Lagoiski

Q: 27 iMac (2012) crashes and requires smc reset to turn on

My late 2012 iMac, i7 16gig RAM 27 inches keeps shutting down. It looks like as if it was unplugged. Happens randomly. Sometimes while playing Diablo 3, surfing facebook or using iphotos or other apps. Seems to not crash if just left on overnight and not been used.

 

In order to turn it on again I have to unplug it from the power line for like 30 seconds, only then it starts.

 

I have the settings set to restart on power failure, but it does not.

 

Happened a few times a few months back. I have installed a surge protector and it worked fine for like a month or two. However last 2 days it has shut down like 10 times...

 

Help would be greatly appreciated. I suspect hardware failure.

iMac (27-inch, Late 2012), iOS 7.1.1

Posted on May 5, 2014 9:44 PM

Close

Q: 27 iMac (2012) crashes and requires smc reset to turn on

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

first Previous Page 26 of 28 last Next
  • by Hank K,

    Hank K Hank K Aug 22, 2016 8:36 PM in response to ngrant
    Level 2 (254 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 22, 2016 8:36 PM in response to ngrant

    Thanks ngrant, good thought, but the spec is 1.35v from Crucial.  Can the power draw go up with age?

  • by ElBartolomeo,

    ElBartolomeo ElBartolomeo Aug 23, 2016 2:46 AM in response to Lagoiski
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 23, 2016 2:46 AM in response to Lagoiski

    HERE IS THE FINAL DEFINITIVE SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM!!!!

     

    We have only one solution:

     

    Apple have to replace the power supply unit with a reinforced/modified one

    to all the owner have random shutdown.

    They replace the PSU and for a variable range of time, users does'nt have the problem.

    But the PSU is the same of the original one with the same problem...

     

    Every one of us of this topic have to send a message to

    Apple here:

    http://www.apple.com/feedback/

     

    This is a preferred way to comunicate with Apple Support.

    this is a special channel that Apple consider with particular care.

     

    at the end of the mail copy the link of this thread: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6176570

    so they can read that we are a lot of dissatisfied users.

  • by lune-cheung,

    lune-cheung lune-cheung Aug 23, 2016 6:49 AM in response to ElBartolomeo
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 23, 2016 6:49 AM in response to ElBartolomeo

    I do agree with ElBartolomeo. I have just submitted the feedback form to apple as the bug report.

    I hope all of us can follow ElBartolomeo 's suggestion and raise this issue. Obviously, this is a faulty PSU.

    I can't even sell this iMac due to this issue.

    Hopefully, Apple will provide the action and solution to fix the problem.

  • by slevin182,

    slevin182 slevin182 Aug 23, 2016 6:56 AM in response to Lagoiski
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 23, 2016 6:56 AM in response to Lagoiski

    I Have already done . I lea a feedback in bartolomeos link

  • by ElBartolomeo,

    ElBartolomeo ElBartolomeo Aug 23, 2016 8:02 AM in response to Lagoiski
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 23, 2016 8:02 AM in response to Lagoiski

    Very good.

    Now ALL of us with this problem HAVE to do this.

    and Apple HAVE to listen our problem.

     

    It's clear that our series of iMAC but also the 5K

    are faulty....

     

    Apple HAVE to do something.

    It isn't an our problem.

    the iMAC are faulty from the factory....

     

    And I want to remember that our iMAC are very expensive computer respect the hardware.

    And we are willing to spent so much because we will expect high reliability that windows PC haven't....

     

    otherwise our next computer will be a Window based assembled PC.

    at least if it will breaks we fix it with little money....

  • by ElBartolomeo,

    ElBartolomeo ElBartolomeo Aug 23, 2016 8:04 AM in response to ElBartolomeo
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 23, 2016 8:04 AM in response to ElBartolomeo

    Apple read with emphasis messages sent to their feedback system...

     

    we must do all to give greater strength to our individual complaints

  • by NickFromLE,

    NickFromLE NickFromLE Aug 23, 2016 8:08 AM in response to ElBartolomeo
    Level 1 (22 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 23, 2016 8:08 AM in response to ElBartolomeo

    Well we have to wait and see whats happen...or not.

     

    Thank you for your feedback on the iMac.

    We cannot respond to you personally, but please know that your message has been received and will be reviewed by the iMac Team. If we need to follow up with you on your ideas for improving the iMac, we will contact you directly.

    We appreciate your assistance in making the iMac a great computer.

    iMac Team
    Apple

  • by slevin182,

    slevin182 slevin182 Aug 24, 2016 9:40 AM in response to NickFromLE
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 24, 2016 9:40 AM in response to NickFromLE

    I Have already came from the apple store and the y gave me for free a new cable for the iMac ( i am out of warranty) They didnt find anything in my iMac. I will share the results of the computer.

  • by Berry with an "A",

    Berry with an "A" Berry with an "A" Aug 24, 2016 12:34 PM in response to Lagoiski
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 24, 2016 12:34 PM in response to Lagoiski

    I'm replying here because @ElBartolomeo posted what I wouldn't consider an inaccurate supposition, and in which also including a link to a post that I created /started YEARS ago.  I don't think there's just one thing with the iMac.  It's never been that, and never was with two of mine.  I believe - there's something more inherent in the entire iMac line- from the very first version of the i3/i5/ i7's.

     

    I had one of the very first 27", i7 iMacs.  In fact, I had to preorder it and then - I still ended up having to wait an extra month.  I've had a second one since then.  Mine has an optic drive, which the newer ones don't and have additional, optional configurations, but it would seem Apple still hasn't figured out the issue that plagues the iMac.

