IMAC i7 REFURB just opened the box - FIRST IMPRESSIONS/SERIAL NUMBERS

[rgp19699]

WARNING: IF YOU ARE NOT SUPER "PICKY" ABOUT STUFF, THE BEGINNING OF THIS THREAD IS NOT FOR YOU. It is hopefully for people, like myself, who have never bought a refurbished product before and want to look at every detail. HOWEVER, I DO HAVE AN IMPORTANT QUESTION AT THE BOTTOM, CAN ANYBODY PLEASE HELP ME WITH THAT? THANKS!!!

I thought I might do an "unboxing" of my refurbished iMac 27" for all of you guys who were/are concerned about buying a refurb. At this point in time, the jury is still out. I will update this thread after I turn the computer on. I haven't taken the plastic seal off the display because I want to vacuum first. I am extremely picky, like a lot of us here, and I think it serves to be so when inspecting a refurbished machine.

My first two impressions are NOT GOOD. For those of you who are more "kick back," you might LOL at the fact that I haven't even turned the computer on yet. But I wanted to study the box and packaging to see if possibly I received a "new" refurb like I was hoping for, and the Apple rep (that's a whole other story) thought I had a good chance of getting, too.

Anyway, first two impressions. I have pictures, and I will post them later if anyone wants. But I do want to turn the imac on and run the "yellow tint" test, first. So far, though:

1) BOTH the OS X Install DVD and the Applications install DVD have issues. One has some very fine scratches on it, and the other has a "band," almost a rainbow arc of discoloration on it. WTF? I must admit I've never studied the install DVD's of any computer I've ever gotten before, so I can't really tell if these are indications that the machine is used or not. I mean, a scratch is a scratch. But the discoloration?

2) The box, itself. I CANNOT BELIEVE APPLE WOULD ALLOW A $1699 PIECE OF EQUIPMENT TO BE SHIPPED THIS WAY. The box itself, has dents and crumpled edges. Oh, well. It was when I picked it up off the floor that "it" almost happened. The worst possible scenario. Luckily, I am only 5'3" and not the strongest woman. Because if I had been able to carry the box by the handle all the way to my table and been able to heft it up using just the handle, the computer UNDOUBTEDLY would have fallen through the bottom of the box and onto the floor (or table.) Instead, I had both arms around the box and basically slid it onto the table. (I couldn't lift it any higher, and didn't think I needed to.) When the box got about a third of the way onto the table, I heard the tape "pop" and the entire bottom flaps sprung open. Stuff literally fell out onto the floor. It was just a couple of bags of silica gel, luckily. I quickly slid the computer onto the table and laid it on its side in order to inspect the packaging. The (plain white, btw,) box had been secured by a single piece of THIN packing tape, and the tape was halfway off. I did not have to "razor" it open, or anything. It separated along the middle of the flaps, and with a gentle tug I was able to pull the whole bottom part open. I cannot believe it made it here under these circumstances. It's almost as if the first owner, or computer tech guy scored the tape and then just closed it and nobody noticed it wasn't secure when they reshipped it!! I would LOL myself, but I really want this computer to be as perfect as possible. Anyway, the computer looks fine with a brief inspection. I'll post more later if I find any evidence the imac fell out. One more thing: the silica bags that fell out both had masking tape on them. It looked like they were supposed to be taped onto something but somebody just sloppily taped that part of the tape back onto the bag, itself, so that's why they just fell out.

The question: Re: serial numbers: I know how to read them... I think. :o If mine starts "YD030XXXXXX" does that mean 2009 week 30 or 2010 week 30? I know most of the 2009 imacs that had the problems were the late 40's weeks. Could someone help me with this? Also, should I be concerned about using the disks? The scratch is tiny, but the other thing is weird (the discoloration.)

[Dwhite78]

*whispers* Go turn it on and see if it works.

[vespoli]

Wow.

http://www.cre8asiteforums.com/forums/style_emoticons/others/popcorn.gif

[rgp19699]

lol at Vespoli.

[LAPTOPODO]

I hope after turning it on you forget about the package and the little scratched dvds...

Well, so much work would cost to send it on the typical iMac boxes??

Waiting for your news :)

[Freis968]

I am probably pickier than you, that is why I always, ALWAYS, buy electronics brand new...never used or refurbed.

From the way you are I am shocked :eek: you even considered a refurb.

Nevertheless, I hope it turns out ok for you, I am always rooting for my fellow Mac brothers and sisters...:)

[SkyMasterson]

Dude you're an amateur. To be really picky about stuff, you NEED to buy new, otherwise you aren't that picky.

[Sun Baked]

They should send you a new set of DVDs, complain about it.

They should ship them free, or swap them at an Apple Store.

Obviously, when if they say it'll be $19.95 shipping, just announce that you plan on wiping the drive and since the Restore DVDs don't work -- it will turn the machine into an instant DOA order.

Mine weren't just a few scratches, mine looked like they hosted a Office Hockey Tourney with them. And the above speech worked instantly when they wouldn't handle it under the Warranty.

[mmomega]

http://www.appleserialnumberinfo.com/Desktop/index.php

put your serial number in and it will tell you EVERYTHING about the computer.

[J&JPolangin]

...how did you have the machine shipped, it sounds like shipping damage to the outside of the box = being at an FPO, we get a lot of shipping damanged boxes:eek:

[Tobster3]

Dude you're an amateur. To be really picky about stuff, you NEED to buy new, otherwise you aren't that picky.

Sometimes people cant afford to buy a new one!

[LAPTOPODO]

Dude you're an amateur. To be really picky about stuff, you NEED to buy new, otherwise you aren't that picky.

I think that in 3 months won't be any big difference beetween a reburb (in good condition) and a new one :)

[newdeal]

This has toe the most funny thing I have read in that you mention the DVDs and box and not the shape of the computer itself. All boxes will have damage from the shipping company. They are stacked, moved, probably hit by large sorting arms so yeah the box gets damaged. As for the DVDs put it in and see if it works. Also who cares if week 30 is prone to yellow screens or not. Turn it on if the screen is yellow send it back

[macpro2000]

From my experience refurbs as usually pretty nice however it appears as though quality control has gone down the last few years.

[rgp19699]

Some of you guys are missing the point. There are a lot of people who are curious about what a Refurb might look like when it comes.

And in terms of the box, I really wasn't concerned about the dents, etc. But to pick up a $1700 computer, and just by luck, not have it fall out of bottom of the box is terrible quality control.

I know the thread is kind of funny. I just wanted to know how "old" the machine is by seeing how I could check the serial number. Then I decided to add the other stuff. Only those who have never watched an unboxing on youtube may comment negatively. ;)

Anyway, thanks, mmomega, that's really what I was looking for. I'd still like to know if wk #30 is 2010's week 30 or 2009's week 30. I was never this way until I started reading MacRumors, I swear!

Btw, I still haven't plugged the machine in, yet. I just now finished dusting for fingerprints and am just waiting for the forensic analysis on the styrofoam to ascertain its age.

