Don't worry! It's dust not burn-ins. Check this out:
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/12665931/
No, it doesn't. But definitely don't disassemble the display on your own for now. Take it to Apple, let them see it and demand that they replace it.
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There is Hope for iMac 27" Display - Black Spots/Smudges/Dust in the display fixed!
- Thread starter Oggy
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Don't worry! It's dust not burn-ins. Check this out:
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/12665931/
No, it doesn't. But definitely don't disassemble the display on your own for now. Take it to Apple, let them see it and demand that they replace it.
Service-Stations: There was never an offer of cleaning displays I could read about in German forums. They change displays for free in guarantee period, sometimes one time only, sometimes four times and sometimes out of guarantee period, but mostly they make an expensive price offer for changing the display, if you ask after the first year.
Only in the last case I would wait a bit, look if more dust collects under the display, until now it seems to be not as much as I would open the display.
The two years warranty never works: You have to proof, that the fault is manufactured and there from the first day. I think, thats it, where its at, but you see, here in this forum participants seem to rule the theory, that the fault is a development under heat conditions.
Only in the last case I would wait a bit, look if more dust collects under the display, until now it seems to be not as much as I would open the display.
The two years warranty never works: You have to proof, that the fault is manufactured and there from the first day. I think, thats it, where its at, but you see, here in this forum participants seem to rule the theory, that the fault is a development under heat conditions.
It's not heat that causes dust to appear on the glass, it's a bad foam seal that does not make contact all around the edge of the LCD to the glass.
The heat causes a reaction with the cleaning agent used in manufacture of the glass. This makes it look like 'smudges' inside the glass.
Take it to apple and have them clean it, they won't replace the display, don't know where people are getting that from?
Alternatively just take two suction cups at the top of the glass and pull gently, access to clean with a dust blaster.
All Taken:
The heat causes a reaction with the cleaning agent used in manufacture of the glass. This makes it look like 'smudges' inside the glass.
Take it to apple and have them clean it, they won't replace the display, don't know where people are getting that from?
Here we are talking about two different problems:
Claening agent "smudges" will appear short time after buying the iMac under the "glossy glass" (which isn't a glass but PMMA) on the backside of the glossy glass or on the surface of the display. Of course, if you demand a cleaning at the service, they lift the glossy glass and they clean it.
Here the conversation is about dust inside of the displays housing, inside the display unit. About the reason of that we wrote above, but the discussion run unfortunately destructive. For to clean that, you have to disassemble the display itself after unmounitng it from the iMacs frame. Repairs like that Apple-servants don't do, as far as I read in the MacUser Forum.
The heat causes a reaction with the cleaning agent used in manufacture of the glass. This makes it look like 'smudges' inside the glass.
Take it to apple and have them clean it, they won't replace the display, don't know where people are getting that from?
Here we are talking about two different problems:
Claening agent "smudges" will appear short time after buying the iMac under the "glossy glass" (which isn't a glass but PMMA) on the backside of the glossy glass or on the surface of the display. Of course, if you demand a cleaning at the service, they lift the glossy glass and they clean it.
Here the conversation is about dust inside of the displays housing, inside the display unit. About the reason of that we wrote above, but the discussion run unfortunately destructive. For to clean that, you have to disassemble the display itself after unmounitng it from the iMacs frame. Repairs like that Apple-servants don't do, as far as I read in the MacUser Forum.
Why do you think Apple remove the LCD itself from the iMac to clean it? They don't - they clean the iMac glass panel and clean the LCD inside the iMac. No removal of the display is required.
Do you seem to think that dust on the panel and glass is caused by something other than bad foam surround that usually makes the space air tight? I assure you it's that simple - Bad foam seal, it's evident in all generations of aluminium iMac, some have sufficient foam air isolation, some do not.
Do you seem to think that dust on the panel and glass is caused by something other than bad foam surround that usually makes the space air tight? I assure you it's that simple - Bad foam seal, it's evident in all generations of aluminium iMac, some have sufficient foam air isolation, some do not.
