New iMac 27inch screen flickering/tearing/shutoff

Here is mine with the 4850 chipset:

ROM Revision: 113-B9110C-394
EFI Driver Version: 01.00.367

The problem is really bad this afternoon. It seems worse, by far, while it is cold from a recent boot after a long rest.

After monitoring this problem for a couple of days, my iMac stops the flickering and horizontal lines once it gets good and hot. About 60-90 minutes. Doesn't seem to return until I shut down and reboot after it has cooled down completely.

Bill

Uh Oh! It just started on my i7. After waiting for so long for this to be delivered, it ***** to have a problem.

Well, you'll all be glad to know that my new 27" i7 just started the flickering business...this is really the first I've seen of it since I hooked the computer up on Thursday (12 Nov) evening. The first thing that happened was that I got a black horizontal bar flash across the screen, about 10 seconds later the screen went completely black for about a second, and finally, about a minute later, my menu bar jumped to the middle of the screen and bottom half of the screen (including the dock) wrapped around to the top. I restarted immediately and the problem hasn't yet returned...but I'm sure that it will.

I'm actually glad that this has happened now...mainly so I don't have to wonder any longer whether it's going to happen. I'll call Apple and see what they have to say, but until they say they've got the problem identified I don't think it makes any sense to swap the computer out because a new one will likely have the same problem.

Keeping the faulty iMac will:

1. Indicate you are satisfied with it

2. Convince Apple it is not their problem but yours

3. Mean you will probably get stuck with it, or a repaired new iMac ie it will be 2nd hand in effect.

Again, as widespread as this problem is, it would be futile to send my current machine back for a replacement if there's no guarantee that the replacement won't have the problem. If I got a replacement that didn't have the problem but had dead pixels or other issues I would be PI$$ED -- in that case, I'd have rather kept my first machine and had it repaired than get one that's worse and not fixable.

If it is worse, then return +that one+ to Apple.+

Make it Apple's problem not yours, until they fix it.

From experience, making it your own means you pay full price to cop whatever gets thrown at you.

You can add one more 27" I7 to the list with the flickering and short 1 SECOND black screen. The part that really ***** is, i just got it this morning... first thing i did was update it... one more going back to apple...... If nothing else, the refurbs should be PLENTIFUL and discounted.... I will wait till they ACKNOWLEDGE and fix this problem before i order a new one.....

Message was edited by: Schwantz

@PeterBreis0807-

Good point. I've had the misfortune of having to return multiple items multiple times before (I once had to return a Toshiba rear-projection HDTV three times) and I just despise the hassle. It's just that I'll likely be wasting my time with multiple returns until Apple acknowledges the problem and figures out a way ahead. If it winds up being a hardware fix, I'll return this machine and wait until I can get a new one that's right. If it's a software fix, I'll hang on to this one until the fix is out. The trouble is that Apple might not come to a resolution within my 14-day return window. If that's the case, then I'll return this machine and wait to buy a new one when they finally get it straightened out.

DICKTWI: I am a new Mac user and have noticed the same sleep issue with my machine. I thought perhaps I had nudged the mouse etc when getting up from the desk and that had woke the machine up, obviously not!

FOR FOLK IN THE UK

Under the sale of goods act your product is covered for approx 6 years. In the first 6 months you are entitled to a replacement (a new one, not 2nd hand) or a full refund and the seller (Apple) need to be able to prove that the problem wasn't in existence from day 1, which obviously they can't. After 6 months you still have the same protection for the remaining 5.5 years but you have to prove that the problem existed from day 1 (or very early on) so it would be a good idea to take a picture or video when it does happen.

This is what I have done and will wait until I hear what Apple are doing about the problem. Once I am happy they have a solution I will be getting a brand new replacement - which will come with a fresh 12 month warranty as well.

This may seem like I am playing the system but the consumer goods act exists because of companies not playing fair with their customers (just like this).

The point I am making is that the 14 day period etc that people are talking about is totally irrelevant, even if it is Apple T&C's. It isn't enforceable by UK Law. They are just trying their luck as 99% of people won't challenge it.

My partner has had they same problem with a new iMac 27".

Not only does the screen flicker intermittently and sometimes go black for a second, but on several occasions the whole screen has shifted down so the menu bar as about 1/4 of the way down from the top of the screen with the dock above it. This happened in the first 24 hours and has happened about 3 more times in the last 10 days. The first time it required a restart to fix it, but on the other occasions it fixed itself after a few seconds.

However the intermittent screen flicker is the most irritating problem. From my experience with both Macs and PCs, the problems appear to be caused by a hardware problem, probably with the new ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics processor.

The iMac was purchased from the Apple Store in Sydney, and today they have agreed to exchange it for a new one.

Hi all,
I posted over in the when is the quadcore 27" shipping thread but this seems more fitting.

I received my core i7 27" iMac this morning. I set it up, turned it on. Everything was great until about 10 minutes in, the screen started to shift up about 1/2 a centimeter and made everything blurry as if it was ghosted/shrunk/distorted. It would do this on and off a few times then it stuck like that until I turned it off for a while. I went through resetting the computer with apple tech support, no luck. It seems as if though when the video card had what i like to say "warmed up" it produced this problem. I can't be certain if this is a heat issue. I do know that once the computer was off for about 5-10 minutes and then turned back on the issue would appear again within 5 minutes after boot.

I do know that once I saw this happen it was a faulty video card or LCD screen, as I have seen video cards do this same exact thing before on windows computers. They put me over to sales and I put in for a replacement. Shipped the iMac back all before noon so I can get things rolling on getting another on in here.

This is very upsetting but at least apple is holding up their part of the deal, by being very prompt about an RMA making it very easy and having my new order in the system already being queued to build.

I got the i7 at 9:17am and had it dropped off at Fedex by noon. Broke my heart to have such a beautiful machine on my desk for no more than 1 hour and send it back and have to wait even longer for another one. I'm hoping its maybe a batch of a product and not a product-wide issue.

I do wish apple would take this machine I sent back and have their engineers look at it to figure out what exactly is wrong so they can learn from this.

That's great news for me. I'm worried sick because I've only seen the problem once but the fact it happened at all means I feel like I've got a ticking time bomb. I use mine at work so it's on for pretty much 12 hours a day and I've only noticed it once. I never sleep my Macs though so I don't know if I should try sleeping it to see what happens.

ROM Revision: 113-B8030F-253
EFI Driver Version: 01.00.367

I too am experiencing similar, albeit not as bad as others on here, as I only get the occasional very brief flash. However, according to Apple, at this moment, it's not a firmware issue and they're treating it as a potential hardware problem. The directive for US and Europe is to replace any iMac that exhibits these symptoms. So, Apple have not only arranged to send me a new one, but they're allowing me to keep the old one until the new one arrives, as shipping times are around 7-10 days. So, guys, if you're like me and only experiencing the barest minimum of symptoms, you don't have to be without you Mac, and you can still get it replaced.