iMac Freezing

@Xandraa

Did you have a look at console messages?

Open Console app from Utilities, choose "all messages" and then filter by "NVDA".

Here is the thread about the freezes (topic i a typical message in system log):

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1916253

I've created a thread on GetSatisfaction about this problem. Please add to it.

Message was edited by: Woll

Woll,

I found your topic and made a post. Thanks!

Let's prepare an official letter/petition and send it in to Apple. Does anyone know how apple employee email addresses are listed?

Message was edited by: Zachnap

Same problem here too: iMac Freezing during boot up or after 30min running iTunes visualistaion or heavy graphic action. I will try to run the mac cooler may this will help.

Is there any comment about this from apple???

SMC Fan Control is a temporary fix at best - it gets worse over time.

My 20" iMac used to run fine with the fans ramped up continuously but now I'm lucky to be able to boot and use it for more than a few minutes interactively - it works fine as a server for my AppleTV even if I get the screen freeze but VNC access also fails so you're stuck with enabling SSH to gently reboot.

I also now have fixed screen pixel errors which imply to me that graphics card RAM has failed completely for that address.

I have to say my faith in the longevity of Apple products has been dented by this especially as my refurbished MacMini has also just died in recent weeks I assume due to logic board failure.

I cannot accept a lifespan of a year or so before problems ensue for these sorts of product.

Message was edited by: Alley_Cat

Alley_Cat wrote:
SMC Fan Control is a temporary fix at best - it gets worse over time.

100% correct. The only real fix is to replace the graphics card AND increase venting at the same time so the new card doesn't fry. At least that's what I think. Now I just have to actually get hold of a graphics card that works, since the last one I bought was fritzed as well.

I have to say my faith in the longevity of Apple products has been dented by this (...) I cannot accept a lifespan of a year or so before problems ensue for these sorts of product.

100% agree. Mine lasted almost 3 years, but that means it cost me nearly $1k a year to have this computer before it starts to DIE? Please. That's outrageous. I used to be a stalwart apple fan, but now days I tell people "You should really consider a PC rather than an iMac... the iMac is great, but apparently only for a few years. Then when it dies Apple won't do a thing about it."

eastmac, Alleycat and everyone else: make a post in Woll's iMac topic at GetSatisfaction.

http://getsatisfaction.com/apple/topics/2006imac_graphics_card_crashfreeze

Also contact Apple at http://www.apple.com/feedback/imac.html

This is important to getting the word out.

@ Witch: Thanks for the tip. It seems I am having issues with the CharPaletteServer so far.

I will post the console log on other thread, but I will keep an eye to the log for other problems.

Thanks again. X.

I might bring my iMac to the repair!

They say the card can be replaced with the same 7300 but if the 7600 GT will work is not guaranteed. Unfortunately the same problem could occur again with both card though and the guarantee is only 3 month.
But till now it is the only "solution".



The 7300 is costing €150 the 7600 €220 and €88 for one hour labour for each one of them (excl 19% TAX)

What would you do?
Will the 7600 work and is it worth the 70 euro extra?

Hello Micah,

I'm really sorry to hear that you got a bad replacement video card, I was so happy when you reported that after installing the new card you could play videos and run applications that used to crash your iMac.

You are very brave to do the repair all by yourself, I was about to do it myself too after hearing your success story.

Does everyone know if Apple offers a warranty on a repair they perform?

The thing is that I am not very good at repairing things and don't know if i have what it takes to replace the card myself.

From what I have read in this forum:

1. The problem is the GPU (video card) and this failed because of poor cooling design.
2. this is a common problem for the iMac late 2006 (my case)
3. Once it starts, it just get worse, and doing pram, onyx, or OS reinstall does not help
4. Apple does not acknowledges that is is a common problem so it will charge around $900 to replace a card
5. There is no guarantees that this will solve the problem (as I haven't read anyone that has succeeded so far)
6. The recommended thing to do is to buy a card $300 ??? and do it yourself
7. The risk is that you just spent $300 and the problem is still there
8. On the other hand if you pay $900 to Apple AND the problem is still there you might as well be better off buying a new iMac in the first place, but then what to do with the 2006 iMac?

Is there ANY hope, has anyone succeeded in repairing this problem?

Micah, are you trying again?

vote_4pedro wrote:
Hello Micah,

I'm really sorry to hear that you got a bad replacement video card, I was so happy when you reported that after installing the new card you could play videos and run applications that used to crash your iMac.

You are very brave to do the repair all by yourself, I was about to do it myself too after hearing your success story.

Does everyone know if Apple offers a warranty on a repair they perform?

The thing is that I am not very good at repairing things and don't know if i have what it takes to replace the card myself.

