eMac freezes randomly, open window turns into broken up jibber

Got a call from the Apple Store yesterday that my eMac was ready to pick up. Brought her home, booted her up, and I'm happy to report that she's working like new! (Makes a slightly different sound booting up now with the new logic board though).

1 week turnaround on the repair (which included Thanksgiving). 100% free.

I'm very happy with the way I was treated and will definitely buy a third Mac. In fact, while at the Apple Store I couldn't help but notice how sexy the new MacBooks look, at an affordable price. 😉

Thanks to all who posted for paving the way for the rest of us!

A friend's eMac (1.25G) was having this problem - every time she would add a bookmark in Safari, the sheet animation would freeze and look pixelated/fragmented.

The last line in the log was:

Dec 26 20:41:47 myemac kernel[0]: ATIRadeon::submit_buffer: Overflowed block waiting for FIFO space. Have 3, need 6. RBBM_STATUS 0x81c1c100. VAP CNTLSTATUS 0x00000002

I took the advice in this forum and moved everything starting with "ATI" out of "/System/Library/Extensions/" (some of the posts here say to do the same to "/System/Extensions/" I couldn't find that directory):

mv /System/Library/Extensions/ATI* ~/.

This keeps the eMac from freezing randomly, but makes some of the effects (Dashboard) look a little crummy.

eMac Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Carol,

I am having the same issue!!

What process did you go through to get a new iMac? Were they just not able to fix it?

Thanks in advance!

BCA

Same problem here. EMAC 1.25ghz.

G8433Exxxxxxx

Freezes when I run software update after doing a clean install. right when the download starts. also freezes right when I try to get mail in Mail APP. Pretty sure it is bad capacitors..one is bulging at the top next to the ram slots.

Hey cosmichobo,
howryrgoin?
I've been through the mill and got the new logic board but I'm buggered if I can remember where I put the ATIRadeon extensions. I've downloaded various drivers to no avail. Any clues?
happy holidays
hippiesparx

Carol,

I am having the same issue!!

take your machine in to an Apple Store or authorised dealer and have it checked.

What process did you go through to get a new iMac?
Were they just not able to fix it?

if the problem is the blown caps, the fix is a replacement motherboard, and right now there aren't any motherboards available. That Apple Store may have simply given her a new Mac as a customer service gesture. Don't expect all Apple Stores to do that.

Thanks in advance!

BCA

Hi hippie 🙂

Not real sure cos I just used the "Safe Boot" option rather than move/delete the extensions... but I'd suggest going back to your Restore DVDs and doing a clean install... Or if the funds allow, good chance to upgrade to 10.4 🙂

Yes,

Took it in today, and it's the caps. They told me boards were super easy to get now and Apple has ended the eMac/iMac switch as a result.

Should get it back in 5 - 7 business days. Mac genius guy told me probably sooner than that.

Will post back when I get it back from them.

BCA

My random freezing plight is posted elsewhere, but while reviewing related discussions I was struck with the fact that 34,331 posts were generated within a year's time on this specific one. Does this level of interest suggest some larger problem than Apple wants to recognize? Are they using their current REP as a stonewall against some other defective components other than the capacitors? There seem to be a lot of questions, but few official answers.

Sorry, should have said "views" no "posts." George

eMac Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Hi,

Well a week passed and no word from the Apple store. So I called them and guess what? They cannot locate a new logic board. I was told they were looking everywhere for one and I should check back on Tuesday.

In the mean time, I had sent an email to the s_Jobs@apple.com address and received a call from a person at Apple corporate.

I called that guy back yesterday when I was told they couldn't find a part. We talked a good bit about this issue and how I was told at the store they would have no problemg getting the part.

In short I got the impression from him that 'something' would be done to make me happy if they cannot find a board in the next few days.

I replied, I am sure you will do what you can to keep me as a customer. He said, they would.

Nice guy, seems to have a real interest in making the customer happy.

I am going to call them again on Tuesday afternoon, and if no card has been found, we will see what happens. Of course I will post that here.

Wish me luck!

BCA

Yes, I've had 4 eMacs with this issue, and all 4 were past the warranty period. Apple has a REP for the eMacs within this time range. Have your Apple service provider look up your eMac's serial number to see if it qualifies for this repair.
I was able to get all 4 fixed for free.

I can't believe this is happening... I've got a freezing eMac with bulging caps, and it is unacceptable that replacement logic boards are backordered and unavailable. I called Applecare and they refuse to either confirm or deny that replacement boards are backordered, and told me that only my repair shop can tell me that after I have them diagnose it for repair and they place the order. I don't want to take it in to be repaired only to have it sit there for two months, leaving me with no computer!

Has anyone recently had their logic board ordered and replaced in a reasonable amount of time?

I'm picking up a new iMac in replacement for my dead eMac. After three weeks in the repair shop, The Apple Store couldn't get a logic board so they chose to replace it at no cost to me. C'est dommage.

Well, I hope I am lucky enough to get a new Mac. New iMac; repaired eMac; I'd be happy with either. But what I am not happy about is having to wait three weeks or more for either to be done.

I don't find Apple at fault for the bad logic boards. It happens. And while Apple did seem very slow to get the warranty extension program off the ground, at least they did do something about it eventually.

But Apple has known about this problem for at least seven months. They know full well how many boards will need to be replaced. I DO find Apple at fault for allowing their inventory of replacement logic boards to get so low that they are now out of stock and backordered. The result of Apple's negligence is that now we have to let our eMacs sit on a shelf in a repair shop for who-knows-how-long until more logic boards become available. Or, in your case, until Apple decides to just get you a new Mac instead.

I'm a high school teacher; I use my eMac for all my school work. Report card deadline is coming up in three weeks and I cannot be without my eMac for all of that time. Apple needs to do someting to rectify this and do it soon.