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Apple sucks.

cocky jeremy

cocky jeremy

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jul 12, 2008
6,869
7,934
I've been having hardware issues since i downloaded Lion last summer. I spent months trying to figure out the problem myself. Some steps i took:

1) Clean install of Lion
2) Hardware tests
3) Took RAM out one at a time.
4) Clean install on external HDD.
5) Clean install of ML
6) Uninstalled apps that came up on kernel panic logs

and i finally caved and took it to an Authorized Repair Center (An hour away, closest Apple store is 2) They had it a week and said they couldn't reproduce the issue i was having. (I even called halfway through the week and told them how to do it) So i get home and within two minutes of booting, BOOM, happens again. I've looked on Apple's support forums and multiple people have said the same thing. They called in and Apple told them it was probably an issue that was there all along but wasn't brought on until Lion, either because it pushed the hardware harder, or something similar. So after almost a year of issues, i go to call them today and i get a message telling me i have to pay $50 just to talk to someone on the phone. Are you frigging kidding me? I pay over $3000 for this computer and you want MORE money just to talk to me? Screw Apple.
 
Intell said:
Which model iMac is it and what is its video card?
Click to expand...

2009 with the GT 120, i believe.

Finally found a way to set it up so they call me. Talked to the guy for 20 minutes or so and he eventually said they normally walk you through steps to try to fix it, but with everything i'd told him, i'd done every possible thing to fix the issue or diagnose it. My only option (still) is to take it to the crappy repair center, or drive two hours each way to the closest Apple store. With all the crap i'm going through to fix this, they better fix it when i take it in. I've given them loads more money than what fixing this for free will cost them. Like i said earlier, i wouldn't expect it fixed for free if it weren't for so many people on their own forums saying they called in and got it fixed for free because of Apple saying it was an issue that was already there when they still had their warranty that didn't show up until Lion pushed the hardware more.
 
Just goes to confirm that I WILL be buying an AppleCare protection plan when I get a new iMac.

Have you tried installing the version of OS X that came with it? Why are you using Moutain Lion?
 
Razorhog said:
Just goes to confirm that I WILL be buying an AppleCare protection plan when I get a new iMac.

Have you tried installing the version of OS X that came with it? Why are you using Moutain Lion?
Click to expand...

Mountain Lion was just to check if it was maybe specific coding in Lion itself. I'm back on Lion. Although, Mountain Lion felt stable (Other than my freezing issues) It's usually a web browser that crashes it. Tried every browser, and even uninstalled Flash completely.
 
sounds like an issue i had with my 2009mbp, everytime i opened a browser it crashed. It ended up being the hard drive some how... they replaced it and all good.
 
nagareru said:
sounds like an issue i had with my 2009mbp, everytime i opened a browser it crashed. It ended up being the hard drive some how... they replaced it and all good.
Click to expand...

Similar experience w/my 2008 iMac. When I was experiencing occasional random freezes, I assumed it was memory or logic circuitry because it would happen even when booting from external drive or the install DVD. Repair center changed out a failing HD (I got no indication when I ran diags) and alls been well since.
 
That's really weird that it was a HDD for you guys, especially when you booted from an external. I've done the same. Lion and ML on an external drive. I really wish it was something as small as the HDD. We'll see whenever i get the time to take it in, i suppose.

EDIT: I also get weird stuff that pops up when i open a new tab. Not sure if you got that or not. I'll try to get it to do it and video it with my iPhone.

Second edit: Here's a few quick videos that show it. You can notice in the first video that a portion of the browser disappears where it "glitches".

http://luma.io/v/Li

Second video, at around 1 second, you can see what happens when i open a new tab.

http://luma.io/v/Lj
 
Last edited:
5 out of 5 posters agree: bad video

call applecare, ask to speak to a supervisor and get it fixed -- however necessary.

And I think you need to check you math, it would be impossible to pay over $3000 for that mac, unless you bought $1200 in accessories.
 
Well, crap. We're leaning video card now? lol. How much is a HDD for a 2009 iMac? I need it to at least match the 640 GB size i have now, preferably more. If it's cheap enough, i'll try to see if that fixes the issue myself. If not, off to Columbus for a 2 hour drive, i guess.
 
David085 said:
No, Apple doesn't suck :( :( :(...
Click to expand...

Maybe not, but they're sure P'ing me off lately. lol. Earlier i was lucky enough to get this.. :mad:
 

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That's not the HD, that's definitely a defective video card.

Don't even bother messing with/replacing the HD. It's wasting your time and money.

Go to the Apple Store. Bring that picture with you.
 
To check if its the hard disk, move the whole disk contents to an external drive, using the free Super Duper. And then boot from that external drive. Be aware that the drive's ccontents will be entirely deleted when you copy the disk data to the external drive. Its not a bad idea to back up anyway, before it goes to repair.

Also, check that the machine is not hot. That can upset a video card. Check that all the cooling gaps, top and bottom etc, are there. And download a fan and temperature reading program, such as smcFancontrol, to check your cooling fan speeds and your temperatures.
 
How could anyone, after looking at that screenshot, think it's anything else but video? What fault in processing, storage, or anything else would cause a classic display of static like that? Nothing. Static is simply a visual representation of signal noise, peaks show bright, valleys show dim. This problem DEFINITELY exists between (and including) his GPU and his screen.
 
Quick update. Apple had my iMac for almost two weeks. They couldn't get it to fail a hardware test but were able to duplicate the issue. They finally told me it was video card and replaced it for $330. Only been using it an hour or so, but I don't see any of the random flickering yet. Hopefully it's fixed. Time will tell.
 
cocky jeremy said:
Quick update. Apple had my iMac for almost two weeks. They couldn't get it to fail a hardware test but were able to duplicate the issue. They finally told me it was video card and replaced it for $330. Only been using it an hour or so, but I don't see any of the random flickering yet. Hopefully it's fixed. Time will tell.
Click to expand...

Wish you luck!
 
cocky jeremy said:
Quick update. Apple had my iMac for almost two weeks. They couldn't get it to fail a hardware test but were able to duplicate the issue. They finally told me it was video card and replaced it for $330. Only been using it an hour or so, but I don't see any of the random flickering yet. Hopefully it's fixed. Time will tell.
Click to expand...
Geez, guess that Apple doesn't suck imagine that :cool:
 
cocky jeremy said:
2009 with the GT 120, i believe.

Finally found a way to set it up so they call me. Talked to the guy for 20 minutes or so and he eventually said they normally walk you through steps to try to fix it, but with everything i'd told him, i'd done every possible thing to fix the issue or diagnose it. My only option (still) is to take it to the crappy repair center, or drive two hours each way to the closest Apple store. With all the crap i'm going through to fix this, they better fix it when i take it in. I've given them loads more money than what fixing this for free will cost them. Like i said earlier, i wouldn't expect it fixed for free if it weren't for so many people on their own forums saying they called in and got it fixed for free because of Apple saying it was an issue that was already there when they still had their warranty that didn't show up until Lion pushed the hardware more.
Click to expand...

Go to the Apple Store, even if it's one hour each way. Don't you want your problem properly solved for your, and I quote, "over $3,000" computer?
 
$330 for a GT 120? Man o man...I love my Apple stuff, but that's just highway robbery, even if it does include installation.
 
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