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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 Greenhills,

    Greenhills Greenhills Aug 4, 2011 5:04 PM in response to swapnonil
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    Aug 4, 2011 5:04 PM in response to swapnonil

    I have a 27" iMac since January and just recently discovered through a white background in Photoshop that it wasn't my screen that is dirty from dust, but a series of dust-like lines on both top left and right corners and some to the sides that are clearly on the LCD behind the glass. This is unbearable on such an expensive and professional machine.

    Here's the unmodified photo from my Canon 7D:

    IMG_7972 orig.jpg

    And this is the same photo with the levels tweaked to clearly show the problem:

    IMG_7972 copy.jpg

    Setting aside the discussion over warranty and costs, is there any official explanation regarding what this is and why it happens?

  • by Grace Munroe,

    Grace Munroe Grace Munroe Aug 4, 2011 9:56 PM in response to Greenhills
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 4, 2011 9:56 PM in response to Greenhills

    This looks worse than mine but I know how you feel. I'm getting yet another screen replacement on Monday, one of many and I don't think it's over yet, it's a designer flaw without a doubt.IMG_0003.JPG

  • by Grace Munroe,

    Grace Munroe Grace Munroe Aug 4, 2011 9:58 PM in response to Grace Munroe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 4, 2011 9:58 PM in response to Grace Munroe

    And here's another problem, this is a real screen issue.Mac1.jpg

  • by ilya254,

    ilya254 ilya254 Aug 4, 2011 10:17 PM in response to ilya254
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 4, 2011 10:17 PM in response to ilya254

    Update: It is more than a month since I submitted my complaint to Apple Russia. A new screen always "arrives shortly". My screen is getting worse. I am bitterly disappointed with the situation. Chaps, you charge twice as much for a premium product. This is not acceptable and catastrophic for your brand. I feel foolish. 

  • by Grace Munroe,

    Grace Munroe Grace Munroe Aug 5, 2011 11:30 PM in response to ilya254
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 5, 2011 11:30 PM in response to ilya254

    I don't get charged for the screen but the problem keeps coming back because of the crappy way it's made.

  • by FantasticScholastic,

    FantasticScholastic FantasticScholastic Aug 6, 2011 4:33 AM in response to swapnonil
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    Aug 6, 2011 4:33 AM in response to swapnonil

    I have the same screen problem on my early 2008 iMac 20in screen.  There are small vertical brownish streaks in the top right and left hand corners of the screen - only really noticeable on top of lighter hues (white, etc.). 

     

    Here's something to support the thermal theory.  Yesterday I restored the iMac to factory settings, clearing the hard drive, etc., a process that took a little less than an hour.  Then I installed the Snow Leopard on the machine, which took another 45 minutes or so.  The aluminum casing did indeed become very warm during all this - and I noticed that the streaks had grown like little cancers webbing out from their typical haunts in the corners - egad!  I let the machine cool a bit and later in the evening I returned to find that the streaks had retreated to their usual size and place in the upper corners...

  • by TheSkygge,

    TheSkygge TheSkygge Aug 6, 2011 8:49 AM in response to swapnonil
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    Aug 6, 2011 8:49 AM in response to swapnonil

    Imac mid-2010 bought in Norway, problems appeared from the beginning but was not really annoying. I even said to mylself "well it's normal no screen is perfect". No it is annoying. Warranty running until November.

     

    Good environnment. And even if. hose things should tolerate some smoke or dust.

     

    Norwegian laws says that reparation can be done 2 times maximum before the product HAS to be replaced by another one of similar or higher value/performance and warranty is outrunned by a rule saying that products supposed to work "for some time" must be repaired for free if needed the 2 first years. Meaning good for me.

     

    Good too is that Norwegian are kinda "teletubbies" and nice, so I should not have any problem, but if they try to **** with me I'll give them nightmares. I'm almost wishing that so I can ask for a 27" Thunderbolt as compensation if it goes wrong (seen on another foreum...^^). I'm also very happy that I have an Apple Store in my city so I'm waiting for them to answer my mail and I'll pay them a visit.

     

    I'm of course NOT going to suicide my Mac by opening it myself.

  • by Grace Munroe,

    Grace Munroe Grace Munroe Aug 6, 2011 11:19 PM in response to TheSkygge
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    Aug 6, 2011 11:19 PM in response to TheSkygge

    I tried leaving my iMac on for 48 hours without it sleeping but that didn't resolve it either. I really believe it's the casing because my older Macs never gave me problems like this and they were exposed to much more, drinking coffee at the desk and smoking etc which I would never attempt near this one.