[Kristenn]

Wow! I am really picky myself. And honestly, to whoever said someone that buys refurb is an amateur... bugger off. Refurbs (if refurbed well or taken care of) can be just as good as a brand new computer for less. Sounds smart to me.

I would LOVE to see pics! Sorry about the box n stuff. That must totally suck =/

I'm a bit surprised Apple didn't fix up a nice box for it.

[Horus]

:rolleyes:

[Freis968]

Btw, I still haven't plugged the machine in, yet. I just now finished dusting for fingerprints and am just waiting for the forensic analysis on the styrofoam to ascertain its age.

HaHaHa, Ok Quincy, better have Sam run a gas chromography test on it while you are at it!

[Blu-Ray]

Here it is straight up. I don’t think you will be able to get over this misfortune. My suggestion is that you send it back for a full refund as soon as possible and buy a new one. If at all possible, get one at brick and mortar so that you can have a squeaky clean non-battered box with brand spanking new discs and properly fastened silica. Trust me. You are better off not putting yourself through this stress.

I'll chalk this off as my pro-bono advice for the year. :cool:

[rgp19699]

Thx, Kristen. ;) And mmomega; that is a great resource, thx.

On the other hand, some of you guys wouldn't recognize "tongue in cheek" in a 10X mirror.
LOL at the Quincy reference. I used to love that show. CSI's got nothin' on Quincy. Did you hear they're bringing back Hawaii 5-0? The Asian guy from "Lost" is going to co-star.
Btw, for whomever asked, I had it shipped via FED-EX. And ya, it was pretty banged up; (and I don't really care as long as the goods are... well... good,) but it was literally another two steps away from falling through the bottom. Ok, enuf of that!
I think SkyMaster, or whoever said I wasn't truly picky because I even considered buying a refurb... *sssh...* but I think s/he was kidding...
I just turned it on. It is one big sucker. And the screen is gorgeous... of course, I won't really know until I test it and see if it's yellow.

[Ravich]

My first two impressions are NOT GOOD. For those of you who are more "kick back," you might LOL at the fact that I haven't even turned the computer on yet. But I wanted to study the box and packaging to see if possibly I received a "new" refurb like I was hoping for, and the Apple rep (that's a whole other story) thought I had a good chance of getting, too.

Really? I mean... seriously? What the hell was he going to tell you? Oh well, at least he did his job by getting you to buy it.

[juicejumped]

I'm not sure but...you were asking if the imac was a week 30 2010 build?

I'm new to understanding Apple's build procedures...but week 30 of 2010 has yet to happen...So you could probably cross that out.

[rgp19699]

Ravich, I don't know what your problem is... that was just a passing comment. I wasn't putting down your special Apple salesman. When I said "that's a whole other story," I was referring to something he really did screw up. It turned out okay in the end, though, because customer service gave me a free trackpad and overnight shipping because of it. :D
Boy, some people just love to piss on other people's threads, don't they? Even if they don't know what they're talking about. :rolleyes: They'll just make some arbitrary comment anyway. LOL

Ok. Thread closed.

Love my imac. If anyone wants to know what the final lowdown on what I think of my refurb purchase, PM me if you want.

[rgp19699]

Missed your post, Juice. Week 30 is in July. (I looked at the site mmomega referenced.) And didn't the previous generation, or refresh, or whatever it was, come out in September? So I actually think it was just built. I read where it happened to somebody else, too, but I forget where. :o

[SkyMasterson]

Thx, Kristen. ;) And mmomega; that is a great resource, thx.

On the other hand, some of you guys wouldn't recognize "tongue in cheek" in a 10X mirror.
LOL at the Quincy reference. I used to love that show. CSI's got nothin' on Quincy. Did you hear they're bringing back Hawaii 5-0? The Asian guy from "Lost" is going to co-star.
Btw, for whomever asked, I had it shipped via FED-EX. And ya, it was pretty banged up; (and I don't really care as long as the goods are... well... good,) but it was literally another two steps away from falling through the bottom. Ok, enuf of that!
I think SkyMaster, or whoever said I wasn't truly picky because I even considered buying a refurb... *sssh...* but I think s/he was kidding...
I just turned it on. It is one big sucker. And the screen is gorgeous... of course, I won't really know until I test it and see if it's yellow.

Oh wow I just got back to this thread from my first first and yea I didn't mean to come off as an ass. I knew I should have put the :p in there at the end. I'm glad you got what I meant though.

Anyway yea if someone were truly picky they would have purchased new :p but from what I hear buying a refurb is practically new.

I hope your screen isn't yellow. I plan on ordering mine in the next week and I'm debating whether if I should even bother doing the yellow test. One of those things where ignorance is bliss haha.

[rgp19699]

The yellow comment was a joke, Sky. I will test it, but just to see if there are any broken pixels; the way it was handled.

[sinar]

I think you should just turn it on a see what it's like, it might be a perfectly good one.

I've just had a similar problem, I received my 27" i7 refurb yesterday, it's the first refurb I've bought and I won't be buying another one.

The box arrived really tatty, the handle was broken, the box was dented and it had a big gouge in it that almost went through the cardboard, I did not worry to much when I received it as I assumed it would be double boxed, and was surprised to see when I peeled of the small amount of tape the iMac was directly inside the grubby damaged box.

I was worried that the iMac might have to dented or the screen broken but was happily surprised when i took it out, all looked well, I gave it a good look over and the only problem I could see was a small scuff on the foot, not a problem, I'm not obsessed about 100% perfection, I just want a functional machine, so for me, the scuff was a small price to pay for the discount I received for buying a refurb.

When I turned it on I was pleased to see it did not seem in any way damaged by it's ordeal and seemed to work perfectly, however, it has significant yellow coloration on the lower part of the screen, the lower right hand side seems the worst. As I said before I'm prepared to accept less than perfection, but it really seems to be intrusive and noticeable, however, I played with it for an hour or so in the hope that I would get used to it and it would not seem so bad after a while, however, I found it hard to ignore so I packed it up again, and arranged for it to be returned.

At that point I started reading up about the yellow screen problem, and it seemed like most, if not all screens have it in some form or another, I haven't got the patience to go through the rigmarole of returning lots of imacs in the hope of getting a good one, so I considered just keeping the one I'd got. I decided to go to my nearest Apple store and have a look at the new ones to see if they seemed to have the issue, so I drove 30 miles to Meadowhall and played with the two 27" they had, they had the yellow problem, but they were nowhere near as bad as mine.

Anyway, I decided that maybe I was being too picky, so I unpacked mine and tried using it again, I made myself use it for a couple of hours, but the yellow problem just got more and more annoying, so I've packed it up again and it's going back.

Now I'm not sure what to do, I might try a new iMac, it will have to be a lower model as I can't afford a new i7, I think I'd actually be happy just sticking with my 24" now, but a friend wants to buy it off me, they have a G4 iMac and are desperate for an upgrade, so they are really excited about getting my old iMac, and i don't want to let them down.

I"ve just checked my serial number, and mine in a Week 22,

Julie

[nataliamck]

My 27" i7 Refurb is arrving today and I really hope the only problems with it are a dented box and scratched disc.

