen issue not happening to the base iMac with nVidia card?

[J&JPolangin]

...too bad, sorry to hear it didn't help many of you...

[tsugaru]

Mine hasn't quite been fixed by the update.

My display will just blank (power off) then turn back on after a second.

It's pretty annoying during WoW.

Odd because my iMac i7 didn't do this prior to the firmware update.

[lexvo]

In an other thread someone mention his flickering problem was solved after he installed the firmware-update and did a PRAM and NRAM reset after that.

[fukuhela]

As posted in the title my machine doesn't flicker after the update of the firmware. However the flickering wasn't so severe in the first place, and usually started after an hour or two, so I don't feel 100 percent certain that it is all over. But it seems to be over :p

[knewsom]

There should be a poll in this thread.

[peskaa]

Just had a flicker after update, so looks like I'll be accepting my replacement when it comes in Jan.

[Elektronick24]

the update doesn't work for me! I'm still having the flickering problem.... Damn this is annoying when play a game. I waited for this update for weeks... ill have to send back the computer for exchange and wait two weeks... i already waited 3 weeks for this one. at least it is worth it

[nyguy4u]

I have a week #49 i7. I must be in the minority here, because i've never had a flickering problem in the 3 weeks i've owned this machine *knock on wood*

I don't want to open a can of worms, but being my iMac is perfect so far, I'm not downloading this patch. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Maybe it's because I never have the screen at full brightness? At full, it's too bright for me - so I keep it at 50%

[DarwinOSX]

amen. i sent mine back and got a full refund, I will stay away from anything with ATI inside henceforth...

Not using ATI is no guarantee. Nvidia cards have had issues too.

[gb1631]

Well, my i7 is back from the Apple store. I picked it up tonight as the cable and screen they tried to order wasn't available for a while. They did run some stress checks, on the iMac and couldn't get it to flicker.

I had them install the firmware update and after it was installed had them reset the Pram.

So far so good, I have had no flickers or blackouts since starting it up it's been on about two hours now.

I'm hoping that the flicker is fixed now; however I will be monitoring the screen closely! :rolleyes:

My iMac i7 never did have any of the other problems outlined on the myriad of threads on the i7's problems.

[dambox]

I was advised by apple exec relations to swap the iMac while I am in the 14 day period. I have done that. As I am able to keep it until the other has arrived that is not too bad a deal.

[Stupider]

I had no flicker on my i5 (although I had seen the tear once or twice after using a fullscreen game in Windows 7 bootcamp). Did the firmware update. Now every half hour or so the desktop (not windows or dock or menubar) goes black for about 15 seconds. Tried resetting PRAM - no change.

The machine has been otherwise perfect, and this is a minor problem, and the first one in a month of use. But I'm still a bit irritated.

Edit: This is not related to the update - it's my Ubuntu VM trying to run a screensaver in unity mode. So put me back in the no problems before, no problems after camp.

[dambox]

Views please. I have just recieved a week 48 replacement for my week 5o machine at the start of this thread. My initial reaction is to reject it and have left it unpacked. I guess I was expecting a 51 or 52 box with assumption that quality control build would be improved. Am I being unreasonable ?

On a seperate issue if the packing slip is correct it is 4gb memory short anyway which would explain the rapid delivery.

[IJBrekke]

Mine is a little worse post-update :mad:

[Semimorphus]

I have not experienced any flickering since doing the firmware update :)

Sorry to hear the update hasn't been working for others :(


UPDATE: The screen went off and back on for a brief second and it has flickered once in the lower portion of the screen, bottom line, the firmware update hasn't fixed anything :mad:

[atlatnesiti]

i7 here - week 47, delivered on Nov 23 and NO issues.
I have applied firmware update and still NO issues :)

[MacDaddy2007]

I have a CTO 27" i7, week 51, and did not notice the flicker pre-update, but i very quickly updated everything when i first turned it on so cannot say whether it was there beforehand or not.

Regardless, it is now flicking with 3" horizontal bars in different sections of the screen persistently once every 1/2 minutes and I just had my first screen blackout for 3-4 seconds of complete blackness. It is completely unusable.

I waited 2 months and 1 day exactly for my mac which I ordered on 21st October and was consistently delayed.

To say i am dissappointed would be any enormous understatement, and despite my love for Apple and significant involvement with their sales in the UK, I am EXTREMELY upset.

This is my 7th Mac over the years and this will most definately be going back, and never had to do that before.

This is completely unacceptable for something that costs over £2000, apple should be ashamed given the number of users suffering.

Must do better Apple!!


UPDATE :-

So I just spoke to Applecare in the UK about the screen flickering issue on my Imac 27" 2TB i7 which persists and I believe only started after i installed the update.

The Applecare representative confirmed it was a known issue and that if the Imac was still flickering after the update(which it is) then it was a hardware fault.

I pressed him on the issue and he stated very specifically that for most users the issue is a software fault relating to the graphics card that can be fixed via the update, but that for others, if the update does not fix it, then it is a hardware fault not relating to the graphics card, but to the backlight itself.

I have not heard the backlight being discussed on the forum as yet as a source of the flickering so interesting to see what you think.

Either way, Apple said it would need to be replaced


P.S - Interestingly upon power up this morning I have not yet had any flickers, although must have had 100+ yesterday.

