eMac freezes randomly, open window turns into broken up jibber

The next logical question if Apple recognizes the iMac problem why not the eMac. I have one of the iMacs and couldn't figure why they would recognize that problem publicly but not the eMac if indeed the problem was caused by the same components. Thanks for the reply

My experience started with Photoship filters causing a hard freeze, and rapidly deteriorated to creating a hard freeze just by opening System Prefernces. Thanks to a day spent reading this and other discussion boards I called Apple Customer Relations and sent the very helpful rep an image of the bulging caps and leaking fluid by my ram memory. He gave me a case number and I took the Emac to MacDoctor in Winter Park, Florida. They were very friendly and assure me as soon as they receive the now back ordered logic board they will replace it. I'm 4 months out of warranty but Apple has said they will absorb the cost. I've been 12 days without the eMac ( a drag since I need it for graphics work in my business) but it does look as though it will be fixed, maybe within a week. This appears to be a silent recall. Apple does seem to be ding the right thing, Consensus appears to be that the problem originated in sloppy industrial espionage in Taiwan. Interestingly enough the capactors used to be filled with PCBs, which, due to environmental damage, are now illegal in the States, despite my understanding that they can now be made without environmental problems. Capacitors are used throughout the electronics industry and account for the fact that most new electronics have a far shorter lifespan than earlier ones. I'm still running a 7200 as a print server. I believe I could probably still use my Mac Plus if I still had it. My Indigo iMac bought a few years ago has died (though this may be the flyback transformer...it isn't worth it to find out). I really, really hope the new macbook wont have the problems the dual usb iBook on which I am now witing had. Apple fixed the logic board on that twice, out of warranty, free, because of hardware defects.

eMac 1.25 gh 768 mb ram Mac OS X (10.3.9) YM443DML..., interestingly enough

Solion, the apparent reason is that the iMac problem appeared within months of the computer's release, whereas the eMac's problems haven't appeared til "now"... it's a lot easier for Apple to thus ignore the problem, as after 18 months of purchase, a lot of people in this day and age would just say "oh well"... in some juridictions Apple would not be legally obligated to do anything as it's over 12 months... etc etc etc. Generally speaking, the cost of a full Repair Program would so far "outway" the cost of the "small" number of disgruntled eMac owners experiencing the problem.

What is the correct email address for Steve Jobs? Is
it Steve@apple.com or S_Jobs@apple.com ? I sent my
email to S_Jobs@apple.com and have not received a
response.

try again at s_jobs@apple.com. I emailed there, got an answer from Apple Executive, dropped off my eMac, and on Saturday got a message that it was ready to be picked up. I'm going to pick it up later today. That'll be one week exactly since I dropped it off, and way shorter than I expected to wait.

It appears that there's a silent recall going on. If you have a problem, they'll fix it. If you don't have a problem, well there's nothing to fix, right?

Contact your local Apple Store, you might get a positive reaction even without a case number from Apple Executive. Certainly the guys at the Wellington Green Apple Store didn't need me to give the case number and seemed aware of the bulging cap problem.

I guess you're right but as a loyal Apple customer and the fact that all of my other Macs from my SE through the G-3s are all working and here I sit with a defective e-Mac and suspect i-Mac. I guess that shows the direction Apple is going.

Solion

Hunh, maybe Apple's stepping up. i just got a call from an Apple rep who gave me a case number and told me to take it in for repair at no charge. And, she made a poiint of asking me 2-3 times to keep her posted. My problems first started in March and I've been waiting and waiting for a slight sea change and maybe it's happened. Apple has gotten progressively more responsive, it seems. I guess it just takes a little time... .

I just got a call from the guy at Apple Executive who gave me the case # last week. He wanted to know how things were going. I told him that I'd got the eMac back but hadn't tested it throughly yet.

Looks as though critical mass has been achieved.

I recently got this Emac from a college professor, because it was frequently freezing up with the telltale graphics disruption. She had been told it would cost maybe $500 to fix, so she dropped it and bought the latest generation Mac.

I build PC's and play with operating systems as a hobby, so the first thing I did was take the white back off. (It takes a 2.5 mm hex wrench and a Phillips screw driver.) Major design error! The fan ***** air in unfiltered and blows it down on the memory card and onto the top of the main board. The memory card had a wad of dust that had accumulated on the top right hand corner, enough that with a little dampness, it would conduct (at logic voltages) and cause snivlets.

I took it out and blasted it with a can of electronic circuit duster. I blasted the long card socket, too. I blasted down into all the little holes I could get at, to dislodge the dust on the main board. I slapped it back together and turned it on. Lo & Behold! It has been working for two days without crashing. (I don't think I'll tell the professor.)

