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Q: Greyish Smudge marks behind the glass screen.

I have a 21.5 iMac bought in November 2009.

There appears to be numerous greyish smudge marks behind the glass screen on the top left hand corner.

It was not apparent to me at first, but after I started using OMMWriter it became easily visible. I also tried placing a neutral white background like TextEdit and it was easily visible even then.

I have cleaned the screen on numerous occasions and it has not had any effect.

What should I do?

These spots are quite disturbing.

iMac 21.5, November 2009, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Jan 15, 2010 10:55 AM

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Q: Greyish Smudge marks behind the glass screen.

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  • by Iain MacDonald1,

    Iain MacDonald1 Iain MacDonald1 Jul 3, 2012 8:12 AM in response to Daoakley
    Level 2 (409 points)
    iPad
    Jul 3, 2012 8:12 AM in response to Daoakley

    I can't be sure of the exact cause of the issue (and it may be different for different people), but if I had to bet, it would be on something dust related, but related to heat. In my case, the mark was a movable feast - sometimes it was hardly visible, but seemed to get worse after prolonged use. For a while I found it distracting, but maybe not worth the hassle of doing much about if it meant a reasonable amount of downtime, trips to stores, no guarantee of anything being done.

     

    But here in the UK we had a very hot week a few weeks ago, and it got really bad. It was mostly a random, jagged line that looked a bit like an internal crack, but it did seem to fluctuate, and was sometimes dead straight.

     

    I've posted a couple of pics on Flickr, one straight, and one at its worst:

     

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/macavity2012/

     

    So to me the best guess is that dust is maybe not being dispersed as efficiently as it could be, and that due to airflows within the machine, it somehow causes dust particles to accumulate in and around a particular place.

     

    As for criteria for getting it fixed out of warranty - not sure if its now being internally recognised (reports of engineers wanting machines for inspection suggest perhaps it has, or some other factor (luck?) I don't know.

     

    In my case I had previous issues with two deas Time Capsules, and fired off a specultive email to Tim Cook expressing disappointment that two had failed. So I emailed again about this, referring to the problem Time Capsultes too. Of course I didn't expect to get a reply, but did hear back from Apple asking for more details. I emailed some pics, and they got me to take it in to an authorised dealer. Once they confirmed to Apple that it was not a physical crack, they authroised the replacement LCD panel even though the iMac was two years old and a year out of warranty.

  • by TwistedCory,

    TwistedCory TwistedCory Jul 3, 2012 11:01 AM in response to Iain MacDonald1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 3, 2012 11:01 AM in response to Iain MacDonald1

    This just happened to me, I went away this weekend... came back today, and fired up a tv show and there it was...

    IMG_1786.JPG

    IMG_1787.JPG

     

    This is something I cannot deal with as I edit photos and video regularly... I guess I'll give apple a call..

  • by judithblades,

    judithblades judithblades Jul 3, 2012 2:39 PM in response to Iain MacDonald1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 3, 2012 2:39 PM in response to Iain MacDonald1

    "In my case I had previous issues with two deas Time Capsules, and fired off a specultive email to Tim Cook expressing disappointment that two had failed. So I emailed again about this, referring to the problem Time Capsultes too. Of course I didn't expect to get a reply, but did hear back from Apple asking for more details. I emailed some pics, and they got me to take it in to an authorised dealer. Once they confirmed to Apple that it was not a physical crack, they authroised the replacement LCD panel even though the iMac was two years old and a year out of warranty."

     

    Iain,

    could you please tell me who is Tim Cook and how do I contact him? This ad hoc approach by Apple is appalling. Why do some places approve replacement even 2 years out of warranty and others not? My machine also had the issue start within the first few months of purchase but I thought our cleaner had spilled fluid on it..found out not the case and came here too late after warranty 18 months ago...

     

    thank you

    Judith

  • by Antonio999,

    Antonio999 Antonio999 Jul 8, 2012 7:05 AM in response to swapnonil
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 8, 2012 7:05 AM in response to swapnonil

    Hi,

     

    Tim Cook is now the CEO. The VP for hardware, by the way, announced few days ago that he is retiring this year.

     

    It looks like Apple is quietly acknowledging the issue and trying to help. I put my pictures of the  disassembled screen with a few things to which I wanted to draw your attention. But before we go there...

     

    As I wrote before, I fixed two iMacs in a local store for $100 each. Guys told me that the problem is with the seams on the edges of the screen not being sealed properly. They peeled off the back of the screen, cleaned the inside and re-sealed it back. The dust inside consists of the tiniest particles only (that's probably why Apple insists that the damage is caused by smoking although I don't think tobacco ash creates this kind of dust).

