K_Rek

Q: Mid 2011 iMac Graphics Problems with Yosemite

I have a 21.5-inch, Mid 2011 iMac with an AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512 MB that is locking up on me constantly since installing Yosemite.  Every time I reboot (which I have to do by pressing the power button on the back) it says that it has detected a graphics problem and do I want to report it.  I have done that multiple times, but want to find out if anyone else here is having a similar problem.  What appears on the screen are pixelated blocks in random areas and often the machine will work for maybe three or four minutes and then just lock up completely.  It worked like a champ with 10.9.5 and previous, but 10.10 is wreaking havoc on my computer. 

 

I have seen discussion threads about 27-inch iMacs that were recalled due to an AMD graphics chip problem, but haven't seen anything about the 21.5-inch machines.  At the time, this was the highest-end card I could get in the 21.5-inch display.

 

The machine has 8GB of 1333 MHz DDR3 RAM. 

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Oct 21, 2014 5:58 AM

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Q: Mid 2011 iMac Graphics Problems with Yosemite

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  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Apr 17, 2015 8:36 AM in response to CarlosVB
    Level 7 (32,244 points)
    iPad
    Apr 17, 2015 8:36 AM in response to CarlosVB

    Please start your own thread - it is not fair to the OP and makes it too confusing.

     

    Apple is not here and we are not God, we are just other users.

  • by CarlosVB,

    CarlosVB CarlosVB Apr 17, 2015 8:54 AM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2015 8:54 AM in response to babowa

    I believe this is the place where I can put my problem and that it can be analyzed ONLY by competent persons and who are willing to help. If I'm not mistaken the initial problem of this discussion is exactly the same as mine. Until you indicate a better read on the subject, it seems to me that you are not much inside. You do not know how this situation is causing me problems. Now, if you can not help me, do not bother me solve my problem, which is the problem of many people here.

  • by Yarrow Sweningsen,

    Yarrow Sweningsen Yarrow Sweningsen Apr 21, 2015 11:15 AM in response to CarlosVB
    Level 1 (30 points)
    Mac App Store
    Apr 21, 2015 11:15 AM in response to CarlosVB

    I'm seeing the same graphics errors since updating from Mavericks to Yosemite (fresh install, Migration Assistant): small multicolored squares randomly appearing, disappearing all over the screen.

     

    Mid-2011 iMac 27" 2.7gHz Core i5, 32GB RAM, 1TB Crucial MX550 SSD, AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512GB

     

    Incredibly disappointing.

  • by eoren11,

    eoren11 eoren11 Apr 22, 2015 4:55 AM in response to K_Rek
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 22, 2015 4:55 AM in response to K_Rek

    Is it just me or do the artifacts seen in a lot of the videos here look like the same problem as ours?  Especially RC Concepcion's Making HDR at 3:44.  Occurs in other videos as well.

     

    http://kelbyone.com/lightroomcc/lightroomcc-resource-center.php

  • by CarlosVB,

    CarlosVB CarlosVB Apr 23, 2015 6:11 PM in response to K_Rek
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 23, 2015 6:11 PM in response to K_Rek

    Apple released a graphical update for some iMac models. My not on the list of models compatible with this update but I did the installation manually and while my iMac is operating normally , with no deadlock so far. I will continue doing the tests , but I would advise anyone who has the same problem as I do the installation.

     

    iMac Graphics Update

  • by Lasse-GBG,

    Lasse-GBG Lasse-GBG May 4, 2015 12:43 PM in response to CarlosVB
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 4, 2015 12:43 PM in response to CarlosVB

    Hi all

    Been following this thread as well as e.g. Imac display issues following Yosemite upgrade and hoping to find a solution for my problems with my mid 2011 iMac 27" equipped with Radeon 6770m.

    Been having problems with the "pixels" since Yosemite and a temporary fix have been "reduce transparency" and "cleaning" the screen with a Finder window.

    Since 10.10.3 and Photos the problems escalated and the Photos app caused my iMac not only having pixel problems but also crashed the entire UI.

