Yikes! My mac mini is displaying pixel botches on screen.

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Level 1

145 points

Yikes! My mac mini is displaying pixel botches on screen.

Yikes! My mac mini is acting strange. Pixel blotches of color across the screen and making a buzzing noise. This happens randomly. I have taken a photo of what is going on on my screen (Benq).

Not sure this is the right discussion group to put this in.

I ran hardware test the other day, and it showed everything was fine. I have however added memory about a month ago.

Not sure what else to check. Is it the computer or the monitor? I did find the console that shows my system message, but not sure what to look for or which log I should look at. I saved the log from today (which the recent weird activity took place around 11 am.)

When this weird stuff happens, I shut it down and restart. Sometimes it may not happen right away, sometimes its several days later. It does not matter what I"m doing for it to happen. I have been online searching, I have been on facebook, I have been in Photoshop, I have been making an imovie.

If I can figure out how to post the photo of what showed up, I will.

My Imac is:

Mid 2011, 2.3GHz Intel Core i5

Intel HD GHraphics 3000 384 MB

OS X Lion 10.7.5

I'm going to work so I will check back in late tonight when I get home. Hopefully someone can help. Thanks so much.

Posted on Oct 6, 2015 11:26 AM

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Answer 1

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,472 points

Oct 6, 2015 12:33 PM in response to Leidon

The GPU has failed.

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Answer 2

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Oct 6, 2015 12:37 PM in response to Leidon

Assuming a Mac mini even though you wrote:

My Imac is:

Mid 2011, 2.3GHz Intel Core i5

Intel HD GHraphics 3000 384 MB

OS X Lion 10.7.5

That teyp of scree is typically due to a graphics hardware problem. However, since the mid 20100 n2.3 GHz i% Mac Mini gon-cpu chip grapics processor uses system memory it could be a problem with the memory.

Try resetting the memory

Next reinstall the original memory

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Answer 3

Leidon Author

Level 1

145 points

Oct 6, 2015 9:57 PM in response to lllaass

Sorry, yes, I do have a mac mini.

I will try and reset the memory. If problem continues I will reinstall original memory.

I will however have to upgrade the memory. The computer was running real slow and was showing almost out of memory.

Keeping my fingers crossed resetting will work.

Thanks so much. Will let you know.

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Answer 4

Leidon Author

Level 1

145 points

Nov 19, 2015 8:20 AM in response to Leidon

This problem I had was getting really bad. The computer would lock up with those glitches on the screen about 3 x's a day. It was making a horrible noise from the computer itself also. I took pictures of the screen and also took a video of screen and the noise. Then 3 days ago I upgraded to El Capitan 10.11.1, and (knock on wood) the glitches have not appeared. BUT yesterday the computer shut it self down and restarted it self. Now what?

I have a Mac Mini Mid 2011, 4 GB, Intel HD Graphics 3000 384 MB. (I have seen where some posters have mentioned they have the same problem with the same Intel HD Graphics 3000). I sure wish I knew what to do. I live about 2 hours from nearest Apple Store. 😟

Not sure if the OS update is going to take care of the screen glitches or not. We will see. Has Apple acknowledged this problem?

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Answer 5

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Nov 19, 2015 8:28 AM in response to Leidon

As others have said, it really appears you have a graphics hardware problem. The Intel HD 3000 GPU is incorporated in the CPU die and replacing the logic board is the only solution.

However, since you say you upgraded the memory try reinstalling the original memory, The GPU uses system memory so problems with the memory can manifest itself as a graphics problem.

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Answer 6

Leidon Author

Level 1

145 points

Nov 19, 2015 10:21 AM in response to lllaass

So if I have a hardware problem, it would NOT show up on Apple's Hardware Test? Because it has not. Extended test also.

I have removed the newly upgraded memory (2x's 2gb) and replaced with the original (2x's 1gb) that the machine came with. It still had the same problem. So I put back in the upgraded memory and did the OS update. (So far no problems with graphic glitches so far (3 days) but as I stated above, the computer did shut down and restart on it's own one time.)