     

    As a former Apple employee I know Apple will never call anything a - - "recall."  They generally refer to a recall situation as a  "repair extension programs" and they will always have those listed on their site, typically in the support area, and I don't believe they ever have with any of the iMac (intel) models, including 5k.  Unless someone can provide a knowledge base number of an extended repair program - @ElBartolomeo is incorrect on several things.

     

    There is **NO** 'definitive solution' and to say so would be misleading to people.  It's not necessarily a power supply issue, and definitely not just a SMC issue.  I had two iMacs with this issue and Apple threw every part they could at both of them  (except the power supply) Apple ended up replacing my first, and the second is finally working, however it still gets extremely hot, which is one of several side issues.


    But no firmware (SMC) or power management resets ever fixed the issues, and I never received a new power supply, nor any modified one.  In the couple of years of receiving my replacement Apple in fact may have changed their approach to the issues they've had, but I'd to see an Apple notification on their site of this. 

     

    Otherwise, as a former Customer Relations employee, I can tell you they approach every situation on an individual basis.  There's no ... "one" solution as has been implied.

     

    Now I admit - it's been (only) a couple years, but Apple could have changed their approach to this situation, but then again - I would ask you to provide an actual Apple post showing this. It can be a pain, and I was painfully reminded myself of the "individual process" when I had to jump through all the Apple hoops, TWICE, for both of my iMacs.

     

    Providing either of the links to Apple feedback is not a preferred way to speak to support.  In fact - it's merely a method of providing general feedback to Apple. You'll be lucky if you get ANY response through that method.  The best method Apple tech support (of course - better if you have AppleCare or still in warranty)

     

    The next best resource is to get Customer Relations involved, and oddly enough, you'd be surprised how well an Apple Store will help.  Combine all three, and try to keep case numbers to a minimum if not one, and /or consolidated. But you're going to get more action by talking with someone rather than through a feedback form in which you most likely will never hear back from anyone. 

  • by Hank K,

    Hank K Hank K Aug 26, 2016 1:32 PM in response to Hank K
    Level 2 (254 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 26, 2016 1:32 PM in response to Hank K

    Opps, its doing it now with the 8G.  But strangely after 4pm, or 120f on the CPU.

     

    thoughts?

  • by ohmyggg,

    ohmyggg ohmyggg Aug 26, 2016 2:32 PM in response to Lagoiski
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 26, 2016 2:32 PM in response to Lagoiski

    FWIW, I went ahead and ordered a new power supply on Ebay for $55 and did the replacement myself. Computer has been running without random shutdowns for 2 months now. Previously, I was getting anywhere from a few days to a week before the computer would crap itself.

     

    I'm not a trained technician, but I've hacked into things like this before so I was confident in my abilities (plus I was desperate since my $3500 computer was a useless pile of junk due to the shutdowns). YMMV on confidence/abilities.

     

    Note, hacking into the iMac will void your warranty but if you're considering this, that probably means you're off AppleCare anyway. If not, go through the process and have Apple to do it.

     

    Risks summarized:

    • Electric shock?
    • Straight up breaking something inside the computer if you're careless?
    • If Apple ever comes around and issues an official recall, or starts replacing these with a newer model (don't hold your breath), this will probably screw your chances.

     

    In closing, I doubt this will be a permanent fix since others have reported that shutdowns eventually return, but at least it buys me some time. If I can keep this thing running for another 6-12 months, it's still better than the $3500 brick that was previously on my desk. If it lasts longer than that before crapping out again, I'll do another power supply replacement to extend it even further. For my purposes (photo editing, light video editing, and web browsing), this computer should last me another 3-4 years (6-7 in total), so my best case scenario is that if each power supply replacement buys me 12-18 months, I would have to do another 2 power supply replacements to extend this thing to a 6+ year lifespan. I'm okay with that -- not terribly happy, but still -- better than tossing $3500 in the garbage after 3 years.

     

    <Links Edited by Host>

  • by Solidairs,

    Solidairs Solidairs Aug 26, 2016 2:45 PM in response to ohmyggg
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Aug 26, 2016 2:45 PM in response to ohmyggg

    Thanks for this. I hope you have resolved the issue - but only time will tell. It reminds me of the Dual USB IBook power chip failure that involved a compromised solder joint on a pcu - well documented worldwide. This issue was contested by the Consumer Rights body in Denmark who won a legal challenge against Apple resulting in replacement

    of failing IBook laptops. This is clearly a production error, as yet unresolved - despite the above replacement solution - which I hope will be conclusive. I am not holding my breath, however.

  • by Sahastro,

    Sahastro Sahastro Aug 26, 2016 11:20 PM in response to ohmyggg
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 26, 2016 11:20 PM in response to ohmyggg

    @ohmyggg

    Can you make a picture of your old power supply and put a link here ?

    It would also be interesting to know what manufacturer and what revision your old PSU was.

     

    Do you know the revision of your new PSU? It is a Liteon I guess?

  • by ngrant,

    ngrant ngrant Aug 31, 2016 5:05 AM in response to Sahastro
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 31, 2016 5:05 AM in response to Sahastro

    Power supply is from Liteon, you can grab it on ebay

     

    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Original-2012-27-iMac-A1419-300W-Internal-Power-S upply-661-7170-PA-1311-2A-/271887305639?hash=item3f4dbf0ba7

     

    I've bought one, will install it when it gets here and let you guys know if it solved my power off issues....

  • by Beolion73,

    Beolion73 Beolion73 Aug 31, 2016 6:13 AM in response to ngrant
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 31, 2016 6:13 AM in response to ngrant

    What power supply is/was standard delivered with the 2012 model?

first Previous Page 26 of 28 last Next