How do you think they remove the dust then? If we are talking about dust between backlight and the LCD.
All Taken:
Why do you think Apple remove the LCD itself from the iMac to clean it? They don't - they clean the iMac glass panel and clean the LCD inside the iMac. No removal of the display is required.
Okay, please note, this is the situation 1: No removal of the display is needed, neither by Apple nor by anybody else. You speak about cleaning the display (LCD) "inside the iMac", but, if you just lift the glossy glass, you are not "inside the iMac" and of course, you are not inside the display. You reached just the outer surface of the LCD, the outer side of the display. This kind of cleaning was a thousand times a theme in indefinite threads and youtube videos in many ways.
Your explanation is completely right, there is a foam sealing around and that may become untaught.
Please be patient and note the situation 2:
You are going on after removing the glossy glass (I put it always into the cover sheet the iMac came with.) and unmount the display-unit, in order to open it and to clean it at its inner sides.
This thread is the story and the pictured guide of the theme-starter Oggy, who was the first, who opened the housing of a display unit, who disassembled a display after unmounting it from the iMacs frame.
I have seen your SSD-thread, so you are expirienced in unmouniting displays.
You have to loosen the eight screws, unplug the three or four cables on the back side....
and after that you open a few points at the frame of the display housing to unfold it like a book to get between the "pages".
Please read this thread from the beginning, it is the big achievement of Oggy to show the Users World how to clean a display on its inner surfaces.
I made this with the display of an 24" iMac early 2009.
And some thirty or forty other guys did also.
If you have any questions, please ask.
Why do you think Apple remove the LCD itself from the iMac to clean it? They don't - they clean the iMac glass panel and clean the LCD inside the iMac. No removal of the display is required.
Okay, please note, this is the situation 1: No removal of the display is needed, neither by Apple nor by anybody else. You speak about cleaning the display (LCD) "inside the iMac", but, if you just lift the glossy glass, you are not "inside the iMac" and of course, you are not inside the display. You reached just the outer surface of the LCD, the outer side of the display. This kind of cleaning was a thousand times a theme in indefinite threads and youtube videos in many ways.
Your explanation is completely right, there is a foam sealing around and that may become untaught.
Please be patient and note the situation 2:
You are going on after removing the glossy glass (I put it always into the cover sheet the iMac came with.) and unmount the display-unit, in order to open it and to clean it at its inner sides.
This thread is the story and the pictured guide of the theme-starter Oggy, who was the first, who opened the housing of a display unit, who disassembled a display after unmounting it from the iMacs frame.
I have seen your SSD-thread, so you are expirienced in unmouniting displays.
You have to loosen the eight screws, unplug the three or four cables on the back side....
and after that you open a few points at the frame of the display housing to unfold it like a book to get between the "pages".
Please read this thread from the beginning, it is the big achievement of Oggy to show the Users World how to clean a display on its inner surfaces.
I made this with the display of an 24" iMac early 2009.
And some thirty or forty other guys did also.
If you have any questions, please ask.
Seems to me you're creating far more work than needed. My experience of opening up Macs far pre-dates that of a 24" iMac but we're not having a pissing contest here right?
Thanks for the offer of any questions but seriously I don't think you have the experience nor the knowledge to pass on.
I'm certainly right about the foam being inadequate and the reason for dust collection, did you mention it anywhere or are you just asserting you're the person to mark my statement as true?
If you need help with any of the reasons please do ask
Thanks for the offer of any questions but seriously I don't think you have the experience nor the knowledge to pass on.
I'm certainly right about the foam being inadequate and the reason for dust collection, did you mention it anywhere or are you just asserting you're the person to mark my statement as true?
If you need help with any of the reasons please do ask
If you think that there is an easier way to clean this smudges inside the display please be so king and show us. Because I've tried everything prior to disassembling the entire panel.
I think this is the only way to clean it from inside.
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/12665887/
and
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/12665931/
I agree with you totally on the foam theory.
