Late 2009 iMac 27" screen pixelates, everything freezes. Started after Yosemite 10.10.2 update - happens in first loading screen if rebooted, continues sporadically and indefinitely.

Question

Late 2009 iMac 27" screen pixelates, everything freezes. Started after Yosemite 10.10.2 update - happens in first loading screen if rebooted, continues sporadically and indefinitely.

i have read everything there is to read regarding this issue - there are alot of people having same issue with imacs , macbooks etc ... we have had some success by turning off transparency in accessiblity ... for some it has resolved the problem, others for a few days etc .... i just ran etrecheck and am going to paste results - any help would be awesome -

EtreCheck version: 2.1.8 (121)

Report generated March 26, 2015 at 9:45:12 PM EDT

Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.

Hardware Information: ℹ️

iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) (Technical Specifications)

iMac - model: iMac10,1

1 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2-core

8 GB RAM Upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

BANK 0/DIMM1

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM1

2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Video Information: ℹ️

ATI Radeon HD 4850 - VRAM: 512 MB

iMac 2560 x 1440

System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.2 (14C109) - Time since boot: 0:4:23

Disk Information: ℹ️

Hitachi HDE721010SLA330 disk0 : (1 TB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / [Startup]: 999.35 GB (15.71 GB free) (Low!)

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

PIONEER DVD-RW DVRTS09

USB Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. Built-in iSight

Apple Internal Memory Card Reader

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Configuration files: ℹ️

/etc/sysctl.conf - Exists

Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/Applications/LaCie Desktop Manager.app

[not loaded] com.LaCie.ScsiType00 (1.2.13 - SDK 10.5) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.jmicron.driver.jmPeripheralDevice (2.0.4) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.lacie.driver.LaCie_RemoteComms (1.0.1 - SDK 10.5) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.oxsemi.driver.OxsemiDeviceType00 (1.28.13 - SDK 10.5) [Click for support]

/Applications/TemperatureMonitor.app

[not loaded] com.bresink.driver.BRESINKx86Monitoring (9.0) [Click for support]

/Applications/Toast 11 Titanium/Spin Doctor.app

[not loaded] com.hzsystems.terminus.driver (4) [Click for support]

/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.caiaq.driver.NIUSBMaschineControllerDriver (2.6.0 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.tascam.us3XX.driver (3.1.4 - SDK 10.7) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.ZTE.driver.ZTEHSUSBCDCACMData (1.3.5) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.ZTE.driver.ZTEHSUSBMassStorageFilter (1.3.5) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.novationmusic.driver.usb.audio (2.5 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.master (5.9.1 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.wacom.kext.wacomtablet (6.3.4 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions/PACESupportFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns

[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.leopard (5.9.1 - SDK 10.4) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.panther (5.9.1 - SDK 10.-1) [Click for support]

[loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.snowleopard (5.9.1 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.tiger (5.9.1 - SDK 10.4) [Click for support]

/Users/[redacted]/Library/Services/ToastIt.service/Contents/MacOS

[not loaded] com.roxio.TDIXController (2.0) [Click for support]

Startup Items: ℹ️

ProTec6b: Path: /Library/StartupItems/ProTec6b

Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite

Launch Agents: ℹ️

[loaded] 9ZTHPRB4MV.com.soundradix.TTLWrapperAgent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] 9ZTHPRB4MV.com.soundradix.TTLWrapperAgent.SL.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] 9ZTHPRB4MV.com.soundradix.TTLWrapperSandbox.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] 9ZTHPRB4MV.com.soundradix.TTLWrapperSandbox.SL.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]

[failed] com.adobe.CS4ServiceManager.plist [Click for support] [Click for details]

[failed] com.adobe.CS5ServiceManager.plist [Click for support] [Click for details]

[loaded] com.Arturia.ArturiaSoftwareCenterAgent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.intego.backupassistant.agent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.bresink.system.privilegedhelper-tts.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.charlessoft.pacifist.helper.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.gobbler.bsd.HelperTool.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.gobbler.DownstreamProxy.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.informer.mac.daemon.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.intego.BackupAssistant.daemon.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.iobit.AMCDaemon.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.paceap.eden.licensed.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] PACESupport.plist [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.iobit.MacBoosterMini.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.spotify.webhelper.plist [Click for support]

[failed] com.wondershare.mobilegodaemon.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

iTunesHelper Application (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)

NIHardwareAgent Application (/Library/Application Support/Native Instruments/Hardware/NIHardwareAgent.app)

CrossOver CD Helper UNKNOWN (missing value)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 17.0.0.134 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

Flash Player: Version: 17.0.0.134 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

o1dbrowserplugin: Version: 5.40.2.0 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.5 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

googletalkbrowserplugin: Version: 5.40.2.0 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Unity Web Player: Version: UnityPlayer version 4.0.1f1 [Click for support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 40 Check version

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

Scroll To Top

Button Bar

Reload Button

GMail Counter

Full Screen

Turn Off the Lights

Facebook Cleaner

1-ClickWeather

QuickLook Photo Gallery

Translate

zoomintosafari

SafariRestore

Lazarus: Form Recovery

Save to Pocket

Feeder

Audio Plug-ins: ℹ️

DVCPROHDAudio: Version: 1.3.2

TASCAM_US3XX: Version: Unknown - SDK 10.7 [Click for support]

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

Flash Player [Click for support]

FUSE for OS X (OSXFUSE) [Click for support]

Growl [Click for support]

Java [Click for support]

Native Instruments USB Audio [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️

Time Machine not configured!

