The user quoted in the article is just grandstanding. Lots of people don't have this problem, and others have not had the problem since theirs was fixed. He should just take it in and have it fixed.
If it's the fault of the GPU, it won't be Apple who pay the expense.
Isn't it ironic that the one weakness of the entire Apple lineup is poor graphics performance and here we have a video card being overtaxed for the thermal environment Apple has placed it in. Indeed, do Apple's noise and chassis-size restrictions prevent them from going offering higher end GPUs?
Therefore, I wonder if ATI really should be assigned any blame here. Take this hypothesis as an example: If I buy an 8800GTS, take off the fan (due to noise), put it in my HTPC case, and run CoD4 with all the bells and whistles enabled, can I blame nVidia if it overheats?
maybe apple should use the cooling system that their G5 processors used last time to fix this probs, haha, but they will lose a lot of money at the same time installing it to current iMac owners. I wonder what happen if they switch to Nvidia graphic cards?
I'm sure this is frustrating for iMac owners, but I thought I'd share my experience.
I got the new 24" iMac the day it came out. It started freezing right away - usually in iPhoto (when opening an image for editing). I use iPhoto a lot so maybe that's why I noticed that the most.
It was freezing several times a day. My "fix" was to use iPhoto as little as possible.
After about two weeks - and one or two iMac software updates, I forget how many - it stopped doing it. I haven't had it freeze under Leopard a single time.
So while it's possible that it's a hardware problem, I was definitely having the problem in a serious way several weeks ago, and I'm definitely not having it now, without taking the computer to Apple or changing the way I use it.
Let me get this straight you are claiming omniscience?
As you have the hard facts, what does "lots" consist of? 4, 5, 10, 20, 100 users? Or are you claiming 30%, 40%, 99.999%?
Based on what? You have hacked Apple's repairs database?
You seem to have come to the remarkable conclusion that somehow the remainder, who do have the problem, are at fault, not Apple.
In my experience 2 Apple retailers have had the problem before the iMacs even left the store, but your denials are clearly helping those who have got stuck with lemons.
Isn't it ironic that the one weakness of the entire Apple lineup is poor graphics performance and here we have a video card being overtaxed for the thermal environment Apple has placed it in. Indeed, do Apple's noise and chassis-size restrictions prevent them from going offering higher end GPUs?
Therefore, I wonder if ATI really should be assigned any blame here. Take this hypothesis as an example: If I buy an 8800GTS, take off the fan (due to noise), put it in my HTPC case, and run CoD4 with all the bells and whistles enabled, can I blame nVidia if it overheats?
No, but you're not an OEM with a contract with nVidia. It obviously will depend on the contract as to who takes the blame in this case.
This will result in an Apple Repair Extension being offered, if they narrow it down to hardware for certain, they will replace the video board (just as they did for all those first generation iMac G5s that had power issues.) It will only be expensive if it turns out to have a lot of computers affected. I've seen 1 come back of nearly 1,000 we sold at the store I work at, Likely, they will extend the warranty on this issue to 3 years, if it turns out to be hardware. They won't be hurt by it too much, they do stuff like this often, and if it turns out to be an issue with some chipsets then ATI might get hit with some of the cost.
And amazingly, they do this all without the need for people to b&%$* and moan about it.
The new Imacs aren't really thinner - it's just an aspect of the design.
It's lower in spacial volume than previous designs. I think at it's thickest, it is still thinner than the previous model. It's a lot thinner at the edges though.
I'm confused. I didn't think the iMac had a graphics card and the GPUs were built onto the motherboard. Would some one more knowledgable correct me if I'm wrong, as I often am.