     

    All right, you can see "circular" heat spots on the metal cover of the back. That is where fans are located. The smudges seems to appear without any system everywhere but not in the center or angles.

     

    OK look at photobucket.com/iMac_screen_smudges.

     

    Sent from my iPad

     

    On Jul 3, 2012, at 5:39 PM, Apple Support Communities Updates wrote:

     

    Apple Support Communities

    Re: Greyish Smudge marks behind the glass screen.

    created by judithblades in iMac (Intel) - View the full discussion

    "In my case I had previous issues with two deas Time Capsules, and fired off a specultive email to Tim Cook expressing disappointment that two had failed. So I emailed again about this, referring to the problem Time Capsultes too. Of course I didn't expect to get a reply, but did hear back from Apple asking for more details. I emailed some pics, and they got me to take it in to an authorised dealer. Once they confirmed to Apple that it was not a physical crack, they authroised the replacement LCD panel even though the iMac was two years old and a year out of warranty."

     

     

     

    Iain,

     

    could you please tell me who is Tim Cook and how do I contact him? This ad hoc approach by Apple is appalling. Why do some places approve replacement even 2 years out of warranty and others not? My machine also had the issue start within the first few months of purchase but I thought our cleaner had spilled fluid on it..found out not the case and came here too late after warranty 18 months ago...

     

     

     

    thank you

     

    Judith

     

    <Post editied by Host>

  • by BinaryMango,

    BinaryMango BinaryMango Jul 6, 2012 1:04 PM in response to Antonio999
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jul 6, 2012 1:04 PM in response to Antonio999

    Great pics, Antonio999! Thank you for posting the link.

     

    Do you have any photos of the actual "dust" (or whatever it is) inside the LCD? A lot of us have posted our exterior shots that show the screen damage, but I've only seen a handful of photos that show the full LCD disassembly and the actual dust inside. From the looks of it you have some disassembly photos... any chance you captured the "money shot" of the dust?

     

    Thanks!

  • by IanSn,

    IanSn IanSn Jul 8, 2012 7:06 AM in response to BinaryMango
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 8, 2012 7:06 AM in response to BinaryMango

    Is it normal practice to have your HD wiped and clean installed when you get your screen repaired?

     

    I just got mine back - nice and clean, thanks - but I can't even log-in. It now belongs to '***** *****'. ****. His mouse, his keyboard - I can't get rid of it.

     

    Yes, I back up my files as you do, but had I known...

     

    Why didn't the guy say on the phone, "by the way, I'm about to wipe all your programs, local network settings, security software, AppStore downloads, etc., etc., and your admin login", I'd have said no, don't do it!!!

     

    He said I'll clean the screen, not clean install.

    Why was this necessary?

     

    I wish I'd never bought the ******** thing...

     

    I don't know....

     

    <Post edited by Host>

  • by IanSn,

    IanSn IanSn Jul 6, 2012 8:09 PM in response to IanSn
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 6, 2012 8:09 PM in response to IanSn

    Can't edit the above reply.

    Urgent update to my post above.

     

    I've been given the wrong machine

     

    So cancel the rant... its not even my computer.....

  • by BinaryMango,

    BinaryMango BinaryMango Jul 12, 2012 9:55 AM in response to IanSn
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Jul 12, 2012 9:55 AM in response to IanSn

    I was learning to live with the smudges on my 27" mid-2010 iMac (already had one screen replacement in early 2011), but then the hard drive began to fail a few weeks ago. Since I'm still covered by my purchase of the extended AppleCare protection, it was a no-brainer to get both the screen and hard drive replaced.

     

    Overall it was an extremely painless process for me (again, all under covered warranty). Both the hard drive and screen were no-questions-asked replacements (well, a few questions and a quick hardware diagnostic test, but you get the idea!). I asked the Apple Store Genius who was assisting me if he'd seen the screen issue before, and he replied that he had not personally seen it but he had "heard about it", for what's it worth. The repair itself only took one day since they had all the parts in-stock, which really impressed me.

     

    Between the new hard drive and new screen it feels like a brand new machine to me despite it being just shy of two years old. I recall one thread here mentioned a new inner "bezel" that appeared on a user's iMac after getting a recent screen replacement, and the theory was that this might offer better insulation against dust and other contaminants... I don't notice anything like that on my replacement screen; as far as I can tell it looks exactly the same as my old one (except no smudges of course).

