iMac mid 2010 graphics issues after installing Yosemite

can you point to a good step-by-step for partitioning and installing mavericks on the new partition using the mavericks download from the app store?

found it in the download history at the app store.

http://lifehacker.com/how-to-create-an-os-x-mavericks-usb-installation-drive-145 0280026

I'm still having problems, things are getting worse. I do not believe this is specifically a Yosemite problem as I did see it with Mavericks. I CAN say that it IS worse with Yosemite, likely due to the transparency settings. I have used the "reduce transparency" option, but still see issues. I wish it was possible to turn it off completely.

I have to log out at least two or three times a day, with at least one reboot per day.

Apple has issued a recall recently for one of the MacBooks, and I suspect it's likely similar to the issue we are seeing. I really wish they would consider a recall for our machines.

I am in still in two minds as to wether to take the machine in to Apple and get them to diagnose and possible fix the issue (replace graphics card I presume), however, has anyone had this done and found it completely resolves the issue? I'd hate to have it done, only for things to fail within a few months. The other option I've got, which I'm leaning towards, is to simply purchase a new machine. Granted it'll be a bigger outlay than for a repair, but the machine is nearly five years old, and does not officially support things like continuity / handoff (if they're not technically one in the same). There's also some future proofing there too, as I'd likely go for the 5K Retina iMac, so the latest and greatest (well, until after my order has shipped and they change the spec!).

I have been following this post for several weeks now in hopes of finding a solution to the problems I am having with my Mid 2010 27" iMac. Took the advice I saw here and did a clean install of Yosemite and turned off transparency. Then I added back apps one at a time. I have run 7 days without issue. Is this really the solution or did I just jinx myself by posting my findings too early? Will be checking back and posting should something else change.

After having the ATI card replaced late last year and still struggling with the issue, I took it back to the Apple Store earlier this week with the mandate of "fix it or replace it."

They connected an external monitor to the iMac and ran stress tests on it to see if it would replicate the issue on an external monitor, which it did. In their book, they think it's a graphics card issue, to which I replied you just replaced it -- it shouldn't be a graphics card issue.

I told them to keep it indefinitely until they figure it out. We shall see.

Apple Store has been running stress tests on my machine connected to an external monitor. They said video flickering issues were present on the external monitor but that the main display had been rock solid. They have replaced the video card again and are still having issues. They have ordered replacement RAM to test and a replacement logic board to test. If either of those fix the issue, they will credit me the cost of the graphics card which didn't need to be replaced. I'm also going to have them run the stress with no external monitor once they are finished.

I struggle to believe it is the logic board given the number of folks having the issue with this model iMac and configuration/OS combination meaning that we are all having the same hardware failure at roughly the same time.

I'll keep the thread updayed with progress.

Thanks for the updates, kevinha!

I'm anxious to see what they do.

My pleasure, Ben.

I find it odd that in their stress testing they've not seen the pixelated screen nor the window corruption that results in a reboot. I also haven't been able to adequately explain the slow down that occurs with the graphical UI subsystem after resuming from wake. My intent is to not take possession back of the iMac until we get through all of that. We shall see.

Kevin

In my case my machine would completely freeze up and need to be restarted after about 10 - 30 minutes of actively using the machine. I turn the reduced transparency on and this seems to have worked worked around the issue as I am not getting the pixelation any more. So far I am 4 days into the change and haven't had a freeze yet. I see 10.10.3 was released. I just downloaded and it is installing right now. I will turn back on the transparency tomorrow and test to see if it is resolved in this version. Anyone else upgrade and still seeing the issues?

Latest update; just received a call from the Store. They had replaced the logic board, but no word if that fixed it or not, as something happened "in the process" and now they are replacing the power supply at their expense. Sounds like an "uh oh" moment to me.

Regardless, I asked that they retest with the new power supply and both the old and the new logic board to focus in on any hardware. At this point, it's got a new graphics card, a new logic board and a new power supply. There isn't much left to replace.

And, when I go in to pick it up, I'll be running it through the sleep/wake behavior and doing some "basic productivity" with reduce transparency *unchecked*. If any issue creeps up, they'll be keeping the machine until its fixed.

upgrading to 10.10.3 did not provide any resolution of this is a software issue.

After installing Yosemite my iMac no longer goes to sleep on command. Only way to put it to sleep is to hold down the power button to shut it down. Not a big deal, but clearly a malfunction. Latest update was no help. Guess I'll just live with it till I get a new one, since I have a mid 2011 model now. Any ideas on a fix?

Sent from my iPhone

Got an email saying the repair is finished; called and talked to them to see what they did.

They said they replaced the graphics card (again), the logic board and the power supply. Not much more left to replace 🙂 I'm heading in tomorrow afternoon and will run through the general usage scenarios looking for the checkerboard pattern (hit or miss on that one) and the sluggish graphics performance when coming out of sleep (able to recreate that one every single time.)

They did say that during their stress test they had video issues on an externally connected monitor, so it's positive that they saw something. Still I find it hard to believe that those of us on this thread who have been having the issue all suffer from a similar hardware failure all around the same time.

We shall see.

Keep us posted, man.