Q: Small lines / dots over parts of screen

I had the same problem with my isight iMac. Started off minor distortion, but soon it got so bad my iMac couldn't be used. My iMac was outwith the serial no's for the extended repair programme. The error code detected related to a faulty video card (part of the motherboard) and would have cost as much to repair as a new iMac!! However, after a long 'chat' with Apple's Customer Relations Dep't my iMac was repaired at no cost. It would appear that there have many cases of this problem and Apple should repair upto 3 years old (even without extended applecare warranty).

I suggest anyone with the same problem should contact Apple's Customer Relations rather than an engineer.

FYI I had 3 replacement motherboards fitted. The first 2 failed in a matter of days with the same fault!

I had the same problem with my G4 a few years ago, I got it repaired and I believe it was the logic board, Now I have had my G5 for 16 months and that is doing it. I have no applecare, The one year warranty is up, So i guess I have something for target practice or I have to spend my own money again to fix something that Apple should have to fix.

Seems like I'm not the only one. I've got pretty much the same thing. Small vertical blue and white lines, making up stripes of a sort across the desktop. Hope they find a good fix for it soon... Oh well, this thing's getting old. Probably end up having an unpleasant conversation with Customer Support.

I had the same thing happen to my G5 as well. Solid as a rock since 2005 and then on the 1st Feb, it developed the dot problem. I find it odd that everyone is experiencing this problem in the same two - three week time frame. Of course, we are all out of apple care and a warranty.

Ran Norton, Mac Repair and the thing is totally clean.

My G5 iSight iMac is 3 years old. About 6 months ago, a pink vertical line appeared on the far right. A few months later, a blue vertical line about 2-3/4" from the right side, and last night, another blue vertical line 1-1/4" from the right side. At first, I could tolerate a line only 1/8" from the right side of the screen, but the other two are in the workspace and very annoying. I expect the display to be unusable soon.

In reading the forums, it is also obvious that many are experiencing this problem, and most, if not all, of the computers were made in Factory W8 in Shanghai China, as was mine. Another thread suggested writing to Product Feedback, which I did; however, they will not reply to those posts. But the more of us that let them know about it, the better the chance of a resolution.

I will most likely buy a new external monitor, instead of paying for a repair; but Apple's lack of response is very disappointing.

I totally agree with the previous post. True, my iMac G5 was also manufactured in W8 in Shanghai China. About a year ago, I had the same screen lines problem and luckily the fix was covered by Apple Care Program. They have replaced the screen for free (with few dead pixels!!)
The funny thing is that after just 3 weeks of warranty expiration date, the same problem appeared again with a vertical think white line (about 3 fingers in width) that runs across the screen. I went to Apple service and they said it would cost me around $600 to fix it!!!!
$600 would get me one of the best 24" LCD units from LG or Samsung with a 2ms response time. I'm really upset and I started to realize why so many people hate Apple.
My last resort is to buy an external adapter (mini-VGA to VGA) and see if an external screen solves the problem. I ordered a new cable from Apple, paid for DHL Express courier, and till this very moment, after 2 weeks, I didn't get my cable!!
Sorry Apple, you guys became so arrogant..

I am having the same issue with my 20" iMac duo-core.

I am now finding my G5 iMac to be shutting down for no reason along with the video issues I originally found this forum speaking of. But Apple's repair program only covered the first gen iMac G5. Mine's the 2nd gen, what about me?!! I'm pretty sure its the same component failure happening. My serial Number even fits in the same recall set!!!

My machine (iMac G5 about three years old) started experiencing the problem yesterday too; e.g. a patch of ordered rows of little vertical bars following the curser and stationary patches over desktop icons, the dock, and across the upper region of the screen, etc. Have read over preceding messages, but get no clear sense of what's causing this or what the fix will involve.

Hi all,

I too, on February 13 noticed the vertical shadow lines on my iMac. See this image:

http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt200/jr7138/photo.jpg

Has anyone on this forum found a solution?

Thanks,
jr7138

The same problem showed up here yesterday. Small black bars on the dock, folders, menu bar and around the cursor.

Wow I didnt even know about the extention program for G5's, how was this advertised?

I am currently experianceing the same porblem except the distortion is over my whole screen and the cursor. But when this happens the computer just freezes and I am forced to shut down.

I erased my harddisk & installed leopard again, yet the problem isn't solved. I'm afraid it's a hardware problem.

Hi, Had the same thing happen to me, machine was working fine then screen went as described in earlier posts, but so bad as to be un-useable. I left it on for most of the day and about 12 hours later the screen started to get better. Now the problem just comes and goes.

It is a shame that apple are still staying very quiet on this issue.