ashleyracano

Q: Retina iMac Freezing and Restarting

Hi,

 

So I bought the 5k Retina iMac the other day, on November 5th. When I brought it home it was constantly freezing and restarting. There's no signs of panic in the diagnostics, apple couldn't figure it out over the phone when they had me resetting it. It happened during simple things, making a music playlist on spotify or when I had photoshop or autodesk maya opened. Nothing popped up when it froze in any signs of error it simply just froze and then restarted the computer by itself. After this happened about 8 times I brought it back yesterday and the apple genius said it was probably hardware issues and then promptly gave me another computer.

 

Now I'm home with a new retina iMac and now the same problem is happening. It's frozen and restarted 3 times when I'm doing simple things. I don't even have much installed on this computer yet, I haven't really transferred over my files. I have Skype, photoshop, illustrator, maya, spotify, etc on here so I don't understand what is causing these issues. Is there just a problem with this iMac that no one has reported yet? Has anyone else bought the 5k iMac sharing the same problems? I'm at a loss of what to do here if I should just return for a full refund at this point and deal with my ever dying 2011 iMac. It's frustrating getting a new computer and it not working and it's kind of disheartening. All the specs of the computer are the standard purchase from the website I just don't know what to do. Any advice? Thank you.

iMac with Retina 5K display, iOS 8.1

Posted on Nov 9, 2014 8:02 AM

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Q: Retina iMac Freezing and Restarting

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  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Nov 9, 2014 8:05 AM in response to ashleyracano
    Level 9 (58,115 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Nov 9, 2014 8:05 AM in response to ashleyracano

    If you bought it directly from Apple you have 2 weeks to return it for an exchange or refund. Call AppleCare immediately and arrange one of these options. If you don't know the phone number please click AppleCare Contact Info

  • by geo28rge,

    geo28rge geo28rge Nov 11, 2014 7:01 AM in response to ashleyracano
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 11, 2014 7:01 AM in response to ashleyracano

    Yes, having exactly the same problems.

  • by geo28rge,

    geo28rge geo28rge Nov 11, 2014 7:07 AM in response to geo28rge
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 11, 2014 7:07 AM in response to geo28rge

    iMac 5 K will not complete start up.  Received with 16 GB Ram, added 16 GB of third party Ram.  Started up and Ram showed up in about Mac.  Mouse froze up many times.  Removed third party ram.  Now it will not complete start up, no chimes and turns itself off after 5 minutes.

     

    Please help!!!!!

  • by Ralph9430,

    Ralph9430 Ralph9430 Nov 11, 2014 7:09 AM in response to ashleyracano
    Level 6 (18,157 points)
    Nov 11, 2014 7:09 AM in response to ashleyracano

    Not all software that ran fine under previous versions of the ios are fully compatible with Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite. It seems to me that if two iMacs exhibit the same problems that the software might be the culprit.

     

    If you stop using and uninstall the software casusing the problem does the machine still freeze? Does the iMac freeze using any of the stock applications? I've had my iMac with .retina display for over a week and have had no freezes. But before installing any old versions of applications I checked each to make sure they were compatible with Yosemite.

  • by rkaufmann87,

    rkaufmann87 rkaufmann87 Nov 11, 2014 7:10 AM in response to geo28rge
    Level 9 (58,115 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Nov 11, 2014 7:10 AM in response to geo28rge

    geo28rge wrote:

     

    Yes, having exactly the same problems.

    Then do exactly the same thing, contact AppleCare!

  • by ashleyracano,

    ashleyracano ashleyracano Nov 11, 2014 8:11 PM in response to Ralph9430
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 11, 2014 8:11 PM in response to Ralph9430

    The weird thing is, applications were running fine on my 2011 imac running yosemite but the same applications on the retina imac would not run. Eventually after 3 hours on the phone with apple support, three trips to the apple store, and countless hours fighting with the computer I gave up and decided to return it to the store.

     

    Now I'm waiting my shipment on

     

    27-inch iMac

    Hardware
    • 3.5GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz
    • 32GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 4X8GB
    • 1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm
    • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M 4GB GDDR5
    • Apple Magic Mouse
    • Apple Wireless Keyboard (English) & User's Guide
    • Accessory Kit

     

    Not retina but around the same price, though the specs were way better. I prefer a NVIDIA card to a Radeon any day. Hopefully this one will run my applications that I need. Thanks for responses, hopefully if people have the same problems they have better luck fixing it then I did!

  • by cjChicago,

    cjChicago cjChicago Nov 29, 2014 7:28 AM in response to ashleyracano
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 29, 2014 7:28 AM in response to ashleyracano

    Similar problem.  I received my on Wednesday, 11/26/14.  We use it as the media server.  Apple TV will not stay connected for more than 45 minutes and then go check on the iMac and it has restarted.  All the same software loaded on MacBook Pro Retina.

