24" iMac Screen Freezes since 10.6.3 update - pls help!

I don't know if this is just coincidence or not, but since updating my iMac to 10.6.3 it keeps on crashing. On 3 separate occasions today, whilst using my Mac the screen has gone completely black with thin white lines down it.....see pic below:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6SYzhCgVYEU5TBKqRfOQ1Q?feat=directlink

The fans and hard disk are still running but it will not respond to any keyboard or mouse presses - I simply have to turn it off by holding the power button in.
It will then restart as usual.

Anyone got any ideas? Do you think that if I was to re-install Mac OS X from my original install disk it could solve the issue?

Thanks

Darren

24" intel imac 2.8Ghz, Mac OS X (10.6.3)

Posted on Mar 31, 2010 2:43 PM

Reply
1,804 replies

Mar 19, 2013 8:59 AM in response to Roelof2

Wanted to chime in here. I updated my system to 10.8.3 on March 15th. I have NOT applied the kext fix. So far everything runing fine with no crashing or graphics glitches.


Running 2008 iMac ATI HD2600. Had all of the problems as described up through 10.8.2; kext fix had always solved the problems. I would usually notice issues within a day or two of updating OSX and would re-apply kext fix then.


I installed 10.8.3 using combo update. Don't know if that makes a difference.

Mar 19, 2013 10:51 AM in response to richard.s.hall

Likewise. Upgraded a few days ago. Whiteouts, freezes etc. Applied the kext fix. Freezes stopped, but saw other strange behaviour – iMac won't go to sleep etc.


This morning, applied the whole combo update. All seemed well for about an hour, so lulled into false sense of security. Then, after typing for a further half-hour, the screen froze.


On re-start, my work reappeared briefly then disappeared without trace.


The old drivers aren't ideal – eg they appear to slow up response times. But that's preferable to blanked screens, freezes and lost data.


And could Apple please stop trying to pretend this is all the fault of third-party extensions?

Mar 21, 2013 2:07 AM in response to Mike in Kansas

Well done Mike ! It seems we are on the right way. I applied yesterday 10.8.3 combo update with lot of difficulties because my machine hang up several times. But after Combo applied, my machine seems to work properly and (incredible) faster.

I noticed the 3 kext's dates are not the same. When I updated via App Store, the 3 kext dates was 3 January 2013 and now dates are 15/03/2013 !!!

That mean updating from App Store or from downloaded combo file don't give you the same result !

The machine is now running without problem. It is too early to be sure it is stable because running only 10 hours playing videos and all applications started.

I will post the status of my machine regularly to let you know.


Have a nice day.

Mar 24, 2013 4:24 AM in response to omarvomdakota

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2384136?start=300&tstart=0


The freeze problem with your iMac can stil be fixed with the kext (Kernal Extentions) from osx 10.6.2

Backup before you apply!


select the ati2400controller.kext + the other 2 in your case.


A couple of pages back KrzysiuTurek offered a new download page for the files.


http://blog.krzysztof-turek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Kext-Helper-b7.zip

Mar 24, 2013 6:45 AM in response to Roelof2

Hi

I have used the combo update only ( did not apple the kext fix ).

I think it is reasonable to say that it had fixed my problem - 11 days without freezes.

Maybe it is a good update for Radeon 2600 HD users only 😕

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24" iMac Screen Freezes since 10.6.3 update - pls help!

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