This thread has made me more confident that I made the right decision and saved over £400 on a refurb model.

[SiMBa37]

This thread is either some big inside joke or some serious insane OCD ramblings. Who buys and receives a new computer without even pushing the on button?

http://www.memedepot.com/uploads/0/207_not_sure_if_serious.jpg

[LAPTOPODO]

This thread has made me more confident that I made the right decision and saved over £400 on a refurb model.

I don't know what to say, the last posts made me a bit insecure about this refurbing... bad experiences seems more important to us when we read them as the good ones... as a good experience on the buy of an expensive iMac should be the normal thing.

[nataliamck]

I don't know what to say, the last posts made me a bit insecure about this refurbing... bad experiences seems more important to us when we read them as the good ones... as a good experience on the buy of an expensive iMac should be the normal thing.

Well I won't get to see my iMac until I get home from work tonight but I will let you all know how my experience is.

However, I must warn you that a slightly dented box or scratched discs will not bother me in the slightest. Apple can't ensure new or refurbished product boxes won't get damaged during delivery.

[fhall1]

c'mon.....turn the darn thing on already.

[LAPTOPODO]

c'mon.....turn the darn thing on already.

LOL ..it's funny because you're right :D

[rgp19699]

Okay, okay! I did turn it on, obviously. Then i had dinner and thought I'd let the thread die because people were just being negative for the sake of being negative.
Despite the condition of the box, the computer looks perfect, cosmetically. The screen looked great, too. However, after I played around a while it started to look yellow. (Like a lot of other people's have.) In fact, when I move this window with its white background to the top of the screen it looks good, but I can see a distinct shift as I lower it. Rawr... I hope my eyes are just playing tricks on me. It's late where I am, gonna sleep, then do the test tomorrow.

Still hoping for the best. By the way, for everybody else... the primary purpose of this thread was to find out where the information on the serial number was. MMomega answered the question. The other stuff about the condition of the box was just a side note. Got it?

And Simar, my box was very much like yours, I just didn't get into that much detail. I also thought there would for sure be an inner box, but i was more shocked by the fact that the whole bottom of my box fell open. :rolleyes: Not sure about the quality control of these refurbs...

[alent1234]

WARNING: IF YOU ARE NOT SUPER "PICKY" ABOUT STUFF, THE BEGINNING OF THIS THREAD IS NOT FOR YOU. It is hopefully for people, like myself, who have never bought a refurbished product before and want to look at every detail. HOWEVER, I DO HAVE AN IMPORTANT QUESTION AT THE BOTTOM, CAN ANYBODY PLEASE HELP ME WITH THAT? THANKS!!!

I thought I might do an "unboxing" of my refurbished iMac 27" for all of you guys who were/are concerned about buying a refurb. At this point in time, the jury is still out. I will update this thread after I turn the computer on. I haven't taken the plastic seal off the display because I want to vacuum first. I am extremely picky, like a lot of us here, and I think it serves to be so when inspecting a refurbished machine.

My first two impressions are NOT GOOD. For those of you who are more "kick back," you might LOL at the fact that I haven't even turned the computer on yet. But I wanted to study the box and packaging to see if possibly I received a "new" refurb like I was hoping for, and the Apple rep (that's a whole other story) thought I had a good chance of getting, too.

Anyway, first two impressions. I have pictures, and I will post them later if anyone wants. But I do want to turn the imac on and run the "yellow tint" test, first. So far, though:

1) BOTH the OS X Install DVD and the Applications install DVD have issues. One has some very fine scratches on it, and the other has a "band," almost a rainbow arc of discoloration on it. WTF? I must admit I've never studied the install DVD's of any computer I've ever gotten before, so I can't really tell if these are indications that the machine is used or not. I mean, a scratch is a scratch. But the discoloration?

2) The box, itself. I CANNOT BELIEVE APPLE WOULD ALLOW A $1699 PIECE OF EQUIPMENT TO BE SHIPPED THIS WAY. The box itself, has dents and crumpled edges. Oh, well. It was when I picked it up off the floor that "it" almost happened. The worst possible scenario. Luckily, I am only 5'3" and not the strongest woman. Because if I had been able to carry the box by the handle all the way to my table and been able to heft it up using just the handle, the computer UNDOUBTEDLY would have fallen through the bottom of the box and onto the floor (or table.) Instead, I had both arms around the box and basically slid it onto the table. (I couldn't lift it any higher, and didn't think I needed to.) When the box got about a third of the way onto the table, I heard the tape "pop" and the entire bottom flaps sprung open. Stuff literally fell out onto the floor. It was just a couple of bags of silica gel, luckily. I quickly slid the computer onto the table and laid it on its side in order to inspect the packaging. The (plain white, btw,) box had been secured by a single piece of THIN packing tape, and the tape was halfway off. I did not have to "razor" it open, or anything. It separated along the middle of the flaps, and with a gentle tug I was able to pull the whole bottom part open. I cannot believe it made it here under these circumstances. It's almost as if the first owner, or computer tech guy scored the tape and then just closed it and nobody noticed it wasn't secure when they reshipped it!! I would LOL myself, but I really want this computer to be as perfect as possible. Anyway, the computer looks fine with a brief inspection. I'll post more later if I find any evidence the imac fell out. One more thing: the silica bags that fell out both had masking tape on them. It looked like they were supposed to be taped onto something but somebody just sloppily taped that part of the tape back onto the bag, itself, so that's why they just fell out.

The question: Re: serial numbers: I know how to read them... I think. :o If mine starts "YD030XXXXXX" does that mean 2009 week 30 or 2010 week 30? I know most of the 2009 imacs that had the problems were the late 40's weeks. Could someone help me with this? Also, should I be concerned about using the disks? The scratch is tiny, but the other thing is weird (the discoloration.)


i've handled CD's and DVD's since the mid 1990's. they all have scratches and discoloration. the actual disc is inside a plastic housing which is supposed to scratch and protect the disc.

[alent1234]

This thread is either some big inside joke or some serious insane OCD ramblings. Who buys and receives a new computer without even pushing the on button?

http://www.memedepot.com/uploads/0/207_not_sure_if_serious.jpg

one time my mom bought a TV in the winter time and was afraid to turn it on for like an hour because she thought the TV was too cold and needed to warm up.

someone i know who is 70 has had a cell phone since the late 1990's before everyone else had them. 10 years ago he used to turn it off and only turned it on to make calls. it had free long distance which was cheaper than Bell Atlantic.

this same person also had a laptop since the late 1990's. he bought a dell inspiron for $3000 or so, back when Dell had Apple's margins. he took a computer class because he was afraid to use it.

old people are so funny sometimes

[SiMBa37]

one time my mom bought a TV in the winter time and was afraid to turn it on for like an hour because she thought the TV was too cold and needed to warm up.

someone i know who is 70 has had a cell phone since the late 1990's before everyone else had them. 10 years ago he used to turn it off and only turned it on to make calls. it had free long distance which was cheaper than Bell Atlantic.

this same person also had a laptop since the late 1990's. he bought a dell inspiron for $3000 or so, back when Dell had Apple's margins. he took a computer class because he was afraid to use it.

old people are so funny sometimes

OP can't be that old, her handle is 19699, which I assume means she was born in 1969, which would put her at 41 y/o which isn't old at all. I think she's just as neurotic and batty as Meg Ryan's character in When Harry Met Sally.

