I already made an appointment at the genius bar but was wondering if anyone else has seen this. There are two areas on a mid-July 2011 27 Intel screen that looks like some kind of liquid got behind the screen and dripped down. The only thing I've used to clean the screen is a cleaner that I bought from the Apple store (iKlear). The streaks can be seen only when I use certain desktop pictures.
I have not seen the problem myself, and hsved used iKlear since I first head of it over 7 years ago. What I have seen even without iKlear, is condensation inside my iMac G5 case which may have been the result of not closing the case tight enough after upgrading the RAM and hard drive. Good luck. The fact you used a third party product may or not favor you in your case. If not, and the machine is not a build to order machine, nor opened since the factory, you may want to take the matter up directly with iKlear.
The computer is a BTO - larger hard drive. It's never been opened to install anything. Another piece of updated info is that when I turned the computer on this morning, the streaks are gone. I'm wondering if it's related to heat.
Build to order is possible to argue the machine was not reassembled correctly, and the streaks are a result of too much moisture getting in the machine's LCD. If you started seeing this before you used the iKlear, your case is stronger for this argument.
An iMac screen has a plasma display (like is on a laptop) that is the actual screen, and then a big rectangle of glass on top of it. It's not clear from your description whether the streaks are on the display or on the back of the glass. You might get odd streaking on the back of the glass from condensation. That would be really easy to fix -- take the glass off, use glass cleaner on it to get it clean, put it back on. You take off the glass using suction cups -- look around YouTube you shoud be able to find a video showing you how. I use those suction cups with hooks designed to stick decorations on windows -- you can find them at any hardware store. If you do take the glass off, be aware that it has an almost-magical ability to suck dirt out of the surrounding air, so be set up to clean it and get it back on before it gets dirty again.
Cathy, the machine is under 3 months old. I would not attempt such a repair oneself, as that is not a user repairable part. Any damage done may permanently damage one's warranty.
I was thinking of removing the glass myself but given the fact that I tend to jinx things, I think I'll have the Apple store people do it. By the way, cathy, the streaks are on the inside. I tried wiping the off with the dry cloth that came with the iKlear, but it's still there. ANyway, will post back after my appointment.
We had the same problem on a few iMacs we were using in a lab environment. The best thing to do is open a ticket with Apple and have them replace the screen or the defected part. They seem to know about the problem because they respond very quickly.
I highly suggest not opening it, it's not as easy as it looks. Also, after the screen is replaced make sure you test your disk drives.
One of the problem after the screen was replaced was the disk drive started scratching disks which we didnt notice weeks later. But, the apple repair shop did respond quickly to fix the issue.
I completely missed the fact that the machine is brand new and still under warranty, and, so, yeah, make apple open it up and fix it! Especially since you can't be 100% sure that it's on the glass and not on the plasma display until it's opened up.
iMacs are a real booger to do any work on beyond swapping memory chips. Replacing a fried hard drive, or even re-seating a connector that has worked loose, everything requires removing the glass, then removing the plasma display (think giant wet noodle), then disassembling the computer inside. Then you've got to get it all back together! When I watched the youtube movie and they got to the part where there is a thermostat taped to the disk drive, and if you don't get it on just right then the computer won't run, or worse, will burn up -- that's when we bundled it up and took it to a real repair shop!
I have several iMacs which had their glass smashed in a vandalism attack. (School computer lab.) They work, so I bought replacement glass on eBay, and was able to replace it -- it's not that hard. But keeping the back side clean is pretty challenging. If your iMac was really built-to-order, that means that a human being took the glass off after it came off of that robot-operated clean-room assembly line, and it would have been really really easy to get the backside dirty. And when you send it in for repair, they are going to pop off the glass, clean it, put it back on. So don't be totally surprised if it comes back with the streaks gone but a new fingerprint or two!
Just got back from the local Apple store. Since no one in my family smokes, which was the first thing that popped into the genius' mind, they are pretty sure that it's dust, dirt, whatever you want call it, being kicked up by the somewhat heavy duty traffic outside (I live at an intersection that leads to a major mall and there are three major bus routes running through it). Anyway, the screen, monitor or display, has been ordered and they'll call me when it comes in.
Streaks inside monitor
