Weird-acting iMac

[sala1]

I have a 2010 2.93 GHz iMac that's been acting really strange.

It started a while ago.

Applications like iTunes and Safari and Firefox would just suddnely shut down.

Nothing would work.

Then the computer would shut down out of the blue.

When I'd restart the computer, everything would work normally for about 2-3 hours, then the same problems would resurface.

Occasionally, before the sudden shutdowns, the screen image would start showing cracks. These are digital cracks, not actual screen cracking.

Like this:

The computer would also take a long time to start up, and I would seesomething I'd never seen before -- this oval/rectangular thing at startup:

When I took it in to my local Mac repair shop, they recommended I get a new hard drive. (The Mac originally came with an Apple-installed 2 TB hard drive.)

So now I have a new hard drive, and the above problems persist -- except for the random shutdowns.

I am on OS 10.6.8 and when I tried to use disk utility with a brand new hard drive, I got this message:

I've also tried fixing it with the install discs to no avail.

I've tried upgrading a newer operating system, including Mavericks (which is allowed with 10.6.8), but something always goes wrong.

It refuses to upgrade.

I am stuck with the operating system as it currently is.

I'm planning to go back to my Mac repair shop, but since they didn't catch this in the first place, I am worried.

I fear there might be something wrong with the computer that can't be fixed.

Yet it worked fine for 3 years.

Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[chevalier433]

I have a 2010 2.93 GHz iMac that's been acting really strange.

It started a while ago.

Applications like iTunes and Safari and Firefox would just suddnely shut down.

Nothing would work.

Then the computer would shut down out of the blue.

When I'd restart the computer, everything would work normally for about 2-3 hours, then the same problems would resurface.

Occasionally, before the sudden shutdowns, the screen image would start showing cracks. These are digital cracks, not actual screen cracking.

Like this:

Image


The computer would also take a long time to start up, and I would seesomething I'd never seen before -- this oval/rectangular thing at startup:

Image


When I took it in to my local Mac repair shop, they recommended I get a new hard drive. (The Mac originally came with an Apple-installed 2 TB hard drive.)

So now I have a new hard drive, and the above problems persist -- except for the random shutdowns.

I am on OS 10.6.8 and when I tried to use disk utility with a brand new hard drive, I got this message:

Image

I've also tried fixing it with the install discs to no avail.

I've tried upgrading a newer operating system, including Mavericks (which is allowed with 10.6.8), but something always goes wrong.

It refuses to upgrade.

I am stuck with the operating system as it currently is.

I'm planning to go back to my Mac repair shop, but since they didn't catch this in the first place, I am worried.

I fear there might be something wrong with the computer that can't be fixed.

Yet it worked fine for 3 years.

Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Looks like disk is fail.You are luck that disk last 3 years mine last 1 year.iMac's and hard drives bad combination,high temperature.

 

[irnchriz]

I have a 2010 2.93 GHz iMac that's been acting really strange.

It started a while ago.

Applications like iTunes and Safari and Firefox would just suddnely shut down.

Nothing would work.

Then the computer would shut down out of the blue.

When I'd restart the computer, everything would work normally for about 2-3 hours, then the same problems would resurface.

Occasionally, before the sudden shutdowns, the screen image would start showing cracks. These are digital cracks, not actual screen cracking.

Like this:

Image


The computer would also take a long time to start up, and I would seesomething I'd never seen before -- this oval/rectangular thing at startup:

Image


When I took it in to my local Mac repair shop, they recommended I get a new hard drive. (The Mac originally came with an Apple-installed 2 TB hard drive.)

So now I have a new hard drive, and the above problems persist -- except for the random shutdowns.

I am on OS 10.6.8 and when I tried to use disk utility with a brand new hard drive, I got this message:

Image

I've also tried fixing it with the install discs to no avail.

I've tried upgrading a newer operating system, including Mavericks (which is allowed with 10.6.8), but something always goes wrong.

It refuses to upgrade.

I am stuck with the operating system as it currently is.

I'm planning to go back to my Mac repair shop, but since they didn't catch this in the first place, I am worried.

I fear there might be something wrong with the computer that can't be fixed.

Yet it worked fine for 3 years.

Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Make a backup of everything first.
boot from the os disks, launching disk utility

Now, select the top level of the drive.
Choose partition, select 1 partition
In options choose guid
Set the format type to Mac OS extended (journaled)
Then apply the changes.

This will erase everything on the disk and allow you to install whichever os you want.

You could also do this on a USB drive and boot from that.

 

[pastrychef]

I agree with chevalier433. Looks like a hard drive that's dying fast.

 

[SaSaSushi]

Occasionally, before the sudden shutdowns, the screen image would start showing cracks. These are digital cracks, not actual screen cracking.

I experienced graphical glitches (artifacts) with associated lockups on an iMac I once owned with a failing GPU/logic board. It too, would often work for a while before freezing.

 

[sala1]

I agree with chevalier433. Looks like a hard drive that's dying fast.

Thanks, but what are the chances that a brand-new hard drive would immediately have the same problems that my old hard drive had?

I experienced graphical glitches (artifacts) with associated lockups on an iMac I once owned with a failing GPU/logic board. It too, would often work for a while before freezing.

I was worried that it might be that. I've also heard that logic boards are hard/impossible to replace.

 

[pastrychef]

Hard drives can die at any time.

If possible, please post a picture of the graphic glitches you see. It could be a sign that the GPU is going.

 

[SaSaSushi]

Thanks, but what are the chances that a brand-new hard drive would immediately have the same problems that my old hard drive had?

It's a good question.

I was worried that it might be that. I've also heard that logic boards are hard/impossible to replace.

It is not impossible, just very expensive. I would say it is a difficult, but not impossible, DIY job. Still, the logic board itself is going to set you back a few hundred dollars at the least.

Have you run the Apple Hardware Test? Put in the system DVD and press and hold D while booting.

 

[chevalier433]

Thanks, but what are the chances that a brand-new hard drive would immediately have the same problems that my old hard drive had?

Dude as i told you hard drives and iMac bad combination replace it with a SSD that don't have problems with temperature.

 

[Choctaw]

Dude as i told you hard drives and iMac bad combination replace it with a SSD that don't have problems with temperature.

I us external G=Drive technology 2TB it makes no noise and runs without any heat issues on my iMac works for me.