New 24" iMac screen gone bad?

[billyripkin]

So tonight I was playing on my 2 day old 24" iMac and the screen did this. The performance of the computer was not affected but the screen was stuck with this pattern. Oddly enough it happened while I was using Safari. I have all the recent updates and it went away after a restart. Anyone else had this happen?

 

[flopticalcube]

System Prefs->Universal Access->Seeing

set Enhance Contrast slider to Normal

 

[billyripkin]

I checked out that system pref and it was at normal already. What had me concerned was the banding across the screen and the fact that I did not change anything when it happened. I just was wondering if this is a software glitch that anyone else has run into.

 

[billyripkin]

Yeah so 2 hours later after the screen going weird it just did it again. I guess I will be taking another trip to the apple store.

 

[mad jew]

That's really bizarre. What apps other than Safari were you running at the time?

 

[billyripkin]

This time I was running itunes, Safari, quicktime and toast. I restarted the computer and again the screen cleared up but now there is a folder inside the macintosh HD called dffffffc300 and two folders inside that called -07ffffffecffffff-2e43555354 and -07ffffffecffffff-c88102d3c1 if that means anything. The are located on the top level of my hard drive underneath Applications. I think I got a buggy iMac.

 

[billyripkin]

Here are two more photos of the iMac screen problem. i took a picture of the screen when on black and you can see it has some backlight bleed also. This sucks...

 

[mad jew]

Yeah but it's looking like a software issue... What other apps do you have installed? Do you have any theme changers or system hacks installed? If you create a new user account, does it happen there too?

 

[billyripkin]

I have no system hacks installed and the ram has not been upgraded. I could make a new user account and see if it does it then. I really want it to be the software and not the hardware because software can be fixed without me going 30 min back to the store on a saturday. My software is the basic like photoshop, handbrake and toast. The usual mac suspects.

 

[billyripkin]

Did it again...seems to be happening faster and faster now. I hope it just gets stuck so I can drag it in broken to the store.

 

[CanadaRAM]

If it goes away when you restart, it is likely a software/OS problem.

However if it reoccurs at random irrespective of the software program that you are in, or what you are doing on the machine, then it is either deep in the OS or it's hardware.

 

[daneoni]

Simple really, re-install OS X to see if the issue persists. If it does ask for a replacement?

 

[oduinnin]

It really looks like a hardware issue to me. I had a similar problem on a PC some years ago. It turned out to be a broken lead on the GPU board causing the GPU to overheat. Heat related issues tend to get worse over time. Let us know once you get it repaired.

 

[DiNozzo]

It really looks like a hardware issue to me. I had a similar problem on a PC some years ago. It turned out to be a broken lead on the GPU board causing the GPU to overheat. Heat related issues tend to get worse over time. Let us know once you get it repaired.

I concur with that. A very similar thing happened on my PC a few years ago, and it was caused by the video card (probably overheating). This phenomenon happened occasionally at first, and increased in occurence after a day or two.

I replaced the video card, and the issue was gone.

 

[synth3tik]

that is some insane backlight bleed. I have a small bit on the top of my ACD, but wow. If you try the user account and the reinstall and it's still messed you should have no problem going to the Apple store for a new one.

 

[mad jew]

Did it again...seems to be happening faster and faster now. I hope it just gets stuck so I can drag it in broken to the store.

Was that in the new account?

 

[billyripkin]

First thanks for all the comments. I just woke up and I left the computer on all night(about 7 hours) I wanted to see if I did a fresh restart and did not open any apps if the screen would still do it and it did. I could try reinstalling the system but seems odd that this just started happening last night after 2 days of use and is happening faster and faster. I really feel it is a hardware issue. Before I try the system reinstall could someone remind me does that wipe out my prefs(bookmarks, system settings and so on).

I know the easy solution is to take it to the Apple store and I plan on going there later today if this does not stop. Until I can make it I thought I would try a couple things first.

 

[WhySoSerious]

First thanks for all the comments. I just woke up and I left the computer on all night(about 7 hours) I wanted to see if I did a fresh restart and did not open any apps if the screen would still do it and it did. I could try reinstalling the system but seems odd that this just started happening last night after 2 days of use and is happening faster and faster. I really feel it is a hardware issue. Before I try the system reinstall could someone remind me does that wipe out my prefs(bookmarks, system settings and so on).

I know the easy solution is to take it to the Apple store and I plan on going there later today if this does not stop. Until I can make it I thought I would try a couple things first.

Return it. The new iMacs are pure crap. Take your cash and get a MBP instead. You can thank me later.

 

[Alloye]

Return it. The new iMacs are pure crap. Take your cash and get a MBP instead. You can thank me later.

 

[oduinnin]

I don't believe the new iMacs are crap in general. However, you do appear to have a hardware problem. I've been using desktop & laptop computers since the very first ones arrived. I've been using Macintosh computers since 1991. I've never had a bad one and I've owned 7 different models.

Reinstalling a brand new operating system thats only had a few days use will make not one bit of difference. OS X is rock solid. If you had problems with the system software or system file corruption, you would be getting kernal panics, freeze ups and a spinning beach ball, NOT multicolored banded screen effects!

These symptoms are very typical for video circuitry or CPU overheating. Take it to your local Apple store, Apple Specialist or wherever you bought it ASAP. Don't continue to use it as this may cause further damage.

Good luck.

 

[Calvinatir]

Happened to a client of mine's brand new 17" iMac, took it to the apple store and they promptly replaced it

 

[Wild-Bill]

Definitely a hardware issue. Bad video card. And horrible backlight bleeding if you ask me.


Awesome quality control Apple. What in the world is going on at Apple these days??

 

[RRK]

Awesome quality control Apple. What in the world is going on at Apple these days??

They are selling more computers then ever. Do the math.

 

[billyripkin]

Thank you for the comments. I decided not to try and reinstall the system and instead I am going to take it in tonight and have a genius replace it with a new one. The backlight bleeeing is terrible and the screen issues are the icing on the cake. It just angers me because I have bought several apple products in the past couple months that have had issues like this. I bought a Macbook that has airport issues and then the bluetooth died. I bought 2 iphones and one of them got a scratch less than a couple days after of use which was my fault but still annoyed me. I bought the Apple bluetooth headset and it was static city and I had to return it. Now this iMac is just another reason to go back again. I used to enjoy going to the Apple store but now I am dreading it like going to Walmart.

I have used macs since they came out in the 80's and this is the first time I have ever had issues like this. Someone somewhere is dropping the ball at Apple.

That is my rant for the day sorry if I offended any Apple fans out there.

 

[billyripkin]

So I called the Apple store tonight about 6pm before I went to exchange and they assured me they had 24" imacs in stock. Drove 35 min to the store dropped it off with a genius and then got a call 15 min later that he could do nothing because they were out of stock on the 24". So now my computer is sitting at the Apple store waiting until they get more in for shipment. Thanks for the wasted Saturday night Apple.