Chance of getting iMac fixed (faulty logic board) for free?

[iParis]

My iMac 5,1 has the ATI X1600 graphics defect, probably needs a new logic board. Green checkered parterns all around the screen and applications crash when I delete the drivers. I know logic boards are an expensive fix, but I've heard of people getting it done for free and that gave me hope and made me make a genius bar appointment for 3:30 tomorrow. Anybody here get theirs replaced for free? Even if they don't and there's no way I can afford it, at least I'll get an estimate.

 

[marzer]

My iMac 5,1 has the ATI X1600 graphics defect, probably needs a new logic board. Green checkered parterns all around the screen and applications crash when I delete the drivers. I know logic boards are an expensive fix, but I've heard of people getting it done for free and that gave me hope and made me make a genius bar appointment for 3:30 tomorrow. Anybody here get theirs replaced for free? Even if they don't and there's no way I can afford it, at least I'll get an estimate.

6 year old model. No way you're getting that free. But a used (like yours or a little newer) iMac on eBay could probably be had for much less than paying for full service to repair yours.

 

[TomCat]

6 year old model. No way you're getting that free...

I had a MBA 2011 that was 11 days out of warranty, and the SSD died because I did what the "genius" told me to do the day before (reinstall Mt. Lion). Cost me $300.

 

[seble]

My iMac 5,1 has the ATI X1600 graphics defect, probably needs a new logic board. Green checkered parterns all around the screen and applications crash when I delete the drivers. I know logic boards are an expensive fix, but I've heard of people getting it done for free and that gave me hope and made me make a genius bar appointment for 3:30 tomorrow. Anybody here get theirs replaced for free? Even if they don't and there's no way I can afford it, at least I'll get an estimate.

No, probably not as I had the same graphics card in my MBP, apple told me it was a legacy machine and they didn't have the parts for it, as they stopped making them. If there was a chance they could get me parts, it would cost me upwards $500 to get it fixed!

 

[iParis]

6 year old model. No way you're getting that free. But a used (like yours or a little newer) iMac on eBay could probably be had for much less than paying for full service to repair yours.

I bought it for $350 and I have my MacBook. I'm not going to buy another computer that doesn't support Mountain Lion. My MacBook is five years old and they replaced the top casing, but maybe age will be a factor this time. :\

 

[G-Mo]

I had a MBA 2011 that was 11 days out of warranty, and the SSD died because I did what the "genius" told me to do the day before (reinstall Mt. Lion). Cost me $300.

Your "SSD" didn't die because of what the Genius told you to do... It died because it had a problem, an OS reinstall or major system update will often flush a failing drive out, but it certainly didn't cause the failure! Lol!!

(BTW, I don't know how you approached the situation, but Apple almost always honours warranty issues within 14 days of expiry... if your statement above is indicative of how you dealt with the matter, perhaps that explains why you paid!)

 

[marzer]

I bought it for $350 and I have my MacBook. I'm not going to buy another computer that doesn't support Mountain Lion. My MacBook is five years old and they replaced the top casing, but maybe age will be a factor this time. :\

If you get a free repair, please post back. I definitely would like to know

 

[iParis]

If you get a free repair, please post back. I definitely would like to know

Lol, they didn't even offer to repair it for a fee since it's more than five years old.

 

[comatory]

Sorry to hear it died.

Try looking into "baking" the logic board (google iMac reflow logic board). You have nothing to lose anyway.

$500 is a lot to put into old machine, you could get refurbished base iMac (the newest model) for $1000 I think.

However, you could get a base Mac mini for $599 and utilize your iMac as a monitor for the mini, it will be much faster than your old Mac. But I am not sure if this would work since the board is gone, others might fill me in.

 

[marzer]

Sorry to hear it died.

Try looking into "baking" the logic board (google iMac reflow logic board). You have nothing to lose anyway.

$500 is a lot to put into old machine, you could get refurbished base iMac (the newest model) for $1000 I think.

However, you could get a base Mac mini for $599 and utilize your iMac as a monitor for the mini, it will be much faster than your old Mac. But I am not sure if this would work since the board is gone, others might fill me in.

I don't think a iMac that old was capable of Target Display mode. That's only been around since the mini display port.

 

[comatory]

I don't think a iMac that old was capable of Target Display mode. That's only been around since the mini display port.

Oh, didn't know that. It wouldn't probably work anyway since the GPU is done.