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Q: Greyish Smudge marks behind the glass screen.

I have a 21.5 iMac bought in November 2009.

There appears to be numerous greyish smudge marks behind the glass screen on the top left hand corner.

It was not apparent to me at first, but after I started using OMMWriter it became easily visible. I also tried placing a neutral white background like TextEdit and it was easily visible even then.

I have cleaned the screen on numerous occasions and it has not had any effect.

What should I do?

These spots are quite disturbing.

iMac 21.5, November 2009, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Jan 15, 2010 10:55 AM

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Q: Greyish Smudge marks behind the glass screen.

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  • by Junction10,

    Junction10 Junction10 Jul 26, 2011 7:36 AM in response to Huw Williams
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 26, 2011 7:36 AM in response to Huw Williams

    I've got a 24" iMac (Early 2008, supplied January 2009) and was advised to buy AppleCare to go with it, citing onsite repairs..  To be honest, I'd have bought the AppleCare anyway, but Onsite repair was one of the features that made it a no-brainer for me, being part of my work and all.

     

    I've got screen burn in as well now..  had it for a while, but I've lived with it as I've been working from my Macbook Pro mainly, and have been using the iMac for a mailserver, with just periodic stints for my photography work...  now however, I'd like to get back to using the iMac, as I've added a 2nd display...  but obviously I can't have shadows all over my photos when I'm working on them as they look awful under the shadows.

     

    So I called AppleCare..  only to be told that the repair company would contact me to arrange collection. I asked them about onsite repair and they said they don't do it.  The website still says they do, and I was told they do when I bought the machine and the AppleCare package!  Not happy about that.  I've also bought ProCare in the last 12 months so will reluctantly take the machine in to a store tomorrow to have it assessed and then bring it back and wait for them to order any spare parts...    I feel cheated though.

  • by Grace Munroe,

    Grace Munroe Grace Munroe Jul 28, 2011 8:43 PM in response to swapnonil
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 28, 2011 8:43 PM in response to swapnonil

    IMG_0001.JPG

  • by Grace Munroe,

    Grace Munroe Grace Munroe Jul 28, 2011 8:44 PM in response to Grace Munroe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 28, 2011 8:44 PM in response to Grace Munroe

    The above photo is my hugest problem, this is how my computer looks, it's a real pain.

  • by Grace Munroe,

    Grace Munroe Grace Munroe Jul 28, 2011 10:10 PM in response to Grace Munroe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 28, 2011 10:10 PM in response to Grace Munroe

    I just had the tech out but he wouldn't change the screen because he found one TINY insect in there, the very first as I've had screen replacements before and I've never come across anything dead or alive in there, having lived in three different places, also my last iMac was a G3 'the bubble' and it was put through crap, with constant moves and various living conditions, it's unusual that the G3 lasted seven years without a gliche, no screen issues and certainly no insects, good luck everybody, also the tech assured me that I wouldn't have any hard ware problems due to this. PROBLEM NOT SOLVED and so NOT happy.

  • by RDJ2011,

    RDJ2011 RDJ2011 Jul 28, 2011 11:38 PM in response to Grace Munroe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 28, 2011 11:38 PM in response to Grace Munroe

    Grace I had the issue in the photo and took the glass out and cleaned it easily, Thats different to the smudge marks IN the actual display

    which I also have.

     

    cheers

     

    rob.

  • by eNovator,

    eNovator eNovator Jul 28, 2011 11:45 PM in response to swapnonil
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 28, 2011 11:45 PM in response to swapnonil

    hello again

    i would like to see everyone that is out of warranty how do they deal with this issue

    the thing is..either you pay the big cost of replacing the panel or...try and clean it iside..and im nmot talking about the first glass on the imac im talking about the actual panel

    has anyne done this?

    i have seen a post showing how to do that..of cxourse this is for expoerience users

  • by Grace Munroe,

    Grace Munroe Grace Munroe Jul 30, 2011 8:37 PM in response to eNovator
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 30, 2011 8:37 PM in response to eNovator

    I've had two replacement iMacs and constant screen and glass replacements and it still comes back, it can't have anything to do with where I live because I've moved three times, mine is still under warranty so I haven't tried a DIY clean up yet.

  • by Grace Munroe,

    Grace Munroe Grace Munroe Jul 30, 2011 8:38 PM in response to Grace Munroe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 30, 2011 8:38 PM in response to Grace Munroe

    Also Rob do you have a photo of yours that you could post on here?