Also since "the Intel HD 3000 GPU is incorporated in the CPU die and replacing the logic board is the only solution". There is nothing else that can be done? I'm assuming that will cost a pretty penny too. So everyone that has posted in these discussion groups that has/had the same issue (searched and found many), will have or had their logic boards replaced?

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Answer 7

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Nov 19, 2015 10:36 AM in response to Leidon

Apple Hardware Tet does not find all problems, especially graphics ones since it can't get feedback for a lot of graphics problems.

Note the time of the next unintended reboot. After rebooting open the Console app in Finder>Applications>Utilities and look for log entries at the time of the reboot.. Post suspicious ones here. Look for ones before the actual reboot. You want to find what caused the shutdown/reboot.

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Answer 8

Dec 5, 2015 12:11 PM in response to Leidon

Hi there Leídon, have you succeeded in fixing this problem? I've been experiencing just the same since two days ago. I've got a 2012 Mac Mini, ATI radeon graphics, running mountain lion. I think that when I purchased my computer there was an option to have 4gb ram or 8gb. I chose the second option, and I'm now maybe thinking that the guys that sold the computer to me used a faulty ram module. Anyway, here's a screenshot.

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Answer 9

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Dec 5, 2015 12:21 PM in response to Jgarciadlc

Jgarciadlc the 2012 Mac Mini has Intel HD 4000 graphic built into the CPU die.

Some 20111 Mac Mini have Radeon HD6630M

What model Mac Mini do y ohave?

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Answer 10

Dec 5, 2015 1:08 PM in response to lllaass

You're right, I'm sorry. Here's a screenshot I save in my Dropbox in case of emergency

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Answer 11

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Dec 5, 2015 1:30 PM in response to Jgarciadlc

- You have ruled out the monitor and cables, right?

- I do not know the if AMD chip is used for boot up or if integral Intel HD 3000 is used. The 3000 uses system memory. To rule that out startup the Mac with only one stick of memory installed. If still problem switch sticks and try again.

- If still problem you seem to have a defective AMD GPU/GPU connection to the logic board.

That was a major problem on the MacBook Pros

http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro-videoissues/

but there was not such program for the Mini

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Answer 12

Dec 5, 2015 2:24 PM in response to lllaass

Ruled out cables, and tried another monitor, the problem persists. The ram switching doesn't work either. I'll be visiting an official store on Monday and hope for the best.

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Answer 13

notcloudy

Level 4

1,252 points

Dec 5, 2015 2:51 PM in response to Jgarciadlc

Quick way to test a video problem - is it the monitor itself or the controlling whatever - is to hook the monitor up to a different system - if the monitor is okay then it is something in the mac itself.

Did just that with my monitory when it showed your problem on my Mac Pro - hooked up to old mac-which amazingly powered up no problem - and showed it was not the monitor -- it was the video card that just needed to be repaired (found a shop that could re-flow it).

Apple hardware tests do not test the video portion.

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Answer 14

Dec 7, 2015 3:55 AM in response to Leidon

Well, seems that this issue isn't covered by Apple guarantee as the with the 2011 MBPs. Now I'm waiting fro the tech support I went to to give me an estimation of how much will it cost to fix the computer. I've already sent feedback to Apple about this issue, maybe in the future other Mini users with this problem could be luckier. 😟

Regards.

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Answer 15

Leidon Author

Level 1

145 points

Feb 25, 2016 7:57 AM in response to Leidon

Sorry, forgot to report back on here. The graphic glitches problem on my Mac Mini with the Intel HD Graphics 3000 still persist. I guess I will use it as a "door stop" until I can get it fixed or sell for parts. I'm surprised that Apple did nothing about fixing it (that I know of) with all the Mac Mini's that seem to have had the same problem. Wondering, can it be used as a backup storage even if the graphic card is failing? If so, how can I connect to my new iMac 2015?

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