Q: OSX Lion + 2011 iMac 27'' + Video = Freeze

This is exactly my problem too!!

I don't understand why not - my iMac is mid-2009, but fits all the requirements mentioned in the patch.

I've been looking forward to this fix for months, it's terrible that it won't install on my machine!

My 2011 iMac has same problem.. wont install...

But The new EFI update for my iMac, seems to be a good update.

Will give feedback in few days, about how it works.

I will be testing it hard, but so far so good ...

Hello again.

So far i can say, that this new EFI update, solved the problem for me. Whatched a lot of videos in youtube. played the newest game RAGE for hours, and no crash so far. Before update, RAGE made my computer crash very fast. So if anyone could trie to install these new EFI updates, and see what their computer does then.

Does anyone know if you can go back to Snow Leopard with this firmware update?

That's the only thing keeping me from trying it.

Soryy, I was speaking too soon.

Today it acts like allways. Hard shutdown needed.

So, nothing is changed.

Sorry again......

Just wanted to add another iMac to this list. Late 2009, running 10.7.3.

Was fine with the first Lion updates.

Now I freeze everytime I use iPhoto, iTunes, sometimes even iCal and Mail. Ridiculous.

Firmware update won't install either.

The firmware update apparently is ONLY for 2011 iMacs.  Older ones don't get it for some reason.

I've been on this thread for some time. I've been having the same problems with crashes and videos, crashes coming out of sleep, etc. BUT I have snowleopard 10.6.8, not LION.   Anyway, I've done three things lately, and maybe one--if not maybe all--seems to have done the trick; or, more likely, I've hit on some kind of 'workaround.'

I reset PRAM, and disabled Java (in the Security section of Safari preerences). Also, I disable plugins (also in the security section of Safari preferences) when I am done with a MAC session before the Mac goes to sleep).

I have had no crahes now coming out of sleep for a number of days. I strongly believe it is probably disabling plugins that is doing the trick--but I just don't know for sure--at least not yet. Sure it can be a bit of a tiny hassle to keep disabling plugins (and later perhaps re-enabling them), but it is better than enduring constant crashes and hard shutdowns.

this post has gone in a lot of different directions. I have been following this since day one, as another affected by the original question. THE 2011 IMAC THAT FROZE WITH LION.  Is it safe yet?  I have a mid 2011 imac (base model).  Got it with snow leopard, switched to lion when it came out, went back to snow leopard after experiences the freeze. Havent tried going back to lion yet, but want to if its working now.  I'm weary to try it as snow leopard works perfectly, but still want some features that lion has. Anybody have advice? Should i wait until mountain lion?

Tom,

Do yourself a favor and wait, I had a June 2011 model, everything was great, love the machine it was specked out with everyting i7/16gig of Ram/SSD Drive higher end video card etc.. When I went from Snow Leopard to Lion and had a ton of issues then went back, I was good for awhile and then it started happening all over again to the point my machine was in for 3 major repairs. Finally I said this is enough and said I wanted in-store credit, which I was finally given, using a Mac Mini now which I like, but it lacks the video power and speed I greatly miss, righ now it is a stop gap till Apple gets their "S H I T" together and make this right they have enough money, to fix this and make thier "loyal" customers happy one again!  Been using Apple since 2000, and this is the first major issue that they seem to just walk away from which baffles me since they where always good at making things right.

I bought the MacBook Air for my girlfriend It is an i5 with 128Gb HD and 4GB of Ram It runs great. I bought myself an i7 Macbook Air with 256GB HD and 4GB Ram. It runs great as well. Now I will not convert my new iMacs to Lion per the advice of yourself and others as Snow Leopard runs great here, Now is it possible that the smaller configurations such as your Mini and my Macbook Air i7 are better run with Lion than the iMacs? Of course I didn't migrate anything at all and simply put in a few apps that I had previously that were Intel and my girlfriend had a clean install as she was a windows user before this.I can't stand what they did to spaces but that's another thing! BTW when you had your iMac and converted it to Lion from SL was it a clean install or did you migrate any data?

I have a variant of this problem, which may (or may not...) shed some light: it's a late 2006 model 20" iMac, 2.16Gig Intel Core Duo, running Lion 10.7.3.  This machine has run Lion flawlessly since installation of the first version.  I have just bought a Buffalo DriveStation 1TB external HD and have activated Time Machine for backing up.  When I wake the Mac from sleep, the screen displays whatever windows, desktop, etc. which were open at sleep, but the only thing that works is the cursor: this leaves a 'snail trail' of grey blocks.  I discovered accidentally that if you mouse over the lower part of the screen, the 'trail' uncovers the Shut down, Sleep and Log Off buttons, which function normally and allow me to shut down the Mac.

My point being that I had a very happy Lion until I connected the external drive via USB 2.0 and started using Time Machine.  The Mac is set for HD sleep at 30 minutes; display sleep at 15 minutes.

Any ideas?

What is the best way to get a snapshot of what's going on with my system when this freezing starts to happen?  I have gotten some crash logs, but I'd like to find some kind of in-the-moment log that I can send to Apple so they can see what's going on when it happens.

I'm also thinking of using my iPhone to record some video of what's happening (since obviously trying to record a screenshot would not work very well).  Since it takes a bit of "warming up" to produce this problem it's difficult to reproduce at the Genius Bar for the techs.  Maybe we can all take some video of our issues and start posting them on YouTube or bringing them to the Genius Bar.

Ideally I think it would be great to post the videos on youtube and in the description paste in the system log to show what's going on.

This is all anecdotal until someone from Apple actually SEES the problem, which it sounds like no one has.

Joey.. That's a good idea you have..  to record a short video of your problem. 

Capt - I too had an external USB connected back-up drive when I tried to upgrade my OS.  hmmmm. 

I wish we could find some consistancies.  but that's really hard.  When you walk into an Apple store and the models on the shelves are freezing up - thats a problem!

Update on mine - I'm still in Leopard..  I'll probably stay there forever.  Too many of my programs won't run in Lion..

2008 iMac,  10.5.8 

2009 MBP   10.5.8

iPad 2

iPhone 4

All soon to be obsolete...  gotta LOVE technology!

My 2007 iMac should not be obsolete by now.  Not for the money I paid for it to last a long time, and being in pristine condition.

If Apple is going to develop this rapidly and completely outdate its machines they have to lower the price on them.  Either that, or make the upgradable. 

Also, I have Time Capsule connected via Network... well it IS my network since I'm using it as a router too.  I have having major freeze issues whenever Time Machine updated, so I've had to disable that.  But even disabled I still have the freeze issues. 

Again I'd appreciate it if someone could tell me where to find the appropriate log files I'd want to send to Apple.