[Blu-Ray]

OP can't be that old, her handle is 19699, which I assume means she was born in 1969, which would put her at 41 y/o which isn't old at all. I think she's just as neurotic and batty as Meg Ryan's character in When Harry Met Sally.You think the OP is batty now, wait till she reads this:old people are so funny sometimes :eek: <runs>

[nataliamck]

Ok, so I got home and got my refurb unboxed and I'm typing from it now :D

The first thing I will say is that the OP may have been a little dramatic about it but my iMac was not well packaged either. There was a rip in the box and it was only single boxed so good thing nothing bad happened to the iMac itself during delivery.

Now, moving on swiftly. The iMac itself is amazing! There is no scratches, no yellow tint, not even a fingerprint on the machine. The mouse and keyboard look as good as new also. I am so very happy right now that I went for a refurbished model and I sincerely hope that this thread will not discourage anyone from buying a refurb. My attitude is that if there is a problem, it will be going straight back.

I do understand that when you pay huge amounts of money you expect perfection, but at the end of the day I didn't pay for the box... the machine is perfect.

Edit: Also my serial number is 74028Hxxxxx. Is that a 2010 build or am I misreading the code?

[Ravich]

Ravich, I don't know what your problem is... that was just a passing comment. I wasn't putting down your special Apple salesman. When I said "that's a whole other story," I was referring to something he really did screw up. It turned out okay in the end, though, because customer service gave me a free trackpad and overnight shipping because of it. :D
Boy, some people just love to piss on other people's threads, don't they? Even if they don't know what they're talking about. :rolleyes: They'll just make some arbitrary comment anyway. LOL

Ok. Thread closed.

Love my imac. If anyone wants to know what the final lowdown on what I think of my refurb purchase, PM me if you want.
Sorry for peeing on your thread.

[appleman108]

holy jeeze, that serial number link is neat
it even tells you the current value of your mac

i've had a 23" refurb cinema HD display that's been flawless
for 5 years

:cool:

[OliverOSX93]

one time my mom bought a TV in the winter time and was afraid to turn it on for like an hour because she thought the TV was too cold and needed to warm up.

someone i know who is 70 has had a cell phone since the late 1990's before everyone else had them. 10 years ago he used to turn it off and only turned it on to make calls. it had free long distance which was cheaper than Bell Atlantic.

this same person also had a laptop since the late 1990's. he bought a dell inspiron for $3000 or so, back when Dell had Apple's margins. he took a computer class because he was afraid to use it.

old people are so funny sometimes

back when I got my first family pc (2000 I think) my grandad wouldn't let me touch it for 2 days, and even when he did let me on it the keyboard was off limits for some reason XD

[rgp19699]

n/m

[wpwj40e]

Got my i7 refurb today - a few fingerprints on the back near the power switch, an itsy bitsy, teeeny tiny scratch in the upper left corner just off the actual screen, about 1.5 mm in length and thats it. Everything else working well. No yellow, whistle weird noises etc. I'm happy. Can live with the prints and the scratch I can no longer find, have to really look for it.

Even after having 24 for the past year or 2 the 27 is big, I mean huge...LOVE it. Screen is AMAZING!!!! Speedy machine and with the $$$ saved will throw another 8gig of ram in. Just thrilled with my refurb! Edit...Forgot to include serial number shows build is week 28 2010.
Therese

[rgp19699]

Well, I'm not that good at this sort of stuff, but it looks like I have the dreaded yellow tint problem pretty bad.
Just so I know I followed the right procedure; I did the gray bar test. I thought there was some yellowing, but I wasn't sure. So, I took a picture and it became much more obvious. Then I cut and pasted the bottom bars and put them directly under the top bars.
http://att.macrumors.com/images/attach/jpg.gif
What do you guys think? I'm bummed. I hope I did it right. Despite my angst over the crummy job they did boxing, it didn't cause this, obviously. My eyes are bad anyway, does anyone think it's acceptable? I had to resize it.
Thoughts? I'll be back in a half hour.

[SiMBa37]

Well, I'm not that good at this sort of stuff, but it looks like I have the dreaded yellow tint problem pretty bad.
Just so I know I followed the right procedure; I did the gray bar test. I thought there was some yellowing, but I wasn't sure. So, I took a picture and it became much more obvious. Then I cut and pasted the bottom bars and put them directly under the top bars.
http://att.macrumors.com/images/attach/jpg.gif
What do you guys think? I'm bummed. I hope I did it right. Despite my angst over the crummy job they did boxing, it didn't cause this, obviously. My eyes are bad anyway, does anyone think it's acceptable? I had to resize it.
Thoughts? I'll be back in a half hour.

You could have saved yourself a lot of time if you just turned it on right away. Call Apple, send it back.

[aliensporebomb]

OP can't be that old, her handle is 19699, which I assume means she was born in 1969, which would put her at 41 y/o which isn't old at all. I think she's just as neurotic and batty as Meg Ryan's character in When Harry Met Sally.

What if she IS Meg Ryan?

[SiMBa37]

What if she IS Meg Ryan?

Good God, have you seen her lately? Way too much plastic surgery.

http://www.contactmusic.com/pics/m/sundance_the_deal_240108/meg_ryan_1732551.jpg

[rgp19699]

So, SIMba, am I to assume you agree that there is enuf of a problem to send it back? As I said, my eyes aren't too good, so I was actually looking for some opinions, not just *yawn* not very funny flaming.

[fsron]

I haven't purchased a refurbished mac for several years, so my observation is based on old experience.

Refurbished Macs didn't come in the same retail box. The are repackaged in a different box. I think all the units are thoroughly tested and Serial numbers are changed. I don't know why they change the serial numbers.

At the end of the day it didn't matter. The refurbished unit looked brand new, all of the accessories appeared to be brand new and in new sealed packaging. And it was much cheaper.

I think most have good luck with refurbished.

My last purchase was new, only because I purchased close to the release date and there were no refurbished units yet.

[wpwj40e]

I'm not simba, but if my iMac exhibited the same amount of yellowing it would be back in the box and ready to be sent back. Up to you. If it is something that will bother you over time (past 14 days) I'd say send it back now.

Only you know what your tolerance level is. The teensy itsy bitsy little scratch I have may be more than some people could tolerate. FOr me I could care less - heck I cant even find it without searching for 15 minutes. SO it is livable. For others it may have been an immediate no go.

Good Luck with your decision.

Therese

[rgp19699]

Yeah, I knew they came in a plain white box. And I would be thrilled with this unit if it didn't have the yellow tint problem. I really thought the refurb would work out; I'm not sure if I'll make the same purchase or not. I actually am very surprised it has the problem.