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

3% WindowServer

0% fontd

0% launchd

0% notifyd

0% askpermissiond

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

86 MB Safari

60 MB mds_stores

43 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent

43 MB ocspd

43 MB imagent

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

5.85 GB Free RAM

1.50 GB Active RAM

495 MB Inactive RAM

742 MB Wired RAM

1.02 GB Page-ins

0 B Page-outs

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

Mar 26, 2015, 09:34:37 PM Self test - passed

Mar 26, 2015, 08:19:52 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Finder_2015-03-26-201952_[redacted].cpu_resourc e.diag [Click for details]

Mar 26, 2015, 06:41:27 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/java_2015-03-26-184127_[redact ed].crash

Mar 26, 2015, 03:46:33 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Logic Pro X_2015-03-26-034633_[redacted].crash

Mar 26, 2015, 03:35:07 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Logic Pro X_2015-03-26-033507_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

Mar 26, 2015, 03:10:08 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Logic Pro X_2015-03-26-031008_[redacted].crash

Mar 26, 2015, 03:02:37 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Logic Pro X_2015-03-26-030237_[redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

Mar 25, 2015, 08:28:47 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Finder_2015-03-25-202847_[redacted].hang

Mar 25, 2015, 08:28:46 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Finder_2015-03-25-202846_[redacted].hang

Mar 25, 2015, 01:19:03 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Finder_2015-03-25-011903_[reda cted].crash

Mar 26, 2015, 12:16:22 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Finder_2015-03-26-001622_[redacted].cpu_resourc e.diag [Click for details]

Mar 25, 2015, 08:23:45 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Finder_2015-03-25-202345_[redacted].cpu_resourc e.diag [Click for details]

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2), late 2009 27"

Posted on Mar 26, 2015 7:13 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

John Galt

Level 10

141,132 points

Mar 26, 2015 9:08 PM in response to allbusiness515

Boot "Safe Mode" (see below) and compare its operation in that mode vs. the screen anomalies and momentary freezes you're experiencing. Safe Mode disables hardware graphics acceleration so it is normal for animation or screen redraws to appear somewhat "jerky", but the system should not become objectionably unresponsive.

Safe Mode or "Safe Boot" is a troubleshooting mode that bypasses all third party system extensions and loads only required system components. Read about it: Starting up in Safe Mode
You must disable FileVault before you can start your Mac in Safe Mode.
Starting your Mac in Safe Mode will take longer than usual, graphics will not render smoothly, audio is disabled on some Macs, and some programs (iTunes for example) may not work at all.
Merely starting your Mac in Safe Mode is not intended to resolve the problem, it's to observe its performance without certain additional components.
To end Safe Mode restart your Mac normally. Shutdown will take longer as well.

Reply

Answer 2

Mar 28, 2015 12:04 PM in response to John Galt

Thanks John. I tried that and am still having problem. I have been researching this for a week now. Here are some of the things I have done. I learned that the graphics card can run hot which may be the issue. I installed a program that allows user to control 3 main fan speeds. my gpu was somewhere around 70-75 with no strees on the computer at the time. After I installed and ran the program with boosted fan speeds and gpu temperature around 45 I was abl ed to use the imac for a good 5 hours without any problems what so ever. I woke computer from sleep mode this morning and the problem was back ... I have also turned off transparency as this solved the issue for some... what I also notice and have not been able to rectify is that my finder is acting bizzare. It automatically switches to simple finder and I have to change it back to regular. I also do no longer have the option from the Apple icon to open system preferences. Its just not there anymore. . Any suggestions ?

Reply

Answer 3

Mar 28, 2015 12:06 PM in response to allbusiness515

I also wanted to mention that I have done repair disk and permission . Result was no problem found regarding hd. A few permission s had to be fixed. Nothing abnormal

Reply

Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Mar 28, 2015 12:14 PM in response to allbusiness515

Get rid of MacBoosterMini - Uninstall. It's akin to the other "cleaning" or "optimizing" apps that are considered malware around here. They are not necessary for Macs.

Once removed boot into the Recovery volume (boot with the Command + R keys held down), select Disk Utility and repair both the disk permissions and the disk. Reboot normally and check performance.

Reply

Answer 5

John Galt

Level 10

141,132 points

Mar 28, 2015 12:36 PM in response to allbusiness515

I am interested in what you observed while operating in "Safe Mode".

Reply

Answer 6

Mar 30, 2015 7:35 PM in response to allbusiness515

Just to update everyone and maybe help people down the road .... It has been a week of **** .... I may have finally solved a problem that I have seen a ton of people in all different types of discussions around the world having trouble with ...... I am going to upload some pictures of what I was getting in the beginning and it came out of no where .... I had the random pixel problem with my display and to make a long story short I came across an article two days ago regarding internal temperatures and fan speed ...... I kept reading about apples approach which is not the point ..... More importantly I dug deeper into temperature control and fan settings .... I discovered all kinds of software and there is only one in my eyes that can help anyone dealing with this display problem .... I will be honest, I do not have the money right now for anything extra and am barely getting by and that is why I kept at it ... I figured keep trying different things because a repair is out of the question ... http://www.crystalidea.com/macs-fan-control - This program has solved my problem - I get to adjust three internal temperatures inside my Imac and slowly but surely as the temperatures remained constant the display is fine .... Like new again .... I cant believe it ..... Turns out the ATI Radeon HD 4850 512 MB graphics card gets very hot causing it to not do what it is supposed to ..... Anyone that has any questions do not hesitate to contact me ...... I am going to upload some pics .... They are not that clear but if you are going through this you will recognize the images for sure - There was so many more variations but this should help out - Thanks to everyone that takes the time out to help people on this support site .... I want to send a shout out to The Art Of Sound .... He is the most knowledgeable Apple person I have ever come across and I am an Apple user for 20+ years

a to

Reply