I just have to say that I've been scared away from ever buying another iMac. I actually have not been affected by this issue, but since the dawn of post-G4 iMacs I have encountered the first product from Apple to consistently lack in quality. Any other Apple products (except the mini which also has issues though not as bad as the iMac) have lasted for years and years until they were simply outdated, but would still work if I pulled them out of the closet. We have had FOUR different iMacs (2 G5s, 1 G5 i-sight, and 1 white Intel), however, whose logic boards have crapped out within months of being out of warranty. What sucks about this is that I really don't want to pay for a Mac Pro just for salesman to run FileMaker. I guess the mini will have to do for them. What we really need is that missing piece of the Apple lineup: A mid-range, headless desktop.
I had severe freezing issues with my iMac after upgrading to Leopard (several per hour), bad enough to consider trying to get my iMac replaced. It seemed like they came mostly when playing movies on iTunes, switching spaces, transitioning to the screen saver, or using TIme Machine. Occasionally it was a dead mouse (stopped moving), other times it was random black and white rectangular streaks, but always it required a hard reboot. I have not had 1 freeze since Apple's most recent leoprad update.
It seems that if it is a hardware design issue, it is amenable to a software fix.
"I've gone from frustrated, to upset, angry, furious to disappointed with my iMac," reports one user from Apple's forums. "It basically sits in my office collecting dust. I don't want to drag it all the way down to the Apple store, because I know they will only exchange it with the another defective unit."
Clearly he has too much money.
Did anyone else read that as "I can't be bothered to help myself, someone else should do it for me"? Maybe he's Michael Eisner? har har.
--
I'm sorry to hear about all this trouble, but I'm very glad I decided to wait for a revision. These freezes would put me round the bend.
I just have to say that I've been scared away from ever buying another iMac. I actually have not been affected by this issue, but since the dawn of post-G4 iMacs I have encountered the first product from Apple to consistently lack in quality. Any other Apple products (except the mini which also has issues though not as bad as the iMac) have lasted for years and years until they were simply outdated, but would still work if I pulled them out of the closet. We have had FOUR different iMacs (2 G5s, 1 G5 i-sight, and 1 white Intel), however, whose logic boards have crapped out within months of being out of warranty. What sucks about this is that I really don't want to pay for a Mac Pro just for salesman to run FileMaker. I guess the mini will have to do for them. What we really need is that missing piece of the Apple lineup: A mid-range, headless desktop.
This will be remedied as it has been in the past, I just hope they have a better supply of replacement parts than they did for the first iMac G5s
Yeah...go buy an HP, or Dell, their quality is sooooo much better
O.... K.... I'll bite.
What the hell would I do with an HP or Dell? I agree they probably aren't much better in quality... What does that have to do with anything I said about the iMac? I run an all mac office, so HP or Dell wouldn't do me any good.
Comments
If it's the fault of the GPU, it won't be Apple who pay the expense.
Isn't it ironic that the one weakness of the entire Apple lineup is poor graphics performance and here we have a video card being overtaxed for the thermal environment Apple has placed it in. Indeed, do Apple's noise and chassis-size restrictions prevent them from going offering higher end GPUs?
Therefore, I wonder if ATI really should be assigned any blame here. Take this hypothesis as an example: If I buy an 8800GTS, take off the fan (due to noise), put it in my HTPC case, and run CoD4 with all the bells and whistles enabled, can I blame nVidia if it overheats?
That's a bogus complaint. What if it was your hard drive that crashed?
Everyone should have a backup drive.
Besides, Apple won't replace the computer, they'll replace the logic board. Chances are your data will remain intact.
Exactly. And you should always back up your machine before sending if off for repair. In fact, you should always back up your machine period.
I got the new 24" iMac the day it came out. It started freezing right away - usually in iPhoto (when opening an image for editing). I use iPhoto a lot so maybe that's why I noticed that the most.
It was freezing several times a day. My "fix" was to use iPhoto as little as possible.
After about two weeks - and one or two iMac software updates, I forget how many - it stopped doing it. I haven't had it freeze under Leopard a single time.
So while it's possible that it's a hardware problem, I was definitely having the problem in a serious way several weeks ago, and I'm definitely not having it now, without taking the computer to Apple or changing the way I use it.
