The only 2006 intel iMac without graphic card problems? Suggestions needed!!

[patriciooholegu]

Hello people.
I'm about to buy tomorrow, a very promising iMac Core2Duo 2.16ghz and 24 inch gorgeous display. The model is this:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-2.16-24-inch-specs.html

So the seller as send my pictures of the machine in working order, very good cosmetically shape, in is original box.
The transaction will be made in such a way, that the money of the treadh will be released ONLY after a few days after Im receiving it.

The question maybe too dumy for you but...Is this possible? The only one iMac that doesn't have the problem?
Actually i have being a lot of time after a model like this, and every one i saw was falling in that famous problem about the video card failure.
This one just does not?
Opinions? Suggestions?
Im an advanced laptop technician, alot of times have to use the reballing machine and all, even in Apple laptops, but don't like the idea to have to do it with this one.
The price is great for the usual in my country (Argentina), but will leave my with a tight budget the rest of the month.

 

[Bollockser]

Do not buy

DO NOT BUY!

I do computer nerd work for a graphic artist lady who has this exact model. It has this exact issue. Unless you like flushing money down the toilet, you're better off getting a Mac Mini and a standalone monitor.

 

[patriciooholegu]

Let my refrase the question:
Is there anyone who may say "i have that model and at this same day it is working and never gave my that kind of problem"...?
Thanks in advance.

 

[26139]

Hmmm....

Hope you're getting a SUPER deal on that, as it's relatively quite old.

 

[macthefork]

My bro had that model, although it was repaired in 2011 with the video issue. Still works fine to this day. It's still running Snow Leopard (10.6.8) and is now only used for email and minimal web browsing by another member of the family. That model can only use an OS up to Lion (10.7.5) so it's quite near its end of life for software security and hardware reliability.

If all you want it for is minimal web browsing, email, and maybe a word processor/text editor type of use, it may be fine if the low price is right.

 

[patriciooholegu]

My bro had that model, although it was repaired in 2011 with the video issue. Still works fine to this day. It's still running Snow Leopard (10.6.8) and is now only used for email and minimal web browsing by another member of the family. That model can only use an OS up to Lion (10.7.5) so it's quite near its end of life for software security and hardware reliability.

If all you want it for is minimal web browsing, email, and maybe a word processor/text editor type of use, it may be fine if the low price is right.

already have an emac g4 1.42 for that kind of situation that you describe: minimal web browsing, email, and maybe a word processor/text editor type of use.
The price is right. It is usually what you pay here for a non working, bad graphic board one.
Im thinking in let it pass

This is the computer:

http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-558701869-imac-blanca-2006-_JM

 

[spectre51]

I have a Late 2006 24" iMac 6,1 with the Nvidia GeForce 7600 GT. Never had any graphics issues with it. Only thing I have had go wrong was a hard drive died and my DVD drive stopped functioning correctly. Everything else has worked great.

I use it for email, web, encoding movie rips and managing my iTunes library.

 

[patriciooholegu]

So coming with news about the deal:
I finally decide it to buy the damn thing.
The seller (A nice guy whit the non-common-in-my-country name of "Collin") seemed to be trustable about the statement that the machine is perfectly working, so i decide it to take my chances...(remember. The money will be released only after a few days, after receiving my Ok on this "Copy-Of-eBay"site named www.mercadolibre.com).
It will be here maybe tomorrow.
I will test the beauty hard the first night, and at the next, i will going to disassembly to see that everything is ok inside.(Well the optical Drive have problems reading certain CD's but thats nothing new in Apple. Maybe a lens cleaning with Isopropilyc Alcohol should solve the problem).
I also have a experiment to make...:I happen to have a working Geforce M9600 MXM board, 512mb DDR3, removed in working order from an Acer laptop...
I have to try what will going to be if i plug that bad boy in my iMac.
Probably nothing.
Will see...
Chears.