I think this is the only way to clean it from inside.
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/12665887/
and
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/12665931/
I agree with you totally on the foam theory.
Last edited:
All Taken:
I am not here to ask for help.
I came here to discuss a problem with the only one, who has the needed experience, and that's not you.
And you should stay at the facts.
I never tried to teach you or to judge your knowledge.
But you should not do so.
But you are speaking continuously about a different problem,
and it must be allowed to say that even to a "regular".
I am not here to ask for help.
I came here to discuss a problem with the only one, who has the needed experience, and that's not you.
And you should stay at the facts.
I never tried to teach you or to judge your knowledge.
But you should not do so.
But you are speaking continuously about a different problem,
and it must be allowed to say that even to a "regular".
Dust between the backlight and the LED panel itself? Actually having to take apart the display? My mistake on that as I just read in detail. I'll be honest and say that I realise issues of smudging and dust exist on the screen and glass panel but did not know of anyone having smudges and dust between the LED and backlight.
Thats a really really bad manufacturing fault. Whats the theory on this? Dust and smudges already present or dust accumulating at a later date?
----------
Oggy, when you take the LED display away from the backlight what connection is there? Is it direct through to the logic board or to the backlight? How many cables come from the display itself (not the backlight)?
I ask because it appears at first glance the whole assembly is unique to iMac assembly, if it's a universal connection used from the LED panel to logic board/to the backlight then perhaps bumps in resolution are entirely possible if one wanted to swap out the panel for a different LG panel.
Thanks
Thats a really really bad manufacturing fault. Whats the theory on this? Dust and smudges already present or dust accumulating at a later date?
----------
Oggy, when you take the LED display away from the backlight what connection is there? Is it direct through to the logic board or to the backlight? How many cables come from the display itself (not the backlight)?
I ask because it appears at first glance the whole assembly is unique to iMac assembly, if it's a universal connection used from the LED panel to logic board/to the backlight then perhaps bumps in resolution are entirely possible if one wanted to swap out the panel for a different LG panel.
Thanks
Thanks, All Taken ,for your answer.
No I make no pissing contests.
There are hundreds of facts around the Apple computers I don''t know anything about it. But this problem "dust inside displays" made me busy this winter.
We tried to find the reason by discussion, but from generation to generation the technical details differ a bit.
I am not able to say if the problem lasts still in the newest generation of displays, if they will collect dust in a few years. But former generations certainly did gather dust inside, at least a minority of them.
One discussed point for example was, if LG is ignoring the problem or not.
Same, if Apple is ignoring the problem or not.
The only fact, which is clear is, that in a minority of displays dust went inside. I don't have an overview about the epidemiology of this problem, but there are gathering quite a few dozens users and telling about dust in the iMacs display from 2008? on. And here in this thread too.
Good night.
----------
That would make it worse. The pressure rises, more air enters quicker. Bringing more dust. It's not possible, to blow out the displays again.
No I make no pissing contests.
There are hundreds of facts around the Apple computers I don''t know anything about it. But this problem "dust inside displays" made me busy this winter.
We tried to find the reason by discussion, but from generation to generation the technical details differ a bit.
I am not able to say if the problem lasts still in the newest generation of displays, if they will collect dust in a few years. But former generations certainly did gather dust inside, at least a minority of them.
One discussed point for example was, if LG is ignoring the problem or not.
Same, if Apple is ignoring the problem or not.
The only fact, which is clear is, that in a minority of displays dust went inside. I don't have an overview about the epidemiology of this problem, but there are gathering quite a few dozens users and telling about dust in the iMacs display from 2008? on. And here in this thread too.
Good night.
----------
That would make it worse. The pressure rises, more air enters quicker. Bringing more dust. It's not possible, to blow out the displays again.
Stain removal from IMAC Intel Core 2 Duo LED
Discovered a stain after IMAC is warm from several hours use. Like others on this thread, the 'stain' looks like a dirty watermark stain, on a silk cloth, (or smoke stain on glass), running diagonally from upper left corner down to the bottom, about 1/3 the way over from left to right.
