Creteway

Q: Logic Board Fix Needed

I have an early 2009 24" Intel iMAC that has developed a Logic Board fault.

 

The replacement Loard Board is expensive, so I need to know if there is a economical fix for Logic Boards that fail?

 

Has the Apple engineering investigated the problem, and have identified what is at fault and can offer advise on how to do a fix?

 

The replacement Logic Board cost is well on the way to buying a new iMAC, and this is what worries me, if I buy another will I be facing the same problem in a few years time?

 

From a now very worried iMAC owner.

iMac (24-inch Early 2009), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.3)

Posted on Apr 26, 2013 3:44 AM

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Q: Logic Board Fix Needed

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  • by gen_,

    gen_ gen_ May 7, 2013 4:58 PM in response to MichelPM
    Level 2 (362 points)
    Audio
    May 7, 2013 4:58 PM in response to MichelPM

    MichelPM wrote:

     

    That said, I don't like the repair service of the Apple Stores for this very reason.

    Instead of identifying and fixing the issue, because of the limited repair facilities, at these stores, they just want to replace whole assembled components that make the repair much more costly.

    I agree with thier intentions, but only partially. Well, tbh i agree with the idea and not the execution. Apple do keep things this simple so that a repair can be done as quickly as possible. Whether in warranty or not, a Logic board replacement is about as technical as building a Lego tower once you have a little practice and that means their staff require less qualifications, lower pay and as a result cost the company less to maintain. Swap the Logic Board then send the old one back to the factory for repairs where you won't have to hire a real pro for every store.

     

    The deception is the fact that a new Logic Board costs so much. Not only will they fix your Logic board for chump change and then resell it, they would have paid less than $100 for that hardware wholesale, as it's pretty outdated by complexity standards.Over in the UK I can't find the part on it's own for any less than 1200% of that price.

  • by Creteway,

    Creteway Creteway May 15, 2013 4:47 AM in response to MichelPM
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 15, 2013 4:47 AM in response to MichelPM

    I am please to report that my iMac has been repaired and returned, all thanks to the tip from Gen, the macfixcentre offered a prompt, no fuss service, and it did not cost too much either. They also sent me a box to send the iMac to them.

     

    So I would inturn recommend them.

     

    http://www.macfixcentre.com/shop/desktops/imac/logic-boards

     

    Only one other thing, I am now also the proud owner of a Dell XPS 8500 all fully decked out, OMG, Windows 8 is a total mess, and I can see why it is being upgraded.

     

    Also, I have to be more careful in what I download, as it comes with consequences if you are not on the ball.

     

    That said, I am happy, I have the best of both worlds.

  • by WZZZ,

    WZZZ WZZZ May 15, 2013 6:29 AM in response to Creteway
    Level 6 (13,112 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 15, 2013 6:29 AM in response to Creteway

    What did they end up replacing or repairing? The entire board or the GPU chip or what?

  • by Creteway,

    Creteway Creteway May 15, 2013 7:00 AM in response to WZZZ
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 15, 2013 7:00 AM in response to WZZZ

    They said it was replacing the chip on the daughter board.

  • by WZZZ,

    WZZZ WZZZ May 15, 2013 7:04 AM in response to Creteway
    Level 6 (13,112 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 15, 2013 7:04 AM in response to Creteway

    Good to know someone was able to do that. That's usually dicey.

  • by Creteway,

    Creteway Creteway May 15, 2013 7:27 AM in response to WZZZ
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 15, 2013 7:27 AM in response to WZZZ

    Of course, not without its risks, but then someone skilled in SMD rework should be able to do a repair.

     

    What was making me hot under the collar was not finding someone who could do that work. We live in a throwaway/replace society now, and few things ever get repaired.

     

    The same goes for cars, it is mostly replacement parts rather than repair.

     

    I do admire some of the 3rd world countries that have a repair determination, they keep stuff going well beyond what we would, and I think that is good.

  • by WZZZ,

    WZZZ WZZZ May 15, 2013 7:33 AM in response to Creteway
    Level 6 (13,112 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 15, 2013 7:33 AM in response to Creteway

    I have a forty year old room fan that I've kept in working condition. Just lube it at the beginning of each summer. Vacuum cleaner is twenty two years old. Only worry now is finding the bags for it.