Your information about the change in serial numbers is helpful, though. When I tried the link posted elsewhere in this thread, my serial number was "not found." Hmmmm.....

Does anyone know if Apple sends Fedex to your house to pick up the package when you do a return? And do they pay s/h & insurance? I don't think I can call right now - customer service is closed.

[rgp19699]

I'm not simba, but if my iMac exhibited the same amount of yellowing it would be back in the box and ready to be sent back. Up to you. If it is something that will bother you over time (past 14 days) I'd say send it back now.

Only you know what your tolerance level is. The teensy itsy bitsy little scratch I have may be more than some people could tolerate. FOr me I could care less - heck I cant even find it without searching for 15 minutes. SO it is livable. For others it may have been an immediate no go.

Good Luck with your decision.

Therese

Yep, it's going back. I'm glad yours worked out. I could live with a scratch - as long as it wasn't in the middle of my back. ;)

[rgp19699]

I think you should just turn it on a see what it's like, it might be a perfectly good one.

I've just had a similar problem, I received my 27" i7 refurb yesterday, it's the first refurb I've bought and I won't be buying another one.

The box arrived really tatty, the handle was broken, the box was dented and it had a big gouge in it that almost went through the cardboard, I did not worry to much when I received it as I assumed it would be double boxed, and was surprised to see when I peeled of the small amount of tape the iMac was directly inside the grubby damaged box.

I was worried that the iMac might have to dented or the screen broken but was happily surprised when i took it out, all looked well, I gave it a good look over and the only problem I could see was a small scuff on the foot, not a problem, I'm not obsessed about 100% perfection, I just want a functional machine, so for me, the scuff was a small price to pay for the discount I received for buying a refurb.

When I turned it on I was pleased to see it did not seem in any way damaged by it's ordeal and seemed to work perfectly, however, it has significant yellow coloration on the lower part of the screen, the lower right hand side seems the worst. As I said before I'm prepared to accept less than perfection, but it really seems to be intrusive and noticeable, however, I played with it for an hour or so in the hope that I would get used to it and it would not seem so bad after a while, however, I found it hard to ignore so I packed it up again, and arranged for it to be returned.

At that point I started reading up about the yellow screen problem, and it seemed like most, if not all screens have it in some form or another, I haven't got the patience to go through the rigmarole of returning lots of imacs in the hope of getting a good one, so I considered just keeping the one I'd got. I decided to go to my nearest Apple store and have a look at the new ones to see if they seemed to have the issue, so I drove 30 miles to Meadowhall and played with the two 27" they had, they had the yellow problem, but they were nowhere near as bad as mine.

Anyway, I decided that maybe I was being too picky, so I unpacked mine and tried using it again, I made myself use it for a couple of hours, but the yellow problem just got more and more annoying, so I've packed it up again and it's going back.

Now I'm not sure what to do, I might try a new iMac, it will have to be a lower model as I can't afford a new i7, I think I'd actually be happy just sticking with my 24" now, but a friend wants to buy it off me, they have a G4 iMac and are desperate for an upgrade, so they are really excited about getting my old iMac, and i don't want to let them down.

I"ve just checked my serial number, and mine in a Week 22,

Julie

B4 I get flamed for posting three times in a row... I don't know how to edit my post in addition to putting a quote in.

Julie... I was curious as to your decision. What do you think you're going to buy?

[ndriver182]

Wow.

http://www.cre8asiteforums.com/forums/style_emoticons/others/popcorn.gif

That's exactly what I thought. I think this is taking obsessive compulsive to a whole new level. Sorry OP.

[sinar]

B4 I get flamed for posting three times in a row... I don't know how to edit my post in addition to putting a quote in.

Julie... I was curious as to your decision. What do you think you're going to buy?

Hi,

My refurb gets picked up today, I'm a little bit unsure if I"m doing the right thing, wondering if I was being too picky, I'll be glad when it's gone and the option of keeping it is out of the question.

I think I'll be buying a new 27" 2.8 i5 when i get my money refunded on the refurb, I'm prepared to try a couple of see if I can get one I can live with, otherwise i might have to keep saving and get a Mac Pro, which would be much more costly, but would give me the option of getting a decent monitor, I'll be using my new computer for photoshop primarily.

Julie

[rgp19699]

Hi,

My refurb gets picked up today, I'm a little bit unsure if I"m doing the right thing, wondering if I was being too picky, I'll be glad when it's gone and the option of keeping it is out of the question.

I think I'll be buying a new 27" 2.8 i5 when i get my money refunded on the refurb, I'm prepared to try a couple of see if I can get one I can live with, otherwise i might have to keep saving and get a Mac Pro, which would be much more costly, but would give me the option of getting a decent monitor, I'll be using my new computer for photoshop primarily.

Julie

Yes, I was originally going that route. However, I heard too many bad things about the i5 and so had decided to go with the i3 before the refurb option came up. There was one article, which seemed very credible, which said something along the line of "no i5 is worth it." I guess there wasn't enough of a speed difference between the i3 and i5, among other things.

I think the posts which reference the above are from the day of the refresh, and are in a thread called something like "What kind of imac are you getting?" I remember "thedudeman" and, I believe, "Hellhammer," were posting. If you want, PM me and I'm find the specific thread tomorrow. It's 5AM where I am.

Bummer to have to send it back, isn't it? It kind of takes the excitement out of it. Better that than to have a defective machine, however.

Good luck!

(Hope I didn't make your decision harder.)

[Btom]

Well, I'm not that good at this sort of stuff, but it looks like I have the dreaded yellow tint problem pretty bad.
Just so I know I followed the right procedure; I did the gray bar test. I thought there was some yellowing, but I wasn't sure. So, I took a picture and it became much more obvious. Then I cut and pasted the bottom bars and put them directly under the top bars.
http://att.macrumors.com/images/attach/jpg.gif
What do you guys think? I'm bummed. I hope I did it right. Despite my angst over the crummy job they did boxing, it didn't cause this, obviously. My eyes are bad anyway, does anyone think it's acceptable? I had to resize it.
Thoughts? I'll be back in a half hour.

The bottom of the screen misses ~7% blue, when compared with the top (~5% - ~9%, depending on grey shade and place on the screen).

Tom B.

[dexthageek]

Almost all of Apple's current displays have this problem to some extent. It is NOT a defect, but rather a side effect of the technology Apple used for the backlighting.

If you are not satisfied you have every right to request to a replacement/refund. Just know that you may end up with a machine that is in even worse shape then the last.

[SiMBa37]

So, SIMba, am I to assume you agree that there is enuf of a problem to send it back? As I said, my eyes aren't too good, so I was actually looking for some opinions, not just *yawn* not very funny flaming.
_______________________________________________________________
Last edited by rgp19699 : Yesterday at 11:45 PM. Reason: "Good God?" are you a Brit? Ah... from India. SIMba. Now I get it. And no, I didn't look at your profile. Get over it.