I have several months left on the Extended Warrantee, so took it in to local Apple Store. The Tech was reluctant to say much till he looked up my warrantee coverage. Satisfied I was covered, he ordered me a new LED, and explained that Apple is baffled as to why it happens only on a few.
The Tech said it almost certainly was cause by the transformer, which sits behind the LED in the upper left corner. Apple suspects some faulty materials in part of the LED production run, but said Apple wasn't able to identify exactly what had failed. He did suggest, however, that regardless of knowing the exact cause of the problem, some LED manufacturer lost their contract.
I brought the IMAC back 3 days later when the Store notified me the new LED had arrived (I needed computer), and they switched out the screen over night. And, introduced several dust specks in the process. The Tech manager was very embarrassed and apologetic when I had to bring it back to have the dust specks removed (both sides of the LED), and cleaned it immediately in less then 10 minutes.
I asked if self-cleaning of the smoky stain would have been possible. He said it depends on how 'baked on' the smoke was. Apparently, there is some risk of damaging the LED with the wrong solvent or cloth.
Discovered a stain after IMAC is warm from several hours use. Like others on this thread, the 'stain' looks like a dirty watermark stain, on a silk cloth, (or smoke stain on glass), running diagonally from upper left corner down to the bottom, about 1/3 the way over from left to right.
I have several months left on the Extended Warrantee, so took it in to local Apple Store. The Tech was reluctant to say much till he looked up my warrantee coverage. Satisfied I was covered, he ordered me a new LED, and explained that Apple is baffled as to why it happens only on a few.
The Tech said it almost certainly was cause by the transformer, which sits behind the LED in the upper left corner. Apple suspects some faulty materials in part of the LED production run, but said Apple wasn't able to identify exactly what had failed. He did suggest, however, that regardless of knowing the exact cause of the problem, some LED manufacturer lost their contract.
I brought the IMAC back 3 days later when the Store notified me the new LED had arrived (I needed computer), and they switched out the screen over night. And, introduced several dust specks in the process. The Tech manager was very embarrassed and apologetic when I had to bring it back to have the dust specks removed (both sides of the LED), and cleaned it immediately in less then 10 minutes.
I asked if self-cleaning of the smoky stain would have been possible. He said it depends on how 'baked on' the smoke was. Apparently, there is some risk of damaging the LED with the wrong solvent or cloth.
Situation 1 or situation 2?
No one cleans any LCD from both sides in 10 minutes.
I have some problems to understand everything.
Would you please be so kind and repeat the second part of your telling from "I brought the iMac back..." on?
The whole explanation of the technician sounds like 2008 or earlier, when there were problems with heated power supply units.
The manufacturer of the LCDs didn't change the last five years.
No one cleans any LCD from both sides in 10 minutes.
I have some problems to understand everything.
Would you please be so kind and repeat the second part of your telling from "I brought the iMac back..." on?
The whole explanation of the technician sounds like 2008 or earlier, when there were problems with heated power supply units.
The manufacturer of the LCDs didn't change the last five years.
I agree with Gebekophli on this one. It would probably make it worse.
There are 8 thin film-like multi connectors connected to the electronic board that is on the back side of the display panel. Directly from the top edge of the LCD. This is where Gebekophli and me differ in opinions. He thinks the air comes in beneath those connectors and I think it's impossible because the connectors do not make room for air since they are not in contact with the backlight.
See the bottom of the photo.
https://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=287667&d=1306956612
They are very sensitive and should not be touched. One of the guys here might have broken one. It ended looking like this.
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13325545/
So, this process is dangerous and you could harm your iMac if you are not careful!
More pictures, less commend
I tried to show the dust enhanced by photoshop.
Please pay your attention to the jet marks at the connectors.
And - there is of course a space between the LCD-panel and the first "light guide" sheet.
It doesn't play any role, that the connectors don't reach to the backlight.