    I contacted AppleCare and produced log files as well as images and videos of the problem.

    The iMac crashed after seconds to minutes after Photos app was started with pixelation problem occurred.

    When I looked at the log files I found that it was only the UI that crashed, log files indicated that the machine was up and running "normally" besides the UI.

    Events labeled as "GPU.RESTART" with event GPU Reset happened during the time from the freeze until I hard rebooted the machine.

    I also found in the log files for Photos

    Application Specific Signatures:

    Graphics hardware encountered an error and was reset: 0x00000000

    The respons I got from Apple after a couple of days was that it was a hardware problem with my iMac but the couldn't conclude whether it was the GPU or the logic board.

    I contacted the local service point and the price estimates I got was approx

  • by Lasse-GBG,

    Lasse-GBG Lasse-GBG May 4, 2015 1:25 PM in response to Lasse-GBG
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 4, 2015 1:25 PM in response to Lasse-GBG

    Sorry for the double posting, earlier posting can't be edited...

     

     

    Hi all

    Been following this thread as well as e.g. Imac display issues following Yosemite upgrade and hoping to find a solution for my problems with my mid 2011 iMac 27" equipped with Radeon 6770m.

     

    I have been having problems with the "pixels" since Yosemite and a temporary fix have been tips from here related to "reduce transparency" and "cleaning" the screen with a Finder window.

     

    Since 10.10.3 and the Photos app the problems escalated. The Photos app caused my iMac not only having pixel problems but also crashed the entire UI.

     

    I contacted AppleCare and produced log files as well as images and videos of the problem.

     

    The iMac crashed after seconds to minutes after Photos app was started with pixelation problem occurred.

     

    When I looked at the log files I found that it was only the UI that crashed, log files indicated that the machine was up and running "normally" besides the UI.

    Events labeled as "GPU.RESTART" with event GPU Reset happened during the time from the freeze until I hard rebooted the machine.

     

    2015-04-16 20:39:02,000 kernel[0]: Trying restart GPU ...

     

    2015-04-16 20:39:09,000 kernel[0]: [1:0:0] GPU HangState 0x00000000, HangFlags 0x00000004: IndividualEngineHang 0, NonEngineBlockHang 0, FenceNotRetired 1, PerEngineReset 0, FullAsicReset 1

    <Kernel_2015-04-16-203950_iMac.gpuRestart>

     

    I also found in the log files for Photos

    Application Specific Signatures:

    Graphics hardware encountered an error and was reset: 0x00000000

     

    Apple also asked me to install Lion and see if the problems occurred there as well. I installed a fresh version of Lion and after 24 hours the problem didn't occur there. I upgraded Lion to Yosemite as well as a fresh installation of Yosemite and as soon as I started the Photos app, the machine crashed.

     

    The respons I got from Apple after a couple of days was that it was a hardware problem with my iMac but the couldn't conclude whether it was the GPU or the logic board. Since the Radeon 6770m was not covered by the extended warranty the advisor couldn't give me any additional help.

     

    I contacted the local service point and the price estimates I got was approx $100 just for an estimate and then additional $300-350 if it was the GPU or $800-900 if it was the logic board.

     

    I've been reading about the concept of "baking" faulty boards and having the to work again after a time in the oven, e.g. Re: Red and green square dots?

    Since I had some time of this weekend I thought, why don't give it a try.

    NOTE! It's highly risky and I can't recommend anyone doing this but I just wanted to share my experience. 

    I thought that if I destroy the GPU it's not worse than having it fixed through the local service point so why don't give it a try.

     

    I opened the iMac and removed the logic board in order to gain access to the GPU. Removed the GPU and cleaned the board. During this time i pre-heated the oven to 170 (celsius). Put the board in for roughly 7 minutes and after that opened the oven door and let the board cool down before I moved it.

     

    Applied new thermal paste and put the iMac back together. Started and kept my fingers crossed...

    Everything seemed to be working as before with the difference that I could start and use the Photos app. I also removed "reduce transparency" so the machine is back to the "normal" state.

