New 27" iMac's had issues but is now FIXED!

[billyripkin]

This is just a warning to anyone out there thinking about buying a new iMac released last week. DO NOT BUY ONE YET. I received my base model 27" iMac last friday and since day one have had issues with severe slowdown in the system to the point where a 5 year old G5 iMac is faster than this new one. The problem is after using the computer for anywhere from 20 min to and hour depending on how hard you are pushing it the system will become slow and unresponsive. I have tested this from running just iTunes and watching it happen after 40 minutes to running iTunes, Safari and Quicktime all at once and it happening in 20 min. The only thing that helps the problem is to restart the computer and that is only a temporary fix. In a attempt to fix this I have done the following steps below.

Taken the computer to the Apple store and gotten a replacement computer with no luck and issue still existing on the new one. It should be noted my first was shipped to me from Apple and the second was picked up in a store several days later.

Reinstalled the system with no luck.

Did a erase and reinstall with no luck. Plus just to be sure did not use Time Machine to bring my files over in case my old system had something corrupt in it.

Did a PRAM reset with no luck

Did a repair of permissions and while it did find some to repair did not help.

I am convinced at this point the software or hardware is beyond my ability to repair and it is just time to step back and wait for Apple to find the problem and fix it. I have a case opened with Apple Care and am in contact with a employee. Until they resolve this issue I would strongly suggest NO ONE buy a new iMac.

UPDATE 10/29/09: Today I wrote a letter to sjobs@apple.com explaining situation thus far and 4 hours later was called by a Apple employee claiming to work for Steve Jobs. He took some of my information and directed that I take the second faulty computer to a Apple store asap to have them run tests to determine what the issue is. I took it in tonight and the genius gave me a third computer and said this time he would keep the second unit at the store to run tests on it. He also agreed to contact me to let me know what he finds wrong if anything with the faulty second unit. I am currently typing this on the third new iMac and am NOT transferring any information over until I get the chance to see if this is faulty as well. Currently running Hulu to see if the problems arises. I will continue to update when I determine if this one is better **cross my fingers**

UPDATE 2-10/29/09: Third iMac with the original system and nothing else brand new out of the box has same issues after watching a Hulu video for 40 minutes. At this point I give up and will wait for Apple to address this problem. If anyone feels like telling me how I could come across 3 different iMac's all with the same issue please feel free.

UPDATE-11/2/09: After reading a couple other threads about this same problem a 27" iMac user mentioned his seemed to respond well to turning off the Airport when the problem arises and then turning it back on. I have tried this about a dozen times and can confirm this does indeed solve the problem. Whatever is causing the iMac system to slow down does seem to respond well to turning off the Airport and then turning it back on again. It should be noted though that like the system restart fix this is only temporary relief and the problem will return after a period of time.

On a different note I can also confirm that if you own Bose Companion speakers like myself the new Airport in this iMac causes speaker interference.

UPDATE- 11/5/09: I received a phone call back from a Apple executive today who said the problem is with the above mentioned Airport. He said they are working on the problem and should have a update very soon.

UPDATE 11/9/09: Apple released OS update 10.6.2 which had now fixed all the above issues. I have been using the computer for over a hour now with no slowdown issues and the interference sounds coming through my Bose speakers is even gone. The machine finally works how it should! Thanks to everyone for their input and suggestions. I would highly recommend purchasing a new iMac now that they have fixed the problem.

[53x12]

This is very unfortunate to hear about. I really hope this won't affect the i5/i7 when they are released. Might have to push back getting my quad core back a bit until I hear everything is running smoothly on them.

[unamused]

this might explain the expected shipping date anomalies.

[billyripkin]

I also wanted to mention i am aware that others are having these same issues. I have read reviews of 21.5 iMac's have the same problems here and on Apple discussion boards. That is how I know there is nothing I can do anymore to fix the issue. I just want everyone to know this before you make a purchase like I did and feel let down. Sadly I have already sold my old 24" iMac which ran MUCH better. For the time being I am stuck to restarting every hour or less. Which reminds me it is running slow right now and need to be done so time to "fix" the issue.