It is impossible to filter the intake air because that annular vent on the back is not only the intake for the cooling blower, it is the discharge for the cathode ray tube heat. Any filtering overheats the thing.

The only tricky thing about the removing of the cover was the tiny plug for the button on the side; just make sure you plug it back in right side up.

I came out to the Apple site to see if on the long chance they had a repair manual out here that showed the order of taking things off to get the main baord free for a real cleaning. Anybody seen one out here?


Emac, Imac, Compaq Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Wow. I guess it is sort of releaving to know that I am not the only one alone on this issue. I bought my computer in the later summer of 2004. SAME as everyone else. For the past two months I have been dealing with the freezing problem in emails, safari, and all my design applications. Considering that I rely heavily on this computer for my profession, this issue makes me sick. I am sitting next to a friend right now that is using a 3-year-old emachine PC that runs like a champ. I bought an Apple for the sole purpose of a more reliable machine. After reading all these comments on this forum, I am not even going to make an attempt to have Apple fix what appears to be their mistake. This disgusts me. What disgusts me even more is that I am still paying for this piece of garbage. Any advice besides investing MORE money into this machine or repair. I would like to take legal steps to ensure that Apple either replaces or fixes this problem. As someone else noted, if this were a car company they would recall the vehicle/problem and have it fixed.

Emily, like it or not, the first step is to get on the phone to Apple and talk to them about it. I don't imagine any reputable lawyer would consider any action without you first having attempted to resolve the matter directly with the company in question first.

Having a computer from a reputable company like Apple fail on me after only 18 months didn't greatly upset me, especially after reading that at least 4 other computer manufacturers had fallen victim to the same batch of bad capacitors. What has been upsetting however was the initial (and for many - ongoing) reaction of Apple to this problem.

I understand your frustration, but don't give up - on this computer or Apple. They eventually fixed mine and only charged labor, and gave me free product that reimbursed the labor (after I emailed Steve Jobs). Also, from the most recent posts, it appears Apple is beginning to recognize the problem and to be willing to repair the machines. The key is to get to at least "customer relations" when you call if not higher in the "food chain." Read some of the later posts. You can even email Steve Jobs. That has seemed to work for many people.

Having used Apple/Macs for 15+ years, this is the first major problem I've had. Though initially frustrated by their response, they did finally do right.

Wow. I guess it is sort of releaving to know that I
am not the only one alone on this issue. I bought my
computer in the later summer of 2004. SAME as
everyone else. For the past two months I have been
dealing with the freezing problem in emails, safari,
and all my design applications. Considering that I
rely heavily on this computer for my profession, this
issue makes me sick. I am sitting next to a friend
right now that is using a 3-year-old emachine PC that
runs like a champ. I bought an Apple for the sole
purpose of a more reliable machine. After reading
all these comments on this forum, I am not even going
to make an attempt to have Apple fix what appears to
be their mistake. This disgusts me. What disgusts
me even more is that I am still paying for this piece
of garbage. Any advice besides investing MORE money
into this machine or repair. I would like to take
legal steps to ensure that Apple either replaces or
fixes this problem. As someone else noted, if this
were a car company they would recall the
vehicle/problem and have it fixed.

I just wanted to add that this is happening to my computer as well. It seems to be getting worse very quickly. My computer often pixilates the screen as mentioned above but sometimes it does not. Most of the time the freeze occurs while an application is opening or I am bringing a window up from the dock. The screen freezes before the window is completely open and often leaves the window distorted on the screen. Is that happening to anyone else? I am wondering if I am experiencing two seperate problems or if it is all one and the same. Thank you.

emac

I'm no expert, but based on my experience and tracking all this discussion for several months, my guess is that you have 1 problem - leaking caps on the mother board. Follow the advice on this thread and contact Apple - ask for customer relations.

I now know that if I have issues with a product, I should go to that product's forums first and post. I had upgraded my memory last year, when I noticed the capacitors. I posted on another forum and was told this was normal and not to worry. (I had to have been speaking to an amateur, so there shouldn't have been any suprise). It was bought in the time period that has been spoken of (computer bought Aug. 21, 2004 G84301PGQJ8).

I'm going to give that phone call, to Apple Customer Relations, but I have a feeling nothing will come of it. I can't afford the partial cost that others have done. So until I have a job again here in michigan or Apple does a recall, I will be living with this wonderful quirk.

Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious but definitely stress to them that you noticed the swollen capacitors while it was still under warranty.