The Imac is very cool today at the top on the back, which was extremely hot yesterday when the flickering was occuring. Anyone else noticed the same thing? Could it be heat related?

[Dino1956]

Yes the Nvidea 21.5 has the issue. I own one. I not only have Yellow Tinge but Screen Flicker as well. It took 5 days before it started to Flicker. It's NOT the ATI card!

[peskaa]

P.S - Interestingly upon power up this morning I have not yet had any flickers, although must have had 100+ yesterday.

The Imac is very cool today at the top on the back, which was extremely hot yesterday when the flickering was occuring. Anyone else noticed the same thing? Could it be heat related?

Mine is similar. Sometimes it just won't flicker and behaves, and other days it just goes in to a frenzy.

[jddar]

Mine is similar. Sometimes it just won't flicker and behaves, and other days it just goes in to a frenzy.

Same here. It was puzzling. After the update, I had a trouble free day and a half. Then my i5's flickering and blackouts started again -- they usually started a couple of hours after start up or waking from sleep. The flickering was much more often than the occasional blackout.

Waiting for my 2nd replacement, Apple received and completed my RMA on Dec 31 and have an estmated ship date of Jan 13. I sure hope it ships sooner than promised. I really, really miss that computer! Aside from the difficulties and as I've said before, it was the best computer I've ever owned (first Mac).

I have to say Apple Support has been excellent. I feel very confident they will make this right.

[8of9]

P.S - Interestingly upon power up this morning I have not yet had any flickers, although must have had 100+ yesterday.

The Imac is very cool today at the top on the back, which was extremely hot yesterday when the flickering was occuring. Anyone else noticed the same thing? Could it be heat related?

Hi from Spain, my iMac 27" arraived on january the 7th, and has pre-installed graphics patch, but my screen when runs too hot (for example after installing big programs on HD) starts flickering.

So I think flickering problems my be relationship with a cooling issue :S

Regards 8of9

[BATTLE BORN]

my week 47 started flickering 4 days after purchase.
I just exchanged it for a week 53 (week 1?) and I'm hoping for the best.
I'll post back here if I continue to have problems.

Edit: the guy next to me was in there with the same issue. his was a week 2 according to his serial number.

[GradientMac]

My iMac is flickering like crazy- the firmware update was preinstalled.

Edit: I reset my PRAM and NVRAM. It's not flickering anymore.

[HDH]

Week 53 i5

-brought it home, turned it on, 15 minutes later heavy flickering on the first day, disappeared after restart

-4 days later did it again

-worked ok for a week .... using it 15+ hours a day NO PROBLEM
it was back again today after starting it up for 5 minutes

Conclusion: it CAN'T be a heating issue if I've been using it 15+ hours a day for a week with no problems, it's always happened to me a few minutes after I started the computer

[gb1631]

If you still have flickering after the firmware update, you should get a new screen and cable installed! It fixed my flickering! ;) :apple:

[WilliamG]

My week 2 iMac i7 didn't even have a firmware update to download, even after a fresh reinstall of OS X, unless I didn't notice it when I did the updates? Usually firmwares requite special permission and all that stuff... Did I not get it or are I dumb?

[SaSaSushi]

My week 2 iMac i7 didn't even have a firmware update to download, even after a fresh reinstall of OS X, unless I didn't notice it when I did the updates? Usually firmwares requite special permission and all that stuff... Did I not get it or are I dumb?

The firmware update (http://support.apple.com/kb/DL984) was released on December 21st, 2009 so your week 2 machine shipped with it already applied.

As for me, I never had a flickering issue with my week 47 i7 so I have yet to apply the patch and no plan to do so.

[Dennisjorgensen]

Me too, but i have only seen it in wow, and only really the last couple of days, not before. but now its tearing really bad and it flickers too. not just at high but low settings. fps are 60 - 110.

Im starting to fear the graphicscard is crapping out allready.

i got the i7 mid december.

Anybody else have it like me? i dont have any probs in safari or any osx. seems to be gpu related.

[tomwalters5678]

I bought my 27" i5 iMac back in December and experienced some screen flickering, I then installed the patch and it seemed to disappear. However every so often it comes back and is really bad, flickering every 10 seconds or so and every minute the dock jumps to the top of the screen.

This is really odd, I had my machine on all day and it was fine, but I switch it on this morning and after only 3 hours or so the flickering begins.

I really like the computer, but after spending so much money on my first Mac, I'm beginning to wonder if it was worth it...

Do we know of any other possible cures besides sending it back? I've got AppleCare but I really cannot be without my computer for a week.

This is really annoying and I never experienced problems like this that I coulnd't easily fix with my PC. Oh yes, and I have reset the PRAM to no avail.

[1340mike398]

Did it happen to be the SSD Drive causing the problem? I had no problems with the display until I installed the SSD Drive.

Well, my i7 is back from the Apple store. I picked it up tonight as the cable and screen they tried to order wasn't available for a while. They did run some stress checks, on the iMac and couldn't get it to flicker.

I had them install the firmware update and after it was installed had them reset the Pram.

So far so good, I have had no flickers or blackouts since starting it up it's been on about two hours now.

I'm hoping that the flicker is fixed now; however I will be monitoring the screen closely! :rolleyes:

My iMac i7 never did have any of the other problems outlined on the myriad of threads on the i7's problems.