Image Retention on iMac (24-inch, Early 2009)

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Image Retention on iMac (24-inch, Early 2009)

Hello again Macfolk,

So I asked a similar question a year or so ago and got no significant response to the problem. Seeing as how I know a tad more about it now I thought I'd ask again.

My iMac:

iMac (24-inch, Early 2009)

has been having problems with image retention/ghosting, whatever term you want to use for it. These are never too serious, and go away after turning off the computer for a while, but is a major concern with me, especially given that I use a Cintiq tablet/monitor for work but Apple makes it impossible to turn off the iMac monitor by itself (before anyone suggests a shortcut command to turn off the monitor - that will turn off my cintiq too and awakens when i move the mouse)

The odd thing ive noticed is that it only seems to happen on the far left side of the monitor. Maybe the left most 3 - 4 inches, and the problem is the worst at the upper half of that area.

My question this time is a bit more complex than the previous "what gives?" i asked before:

1) Is there a specific bit of hardware uner that part of the computer that might make it run hotter/cause this for any reason?

2) My apple care is expiring this year. Is this an issue I could send my computer in to Apple to have them fix? (there's a local apple service place in town but they know absolutely nothing about Macs, which me and my friends have found from experience, and I wouldnt want to trust them to find something like this)

Thank you in advance.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), (24-inch, Early 2009)

Posted on Mar 26, 2012 10:46 PM

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Answer 1

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X423424X

Level 6

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Mar 26, 2012 11:11 PM in response to Zeratanus

1) Is there a specific bit of hardware uner that part of the computer that might make it run hotter/cause this for any reason?

The temps cannot be uniform across the entire surface. You have the hard drive, power supply, processor as obvious examples of generators of heat. That's why there is a fan inside. To suck cool are in from the bottom and out the top over these components. The differences in heat however should affect the display.

But this does beg the question, are the intake vents on the bottom clear? Maybe it's more clogged on the left than the right. That would exaggerate heat differences.

2) My apple care is expiring this year. Is this an issue I could send my computer in to Apple to have them fix? (there's a local apple service place in town but they know absolutely nothing about Macs, which me and my friends have found from experience, and I wouldnt want to trust them to find something like this)

If you have applecare it never hurts to call them. You paid for it. Use it. But call them first.

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Answer 2

Mar 27, 2012 6:03 PM in response to Zeratanus

Just wanted to comment that the ghosting problem has also shown up on my 24" early 2008 iMac. There are two separate issues. The first is a dark "smudge" that starts on the extreme left of the display and then "bleeds" in about a an inch. Looks like the display has an oily stain. The second is a faint ghost image of what look like two dialogue boxes in the lower left side of the the screen with white text on a dark background unlike anything you would normally see on a Mac. Changing the screen background color/image has no effect on either anomaly nor does a restart. I will try turning the machine off over night to see if the problem goes away.

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