  • by Kakks,

    Kakks Kakks Dec 1, 2014 10:37 PM in response to ashleyracano
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 1, 2014 10:37 PM in response to ashleyracano

    Just got mine today and seem to be experiencing very similar problem as well......

  • by hansfromholland,

    hansfromholland hansfromholland Dec 2, 2014 12:30 AM in response to ashleyracano
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 2, 2014 12:30 AM in response to ashleyracano

    I got mine yesterday and I had a freeze (spinning ball) during first-time-installation, had to switch it off with the power button and started over, it hang at the iCloud login, when I clicked on "install iCloud later", or something like that.

    Then I was under the impression that the 5K boots very slow, takes about twice the amount of my old (mid-2009) iMac.

    Also, my 3rd party BT keyboard is not recognized anymore , I have to use the keyboard that came with the 5K.

    I lost connectivity to my Airport Time Capsule many times (over WiFi) and was almost ready to redo the install (re-install Yosemite) but now that I read this, I think I will make an appt. with the GB for replacement.

     

    Latest update: I here a rattling sound coming from the screen, when I move the screen it stops rattling but after a while it starts again.

                             How many moving parts are in the 5K ? Maybe a small CPU fan and maybe a Graphics chip fan ?

                             I will bring it back to the Apple Store, this is unacceptable for such an expensive device.

  • by cjChicago,

    cjChicago cjChicago Dec 2, 2014 4:41 AM in response to hansfromholland
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 2, 2014 4:41 AM in response to hansfromholland

    I have received two iMacs Retinas, one for home and one for the office.  Neither one has worked as expected.  The one at the office froze like yours when starting up the first time.  The one at home closes all my running programs when it goes to sleep.  Very annoying.  Apple has some bugs to work out.  Apple is sending me a replacement for the one at home that is going to sleep and closing all my programs.  I have had each of them for less than 14 days.

  • by hansfromholland,

    hansfromholland hansfromholland Dec 2, 2014 4:56 AM in response to cjChicago
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 2, 2014 4:56 AM in response to cjChicago

    I have to bring it back to the Apple Store and some "Genius" will decide what to do with it.

    I bought it yesterday !!!

    Anyway, I expect no less than a new one, when I walk out the door there.

  • by Easy_proger,

    Easy_proger Easy_proger Dec 2, 2014 4:57 PM in response to ashleyracano
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 2, 2014 4:57 PM in response to ashleyracano

    i have some problem ! ((( today I'm call in apple and ask what's happened

     

    what i think

    - time machine

    - big mail

    - handoff

    - specific soft

     

    why i don't think its problem in hardware

    - apple hardware test get ok status ( if you not known how start apple diagnostic test, restart you iMac and press button "d" )

    - freeze and restart really randomly ! i have 8 hour session without restarts ! and i have session 5 hour and 4 restarts

    - you have some problem ) and i think can't apple have serial problem in hardware

     

    now i want test my iMac in windows system and if i see no restarts i think problem in os

     

    i want ask you )

    1) you have iOS device and handoff function ?

    2) can you share you console log ?

    3) you try work on windows system in bootcamp ? have restarts ?

    4) have you 10.10.2 beta 1 update ? have problem ?

     

    in apple what you say about problem ? mb this problem reflect macbook retina problem ? and apple create some path ?

     

    topic starter, after you get you mac from apple ( second time ) that apple say ? is soft ? or hard and you not lucky ? that current status on you iMac ? you try fix problem ?

  • by hansfromholland,

    hansfromholland hansfromholland Dec 3, 2014 1:53 AM in response to hansfromholland
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 3, 2014 1:53 AM in response to hansfromholland

    I was not happy bringing it back to the AS so I decided to go for all the tests that are possible on the iMac.

    After (I think) 5 restarts and 3 or so, PRAM resets I think I finally got it to work.

    I did it so many times due to the various tests I ran (all of them hardware tests as I only have Yosemite on it (10.10.1)).

    Now I am unsure as to what test fixed the problem or if it was the 3 PRAM resets that finally decided to fix the problem.

     

    I tested another time and now all tests are successful.

     

    Right now I am waiting for a backup to finish (old TC to new TC) and after that I will install all software I need.

     

    It is not finished yet but I think it looks a bit better now.

    No reason to go to the AS now, but who knows....

  • by Easy_proger,

    Easy_proger Easy_proger Dec 3, 2014 2:00 AM in response to hansfromholland
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 3, 2014 2:00 AM in response to hansfromholland

    im testing current on windows ( 8 hours current and, no freezes )

     

    on mac os i have 8 hour session without freezes i think 1 day test can get result %)

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