New iMacs still freezing? (After week 42)

Apparently Apple is not alone with the freezing issue on ATI cards.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=933

Recent article on Zdnet.com states that people running Vista are having issues with ATI drivers that are locking up the system. Since Vista shares the same technology as Apple where the GUI is being driven through the graphics card rather then processor, both OS's are having similar issues with the same GFX manufacturer.

This is looking less and less like an Apple exclusive issue, and more like shoddy workmanship from ATI, which is not-surprising. ATI has a history of producing lemons, especially their drivers.

I waited to order my 24" iMac after Leopard was released and after Apple issued the Supposed iMac update. I got mine last week, with tiger installed and a copy of Leopard in the box. I have nothing but trouble with since i got it. Freezes constantly. It froze in Tiger even with iMAC update 1.2 installed. It also freezes constantly in Leopard. By the way I did a complete clean erase&install of Leopard and I have the iMAC 1.3 update along with all the software updates. I get freezes sometimes watching a quicktime clip in safari, sometimes when i launch a screen saver. I even get a screen freeze all the time when i launch system preferences and try to pick a screen saver, especially the one called "arch" i think. The screen freezes as soon as I pick it, even without launching. I am currently working with apple care to solve the issue. They gave ma a software called "Apple Data Capture" which will scan the system after the freeze and create a log which I then sent to them. I hope they get the issue solved soon, because my bran new iMAC is nothing but a pretty paper weight now. Will keep everyone posted on progress.

Try a clean install of leopard without the imac 1.3 upgrade, see if that helps...

It seemed people werent having any issues witht he machine until the imac updates.

Interesting....Maybe thats why my new one is working ok without the updated drivers.

🙂 Id love to hear if anyone installed leopard clean and not the imac 1.3 update, see if they are having the issue still.

Although not constantly, I'm experiencing lockups too with my 3 week old 20" iMac, especially when using graphic intensive applications.

Joost! is a no-go, it'll lock up 80% of the time when starting and otherwise will constantly jitter white artifacts like static over the screen.

Games in Bootcamp using XP is a no-go either, a clutter of white artifacts on the screen like I'm not properly tuned in with my TV set and after a short while a guaranteed lockup. When force-installing the newest ATI drivers for a Raedon 2600 card will solve 90% of the artifacts/static, but it'll still lock up in no-time.

Just called my apple dealer where I bought it and they said that if it really is a faulty graphics card it would be out for repairs for at least 2-3 weeks.., well that's great with a brand new computer 😟

This turns out to be a slightly bumpy crossover from Windows upto now.

I forgot to mention, that I custom ordered my iMAC, and it shipped from Shanghai, China. Add from the Serial number, it looks like it was made in week 44.

I followed the freezing issue on the imac long before i purchased mine, and I disagree. The iMac updated was issued in response to all the freezing issues.

Not in response to any Leopard issue, as Leopard wasn't yet released.

It seems likely that an update for an issue that wasn't affecting every unit, has now started affecting units that otherwise would not have been affected - not unlike the 10.4.8 Update that fixed an AirPort issue in some, but created a new AirPort issue in others:)

Fair enough. Does anyone know how to get rid of iMac update 1.3 short of having to re-install?

Brand new iMac purchased 10/17/2007.

Freezing up all the time, and not even running applications.

Just took into service center fed up with it.

High speed fan sound on all the time in the last 2 weeks.

I was told at the service center that "it's a known issue" and so here I am doing some research.

I am with Wunk on this.

I took a chance buying a Mac for the first time and am really un-impressed after hitting the power button and beginning my journey with an Apple.

It is a beautiful peice of hardware though.

Message was edited by: Fezgig

No, that's the only way to ever back-up. Everything's all connected -"optimized" after the install was completed. It's what I did to get rid of 10.4.8 (on my Intel iMacs) and waited several months for 10.4.9, but was worth it.

Message was edited by: myhighway

I just bought a 24" iMac yesterday from the Apple store. Was annoyed that Tiger was installed. Had to use the drop-in DVD. All seemed OK until my wife called my this morning and said it the screen wouldn't come on (it had gone into powersave mode). The mouse LED is lit and last.fm is playing, but the display is "frozen" and can't be woken up.

Does this sound like the same issue? Should I take it back?

OK. I am in the process of clean installing Leopard. I will erase and install and update everything except the iMAC 1.3 update. Will post the result once done.

NEW FIRMWARE RELEASED for iMac Freezing, mine is in repair, someone please confirm it works.

http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/imacgraphicsfirmwareupdate10.html

gtcaz,

I had the same lockups when it went into powersave mode so I disabled all powersave and screen saver settings to see if it would help.

That did not seem to help.

Occasionally I would get two 3 inch bars of video in the middle of my screen vertically with a haze of grey on the rest of the screen.