[meunloco]

after going to the mac store and feeling the temperature of the back of all the new imacs, that turned me off. you could make some good eggs & toast with the heat off the new machine.

[C64]

Originally Posted by meunloco

after going to the mac store and feeling the temperature of the back of all the new imacs, that turned me off. you could make some good eggs & toast with the heat off the new machine.

The aluminum conducts the heat better; it might feel hot, but it also allows for cooler insides.

[AlexisV]

So? The aluminium iMacs have always been hot to touch. It's a non-issue, like complaining that a car engine becomes a tad toasty!

27" iMac issue seems odd. Surely every Apple store around the world would be full of sluggish machines all day?

[cardwizard]

I really find this "strange" my 27" iMac runs perfect
no troubles at all , maybe here in The Netherlands we have a different batch ???

The only thing that i dislike is the fact that the HDD makes more noise than the old one in my 24"

I think this really is a software issue , Windows 7 runs perfect on the iMac to

Hopefully Apple will solve this with the 10.6.2 update...........................

[XboxEvolved]

Yeah I sort of thought this would be an issue for some, and I can almost guarantee problems with the i5/i7 iMacs, this is why hopefully by Jan I will be good...

[4God]

Yep, it's a known issue. See here.

I would certainly wait, I'm sure Apple is on top of this and will update drivers as needed. It has to be a memory leak
or something directly related to software issues.

[53x12]

Originally Posted by XboxEvolved

I can almost guarantee problems with the i5/i7 iMacs, this is why hopefully by Jan I will be good...

Any reason not to believe that the i5/i7's will not have this issue? They haven't even shipped yet, shouldn't we wait for the intial batch to be released before we assume anything?

[Greysquirrel]

I feel for all you guy and hope Apple replaces all your machines and that they get repaired and put into the refurb store at a good price.

[joelhansenlol]

Originally Posted by XboxEvolved

Yeah I sort of thought this would be an issue for some, and I can almost guarantee problems with the i5/i7 iMacs, this is why hopefully by Jan I will be good...

please, do elaborate...

[NJRonbo]

I just typed a two page letter to Steve Jobs
and sent it out today.

Now, I am not naive enought to think that he
will receive or read it personally but I think the
letter will garner some attention and make a point.

I have a 27" i7 iMac on preorder and for the past
few days have been very concerned with the
issues being reported with these new computers.

Meanwhile, one of my best friends awoke to find
his TimeCapsule fried after 18 months use. Further
investigation on this forum and across the net shows
there are a pandemic of people experiencing bricked
TimeCapsules at about the same time. There is
even an entire website dedicated to the mourning
of users of TimeCapsule with links to contact Apple.

In my letter I pointed out my concerns of slipping
quality control within the company over the past
year or so. It isn't right that people are plopping
down good money and getting defective equipment.
For the longest period of time, Apple had a reputation
about putting out reliable electronics. Essentially,
you paid more for an Apple but you got quality goods.

I am hoping that my letter reaches Steve's inner
circle -- but even if that is hoping too much, it
should garner the attention of someone there to
start looking into these problems and taking care
of those of you who have faulty equipment and
now need to know what the next step is towards
getting it repaired or fixed.

Frankly, this is just disturbing to read these
complaints. Not something any of us who have
these computers on order need to hear.

Will keep you posted if I get a response -- probably
not before November 3rd at the earliest.

[XboxEvolved]

Well hmm where to begin..it is a totally new tech for Apple that was meant for big, boxy PCs that they are cramming behind a monitor, and I know for example with the ATi high-end card they had problems with that initially, and you can;t always count on the first run of new technology to be perfect all around. That is just tech 101 though.

Also besides aesthetics, I would bet anything the technical reason the backs are now metal is because well, an i7 would melt the damn thing off.

