Q: Graphical issues with 2011 iMac and Lion

If you look on page 4, I mention in my 2nd post that it happened to me after using quicklook. I was watching video taken with my iPhone. I believe I may have been doing that the first time too. I also mentioned that you don't need to restart but simply log-off gets rid of the screen glitch.

I also believe that this glitch may have more than one cause which triggers it. It may well be the case that versions of Adobe Flash could cause the glitch along with quicklook in the finder. Upgrading Flash may have seemed to fix it for some because they may not use quicklook. I don't use flash that often and rarely watch youtube or anything else online.

For those that have, or had the problem with YouTube, what types of video would cause the problem - was it regular 320p or did it happen more with 720p and higher?

I am pretty sure that it is a driver problem which allows applications to use GPU hardware acceleration and video overlay. Youtube is known to use the GPU and quicklook also would use it when playing back H.264 files.

I notice that when it happened the 2nd time, I got a flash of pink/purple line in the video right before it glitched.

It only happens for me on youtube in 720 or above. Mostly happens if I maximize a clip, because it  changes the quality to 720 automatically doing so. Going in and out of fullscreen makes it happen often. Skipping around in a clip in 720+ clips also triggers it.

Apple's advice to me was the usual restart, RAM refresh & disk permissions repair before he suggested installing the latest version of Java for Lion: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1421 - almost a day later and having tried out vids fullscreen, in window, youtube, liveleak, vimeo all seems fine (fingers crossed)...

hope this helps...

I'm sorry man...only Apple can fix... We must wait an update or maybe Apple call for return iMac affected... Now Apple say don t know issues... Apple policy... -.-

Specs:

27-in, Mid 2011 iMac

Processor  3.4 GHz Intel Core i7

Memory  12 GB 1333 MHz DDR3

Graphics  AMD Radeon HD 6970M 2048 MB

Software  Mac OS X Lion 10.7.1 (11B26)

Flash: version 10.3.183.10 installed

Java: java version "1.6.0_26"

Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment

Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM

Main problems:

1. Hangs on grey screen on reboot for 30s-5m. (...with these specs it should be around 20 seconds?)

2. Graphics artifacting on the usually mentioned places

3. Vertical lines through the iMac screen. (not other monitors, disappear on reboot)

4. None of the mid 2011 iMac Firmware updates are for my machine? ....

5. Some of the pink and green youtube flickering previously described. (log out/in works!)

6. Thunderbolt monitors lose desktop picture. (resetting image and logging out/in don't work, must reboot)

Logging out and back in does not work for me.

Also, I have 2 monitors connected over thunderbolt. Occasionally the background images for the other monitors disappears, changing the image doesn't reset it.

Windows still look fine on the other monitors, just have to restart to fix the vertical lines, youtube flicker, artifacting, desktop pictures temporarily.

Note: "JUST HAVE TO REBOOT"

It takes 5 minutes for my computer to reboot sometimes, there is no "just reboot and it goes away"

Iv got the same problem:

Specs:

27-in, Mid 2011 iMac

Processor  3.4 GHz Intel Core i7

Memory  16GB

Graphics  AMD Radeon HD 6970M 2048 MB

Software  Mac OS X Lion 10.7.1 (11B26)

Same as the guy above:

Main problems:

1. Hangs on grey screen on reboot for 30s-5m. (...with these specs it should be around 20 seconds?)

2. Graphics artifacting on the usually mentioned places

3. Vertical lines through the iMac screen. (not other monitors, disappear on reboot)

4. None of the mid 2011 iMac Firmware updates are for my machine? ....

5. Some of the pink and green youtube flickering previously described. (log out/in works!)

6. Thunderbolt monitors lose desktop picture. (resetting image and logging out/in don't work, must reboot)

Logging out and back in does not work for me.

Also, I have 2 monitors connected over thunderbolt. Occasionally the background images for the other monitors disappears, changing the image doesn't reset it.

Windows still look fine on the other monitors, just have to restart to fix the vertical lines, youtube flicker, artifacting, desktop pictures temporarily.

Note: "JUST HAVE TO REBOOT"

It takes 5 minutes for my computer to reboot sometimes, there is no "just reboot and it goes away"

Was using my computer in bootcamp on windows 7 and the video card problem is far worse gaming.
Whole screen turned into a colourful flash of patterns and colours.

Is their a driver fix or a software update? Or will i have to take this computer back.. Spent like 3 thousand on this computer and its useless..

jason i understand you.... i start to hate apple..... i hope this issue cn fix in a few day... i wait from mounth ago...       APPLE PLEASE FIX IT!!!!!!!!!!!

i'm using macmini 2011 and i have a same situation.when i use os x lion began this display problems.

when they fixed?

Hmmm.. I'm glad to know that it's not just me!

iMac 27", 256gb SSD HD, 1TB HHD, 12Gb Ram, 3.4GHz Intel Core i7, AMD Radeon HD 6970M 2048 MB

Reminds me of pictures on my first 486 PC back in 92.....

Hopefully, Apple will update this fix in 10.7.2.

Identical problem here!

Two differences in my specs:

- Graphics  AMD Radeon HD 6970M 1024 MB

- Use only iMac's display

Just to add one more problem (yes, I have the others below too): sometimes happen intense flicker in all display (not just window).

I suspect heat is cause of this annoying and worst if play game… If you use iStat Menus 3 can notice that. I hope a new driver fix it!

Sorry my grammar… English not is my natural language, but I'm sure you'll understand me.  ;)

Thanks,

-

Specs:

27-in, Mid 2011 iMac

Processor  3.4 GHz Intel Core i7

Memory  12 GB 1333 MHz DDR3

Graphics  AMD Radeon HD 6970M 2048 MB

Software  Mac OS X Lion 10.7.1 (11B26)

Flash: version 10.3.183.10 installed

Java: java version "1.6.0_26"

Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment

Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM

Main problems:

1. Hangs on grey screen on reboot for 30s-5m. (...with these specs it should be around 20 seconds?)

2. Graphics artifacting on the usually mentioned places

3. Vertical lines through the iMac screen. (not other monitors, disappear on reboot)

4. None of the mid 2011 iMac Firmware updates are for my machine? ....

5. Some of the pink and green youtube flickering previously described. (log out/in works!)

6. Thunderbolt monitors lose desktop picture. (resetting image and logging out/in don't work, must reboot)

Logging out and back in does not work for me.

Also, I have 2 monitors connected over thunderbolt. Occasionally the background images for the other monitors disappears, changing the image doesn't reset it.

Windows still look fine on the other monitors, just have to restart to fix the vertical lines, youtube flicker, artifacting, desktop pictures temporarily.

Note: "JUST HAVE TO REBOOT"

It takes 5 minutes for my computer to reboot sometimes, there is no "just reboot and it goes away"

some bad artifacts in Lion OSX, widgets.. I hope this gets solved fast:

AMD ATI 6970 2GB User

http://imgur.com/6LuG8

i call apple now... they tell me is isolated case again.... and i need to wait again but don't know if 10.7.2 fix the problem.... maybe NOT.... this is the apple answer...... i realy don't know wath to do now... maybe sell imac....

you could just back up your music, documents, etc and run Snow Leopard till the driver issue is fixed.

Yeah, that would be an option, but I got my iMac with Lion preinstalled, and would need to purchase an install disk for SL. I've already spent 3k+ on this computer and I would just like it to work.

To the people who have already UPGRADED to the previous version of OSX, does your computer still hang on reboot at the grey screen for an extended period of time?