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Screen shows static "snow"

I recently installed os x 10.5.5 on my imac, upgrading from 10.4.11. After upgrading to 10.5.5 sometimes when I start my imac the screen is covered with "static" - similar to a TV screen when it's tuned to a station that doesn't exist. I can take a desktop icon and drag it around the screen "erasing" the static. Opening a large document that covers the screen also "erases" the static.
Has anyone else experienced this? I have a screen shot of the problem, is there a way to post it?

Thanks

imac 2.4 ghz core 2 duo, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Feb 5, 2009 11:52 PM

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4 replies

Feb 6, 2009 4:09 PM in response to chriscor

Hi ccors

Welcome to Apple Discussions

A few other folks also reported having that issue in 10.5.5 when they had a lot of icons and folders on there desktop.

There is two ways to fix it:

1. Clean up the clutter on your desktop, by moving all the loose items into the proper folders within your Home folders or into new folders.

2. Update to 10.5.6 or even better the 10.5.6 Combo Update in the link below.

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/macosx1056comboupdate .html

Dennis

Mar 8, 2009 9:15 PM in response to den.thed

I just powered up a new mac mini and I am running 10.5.6 and I have seen this snow twice now. My mini did this with a clean OS and no icons on the desktop. The first time, I simply rebooted to get around it. The second time my wife saw it and gave up (walked away), it seemed to recover on it's own. Arrrrg!

Mar 24, 2009 7:18 PM in response to chriscor

I have two new 24" iMacs that have started to cover the screen with this "static effect". It appears that the entire desktop is covered with an intricate and somewhat repeating pattern (not completely random). In each case, the pattern can be "removed" by activating the screen with an open window or moving an icon around. In one instance, the icons on the desktop looked like"islands" is a sea of electronic visual "noise"
It appears that the "noise" is a layer above the desktop, obviously an optical illusion. All software is updated, and no other effects seem to be present.

Mar 25, 2009 6:17 AM in response to chriscor

This has been a common problem across the line with the new Nvidia cards, but I am very surprised to see it on the OPs Mac as it is older and therefore probably doesn't have the Nvidia chipset.

See this thread for the fury:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1924473

There are many others too, the snow is common. Hopefully they will fix it in a software update since basically every new Mac has the Nvidia chipsets in it.

P.S. I have not had it on my 17" MBP with either the 9400M or 9600M enabled, however, I have seen it on an older Mac Mini, so I think it has something to do with software.

Screen shows static "snow"

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