[ibwb]

In my experience, hanging out on the Internet is a good way to find out about every single problem that anyone has with a product.

When I was in corporate IT, it was common to see recurring problems in any particular batch of a product. We might buy a few hundred desktop PCs, and a year later you could look back and notice that particular order had a high rate of hard disk problems. The same model ordered at a different time might have a different issue.

On a forum like this, it's too easy for ten people to have the same problem, and turn it into an epidemic. Even if a hundred people have the same problem it can still be a low defect rate if you're talking about 100,000 computers.

Telling people DO NOT BUY in all caps, or writing a letter about problems in a computer you don't have, is taking things a little too far in my opinion. These claims deserve a little more investigation.

[NJRonbo]

These claims deserve a little more investigation.

...and so they will be.

I think if you did a search of everyone reporting
problems with their iMac it would be significant
enough to warrant a major concern -- especially
when some of these people got a second computer
with the same problem.

Never said the iMac situation was epidemic.
However, it seems the TimeCapsule situation is.
That you can search just on this forum alone and
come up with pages of complaints. In fact,
Engadget just addressed the concerns on their
site.

I think I have every right to write a letter of
concern about a product I don't have yet. Call
it an insurance policy that Apple will personally
look into the problem, address the complaints
and be prepared should I or anyone else (at
extreme case) need to call them about what
go do with our defective computer.

[s3e3]

Someone should install istats menu and give us a breakdown of temperatures to see if the imac is really running hot rather than just by feel.

My G5 Ran hot and it made it through 5 years of service.

[joelhansenlol]

Originally Posted by XboxEvolved

Well hmm where to begin..it is a totally new tech for Apple that was meant for big, boxy PCs that they are cramming behind a monitor, and I know for example with the ATi high-end card they had problems with that initially, and you can;t always count on the first run of new technology to be perfect all around. That is just tech 101 though.

Also besides aesthetics, I would bet anything the technical reason the backs are now metal is because well, an i7 would melt the damn thing off.

this is all speculative. there's no doubt people on this board have had issues with choppy performance or some dead pixels / dirt behind screen, but again - is there anything other than "well-it's-a-new-tech-DUH" you can use to back up your "guarantee"?

[Hellhammer]

10.6.2 will likely fix this. This is the reason why I avoid buying first revision of a product. They usually have more problems than "old" ones.

[adamjohn_98]

Originally Posted by AlexisV

... Surely every Apple store around the world would be full of sluggish machines all day?

From what I have read on these and other forums, rebooting seems to temporarily fix this issue.

I believe Apple Stores use Faronics Deep Freeze software to essentially "reset" every computer to a default configuration when the screen saver is activated.

Because of this, the iMacs at the Apple Stores may not exhibit these issues unless they were used for a longer period of time.

[Fozzybadfeet]

This thread is making me hesitant on purchasing my iMac tomorrow...But I still think I will go ahead and buy it. I know that people are having problems, but some on this board have not experienced problems. I hope I won't have problems with my iMac.

[macchiato2009]

could it be an isolated case ?

[tempusfugit]

Originally Posted by 53x12

This is very unfortunate to hear about. I really hope this won't affect the i5/i7 when they are released. Might have to push back getting my quad core back a bit until I hear everything is running smoothly on them.

Luckily for me I can't afford one yet

[durija]

I think it's just like buying a brand new car. NEVER buy one from the first few months of production. At least six months out is a good rule of thumb. I think the same might be a good policy for computers. It's also yet another reason to consider the refurbs, where the problems have probably been addressed.

But oh, that 27" screen is certainly seductive. Probably a good thing I don't have the discretionary funds available or I'd have one and be whining too.

By the way, my 20" iMac runs damned hot. I'm sure I would have fried something after 21 months if I hadn't jacked up the fans with smcFanControl. The heat issues are my only real complaint about the iMac line.