I hooked up my new 24" aluminum iMac and after about an hour of using it, a 1" x 3" strip of condensation gradually appeared in the lower right portion of the screen behind the glass. Anyone else see this?
I've been told that the water marks void the warranty whether its in warranty or not. They say that it has damaged my LCD. I don't have £500 to replace the LCD abd am very disappointed that I have to work with marks all over my screen. This is clearly a design fault. We don't pay top dollar for macs to have problems like this.
It was my local Apple Store that advised me that I would need to pay for a replacement LCD so unless your situation is different to mine the outcome is pretty bleak.
I had the same problem with my iMac 24", condensation covering almost half of my screen. The computer is in a temperature controlled IT office.
I followed the advice of this tread and downloaded FAN CONTROL, increased the base speed to 3000 RPM. In less than 1 minute the condensation was gone. After 15 min I set the base speed back to 1500 RPM.
Simple solution that should work on almost every iMac with this problem, without returning or getting physical with the computer.
I've been having this issue for a while now. I had my 24" imac serviced once because it had some moist/condensation on the top left corner hoping it was a one-time issue.
And it wasn't. In fact, having my imac serviced only got the problem worse. Moist covered almost a 90% of the screen.
But I have found the solution.
First. Though installing fan controlling software might help if the condensation is recent, it does not if you have been facing the problem for a while. Why? because this condensed air might not be "clean", thus, what you're seeing on your screen after some time is not condensation itself but the trace of it. Making myself clear, it leaves a watermark. If, as I am, you smoke on the same room... it leaves a ****-greasy watermark.
So the only solution I've found is pulling the screen off, which has been such dead-easy and so 5-secs-problem-solved that I have registered here just to give you some hints 😉
It takes only one little sucker and a bit of care. Turn your mac upwards (screen facing the ceiling). Now place the sucker in the left side of the screen, about one cm from the edge, and centered. It takes VERY LITTLE strength to pull the screen off, so pull gently and you'll see that the screen starts to unattach itself from the computer carcass. Using some clothe to avoid touching it directly with your fingers (which would leave greasy marks on the glass), put it over a newspaper on the table and clean its inside face with the black cloth delivered with your mac.
I used a glass-cleaning spray too, because tobacco marks are a bit greasy. Make sure you don't leave any dust on the screen, as you'll find after assembling it again that it will distort the image one or two pixels wide.
Don't used compressed-air bottles to clean the dust, as they sometimes leave marks (the gas used to propel the air is not 100% volatile and leaves trace), or unless you're sure they're fit to clean screens/electronic devices (such as the ones used to clean DSLR camera sensors).
And then put the glass back. Make no pressure, it should fit gently with no effort.
And that's it. It's not a permanent solution as condensation will happen if you have temperature differences during day/night and/or live in a humid place, but you'll find is really dead easy to pull the screen off and on, and it takes only a bit of care and self-confidence.
I also have this problem. Condensation is covering most of my screen, I spoke to apple who denied all allegations that there is a problems regarding condensation with Imacs. They repaird this issue by cleaning the screen only for this to happen again. When i asked for a replacement they refused point blank. So now i have an Imac that has to be sent back and forth to imac or go the route of taking the screen out myself and cleaning it everytime it gets moisture in the screen. I am a very unhappy customer and will not perchase anything else from apple as they clearly dont give a **** about there customers. I would advise anybody thinking of getting an imac to strongly reconsider there perchase as they will only be dissapointed.
I've had my 24" for many months now. I don't use it every day, and my room is actually very cold... But I only started having the problem today.
The video someone referred to on youtube (youtube user: chat2ian), is very insightful. And the hairdryer idea also worked for me straight away. I haven't removed the glass yet.
It started to creep up again after I got rid of it witht he hairdryer, but I just attacked it again. If my computer melts and starts to smell like burning hair, I suppose I'm
****. But at least we're all in this together.
I'm having the same issue. Has been going on for the eight months or so I've had my 24" iMac. Condensation starting in the lower right corner of the screen and creeping across until over half the screen is fogged up. I took into the local Apple Store and was told that they had not encountered that issue before and since they could not replicate it in their lab it was an "environmental issue", even though it's happened in two houses I've lived in. He even told me I should just "raise the temperature in my room". I live in Seattle so yes, there is a bit of a temperature change in my room. But nothing even remotely close to where I shouldn't be expected to use a computer. I called Apple today and was told I'd need to take it back to the store.
I have an appointment tomorrow and will be demanding either a permenent fix or a complete refund. Judging by the Google results, this has been an issue for quite some time and Apple has not done anything about it. I'm not one for laying down $2,400 for a computer and being told it can't be used in anything less than their ideal lab environment. If nothing is done, I guess the next step is a class-action lawsuit.
If anyone has gotten any form of an answer from Apple regarding this issue and not just a cold shoulder, I'd appreciate hearing from you. Wish me luck!
Return every last one of 'em to Apple for a refund, then go out and dig up a used matte screen iMac. And you'll have to dig... they're hard to find and in demand far outstrips supply. And make sure you let Apple know what you did and why.
You couldn't pay me to use one of those glossy screens with their annoying reflections.
