User profile for user: SW_92
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Flickering Screen - iMac 21.5-inch Late 2012

Hi


I have an iMac 21.5-inch late 2012 model running Mojave 10.14.6, and recently had an issue where the full display started to flicker randomly to the point where I couldn't see anything. However, it does display on an external monitor. I have tried resetting the SMC/PRAM but this didn't help. Strangely, it did briefly work for a couple of days with no issues, but suddenly started again. Just wanted to see if anybody had any ideas on troubleshooting this? I'm not convinced it is necessarily a hardware issue, and wonder if perhaps updating to Catalina would help - although I have just moved home so I am without a network connection for a while!


Any help greatly appreciated!


Thanks

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Jan 19, 2021 2:01 AM

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User profile for user: Limnos
Limnos
User level: Level 10
428,735 points

Posted on Jan 19, 2021 9:40 AM

I'm going with it being a hardware issue, namely the display. The graphics card is probably okay but the displays are often the first thing to go on iMacs with exactly that symptom. I have 3 in my room, 2 with bad displays that gradually get worse and worse. I wouldn't buy an iMac myself except the first two came with bad displays so I got them for $30 for both, and the 2012 iMac I am using now (which has no problems yet) I got for $50.


Your computer is too old for Apple to look at it and frankly the value is probably not worth getting it repaired. I have used iMacs with bad displays by using an external display but they aren't designed to to be used with a completely non-functioning display and you have to configure it now to be used that way. If you want I can post long details on how to coddle it and configure it to be used that way but once it gets so bad you can't see anything on it, it will be too late to decide then.


There is a tiny possibility it could be a loose cable but taking apart the 2012 model is like brain surgery.

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User profile for user: Limnos
Limnos
User level: Level 10
428,735 points

Jan 19, 2021 9:40 AM in response to SW_92

I'm going with it being a hardware issue, namely the display. The graphics card is probably okay but the displays are often the first thing to go on iMacs with exactly that symptom. I have 3 in my room, 2 with bad displays that gradually get worse and worse. I wouldn't buy an iMac myself except the first two came with bad displays so I got them for $30 for both, and the 2012 iMac I am using now (which has no problems yet) I got for $50.


Your computer is too old for Apple to look at it and frankly the value is probably not worth getting it repaired. I have used iMacs with bad displays by using an external display but they aren't designed to to be used with a completely non-functioning display and you have to configure it now to be used that way. If you want I can post long details on how to coddle it and configure it to be used that way but once it gets so bad you can't see anything on it, it will be too late to decide then.


There is a tiny possibility it could be a loose cable but taking apart the 2012 model is like brain surgery.

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Flickering Screen - iMac 21.5-inch Late 2012

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