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

W89472*** serial number. Started flickering this morning.

WIll call Apple this afternoon.

I'm from Andorra (between Spain-France)

I have the same problem .... last week I received the new iMac 27 (Intel Core i5) and the screen gives errors and problems, the image jumps, does a flash goes black... from the start.
If the machine has no more than a week can require me to change a new one? As the coach says he wants to open the imac and fix it, but if the problem is so widespread I don't see the solution.

*Is better and possible to require a new computer?*
*Someone has a solution?*

My mistake. W8947

s

Had my i5 since Black Friday - W8946 is the batch reference.

....just waiting - who hasn't had a problem appears to be the big question. Why hasn't Apple made some announcement to increase customer confidence?

Come on Apple

Message was edited by: Luckybob

{quote:title=Luckybob wrote:}....just waiting - who hasn't had a problem appears to be the big question. Why hasn't Apple made some announcement to increase customer confidence?{quote}

There are certainly a lot of units out there that don't have the problem.

The difficulty here is that the number that DO have the problem is clearly high enough that it is not a one-off situation, there is obviously a serious problem with either the production line or the part(s) they're using, and you would be foolish to accept another one off the same line until they've figured out and cured the problem.

And who knows whether this will worsen or spread over time - if there's a loose electrical connection, it could be stressing other parts which will eventually fail, etc. (You just know that if you got one in this condition and kept it, it would implode the day you had a project coming due, and/or the day after AppleCare expired.)

I bought a maxed out machine - nearly $4000US - returned it, and will not buy another one unless I know, 100%, that this has been addressed. Unfortunately I need a new computer before the end of the month, and now may end up having to buy another brand if they don't fix this and let us know it has been found and corrected.

Well, now I feel really dumb for posting several days ago that I'd solved the problem simply by tightening the power plug on the back of the display. I'm still amazed that it had seemed to work. For the last several days all symptoms disappeared only to return this morning.

After years of drudging through Windows problems, crash recoveries and now an outdated machine presenting with multiple OS problems...I finally decided to make the move to Apple. When I got the original iPhone, I was convinced that everything my Apple owning friends had told me were true.

So, Apple announces the new iMac and I think this is perfect. I'll get an i5 and boost the RAM and it will mimic a workstation to photo and video edit!

I went to my local Apple store about a month ago and they informed me that the i5 could only be ordered online. At the time apple.com was showing a ship date of several weeks. The instore genius said that when the online shipping changes to 24hrs, then the walk-in stores would have them in stock as well. As you all know that hasn't happened yet. I wanted to see one working in person, because I had concerns with a desktop processor inside what is essentially a laptop computer design without a lid (I'm sure Steve Jobs would hate that description).

Now, I'm on hold. My PC is so mucked up that the only resort at this point is to wipe the drive and reload everything, something I don't care to do if an iMac is in my near future.

So,I finally decide to get a Mac and it has major hardware problems!!! Just my luck!

Enough of my rant...my question is, if Apple is not publicly admitting the display/graphics card flicker-black-out problems, then how will the consumer know when these issues have been resolved? I cannot understand why they would keep shipping these units to you guys without fixing the problem upfront.

You know what's even worse Russell? A lot of people may have machines that have whatever problem this is, but don't know it yet because it's not exhibiting symptoms yet, and are rejoicing because they got one of the "good" ones.

Unfortunately, you can guess that for many of them, there may be a failure down the line at an inconvenient time and/or when their warranties and/or AppleCare no longer apply.

Jim,

I was in the same situation that you are in - I needed a new computer ASAP.

Cutting to the chase, I canceled my i7 and purchased a refurbed 24-inch iMac. You may want to consider this. The one I purchased had a 1T HD, but I just checked and these are all gone. I also saw a 27-inch i5, but this is gone as well. It is not possible to know how many they actually had, but the computer(s) have been either sold or withdrawn.

I sincerely hope that Apple gets this corrected and soon. All this flap is making them look very bad, IMHO.

Anyway, best of luck to you.

Phillip

Sorry for my bad english.
i have the same problem with my iMac 27 C2D (( monitor flicking, and very hot on back

What a coincidence my imac serial is also W8946...
*Anyone know if Apple has acknowledged the problem? and what solution is there?*

Message was edited by: Sandrix27

As others have noted, this problem seems to be hit and miss.

For reference, the build on my 6 day old i7 is 8947.

Bill

RMH7069,

Your last comments -

"... my question is, if Apple is not publicly admitting the display/graphics card flicker-black-out problems, then how will the consumer know when these issues have been resolved? I cannot understand why they would keep shipping these units to you guys without fixing the problem upfront. "

have hit the nail on the head. All of us are wondering the same exact thing.

As I have mentioned earlier above, I cancelled my i7 and instead opted for a refurbished 24-inch iMac because I needed an Intel machine to upgrade to Adobe CS4. That is not what I wanted to do, but I felt I had no other choice at this point in time.

A lot is being said in these forums rightly or wrongly. I will not attempt to judge one way or the other. That is not my place. People have a right to rant especially after they have paid hard earned money for a much touted computer which, as we all know, is flawed. This brings me to the point I wish to make.

I have been using computers for a long time, both Mac's and PC's. For my work (and pleasure), I prefer Mac's because I have had the opportunity to use both platforms in professional workplaces and find that the Mac's suit me better. In so doing, what issues I have had with all of the Mac's that I have owned pale in comparison to the current state-of-affairs with the new iMac's. This is not Apple's business model. I think we can all agree on that, especially after the return of Steve Jobs.

Having said that, I will offer the following: I think that no one, not even Apple, has a firm grip on this issue yet. I believe that when they do get to the bottom of this problem, be it hardware, software, shipping or whatever, they will step up and make a public statement. Personally, I would prefer that they say, "We have it solved.", as opposed to, "We are aware of this problem and are working on it."

The silence from Cupertino does understandably rankle many and rightfully so. However, in my view, Apple is now in the position of the Proverbial donkey - straddled across the fence with not many options. So, I think that when their engineer's have this 100% solved, they will come forth with a public apology and make amends to those who have been wronged and that will be that. I am very glad that I am not responsible for this iMac problem because whoever is is in a world of hurt over this. This is not how Apple runs their business.

I had the flickering error with my machine as well - now everything is back up and running properly. Hopefully but improbably this is gone for good.

I am in Munich / Germany.

9488

Hi Postfrosch
Did you do anything to get rid of the problem or has it just fixed itself for the moment?