  • by JuwanC.,

    JuwanC. JuwanC. Jul 13, 2012 1:37 AM in response to swapnonil
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 13, 2012 1:37 AM in response to swapnonil

    I have an iPhone 4S that has a greyish smudge behind the screen , and a cracked backplate ? Do anyone know where I could get these two problem fixed , at a cheap price?

  • by PackJoker,

    PackJoker PackJoker Jul 14, 2012 9:19 AM in response to swapnonil
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 14, 2012 9:19 AM in response to swapnonil

    I have this problem on my 27"er.   My 1 year, 11 day old imac was taken in today with a potential overheating problem and looks set to have the screen replaced too, due to 'LCD contamination on left hand side of screen'.

  • by Ron Schultz,

    Ron Schultz Ron Schultz Jul 24, 2012 7:52 PM in response to swapnonil
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 24, 2012 7:52 PM in response to swapnonil

    I have  a new 27" ipad which I bought 3 months ago.  I just noticed a grayish smudge in the top right corner.  The smudge remains even when the computer is turned off.  I tried using a hair dryer on it and the smudge slowly disappeared.  I have a 3 year extended warranty from Best Buy.  If the smudge comes back and stays I wll take it into Best Buy and have them check it out.

  • by MisterMayor,

    MisterMayor MisterMayor Aug 4, 2012 12:57 AM in response to swapnonil
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 4, 2012 12:57 AM in response to swapnonil

    I have been a loyal Apple customer for almost a decade now and think I'm calling it quits after experiencing this issue. I've had my 27" iMac for about ten months now and started noticing these 'burn' marks a few months ago. They recently started spreading fairly rapidly so I decided to take the computer to the Apple store. The genius was pretty up front that this was due to heat and that it would probalby happen again after I get a screen replacement. I have two months left until my warranty is up and I considered having the screen replaced and then immediately selling it on eBay. This idea struck me as dishonest so it looks like I'll be keeping the computer. It's a shame that Apple doesn't find dishonest businss practices as reprehensible as I do. It was very disheartening finding this thread and seeing people complaining about this issue several years ago. I guess I'm going to have to get AppleCare and keep getting the screen replaced whenever the issue reappears. It's a real pain to pack up a 27" iMac and lug it through the mall just to have to wait for them to get the part in and repair it. I was also very upset to find that Apple went out of its way to make it difficult to install an SSD in the iMac. My 3-year-old Macbook Pro that I installed an SSD in is now faster than my i7 iMac. I will, without a doubt, be building my next computer. I still love OSX but I can't deal with the hardware issues. It would be lovely if I could use the large 27" display on my iMac as a monitor for my next computer but of course this is not allowed. I guess I wouldn't want to use it as a monitor anyway considering the burn marks will have completely taken over the display by that point.

  • by igs,

    igs igs Aug 4, 2012 2:09 AM in response to MisterMayor
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 4, 2012 2:09 AM in response to MisterMayor

    I totally sypathize with you mister mayor. I was tricked to the Apple camp in late 1999 when I bought my Mac. This was based upon recommendations over years by the news media and even friends. I had always thought that it was Apple's hardware was their outstanding feature but now I realise it is that you are swapping function for beauty and over simplification. As an amateur photographer I cannot live with these smudges.

     

    Of course I invested a lot into this move to beaty by going totally Apple (iMac, MacBook Air, iPad, iPhone not to mention the software costs) but soon discovered the Apple lie. In nearly 30 years of PC usage I have never had so much hassle as I have had in the all-in-1 world of Apple.

     

    Now I have to decide whether to continue in this world or return to the clunky but reliable PC world. Is it over to Mac mini so I can buy cheaper and more reliable periperals for my workhorse or move to Fusion on my Apples until each, in time, is replaced. And what about the mobiles can I stay with Apple there or should I go to Android where i can choose a cloud that actually works.

  • by MisterMayor,

    MisterMayor MisterMayor Aug 4, 2012 2:22 AM in response to igs
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 4, 2012 2:22 AM in response to igs

    I'm a professional photographer so I definitely know how you feel! I figure I will build myself a nice desktop computer and if anything goes wrong I can replace that one part rather than the whole computer. It will be upgradable and change with my needs unlike my iMac.

  • by igs,

    igs igs Aug 4, 2012 4:28 AM in response to MisterMayor
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 4, 2012 4:28 AM in response to MisterMayor

    Duh, I  meant I was tricked in 2009, the years do go by.

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