Not a Brit, not from India, my handle clearly says "New York". Look, lets recap your experience. You threw down over a thousand dollars, spent several hours inspecting and fretting over a damaged box, scratched disks, and serial numbers. Eventually several hours later you decide to actually turn this machine on, and discover (surprise) that is has a yellow tint.

I doesn't seem like you have cash to burn, like some "Genius" who posted a few weeks back that he bought $3600 worth of pre-installed software on his new iMac b/c he thought that's what other people were using, and he had to have it.

The only question to ask is, why would you NOT send it back? Well, looks like you answered your own question, good luck with the next one. And this time, try turning it on first.

[rkahl]

I just purchased a brand new 2010 27" iMac i3. From reading this entire thread, I will not read anything telling me how to test for defects. If its that bad, I don't think I should have to read something to tell me how to look for something. Like an earlier person stated, I can't believe you purchased a refurb. I mean, I honestly think you are looking to hard to find something wrong with your iMac. When you get your new one, be happy with it. That's what I'm doing, if you start reading all of these posts about defects YOU WILL find defects that you typically wouldn't even notice. Good luck!

[sinar]

Yes, I was originally going that route. However, I heard too many bad things about the i5 and so had decided to go with the i3 before the refurb option came up. There was one article, which seemed very credible, which said something along the line of "no i5 is worth it." I guess there wasn't enough of a speed difference between the i3 and i5, among other things.

I think the posts which reference the above are from the day of the refresh, and are in a thread called something like "What kind of imac are you getting?" I remember "thedudeman" and, I believe, "Hellhammer," were posting. If you want, PM me and I'm find the specific thread tomorrow. It's 5AM where I am.

Bummer to have to send it back, isn't it? It kind of takes the excitement out of it. Better that than to have a defective machine, however.

Good luck!

(Hope I didn't make your decision harder.)

Thanks for the info.

My refurb has just been collected, not sure I was right to send it back but I did give it quite a few chances and the yellowing seemed more intrusive the longer I used it.

Interesting what you say about the i5, I did install a photoshop CS5 trial while I had the i7 and I was a little surprised that it did not feel as fast as I thought it might, compared to my 24" with it's 2.8 C2D. I wonder if photoshop was making good use of the quad cores, or if only having 4GB of ram was the stumbling block, one of the reasons i want to upgrade the one I have is so I can have more Ram (my 24" maxes out at 4GB).

If nothing else the whole experience has made me appreciate my humble 24" imac, with the untinted screen and quite respectful performance for a 2 and a half year old machine.

Julie

[IndustrialSpace]

Well, I'm not that good at this sort of stuff, but it looks like I have the dreaded yellow tint problem pretty bad.
Just so I know I followed the right procedure; I did the gray bar test. I thought there was some yellowing, but I wasn't sure. So, I took a picture and it became much more obvious. Then I cut and pasted the bottom bars and put them directly under the top bars.
http://att.macrumors.com/images/attach/jpg.gif
What do you guys think? I'm bummed. I hope I did it right. Despite my angst over the crummy job they did boxing, it didn't cause this, obviously. My eyes are bad anyway, does anyone think it's acceptable? I had to resize it.
Thoughts? I'll be back in a half hour.


Your screen looks awful!

One of the worst Ive seen in a while.

PLEASE tell me this ISN'T one of the Rev. B iMac refurbs.


Do the NEW iMacs (Rev. B) have this yellow tint bad too? :confused:

[rgp19699]

Your screen looks awful!

One of the worst Ive seen in a while.

PLEASE tell me this ISN'T one of the Rev. B iMac refurbs.


Do the NEW iMacs (Rev. B) have this yellow tint bad too? :confused:

Not sure what you mean by Rev. B. Are you referring to the 2009 units built AFTER March, 2010? When they supposedly had much fewer incidents of yellow screen?

[rgp19699]

I just purchased a brand new 2010 27" iMac i3. From reading this entire thread, I will not read anything telling me how to test for defects. If its that bad, I don't think I should have to read something to tell me how to look for something. Like an earlier person stated, I can't believe you purchased a refurb. I mean, I honestly think you are looking to hard to find something wrong with your iMac. When you get your new one, be happy with it. That's what I'm doing, if you start reading all of these posts about defects YOU WILL find defects that you typically wouldn't even notice. Good luck!

You can do whatever you want. It's highly unlikely you have a bad display even if you don't "check." There were only a few 21"ers that had the problem. Good luck with your machine.

[rkahl]

[QUOTE=rgp19699;10747216]You can do whatever you want. It's highly unlikely you have a bad display even if you don't "check." There were only a few 21"ers that had the problem. Good luck

Define "bad". Isn't it more of a relative description. Did you notice this "defect" before reading "how to..." in here. If you keep looking for flaws you will never be satisfied!

[Eduardo1971]

Wow, this is such an entertaining thread.

No. I'm not being sarcastic or rude-it really is a fun thread to read.

[rgp19699]

Not a Brit, not from India, my handle clearly says "New York". Look, lets recap your experience. You threw down over a thousand dollars, spent several hours inspecting and fretting over a damaged box, scratched disks, and serial numbers. Eventually several hours later you decide to actually turn this machine on, and discover (surprise) that is has a yellow tint.

I doesn't seem like you have cash to burn, like some "Genius" who posted a few weeks back that he bought $3600 worth of pre-installed software on his new iMac b/c he thought that's what other people were using, and he had to have it.

The only question to ask is, why would you NOT send it back? Well, looks like you answered your own question, good luck with the next one. And this time, try turning it on first.

Good God, man! :D How many times are you going to post "try turning it on first." Dude, I had to take it out of the box before I could turn it on. It only took several minutes. Then I posted asking where to find info on the serial number, and while I was at it reported on the condition of the box. Just because I didn't post RIGHT AWAY when I turned it on doesn't mean I "waited several hours." I turned that sucker on right away! And yes, I've made it clear several times now that I intend to return it. Are you happy with my clarification? Good God, man!

[juicedropsdeuce]

Yep, it's going back. I'm glad yours worked out. I could live with a scratch - as long as it wasn't in the middle of my back. ;)

In the middle of your back? That doesn't make any sense (why am I not surprised).:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[rgp19699]

The bottom of the screen misses ~7% blue, when compared with the top (~5% - ~9%, depending on grey shade and place on the screen).

Tom B.

thx for the info. :)

[Kronie]

Almost all of Apple's current displays have this problem to some extent. It is NOT a defect, but rather a side effect of the technology Apple used for the backlighting.


What do you mean its not a defect? Its a HUGE defect. If Apple engineered the LED's to emit yellow phosphor, especially at higher temps and then stuck that in a iMac that gets hot I would say they F'ed up big time....

And I will continue to show that to Apple by asking for replacements and refunds.

The LED screen in my MBP looks perfect. Why cant I get that on my iMac?

[rgp19699]

[QUOTE=rgp19699;10747216]You can do whatever you want. It's highly unlikely you have a bad display even if you don't "check." There were only a few 21"ers that had the problem. Good luck

Define "bad". Isn't it more of a relative description. Did you notice this "defect" before reading "how to..." in here. If you keep looking for flaws you will never be satisfied!

