Weird graphics issue.

[cocky jeremy]

I've posted about this before and i think i may be getting somewhat to the bottom of it. Sometimes my computer will randomly freeze. Out of nowhere. Not doing any specific thing most of the time, just randomly. I think it might be Chrome/Rockmelt related though. The screen just sticks. Sometimes i can move my mouse, but nothing else works. When i restart i get a message about kernel panics and it always shows the NVRAM (i think that's it) issue. Something graphic card or graphic card driver related. I've found that this mostly happens now when i mess with Chrome or Rockmelt. It did it just now, but instead of restarting (by holding the power button) i let it sit for a few. It finally unfroze itself and i took a screenshot. It's just a white box, but this is what appears at random spots on the screen when this happens. Sometimes it's frozen spots on the current website that stick, even if i scroll the site. Anyone else having this issue? (I tested hardware a while back and it found nothing)

 

[cocky jeremy]

I love how this forum is full of information and answers to fix issues.. until i have an issue. Haha.

 

[Macman45]

Well your usernme is apt...A little patience usually gets results. That's a graphics related issue for certain, when you say random, does it do this in other apps as well? If so, I would lean towards the hardware itself, rather than it being a software related problem.

If you still have any Applecare or warranty left I would take it to a genius bar.

 

[Sped]

This happens to us periodically as well. At least everything in your description except the white box. Usually this occurs after the computer has been in use for several days and perhaps being used with several Flash sites or other graphically intensive applications. The screen freezes, often but not always the pointer still moves but nothing can be selected, and we're stuck. Sometimes there will be some type of distortion on the screen. Our only recourse normally is to press and hold the power button and then restart. Out of curiosity, what version iMac do you have? Ours is an iMac 8,1 - 24", 3.06 gHz, 4GB RAM.

 

[Ddyracer]

My iMac used to freeze quite frequently with the cursor still working when using chrome so I just stopped using chrome as my main browser. Never got this white box though.

 

[cocky jeremy]

This happens to us periodically as well. At least everything in your description except the white box. Usually this occurs after the computer has been in use for several days and perhaps being used with several Flash sites or other graphically intensive applications. The screen freezes, often but not always the pointer still moves but nothing can be selected, and we're stuck. Sometimes there will be some type of distortion on the screen. Our only recourse normally is to press and hold the power button and then restart. Out of curiosity, what version iMac do you have? Ours is an iMac 8,1 - 24", 3.06 gHz, 4GB RAM.

2009 24" 2.93 GHz C2D, 8 GB RAM. It seems to be an issue with Chrome/Rockmelt because lately it's been happening when i switch to or from either of these browsers. I've found that if i wait a few minutes, it unfreezes enough to force quit the browser and then everything is fine. I've done hardware tests and it comes up clean. It's weird because it won't do it at all for a week or so, then it'll do it 3-4 times in a row. I sent a report via the Chrome "Report an issue.." menu. Maybe if enough of us send this report they'll figure it out.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Just did it again. Worse than usual this time. Force quitting Chrome made the issue disappear completely.