 

[patriciooholegu]

Finall news about the iMac:

It arrived home the past week. About 10 days as passed.
This was the story:

- Arrived, unboxed, pluged to the wall outlet and to generic usb mouse and keyboard.
- Powered up and after VERY LONG 5 minutes hit the desktop. After a few test´s i realiced that this machine didnt work well. At all. The Os installed was Mac Os 10.4, and all apps outdated (Mozilla Firefox 4, just as an example). Everything was tooking to much to open...Then it just shut down on my...
- Powered up again and didnt even arrived to the desktop (Freezes completly).

I was not worry at all. Really.

- Turned on again and this time came to the desktop. Opened up DISK UTILITY and after cheking permissions the thing wass a REAL MESS. All kind of warning from the utility.
So leaved for next day.

-At next day i completly disassemble the sistem, to the last screw, fans, motherboard. Everything.
One thin i noticed was that it was the VERY FIRST PERSON to disassemble this machine (Noticed because of present stickers, screws thingtness, and alot of other things. Remember, i`m a FULL TIME Laptop Technician).
Alot of Dust on this one, since the firs day it was unboxed.
-After cleaning everything to New condition, power on and try to install Mac Os Lion.
-Failed masibly alot of times on this.
- So i decided to replace memory sticks on it (2 x 1gb DDR2-667, unknown brand) whit 2x1gb stick from Nanya...

...And the Dam thing worked flawlessly since then!!!

- Have passed now about 7 days since the sucess and the machine wass tested hard, runing full HD movies, installing software and other stuff and all run terrific!!!

Note: Affter replacing memory modules, on one of the arrives to the desktop of the last owner , i noticed that the "Last time modification" on every file was from not after 2009...
So my best guess is that the previus owner used since 2006 and maybe tried to upgrade Ram amount. After this the machine was completly unreliable and the Graphic Card was the one to Blame for this. Maybe the dust inside was not help making everything overheating, and combined with the ram problem, Put this beauty to rest for LOOONG TIME...Until today.
Pictures uploaded.
Great (Old, i know, but great) machine for playing around (I say it before: I´used an eMac G4 for hears, so this 24 inch Core2Duo machine is great and faster in the way i see it)...

Next attempt: Upgrade Ram to 4gb, install Mac Os Mountain Lion using MLpostFactor. Also an SSD drive should be nice.

A question to you all: Puting a 2.5" size SSD lives plenty of space inside, and does not create heat...So it is an interest project to use that HDD fan and space for...Graphic`s Card Watter Cooling???...

Sorry about my English.

 

[MikeArtworks]

Why did you buy such an old iMac?

 

[patriciooholegu]

Why did you buy such an old iMac?

Because i´m poor.
I cannot buy something more new.
But i like to use Mac Os...
Also back in 2009 i saw one of this models i have now and was a dream impossible.
Now i have one to play around.
The price was equal to us$350, and in my country you have to pay double for one in this conditions.
Also like the Vintage look on this one.
Chears.

 

[MikeArtworks]

Because i´m poor.
I cannot buy something more new.
But i like to use Mac Os...
Also back in 2009 i saw one of this models i have now and was a dream impossible.
Now i have one to play around.
The price was equal to us$350, and in my country you have to pay double for one in this conditions.
Also like the Vintage look on this one.
Chears.

Ahh, okay!

Hope you're enjoying it

 

[SnarkyBear]

Why did you buy such an old iMac?

We have this identical iMac which we bought new in 2006. Except for increasing the RAM and replacing the Hard Drive (5 or so years ago), this has run absolutely perfectly! We web surf, watch movies, and run MS Office 2008 just fine. Amazing machine to have lasted us 9 years and counting. I hope our current Macbook Pro lasts as long.

 

[patriciooholegu]

We have this identical iMac which we bought new in 2006. Except for increasing the RAM and replacing the Hard Drive (5 or so years ago), this has run absolutely perfectly! We web surf, watch movies, and run MS Office 2008 just fine. Amazing machine to have lasted us 9 years and counting. I hope our current Macbook Pro lasts as long.

Great!
Also mine so far.
I Think SMCFanControl is a must-have here.
Do you have it?
What are your readings?
Another job to do alot is to clean the inside. Im not talking just blowing air or vacoom from outside, but a energic compressor after removing the front and LCD display. Maybe a little bit scarry if you dont like DIY stuff, but not hard to do also...
Chears