Yes.

[rkahl]

OK, page 3 now and nobody has said what everybody is thinking! Honestly the part about about condition of the restore discs puts OCD on a whole new level! Please make an appointment at the "Psychiatrist Bar" before the "Genius Bar"!!!

[jrcsh6]

i have a refurb 27 coming in the mail as we type.
my current imac (g5) was a refurb and has been great for 5+ years (despite speed) There were a few marks here and there but no biggie to me. The box it came in was big and solid. A bit banged up but nothing bad. I also got a mac mini refurb that was flawless in both packing and the product. I really hope i have another good experience. i've also had 6 refurb ipods with great luck.

so my question is how to i best assess the screen? will i know or is there a file i need to pull up to analyze the pic/coloring/temp quality?

[rgp19699]

What do you mean its not a defect? Its a HUGE defect. If Apple engineered the LED's to emit yellow phosphor, especially at higher temps and then stuck that in a iMac that gets hot I would say they F'ed up big time....

And I will continue to show that to Apple by asking for replacements and refunds.

The LED screen in my MBP looks perfect. Why cant I get that on my iMac?

THIS.

[DesignerOnMac]

Some of you guys are missing the point. There are a lot of people who are curious about what a Refurb might look like when it comes.

And in terms of the box, I really wasn't concerned about the dents, etc. But to pick up a $1700 computer, and just by luck, not have it fall out of bottom of the box is terrible quality control.

I know the thread is kind of funny. I just wanted to know how "old" the machine is by seeing how I could check the serial number. Then I decided to add the other stuff. Only those who have never watched an unboxing on youtube may comment negatively. ;)

Anyway, thanks, mmomega, that's really what I was looking for. I'd still like to know if wk #30 is 2010's week 30 or 2009's week 30. I was never this way until I started reading MacRumors, I swear!

Btw, I still haven't plugged the machine in, yet. I just now finished dusting for fingerprints and am just waiting for the forensic analysis on the styrofoam to ascertain its age.

The iMac in 2009 was a different design than the 2010, so your concern about what week 30 for what year doesn't matter.

[DesignerOnMac]

Well, I'm not that good at this sort of stuff, but it looks like I have the dreaded yellow tint problem pretty bad.
Just so I know I followed the right procedure; I did the gray bar test. I thought there was some yellowing, but I wasn't sure. So, I took a picture and it became much more obvious. Then I cut and pasted the bottom bars and put them directly under the top bars.
http://att.macrumors.com/images/attach/jpg.gif
What do you guys think? I'm bummed. I hope I did it right. Despite my angst over the crummy job they did boxing, it didn't cause this, obviously. My eyes are bad anyway, does anyone think it's acceptable? I had to resize it.
Thoughts? I'll be back in a half hour.

Did you calibrate the monitor?

[rgp19699]

i have a refurb 27 coming in the mail as we type.
my current imac (g5) was a refurb and has been great for 5+ years (despite speed) There were a few marks here and there but no biggie to me. The box it came in was big and solid. A bit banged up but nothing bad. I also got a mac mini refurb that was flawless in both packing and the product. I really hope i have another good experience. i've also had 6 refurb ipods with great luck.

so my question is how to i best assess the screen? will i know or is there a file i need to pull up to analyze the pic/coloring/temp quality?

IF you want to assess your screen, there is a test that Gizmodo rigged up. The link is in the "Yellow Tint" Poll thread on page 1 in this forum. So far in this thread, two people have had their "new" refurbs arrive with unacceptable (for them,) levels of discoloration, and two people have had no problems at all.

I really debated before buying a refurb with this particular unit/model, because to a certain extent, the yellowing issue is subjective; and I couldn't be sure I'd get a unit built after March, 2010, when the issues seemed to abate.

Other than this particular issue, my imac is in perfect condition. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a refurb again, but probably not this unit/model.

I hope yours is great. PM me if you need further information on the test, but people like Tom B. know a lot more about it than me. Good luck!

[rgp19699]

The iMac in 2009 was a different design than the 2010, so your concern about what week 30 for what year doesn't matter.

That's what I thought! Now I'm totally confused, but I guess it really doesn't matter. :(

[rgp19699]

Did you calibrate the monitor?

No. I just adjusted the brightness level and then went by what Gizmodo said to do. Thoughts?

[Btom]

No. I just adjusted the brightness level and then went by what Gizmodo said to do. Thoughts?

If the screen bugs you - replace the computer (it is still withing 14 days, isn't it?)!

Tom B.

[rkahl]

i just turned my brightness down on my computer and the screen turned black. Should I return it to Apple?

[jrcsh6]

maybe i'll make a cheesy unboxing when it comes along...
thanks for making me nervous...

[Btom]

maybe i'll make a cheesy unboxing when it comes along...
thanks for making me nervous...

Jealous?

Tom B.

[Fallenman]

I just thought I'd post my experience.

I recently bought a 27" i5 refurb. After carefully looking ovever the unit, the only discernable sign that it had been opened before was a fingerprint on the power button of the keyboard. Aside from that, it's flawless. The box it came in was white - so I'm not sure whether that is standard or not, but all the components still had their plastic protective coating etc.

Anyway - not very dramatic, but I was very pleased.

Oh, and I havent noticed any tinting. I havent "run tests", but I'm usually quite picky about these things. I figure if I haven't noticed it - why bother? No dead pixels or scratches.

[skcrane]

I am hopefully going to get my refurb i7 quad on friday quite excited. I did just note the lasted benchmark scores from macworld and for those who purchased the refurb i7 looks like it outscored the new quad i5 in every area except in their call of duty test (88.1 fps vs 87.1 for i7 quad 2.8) and for some reason which I do not understand their parallels workbench multi task (4:03 new quad i5 vs 4:28 refurb quad i7). any explanation I understand the call of duty, better video which I would expect and no big deal for me do not game really but I do not understand the parallels multitask anyone know why. real no big deal just curious.

[rkahl]

I figure if I haven't noticed it - why bother? No dead pixels or scratches.


^+1

[jrcsh6]

Jealous?

Tom B.

why would i be jealous of a bad experience? i'm lost...

but really looking forward to it. i got the might 3.06 core duo...at 1269 for a 27" imac with pretty good (far from the top) setup, i couldn't resist... especially coming from my g5 which is ok 50% of the time tolerable another 25% of the time...it's that last 25% of the time that was killing me hah

[rgp19699]

why would i be jealous of a bad experience? i'm lost...

but really looking forward to it. i got the might 3.06 core duo...at 1269 for a 27" imac with pretty good (far from the top) setup, i couldn't resist... especially coming from my g5 which is ok 50% of the time tolerable another 25% of the time...it's that last 25% of the time that was killing me hah

Like you didn't understand what he was referring to. LOL

[rgp19699]

If the screen bugs you - replace the computer (it is still withing 14 days, isn't it?)!

Tom B.

