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User profile for user: Marky C
Marky C Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

iMac 27" Strange Screen Marks Behind Glass

Hi

I've had my 27" iMac since march this year, yesterday I noticed that there is a strange yellow/brown blotchy patch in the top right hand corner, it is not on the front of the glass (it cant be wiped off) its on the INSIDE! I tried to take some pic's but my camera is useless and it looked like it was picking up a lot of light interference from the display itself.

Anyway I have done some reading into this and a common thing that came up was smoke, well I don't smoke so it's not that. I don't have Apple Care but its still under the first year of warranty, and I don't have the balls to take the glass off and clean it.

Has this happened to anyone else? And is it covered under the first year of warranty?

Regards
Marky

Imac 27", Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Dec 19, 2010 10:47 PM

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14 replies
User profile for user: Paul_31
Paul_31
User level: Level 6
14,160 points

Dec 20, 2010 12:01 AM in response to Marky C

Hi
You're not the first to report this. There's a few threads here: http://discussions.apple.com/search.jspa?objID=c132&search=Go&q=dirty+screen
As it's still under warranty and you don't want to run the risk of damaging it probably worth a call to Apple.
That said, I've taken the screen of my wife's 24" iMac and was surprised how easy it was to do, so long as you're careful. I used the sucker of my TomTom to ease the glass off.
If you break it you won't be covered but it is only a five minute job. Decisions, decisions 🙂
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User profile for user: woodgeis
woodgeis
User level: Level 1
19 points

Dec 21, 2010 12:23 AM in response to Marky C

Take it in. They will give you a new screen, as they did for me for my 24" about 6 months ago and will have to do for my husband's 27" iMac, since his has developed this issue too. Behind the screen shows lines that look like long lines of dripping dust.

My machine has now developed a sound issue - no sound out when I plug in the external speakers. I will take it in to get that fixed. They have already replaced the motherboard once for a spontaneous shutdown issue it was having. And my husband's will suddenly not read data DVDs - could not install Aperture. Don;t know if he can boot from the DVD now.

I mention all this to tell you that, while inconvenient to take it to Apple and wait for them to fix it, while it is covered you should always go that route for the "hmmmm?" stuff. They'll fix it, most like;y with new parts.

And to get the best coverage for the longest amount of time, buy Apple Care, if you have not done so already. This has saved us many, many times over the years and all our machines. We always buy it. We don't always need to use it but when we do need to, it is GREAT to be able to just call them up and ask questions. Or just take in a sick machine and have them fix it.

You have to buy Apple Care and register it to your machine BEFORE the year of support you got when you bought your iMac runs out. You cannot buy it and use it after that 1st year is up; it must be purchased and registered to your machine before that 1st year is over. Apple Care will add 2 years of support for your machine. It has been worth it for us. Phone support, hardware support.
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User profile for user: pc-man
pc-man
User level: Level 1
4 points

Jan 6, 2011 7:07 PM in response to Marky C

I have a 2 inch long grey smudge that is maybe a 1/4 of an inch wide. It's easily seen with a white or grey or blue background.

I just called Apple and I have Applecare. I owned a 24 inch iMac prior to this and it had grey splotches on the screen. They replaced the screen in my house and that is what they are going to do with my 27 inch iMac.

It bothers me that when I ask the senior tech if this is an ongoing problem that he shows amazement that it is happening at all with my 27 inch iMac - it must be environmental if you had it on the 24 and now your 27 is the same.

Crap.

I too have two twenty two inch screens on either side of my iMac and they are 3 years old. No environmental problems there so why with the iMac.

Maybe APPLE, the problem isn't my environment but Apple getting their screens made cheaply in China with substandard parts.
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User profile for user: beejay_98166
beejay_98166
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jan 29, 2011 10:33 PM in response to Marky C

For the record, I'll register my situation in this discussion string. I have an iMac 27" which I bought in November of 2009. Last July I noticed dirt or burn marks behind the glass screen. I finally checked out the issue on the discussion site and came across this string. I've got Apple Care, so I'll be taking my machine in this week with a copy of the posted comments. I truly hope they replace the LCD.
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User profile for user: John Trussell
John Trussell
User level: Level 1
10 points

Jan 30, 2011 2:51 PM in response to beejay_98166

I wanted to throw my hat into the ring. I too have just noticed this very same issue on my 27" iMac Core i5, which was purchased November 2009. I took it to my local Apple store and the Mac Genius was very nice, he didn't question my issue once he saw it. I do have AppleCare for the machine also. They ordered a replacement display which should be in Tuesday. Hopefully, Apple has sorted this issue out. I planned to buy a 27" Cinema Display to go with my new Core i5 MacBook Pro.
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User profile for user: dellphillius
dellphillius
User level: Level 1
19 points

Feb 8, 2011 6:57 AM in response to John Trussell

Hi,

Just noticed this on my iMac 27" this morning. Dirty marks in the top right hand corners of the screen. My Mac was purchased in December 2009 and was a week 44 or 45 model. I purchased it just as the yellow tinge and back light bleeding saga with the new iMacs was all over the internet. Once I knew about these problems I noticed my machine had a yellow tinge too. I contacted Applecare and sent it off for a screen replacement. This was a year ago and now I am going to have to contact Apple again about this new problem.

Apple really do need to pull their fingers out and sort these problems out.
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User profile for user: Grace Munroe
Grace Munroe
User level: Level 1
4 points

Jul 28, 2011 10:08 PM in response to Grace Munroe

Above is a photo of my problem. I started a couple of years ago with a 20 inch iMac and a month later it developed marks in the center, after a few onsite repairs and having it cleaned I received my first replacement, a 21.5 inch iMac which came in with a smaller grey smudge mark at the top left corner, apple replaced it again and I still had constant problems, the tech that came today wouldn't replace the screen because he found a small insect inside and now they are saying that it's 'insect damage' I've had two macs prior to these new but crappy ones, one of those machines was a G3, 'the bubble' which lasted seven years without a gliche or a screen problem. PROBLEM NOT SOLVED.

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User profile for user: DeepRoot
DeepRoot
User level: Level 1
8 points

Mar 29, 2012 3:00 AM in response to jimhuibspht

This is a problem internally with the LCD. Cleaning won't do. I had my LCD repaired numerous times for this problem and now I'm holding my breath with a new iMac replacement. And you better do an excellent job with that cleaning if you do. When Apple Care put my screen back there were dust particles left on the inside and it drove me crazy. But that was the last straw and that's when I got my replacement.


Everyone should go to this thread for a more comprehensive discussion of this problem: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2300580?start=0&tstart=0

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User profile for user: motofabio
motofabio
User level: Level 1
4 points

Apr 17, 2012 2:26 PM in response to DeepRoot

I am experiencing this on my iMac - my first Apple computer. 😟 You will find many people that think this is simply dust behind the glass. Others that find it to be dust inside the display panel (not accessible without a massive deconstruction) and others that site it as exploded pixels.


ANYTHING stated here has already been discussed at great length in another thread, which has already been mentioned, but I will link it again: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2300580?start=720&tstart=0. This thread is heavily moderated by Apple, and they periodically delete posts that suggest any banding together of affected users or any IegaI action.


I dicovered my smudges just after the warranty expired. I don't recall if I purchased Apple Care. Either way as you read through the correct thread, you'll see I'm in for a fight AND the only fix they can offer is temporary. If I get it fixed I will be selling it IMMEDIATELY. Super sad.

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iMac 27" Strange Screen Marks Behind Glass

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