Lots of people don't have this problem.
Let me get this straight you are claiming omniscience?
As you have the hard facts, what does "lots" consist of? 4, 5, 10, 20, 100 users? Or are you claiming 30%, 40%, 99.999%?
Based on what? You have hacked Apple's repairs database?
You seem to have come to the remarkable conclusion that somehow the remainder, who do have the problem, are at fault, not Apple.
In my experience 2 Apple retailers have had the problem before the iMacs even left the store, but your denials are clearly helping those who have got stuck with lemons.
Isn't it ironic that the one weakness of the entire Apple lineup is poor graphics performance and here we have a video card being overtaxed for the thermal environment Apple has placed it in. Indeed, do Apple's noise and chassis-size restrictions prevent them from going offering higher end GPUs?
Therefore, I wonder if ATI really should be assigned any blame here. Take this hypothesis as an example: If I buy an 8800GTS, take off the fan (due to noise), put it in my HTPC case, and run CoD4 with all the bells and whistles enabled, can I blame nVidia if it overheats?
No, but you're not an OEM with a contract with nVidia. It obviously will depend on the contract as to who takes the blame in this case.
I have the following:
24" White iMac
24" Al iMac (Three of these at work)
20" Al iMac
And amazingly, they do this all without the need for people to b&%$* and moan about it.
The new Imacs aren't really thinner - it's just an aspect of the design.
It's lower in spacial volume than previous designs. I think at it's thickest, it is still thinner than the previous model. It's a lot thinner at the edges though.
http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...20#post1170020
work on problematic 24" imac.
I'm confused. I didn't think the iMac had a graphics card and the GPUs were built onto the motherboard. Would some one more knowledgable correct me if I'm wrong, as I often am.
24" iMac's have cards.
It seems that if it is a hardware design issue, it is amenable to a software fix.
it seems ATI quality much lower than nVidia, Apple should have chosen nVidia hmmm...
"I've gone from frustrated, to upset, angry, furious to disappointed with my iMac," reports one user from Apple's forums. "It basically sits in my office collecting dust. I don't want to drag it all the way down to the Apple store, because I know they will only exchange it with the another defective unit."
Clearly he has too much money.
Did anyone else read that as "I can't be bothered to help myself, someone else should do it for me"? Maybe he's Michael Eisner? har har.
--
I'm sorry to hear about all this trouble, but I'm very glad I decided to wait for a revision. These freezes would put me round the bend.
I just have to say that I've been scared away from ever buying another iMac. I actually have not been affected by this issue, but since the dawn of post-G4 iMacs I have encountered the first product from Apple to consistently lack in quality. Any other Apple products (except the mini which also has issues though not as bad as the iMac) have lasted for years and years until they were simply outdated, but would still work if I pulled them out of the closet. We have had FOUR different iMacs (2 G5s, 1 G5 i-sight, and 1 white Intel), however, whose logic boards have crapped out within months of being out of warranty. What sucks about this is that I really don't want to pay for a Mac Pro just for salesman to run FileMaker. I guess the mini will have to do for them. What we really need is that missing piece of the Apple lineup: A mid-range, headless desktop.
This will be remedied as it has been in the past, I just hope they have a better supply of replacement parts than they did for the first iMac G5s
Yeah...go buy an HP, or Dell, their quality is sooooo much better
O.... K.... I'll bite.
What the hell would I do with an HP or Dell? I agree they probably aren't much better in quality... What does that have to do with anything I said about the iMac? I run an all mac office, so HP or Dell wouldn't do me any good.
When people say freezing, do they mean a stutter or the machine locks up and has to be powered off and back on?
I have the following:
24" White iMac
24" Al iMac (Three of these at work)
20" Al iMac
In this case the videocard stops working, the screen goes black.
The cpu is still working, just you can't see what's happening.
And yes you have to reboot to get your screen back again.