iMac 24" (early 2008) with Nvidia 8800GS - Repair hopeless ?

That is a terrible customer service. They know it's a common problem so they should provide a fix for it. A lot of Apple customers are getting angry with this.

Good afternoon,

I am having the same issue with the same model and same graphics card. I am currently in contact with an Apple Executive Relations EMEIA regarding this issue and I would be interested to know about everyones experience with this issue in regards to Apples services. I.E How helpful\unhelpful have they been in trying to support it's customers with this issue.

Any information would be a great help and I will keep you all informed on what the outcome is with this so hopefuly you too may be able to get a resolution.

Thanks,

Shane

My 8800GS card failed again on 22 September. I made a Genius Bar appointment at Sydneys' Bondi Junction Apple Store on 27 September and they had a look.

This time, my video card failed in a mode that gave me a white startup screen but then went black. That allowed the guys at the GB to attempt a network boot at the Genius Bar.

There was much sympathy but since I had opened the iMac (to attempt installing an ATi video card that wasn't successful, the fact that I had already re-flowed the 8800GS, and to retrieve my encrypted drive to do an image backup), they said they could not help me.

Like you, I intend to take this further with Apple in Australia, if not, our local Consumer Affairs people.

After my session at the Genius Bar, I took the iMac home and did the only thing open to me. I opened my iMac, removed the 8800GS video card, and reflowed it a second time.

As or writing this, my iMac has been performing flawlessly.

But that card is a ticking time bomb - I have no way of knowing how long it will last to the next failre.

Hi Gary

I've read with interst your posts on this and other sites. The video card issue is very frustrating indeed. Glad your re-reflow is working atm.

I have exactly the same issue on my 2008 (A1225) 24" iMac with the same video card. Same white screen then goes to black. Local Mac authorised repair store said it was definitely a faulty video card, said its not repairable and tried to sell me a new one! They must think we don't read forums!!!

I haven't opened mine up (Yet) so wondered if you think Apple would be more favourable in this situation? Are they actually aware of the NVIDIA video card manufacturing fault? I like in Adelaide and we don't have an Apple store here yet, so would be a call to Apple Support. Do you know what rights we have as consumers in this sort of situation?? (I have read about the consumer rights in UK where you've also posted your journey!)

What's your thoughts mate?

Cheers,

George

Well, after many frustrating conversations with an Apple Executive Relations EMEIA, they have firmly stated that dispite the hundreds of people who have this model of iMac affected by the obvious manufacturing fault, they do not recognise it as a fault of Apple and will not be offering any kind of repair program.

My best guess is (here in the UK at least) they're trying to stall for as long as possible until the Sale of goods Act is no longer vaild (on this item) which will probably be around 2015.

Originally I sent the EMEIA links to macrumors.com and they were dismissed as 'irrelevant' as the website is not part of apple inc, so I then went on to send him links to posts on this forum, which, again were not 'relevant' to my claim.

When I asked, 'So are you telling me that apple does not aknowledge their customers issues in the support forum as they don't see them as relevant?' he skirted around the question and gave me a stock answer of 'of course we aknowlegde our customers in the forum but this is not relevant here.'

I have exhausted all routes with Apple regarding this issue, and everyone that I have spoken to has been very unhelpful. This is very poor customer service on apples part, and for this reason I am seriously considering moving away from Apple as they're service is shoddy and they charge a premium price for second rate hardware that conveniently fails just out of the 1 year warrenty period.

After speaking to the Citizens Advice Bureau I have been told that I indisputably have a case and can claim on the Sale of Goods act 1979 as the hardware is not fit for purpose and not of satisfactory quality. An item that cost the best part of £1400 should last more than 3-4 years.

The only way to get anything done to fix the problem is either attempt to fix it yourself, pay for the repair from the apple store (which is not so bad as the part is then covered by a 1 year warrenty, and if it keeps failing there after, which it will, they will usually replace the machine with a newer model as the cost of repair outweighs a replacement), or file a case against Apple for failing to conform to Consumer Law.

I wish you all the best and hope you have a better outcome then I have.

Cheers,

Shane

Dear Shane. Reading your words makes me revive all the trouble. I am now waiting for the card to fail for the 3rd time. And I am not doing any effort to damage it, just using the mac, as always, to surf the web, email, plain text webdesigns, etc.

I just hope it fails in a few months as it did in the last time, so I can get another "card-for-one-year" for free.

Apple just dropped in my consideration with this and by no means I am recommending an IMAC to ANYONE, but rather the opposite.

Bruno

Just seen two imac 24'' 2008 with the 8800gs card failure.

someone need to create a webpage where we could testmony. Its the only way Apple would do something about it.

Same problem with my Early '08 iMac. Posted details on this thread:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3874704?answerId=20511269022#20511269022

The video card on my early 2008 iMac is starting to fail for the second time, after having it replaced only last year. I wish I had the cash to buy a totally new iMac, but I don't, unfortunately. But there are a couple things I am wondering about:

- although the store who put in a new video card only gives a 3 month guarantee on it, doesn't Nvidia itself have a 1 or 2 year warranty on their graphics cards? Has anybody been succesful getting a new replacement from them?

- since it is more of a rule than an exception that this card fails in every iMac from the same period, is there a good alternative for the Nvidia 8800 GS, or is that the only one that fits in my iMac?

Maverick,

I mainly use my iMac for my work as a webdesigner, so besides the normal stuff like surfing, playing a movie, e-mail etc. I need it for Photoshop and Dreamweaver. If the ATI card can do that, then I might have the Nvidia replaced with the ATI.

If it's possible to sell a 2008 iMac with a failing video card, then I'd be happy to do that and save the money to buy a new one, but how much would my iMac be worth in this condition?

Heat seems to be the major issue with the Nvidia 8800GS. I was running dual monitors 24x7 as well as playing some graphics intensive games (COD4, etc.) when mine failed.

Besides ramping up the fan speeds (via iStat Menus) when I'm doing some heavy graphics work, I also found that cutting back on using my second monitor helps a great deal.

When I disconnect (not just turn off) my second monitor, an Apple Cinema Display, the GPU temps drop by an average of 5ºC (41ºF). With the second monitor connected it runs between 59ºC and 64ºC under normal conditions (as high as 78ºC during video editing, etc.) It runs between 56ºC and 59ºC under normal conditions w/o the second monitor. Keeping it cooler should ideally extend the life of the replacement video card. It also lowers the temp of the CPU which can't hurt either.

Should we have to do all these things just to avoid premature failure? Certainly not IMO, but it is what it is.

Hope that helps anyone that follows.

I have the same Nvidia 8800. Had it replaced in July 2012 and it's just failed again. Going back into the apple store to see if I can have anything done to fix. This sounds like a serious issue with this card.

D'oh. I just realized that my earlier post has a conversion, not a difference between Celsius and Fahrenheit. The sentence should read "When I disconnect (not just turn off) my second monitor, an Apple Cinema Display, the GPU temps drop by an average of 5ºC (9ºF)", not (41ºF). Yikes! 😊

John Stark wrote:

I have the same Nvidia 8800. Had it replaced in July 2012 and it's just failed again. Going back into the apple store to see if I can have anything done to fix. This sounds like a serious issue with this card.

John, please let us know how it goes at the Apple store. AFAIK and based on the wording on my replacement receipt, it should have a 1 year warranty.

I had my Early '08 iMac's Nvidia 8800 replaced last April. I thought it was going wonky again a few months ago, but it turned out to be the hard drive. I replaced it with an SSD and since then the graphics have been stable...but I've been babying it. I'd like to know if they want to charge you for a replacement.

TIA!