From what I have read in this forum:

1. The problem is the GPU (video card) and this failed because of poor cooling design.

I still believe that it's not or not only poor cooling design. The GPU fails within spec temperature bounds. Many have stated that the GPU starts to fail at 50 ºC. Moreover there are several different card models and manufactures implied. For this reason I believe that the logic board plays an important role. We really need a lab to determine what's wrong. I believe Apple would offer an repair or replacement program if the problem only affected the nvidia cards because nvidia already made provisions to compensate and they even admitted that they underestimated the problems. But it's harder for Apple to admit that there logic board maybe defectous as well. There had been one guy who stated that Apple replaced his logic board up to four times without solving the problem!!!

vote_4pedro wrote:
Is there ANY hope, has anyone succeeded in repairing this problem?

I have limited faith that this problem can be solved by "us" or by anyone really. I agree that the main culprit appears to be the video card, BUT what is actually killing the card? Heat? I don't think so, I think they're failing within normal heat ranges. So I think it might be something else killing the cards, but I haven't the faintest clue what and you can bet I won't be paying apple a red cent to figure it out for me.

Micah, are you trying again?

Yes, only because I believe that putting a new card in will solve the problem (it briefly did before the "new" card developed connection issues) and I think it will get another 2 to 3 years out of the computer. At $300, if I can get 3 more years out of this POS that's better than buying a new imac.

The bottom line is, when this iMac dies it's final death I'll be in a very tough spot because I know nothing about PC's and am very reluctant to switch over, but at the same time I now have little faith in iMacs either. I'll probably get another one, but this time I'll buy it at my local apple store and I will be making a LOT of noise about "What happens 3 years from now when this iMac starts to act weird? I want it in writing that YOU will fix YOUR problems without charging me."

tyc314159 wrote:
http://pindelski.org/Photography/2009/08/17/imac-surgery-part-iv/

This is brilliant. And is exactly the results I had when I swapped my 7300 for a 7600 card, and also shows the same differences in cards I noticed. They appear identical, but one (7600) has a different version and more ram.

And for the scant few days the "new" 7600 card worked it was like my old iMac was back, and even better. I could run videos in Hulu, itunes, DVD player and youtube as well as surf Google Earth at full speed, all concurrently with zero issues.

Unfortunately after I reinstalled my 7300 card (because the "new" 7600 I received crapped out due to IMO being a used and F'd up part) I'm back to not being able to watch even ONE video in full screen without a complete system debilitating crash.

Ok guys, please bear with me on my story, but I believe I have found a solution to all this!!



After endless searches for solutions and after endless trial and error tests, I decided to take my IMAC to a Mac authorized reseller (not an Apple Store). My computer had gotten worse as summer time was in full swing and I was ready to toss my computer out the window. They did all the tests they could and as expected, found nothing. They even ran their tests in an enclosed room (higher temperature as I suggested) and they still found nothing. They charged me 125 bucks just for the labor, so in order to take advantage of the labor costs, I decided to upgrade my HD from a 250 gig to a terabyte HD (100 bucks at best buy). I was very mad since the root cause was not found and they had not even seen my symptoms, and told me that even if they saw something, given that I did not have apple care, Apple would not take care of anything. But at least I was able to get a larger drive for a total of 225 bucks.



I thought I would give it a try since I thought that maybe during their tests, they had reset something that may had fixed the issue. As soon as I got my computer plugged in at home and right after I reinstalled Leopard, the artifacts returned. This time I decide to capture on video the actual symptoms. I took the video back to the Mac authorized reseller (called Mac Resource) and showed it to a more "knowledgeable" guy. He immediately pointed out that the problem was the video card. I told him that I had done my research and had found out that the IMACs (2006) versions were designed were the video card could be upgraded or replaced, without having to replace the entire logic board (expensive option). He offered to get me the card for around 200 bucks (plus tax), this time being an upgrade at least in terms of memory (from 128 to 256Megs) and would not charge me for labor given my previous experience.



He got the card installed and I am using my "brand new" and more expensive computer and I have had no glitch whatsoever (running iphoto, parallels, etc). The total repair can be summarized as follows:



1 terabyte HD: $108 (optional)

256MB Invidia GeForce 7600GT: $216.00

Labor at certified store: $125.00

Having my computer working as it was supposed to: Priceless



Hope you get something useful out of this. The key is to now make sure the new card does not go bad due to high temperatures (specially with the new HD), so I am still running SMC fan control to be safe. I would hope that Apple would reimburse me for some of that money spent on an "already" expensive computer (1200 bucks plus).....

Are you listening Apple? This was a bad piece of hardware that you should be responsible for to keep your loyal customers coming back.