Yes, I am I'm having it picked up tomorrow. And thanks, Tom, for your input on this thread but especially on the "yellow tint" thread (I think it was.) You definitely are the master, as somebody else said.
Anyway, I'll post about my final experience with Apple and then I think we should just let this thread die.
I called a brick and mortar store first thing this morning. Learned you can't return refurbs there. Next, I called Apple, and they gave me kind of a hard time on the phone... I had to talk to four people. The second person was in tech support. I told him I had the yellow tint issue. He immediately told me that they would do an LED replacement. I wasn't sure if this was the way I wanted to go and said I might want to just return it and do an exchange.
I had seen the Apple "internal memo" that Gizmodo posted and he was really sticking to it. :p
He had me on the phone for about 45 min. checking this and that, only to come back and say that was fine but I would have to pay a 10% restocking fee! I said "for returning a defective computer?" He was very friendly and said "only customer service can decide this," then ostensibly transferred me to them.
I spent another 45 minutes with this next person on hold, etc., and then she wanted to have me "try one more thing" on the computer. I reiterated that I had done several tests that I thought were more accurate than what she wanted me to do (not in those exact words,) but she put me through her paces... had me do a screenshot and then move it around the screen and tell her what I saw. :rolleyes: (Then she said she thought it was a GPU issue, which I had learned from - Hellhammer, I think? - was not the case.) I explained a little more, then she put me on hold... and finally came back on and apologized! She said I had been misinformed (now I've spent about 1 hr 45 min on the phone...) and that she had the authority to declare it DOA (if that's the terminology,) and that there was no way I would have to pay a restocking fee. However, they could not do an exchange from a refurb to a new unit; that I would have to get a refund that might take 4-5 days to show up on my credit card. *sigh*
Luckily, I have enough money (barely!) to still buy a different model instead of waiting for the credit so that wasn't critical.
I was transferred one more time, they did the refund and sent me a Fedex shipping label. After some slight cajoling by me (time is money, etc.,) they included a $45 gift card to use toward the purchase of the new computer. This is on top of the magic trackpad and overnight shipping they did for me when I bought the refurb. (C.S. made a pretty big mistake on my first order; I didn't post about it.)
By then, I was sick of being on the phone and so I'm back to square one, meaning I'm not sure what I'm going to buy now. C.S. was really nice throughout; but things took forever! Something I've learned, though; nice in = nice out; usually.[I]
I'm not going to discuss my new purchase on MacRumors, at least, I'm not going to start a thread about it.
There are enough of those, already, and besides, there are just too many people (well in the minority, I know) that think that just because a thread isn't interesting to them that it isn't interesting to [I]anybody. (There has been enough interest in this thread to belay that,) but somehow they feel compelled to post anyway. :rolleyes: Why they don't just click on a thread they're interested in, instead, I'll never understand. (Like those people who want to ban television shows or other media rather than just turning the channel or clicking to another webpage.) It's immaturity, not jealousy, or faux confusion, and adds nothing. (Okay, a bit of humor, even for me. But I'd rather get that on Jimmy Kimmel or whatever. I come here for information.)
IMO, there are enough threads for everyone's interests. I have learned a ton of new information, though, so thanks to all that made constructive posts.
Bye-bye!

[jrcsh6]

Like you didn't understand what he was referring to. LOL

I'm still lost, why would i be jealous?

Anywho. Got the computer. Box was in fine shape. One little bump in on one side. Opened up and everything was in order. Looked very new. No visable prints on the computer at all. Makes me wonder if they're just pulling some of the old, new stock and putting it on the refurb list to liquidate. Turned it on and the screen is crazy, very bright and big. After reading about issues I was trying to figure out if my screen was "ok" I really couldn't tell until I found the gray bar jpg. I took it and cut and pasted to find all is well. I did find one black/dead pixel lower right but it's really hard to notice. One pixel on this screen being bad I guess is "acceptable" and normal? I'll deal with it. I don't wanna take my chances with another. So then I wanted to check out a video so i went to put in a DVD and it wouldn't got in. I didn't wanna kill a good disc so I grabbed a CD-R and with a fair bit of force it wouldn't go in. For some dumb reason I wiggled it a bit to see if I would go or whatever... Probably shouldn't have. Anyway the computer finally ate it. And I immediatly realize I had screwed up because as expected it gets to the point the disc just sticks out and stops. So CD-R physically stuck in the iMac. I'm going to call the Apple store in a bit to see if they can address it here in Indy to avoid sending it back. If I have to send it back, I'll be less than thrilled...

So good and bad. I'm still happy with it overal (assuming I can get sorted here in town)

Apple Store here in Indy is taking the computer tonight at 7

[SiMBa37]

i'm truly sorry for all the refurb issues, I hope you guys get macs that are in top shape and last you years. But still......

http://memegenerator.net/4chan-error-girl/ImageMacro/871286/4chan-error-girl-Dont-fight-the-inevitable-Let-the-thread-die.jpg

[jrcsh6]

i'm truly sorry for all the refurb issues, I hope you guys get macs that are in top shape and last you years. But still......

http://memegenerator.net/4chan-error-girl/ImageMacro/871286/4chan-error-girl-Dont-fight-the-inevitable-Let-the-thread-die.jpg

haha
while part of me agree's shouldn't we share experiences for reference to help future buyers?

[skcrane]

I. Unfortunately got my refurb i7 on Friday and noticed yellow screen and decided to send back and by the way no problems ended up ordering a new i7quad probably overkill but due to the problem with refurb i7 they gave me expedited shipping and 10% off which was very nice of them hopefully will have new machine by end of week as I am currently without a computer driving me crazy but do have iPad

[SiMBa37]

I. Unfortunately got my refurb i7 on Friday and noticed yellow screen and decided to send back and by the way no problems ended up ordering a new i7quad probably overkill but due to the problem with refurb i7 they gave me expedited shipping and 10% off which was very nice of them hopefully will have new machine by end of week as I am currently without a computer driving me crazy but do have iPad

I'm glad somewhere in that post there was a period (.).

[BigAl1]

I was so surprised by this, so I decided to search on the web, and was surprised again to find that others have had this problem. I recently purchased a refurbished iMac. I picked up the box by the handle, as it was apparently designed for the purpose, and carried it upstairs to our office. At the top of the stairs, the tape at the bottom of the box gave way, and the iMac went tumbling down the stairs, placing a big gouge in our plaster wall in the stairwell. Amazingly, the iMac survived the fall quite well, although a little scratched up.

I didn't even bother to turn it on. The machine is not designed for that.

Apple has agreed to refund the purchase price, which I believe at a minimum is suitable. However, I was a little surprised when I asked about the damage to our house. They told me it was not covered "under warranty". What if the computer had landed on my child's head? I suppose that wouldn't be covered under warranty either! I'm not going to fight it, but I thought that was pretty lame on the part of Apple. I did suggest that their packing department should evaluate the security of their box/tape system. It seems thoroughly inadequate to rely on one single weak piece of crumpled dirty tape to ship a computer that weighs, I don't know, 20 lbs?

I hope nobody gets hurt as a result of this ****** packing system.