Dust at the backlights wouldn't be "pictured" on the display, but create slight shadows.
![]()
The products specification I used as sources for some frame trans-sections.
Please note, that the LCD-panels are not not fixed closely between foam stripes, but with a tolerance of +0,5 and -0,3 mm around a seats width of 1,3 mm. There is room enough to move a bit in one or two years of usage.
For the 24" iMac 9.1
![]()
For the 27" iMac 2009 (or 2010?)
![]()
from URL:
http://www.datasheet4u.net/datasheet/L/M/2/LM270WQ1-SDA2_LG.pdf.html
I didn't find any newer for the iMac 2011
I tried to show the dust enhanced by photoshop.
Please pay your attention to the jet marks at the connectors.
And - there is of course a space between the LCD-panel and the first "light guide" sheet.
It doesn't play any role, that the connectors don't reach to the backlight.
Dust at the backlights wouldn't be "pictured" on the display, but create slight shadows.
The products specification I used as sources for some frame trans-sections.
Please note, that the LCD-panels are not not fixed closely between foam stripes, but with a tolerance of +0,5 and -0,3 mm around a seats width of 1,3 mm. There is room enough to move a bit in one or two years of usage.
For the 24" iMac 9.1
For the 27" iMac 2009 (or 2010?)
from URL:
http://www.datasheet4u.net/datasheet/L/M/2/LM270WQ1-SDA2_LG.pdf.html
I didn't find any newer for the iMac 2011
Last edited:
I have just taken my 15 month old iMac to apple and they are changing the LCD free of charge. I live in the uk and I emailed Tim Cook last weekend in the hope that customer service might prevail. I don't think for one minute that Tim cook read the email but someone did as I got a call from apple on Monday and they said they would repair the screen. In the shop today the lady said there had been an email instructing the genius bar to replace certain LCD on some models within certain years of manufacture.
She wrote in the repair docket, customer has already been in touch with our lawyers and so I think that helped.
So happy, although it would be interesting to know whether they would have replaced if I just turned up without speaking to customer services!
She wrote in the repair docket, customer has already been in touch with our lawyers and so I think that helped.
So happy, although it would be interesting to know whether they would have replaced if I just turned up without speaking to customer services!
The team who dealt with your query are known as 'Executive Relations'. They are a higher level technical support that respond to issues that require higher authorisation.
It is well known that if you email a senior Apple employee you will have a phone call from Apple USA or Apple Ireland with the person announcing they are calling from the office of Tim Cook.
Glad to here you got this sorted and I lean toward the opinion that Executive Relations are the way forward with issues that are 50/50.
It is well known that if you email a senior Apple employee you will have a phone call from Apple USA or Apple Ireland with the person announcing they are calling from the office of Tim Cook.
Glad to here you got this sorted and I lean toward the opinion that Executive Relations are the way forward with issues that are 50/50.
@Gebekophli:
Great findings!!!
So, two things.
1. None of the iMacs 27" with dust smudges that I have seen have this sunny streaks like your 24". I would say it is a exception.
2. This image show exactly where the entrance point for dust is! But in my mind it's still not connected with multi connectors. Because in the spots where there are no multi connectors air can come to the foam. Plus, the fact that there are no sunny streaks on 27" iMacs.
![iMac%2027%22%20dust%20enterance%20point.png]()
Why the question mark for foam?
So, I still think my assumptions are right. Bad insulation or misalignment.
Great findings!!!
So, two things.
1. None of the iMacs 27" with dust smudges that I have seen have this sunny streaks like your 24". I would say it is a exception.
2. This image show exactly where the entrance point for dust is! But in my mind it's still not connected with multi connectors. Because in the spots where there are no multi connectors air can come to the foam. Plus, the fact that there are no sunny streaks on 27" iMacs.
Why the question mark for foam?
So, I still think my assumptions are right. Bad insulation or misalignment.
Totally agree the guy was from executive relations. I'm pleased they fixed mine and I think they will
Fix others