  • by judithblades,

    judithblades judithblades Aug 9, 2011 2:28 PM in response to swapnonil
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    Aug 9, 2011 2:28 PM in response to swapnonil

    Hi, I have just tuned in to this thread for the same reasons...

     

    imac 21.5

    massive grey blotching on the upper left (my left) part of the screen moving across to the centre...

    we live in Delhi, India

     

     

    I've never seen anything like it on a computer before...and used macs in my workplace for many many years...

     

    I thought it was our housekeeper had sprayed something to clean it but still getting worse after ensuring no moisture used for cleaning...

     

    I had a techie out today and he said it was the airconditioner in the room....well it is hot most of the time here and very humid as well...so a lot of moisture around

     

    I think I'll check out the costs of replacement while I'm here and let you know...

  • by danlong78,

    danlong78 danlong78 Aug 9, 2011 8:59 PM in response to swapnonil
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    Aug 9, 2011 8:59 PM in response to swapnonil

    I developed the same problem with my late 2009 27" iMac.  The problem didn't occur until shortly after my warranty expired.  I took it to the Apple store who quoted me $606 plus tax to replace the LCD panel.  I find this unacceptable because clearly this is a widespread issue caused by a design flaw, not user error.  I've just sent feedback to Apple and plan to call Apple Care to push the issue, I suggest all others having this problem do the same.  We need to let them know just how many of us are having the problem so they hopefully will do the right thing and off replacements.

  • by eNovator,

    eNovator eNovator Aug 10, 2011 12:45 AM in response to danlong78
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    Aug 10, 2011 12:45 AM in response to danlong78

    i will agree on that..i mean that this is a design flaw and it is actually unaccepatble!

    im out of warranty and they told me that ill have to pay the lcd panel so as to be replaced...

    i will say this again..i have this imac for three years and i dont plan to upfrade soon at least when a new design comes !!

    im thinking to open the panel and clean it..

    i have seen a few folks that they have done this with success...this is too delicate i knw...but there is no way of me paying this amount of money..either ill leave it like ths or when i ll start get annoyed from these greyish stuff ill open the panell..if there wil be any way to remove them!

  • by judithblades,

    judithblades judithblades Aug 10, 2011 12:54 AM in response to swapnonil
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    Aug 10, 2011 12:54 AM in response to swapnonil

    I'm sure it's dust inside as well...Delhi is extremely dusty and my machine runds very hot now and games freeze as well...I'm taking it in today to have it cleaned...I wouldn't even know how to open it...and hopefully it will take care of a lot of the problems.

     

    I don't think it should cosst a lot to just have it cleaned..and I think also referencing this thread MAY get it for free looking at how that has happened for others on this thread...

     

     

    will let you know...I'm also going to price replacement LCD ??here in India..

  • by bee_berry,

    bee_berry bee_berry Aug 10, 2011 6:49 AM in response to BinaryMango
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    Aug 10, 2011 6:49 AM in response to BinaryMango

    Here is a photo taken with a macro lens showing the border I mentioned that was not evident on the first two screens I had replaced under Apple Care. The earlier screens went at least to the edge of the black surround on the iMac glass screen front which makes me think a different panel was fitted for my current screen. I don't notice this in normal use now as it's dark and blends in with the screen border. Bear in mind this photo is magnified and brightened to show the small gap. Again, there has been no re-occurence of the smudging and marks since this screen was fitted. 

     

    20110810_IMG_001860.jpg

  • by Christopher G.,

    Christopher G. Christopher G. Aug 10, 2011 9:29 PM in response to bee_berry
    Level 1 (25 points)
    Aug 10, 2011 9:29 PM in response to bee_berry

    After close examination, my third replacement screen has the led border. However, I don't know if the other screens had the border. I am hopeful, this screen seems to be lasting the longest.

  • by Grace Munroe,

    Grace Munroe Grace Munroe Aug 11, 2011 10:41 PM in response to Christopher G.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 11, 2011 10:41 PM in response to Christopher G.

    I had the screen replaced and the glass cleaned again and I was told I can't smoke near the computer, which I don't. I can't have anything hot near it, coffee, food etc, which I don't or pets, because pet hair can get in there. I don't have pets. I was also told that this particular machine was designed more for office use, which I believe because I have a friend who lives in the same boarding house as me, she has an IBM laptop and sits in the kitchen with it at night, she has coffee and smokes near it and has never had a problem, if I'd known all of this I would never have wasted my money on buying this crap.

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