Q: New iMac 27inch screen flickering/tearing/shutoff

FYI -- I've been following this thread since December 28 when I unboxed a 27" Core2Duo purchased from BestBuy the day before Thanksgiving (price was $100 off the $1,699 list for several days that week). This was my first iMac and I expected a lot -- after 20+ years of fighting Windows since DOS 3.1. Well, the flickering and blackouts began within about one hour. Suspecting a voltage problem I moved it to another room with nothing else plugged in on that particular circuit. That at first eliminated the problem, but it came back after about 4-5 hours. I ran the hardware tests, including th extended one -- no problems. I avoided the software patches based on what I had read on this thread. Moved the iMac back to the computer room and put all my peripherals on another circuit. OK for several days until late one night I was helping my daughter to set up her account on Thunderbird and got a blackout. Deciding not to screw with it anymore, I returned it to BestBuy on January 4 for a full refund. It was a week 45 or 46 model -- can't remember for sure.
I've been watching for refurbished models and ordered a week 52 (I think -- FB952...) 27" C2D tonight from the Apple Store. Figured a refurbished one may have gotten the intensive care needed to get rid of the defects (plus being $250 off the list price). The refurbished week 52 model should arrive next week. Will keep you all posted on whether it is rock solid or whether it suffers too from flickering/blackouts, yellow tinge or any other cooties.

Sorry for the multiple posts today.....I think I am having other issues not necessarily related to the display now....for the first time I have heard the fan noise going REALLY loud on the imac, even though all I was doing was listening to music in iTunes (and the noise was very noticeable OVER the music) and searching in Safari. Not a lot of CPU activity (92% idle) but the fan's going over 2000rpm! Eventually (5 mins or so) it slows down and now is running fairly silently, as per normal.

Anyone else experiencing this or should I be visiting another forum now? Any advice, is this normal?

skullcat: there are other reports on the net about noisy fans, specifically:
http://imac.squeaked.com/results.php?func=b&id=noisy-fans

skullcat wrote:
Anyone else experiencing this or should I be visiting another forum now? Any advice, is this normal?

Yes. My first i7 iMac's fans were spinning at max, constant. Original thread here: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2267935&tstart=0

I returned it and my second i7 iMac is good (besides some slight yellowing at the bottom of the screen).

I was in the process of rebuilding/transferring my itunes library over (I always use the excuse of getting a new machine to do a big cleanup), so I had been working on it for a few hours. However, I consider this normal, nothing unusual, and it certainly shouldn't be stressing a quad-core machine,

Hi everyone, just wanted to let you all know I have not forgotten about you. Well so far so good with the new computer build week 51. I'm still waiting for the flash from darkness but so far so good. So i've gone and installed everything on it. Partitioned to 7 drives, parallels running vista for omnipage to make forms for work. All of my programs from aperture, photoshop suite, iworks, 300 gigs of photos, hours of computer time getting everything up to snuff. The only thing I'm waiting to do is register applecare. I'm still a little hesitant but i'll do it soon.

Rick.

Hi Rick,
My replacement, which i got week of Christmas is also week 51.
I don't have the flickering and blank screen (sleep) issue of the first one... but i'm still getting some flickering (dimming of the backlight).
Its very minor but does occur randomly.

Have you noticed anything like this?

Message was edited by: chris_vav

Talked to Applesupport today and they told me to do the following:

disconnect powercable for 20sec.

press and hold: "cmd - alt - p - r" and start the iMac, when you have heard the startup tune twice release the keys.

Anyone tried this with positive result?

Unfortunately I suspect this will not be a cure. The disconnecting resets the SMC and the cmd-opt-p-r resets the PRAM and seems to be the standard first response from AppleCare. I don't think there is anybody on here that found this to be anything more than a temporary fix and for many it didn't work at all.

People with display problems, what are your next move?

Wating for another software update/fix.
Waiting/Asking for a replacement iMac.
Waiting/Asking for a refund to buy another computer.
Other, if so what?

Message was edited by: David.j.swe

I had mine fixed under warranty. I had a new screen and V-sync cable fitted a week ago. Since then it has been perfect although I'm still wary that the problem will return because one or two others have had the same repair done but the problem has recurred. I think I'm one of maybe half-a-dozen on here where the fix seems to be working.

Finally my iMac left China.

Apple Care Certificate shows serial number W8003....

Fingers crossed, week 03 machines are going to be okay.

I really hope that 2010 production is "problem-free" as I have been waiting so long to replace my 24". Come on guys....give us some good news on new arrivals and keep up the good "reporting" job ! Thank you all so much for the great infos shared here and let us cross fingers for a quick solution of the flickering/blackout/yellowing problems affecting the 2009 production line !

Next move:

I´m waiting directions from my contact at Apple. The nice guy! Not in support. He´s on the next level in contact with Apples engineers.

After that. I think that I am going to wait for a software update. Perhaps they find the solotion there. Otherwise I´m going to demand a new computer.

I have an idea for Apple (Steve are you listening?)

On the special event om January 26 when Apple is about to release something new and colourful.

At the end, say:

"And finally. To all our costumers that has a reported problem with the new iMac, we are giving away a new ... (iSlate) ... for free. As a compesation. This is not how it should be. We are working on the solution. In the meantime, enjoy."