     

    The machine has now been running more than 24*3 hours without any problems.

     

    Again, not something that I can or would recommend but I just wanted to share my experience regarding this problem.

     

    PS, thx everyone contributing to this thread and others related to this subject.

  • by Dave Calhoun2,

    Dave Calhoun2 Dave Calhoun2 Jun 16, 2015 7:32 AM in response to K_Rek
    Level 1 (75 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 16, 2015 7:32 AM in response to K_Rek

    HHas anyone upgraded to El Capitan yet? It sounds like the graphics portion of the OS is completely rewritten. Perhaps it might be helpful?

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Jun 16, 2015 8:00 AM in response to Dave Calhoun2
    Level 7 (32,244 points)
    iPad
    Jun 16, 2015 8:00 AM in response to Dave Calhoun2

    That OS has not been publicly released; anyone who may have that information cannot discuss it due to their NDA.

  • by Dave Calhoun2,

    Dave Calhoun2 Dave Calhoun2 Jun 16, 2015 8:53 AM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (75 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 16, 2015 8:53 AM in response to babowa

    That is true for developers but El Capitan is commonly available via torrents so anyone who wants to try the developer preview may do so. I've seen many posts from people who have done this. Perhaps we will have a brave soul afflicted with the graphics problem who will give it a try. If not we have the public preview coming up soon.

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Jun 16, 2015 9:25 AM in response to Dave Calhoun2
    Level 7 (32,244 points)
    iPad
    Jun 16, 2015 9:25 AM in response to Dave Calhoun2

    Not only developers, but public beta testers as well - read their NDA. And, such (torrent) downloads are illegal. The hosts regularly (and quickly) remove any posts which discuss a not yet publicly released OS version as it violates the ToU (except for facts made publicly available by Apple).

  • by CarlosVB,

    CarlosVB CarlosVB Jun 17, 2015 7:31 AM in response to K_Rek
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 17, 2015 7:31 AM in response to K_Rek

    Hello everybody,
    I am still having trouble locking with my iMac. Yesterday I made an Apple Hardware Test complete that returned me the following error code:

    4MOT / 4/40000003 : HDD -1224

    I researched this code and found nothing. I contacted Apple and they told me that this code can not represent anything (a flaw in AHT). Has anyone experienced this? Some say that this error may be related to the HDD and others say can be ram.

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Jun 17, 2015 8:06 AM in response to CarlosVB
    Level 7 (32,244 points)
    iPad
    Jun 17, 2015 8:06 AM in response to CarlosVB

    Googling the error code brought dozens of results; one is here:

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6690116

     

    It appears to be either your fan motor (MOT) or possibly the hard drive. Take it to your nearest Genius Bar for diagnostic tests - backup your hard drive first.

  • by sbstrum,

    sbstrum sbstrum Jun 25, 2015 7:36 AM in response to K_Rek
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 25, 2015 7:36 AM in response to K_Rek

    I have a mid-2010 i7 with 27 inch screen.  I was happily using 10.68 and then was forced to upgrade to run some encryption software.  Shortly thereafter I had major problems with pixelation that started at the top of the display and if I did not close down apps or reboot the computer became inoperable and required a hard reboot.

     

    After many many hours of discussion with AppleCare & truly sincere efforts by at least two senior techs the problem remained.

     

    What I observed was that almost all of the time the problem began after doing a search on Safari.  If I closed down Safari specifically the pixelation went away. 

     

    I decided to use a different internet browser and after discussion with others chose Google Chrome.  So far, a week later, an no pixelation and Chrome works a lot faster with no delays in immediately showing results of a search. 

     

    This is simple enough for others with this same problem to try.

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Jun 25, 2015 7:40 AM in response to sbstrum
    Level 7 (32,244 points)
    iPad
    Jun 25, 2015 7:40 AM in response to sbstrum

    Be aware that Chrome is a resource hog (needs lots of RAM) and is made by Google which specializes in selling your private information. You can also try Firefox; I won't use a Google product on my Mac.

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