  • by no1macfan,

    no1macfan no1macfan May 27, 2013 11:43 AM in response to Creteway
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 27, 2013 11:43 AM in response to Creteway

    repair

  • by no1macfan,

    no1macfan no1macfan May 27, 2013 12:05 PM in response to Creteway
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 27, 2013 12:05 PM in response to Creteway

    I was in a similar position to you a few months back where my macbook pro 2.7 i7 would not charge the battery or work off the mains. I was referred to http://www.tctouch.co.uk/macrepair/ by a friend and was glad she did. I was able to get an instant quote for the repair on the site which turned out to be very affordable. And all i had to do was book the repair online, and my mac was collected, repaired and returned to me within a few days. The main thing that topped it for me was the service offered at a very good price. Its been 6 months now and my mac is still kicking fantasticly. If you are looking for an economical repair option i will recommend you try them.

  • by gen_,

    gen_ gen_ May 28, 2013 3:59 AM in response to Creteway
    Level 2 (362 points)
    Audio
    May 28, 2013 3:59 AM in response to Creteway

    Creteway wrote:

     

    Of course, not without its risks, but then someone skilled in SMD rework should be able to do a repair.

     

    What was making me hot under the collar was not finding someone who could do that work. We live in a throwaway/replace society now, and few things ever get repaired.

     

    The same goes for cars, it is mostly replacement parts rather than repair.

     

    I do admire some of the 3rd world countries that have a repair determination, they keep stuff going well beyond what we would, and I think that is good.

     

     

    That's exactly what companies want you to think, and the reason they don't offer any kind of repair work themselves outside of the factory. They don't even want thier employees to know how to repair thier hardware so that the information can't be spread. Luckily, the VGA chip is made by AMD and you can buy thier part for $70 and transplant the needed chip. I know the job that needs to be done, but don't have the tools that need it or the experience to diagnose it for Apple hardware myself. Trust me, the fix is as solid as the one Apple would have done themselves, with the only difference being that Apple would have sold your part as part of a refurbished Mac and given you a new one to save you waiting.

  • by tv treated,

    tv treated tv treated Jul 2, 2013 2:52 PM in response to Creteway
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 2, 2013 2:52 PM in response to Creteway

    my adventures with apple's logic boards

    - eMac G4: logic board died

    - iMac G5: logic board dies, replacement board also died

    - intel iMac: logic board died last week

     

    So all my desktop macs from the last 10 years had great design, but zero durability.

     

    My MacBook Pro i7 seems to be ok...

  • by branstanka,

    branstanka branstanka Aug 3, 2013 5:46 PM in response to tv treated
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 3, 2013 5:46 PM in response to tv treated

    I am now having this same problem. My laptop is a beast and I have sunk a lot of money to make it that way. Had zero problems till yesterday. Unfortunately no apple care.

    I took it into a local shop and they are working on it right now. My laptop is worth $2800 and to hear the technician tell me it will be worth next to nothing with the logic board failure. I know apple likes to mash all the hardware together but it just boggles my mind that this is a very common problem. So much money being lost.

    I didn't take my laptop to apple itself, but they are an authorized repair shop. I really don't want to shell out THIS much money.

     

    <Edited by Host>

  • by plicursi,

    plicursi plicursi Sep 6, 2013 7:33 AM in response to Creteway
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 6, 2013 7:33 AM in response to Creteway

    How much would it cost to replace a Logic Board 2.7 Ghz ??

  • by gen_,

    gen_ gen_ Sep 6, 2013 9:55 AM in response to plicursi
    Level 2 (362 points)
    Audio
    Sep 6, 2013 9:55 AM in response to plicursi

    Whatever Apple wants, considering it's the entire computer minus the screen and case.

     

    For the people out there saying that it's a recurring fault, of course it is. In the Windows Technitian world we have a saying: Reset and reinstall (or Refresh as they call in in Apple-land) is giving up, becasue it's not fixing the problem, it's binning the system (and it's data) and replacing it.

     

    This is effectively standard procedure on a Mac. Wipe and reset if anything goes wrong. Same with the hardware, bin and replace all the internals instead of the single part at fault. Like putting your car in the dump because the tyre is flat.

     

    Apple will charge you anything between the amount it costs them (probably around $250 for a 27" iMac) to that amount multiplied by thier retail profit margin difference plus installation (we're looking at around $1200 for the same item).

     

    Why don't you ask them?

  • by kish ranganath,

    kish ranganath kish ranganath Jan 15, 2014 4:12 AM in response to Creteway
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 15, 2014 4:12 AM in response to Creteway

    My Mac book pro Logic Board dead and the Authorised agency in my town is asking almost the cost of a new mac book pro. I am confused what to be done.. So sad. Just one component the whole value of a laptop.. What can be done on this??

     

    Kishore

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