  • by Dan Thurgood,

    Dan Thurgood Dan Thurgood Aug 1, 2011 4:24 AM in response to Grace Munroe
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 1, 2011 4:24 AM in response to Grace Munroe

    I'm in Liverpool, UK and have had this exact problem with my Late 2009 21.5in iMac. Grey blotches in top left of screen, visible only on white background such as Photoshop. My business? Photographer and designer, so yes, this was a BIG issue. Took it to my Apple store after discussion on phone with Apple tech, and, in spite of it being three weeks out of warranty, they replaced the screen without quibble. Not a hint of any kind of disquiet at all.

     

    It seems pretty clear to me that this is a design fault. One assumes that Apple occasionally read these fourms (or perhaps they've given up as they find too many posts and issues like these!)

     

    I will now be monitoring my monitor very closely for any hint of a return to this fault. I've been told I have a 3 month warranty on the replacement part (yep, just 3 months for a £300 part!!) so I expect to be back there again soon. The upside? Apple Store Liverpool fixed my machine in 24 hours from reciept of part. Not bad, eh?

  • by eNovator,

    eNovator eNovator Aug 1, 2011 5:34 AM in response to Dan Thurgood
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 1, 2011 5:34 AM in response to Dan Thurgood

    and this was for free?

    we dont have an official apple store here in greece but we have resellers and they said i had to pay like 300 euros for a replacement

    that is why i am thinking to doa DIY operation cos im out of warranty the last one and ahlf year ago,...

  • by Dan Thurgood,

    Dan Thurgood Dan Thurgood Aug 1, 2011 5:40 AM in response to eNovator
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 1, 2011 5:40 AM in response to eNovator

    I think there's two key differences here - the length of time out of warranty and whether you went to an Apple Store or not. 300 euros is about the cost of the new screen that Apple gave me. Try my buddy in Liverpool for Apple parts: www.thebookyard.com

  • by eNovator,

    eNovator eNovator Aug 1, 2011 5:57 AM in response to Dan Thurgood
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 1, 2011 5:57 AM in response to Dan Thurgood

    ill try and contact them again...300 euros is a lot of mioney for me at the moment

  • by Island Mixed,

    Island Mixed Island Mixed Aug 2, 2011 1:16 PM in response to swapnonil
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 2, 2011 1:16 PM in response to swapnonil

    I have the same problem with my 27 inch Mac Desktop. Bought it in Dec of 2009. Past the manufactuers warranty. Called support. Nothing they can do. Was quoted big money to replace screen. The end result is that i will never purchase another Mac product again. It seems to be a global and known issue with this model and its screen. But apple wont recall because they offer a limited one year and extended warranty. Ive never had any issues with any of my previous Mac products and was always very happy with their quality. But... now it has been jaded.

  • by bee_berry,

    bee_berry bee_berry Aug 2, 2011 2:04 PM in response to Dan Thurgood
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 2, 2011 2:04 PM in response to Dan Thurgood

    I posted back in May this year about my experience with iMac 27" screen problems after having my third led panel fitted in about seven months. My third panel hasnt suffered at all from the same smudging and almost burned in black marking as the first two did. Both these panels had developed marking within four weeks which got steadily worse over time. I've been using my iMac almost constantly in the past ten weeks since panel three was fitted, I've checked the screen every few days and its as arctic white as the day it was fitted. Yay!

    What I did notice and this may be of interest to other users who are contemplating using their apple care is that the third panel fitted to my iMac has a 5mm black border around its edge which the other screens didnt have (it makes the screen area slightly smaller but hardly noticeable on a 27inch screen) This suggests to me a different type or make of replacement panel has been fitted and I'm curious whether Apple may have a new supplier or are fitting new model iMac screens that dont suffer from smudging? I've had a look through the posts and havent noticed droves of 2011 model iMac users posting problems. Fingers crossed my iMac is well and truly fixed. It's a joy to use the full screen with my photography workflow again which is the main reason I purchased it in the first place. So far so good. 

  • by BinaryMango,

    BinaryMango BinaryMango Aug 2, 2011 2:07 PM in response to bee_berry
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Aug 2, 2011 2:07 PM in response to bee_berry

    Interesting! Would you be able to post some photos of your new screen with this 5mm black border/bezel? I'd be very curious to see, thanks!

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