WTF

Turned on my imac (2 year old Intel one) this morning and one half of the screen was fine the other half was black. I turned it off and on again and the balck half went stripy, turned it off and on again and the dodgy half was black again. Anyone had this happen and can you fix it without getting a new screen?

Get a mac.

Oh….

Have you tried the big stick method?

Sounds like either a buggered graphics card or the ribbon cable that feeds the screen. As above, get a mac….oh 😀

Have you tried pinging it?

You need to buy another upgrade ??

sounds like it might need a transplant…

sounds like it might need a transplant…

Groans

Must be user error. Macs dont go wrong, ask Rudeboy.

I have the same problem with my PC one of my screens is black (it’s 5 years old) the other perfect, mind the black one is switched off at the moment so that might be why.

Black, then stripey, . .

just consider yourself lucky it didn’t go paisley!!!

Thanks for all the help. It has been absolutely flawless for 2 and a bit years with only free software updates. It’s an imac so obviously doesn’t have a connection between the CPU and the screen.

Anyone got anything helpful to add?

Anyone got anything helpful to add?

You do realise where you’re asking this, don’t you?

What exactly were you hoping for?

It almost definitely needs a new LCD panel. Do you have applecare?

First thing they would probably ask you to do is to reset the PRAM (restart computer, hold Command+Option+P+R before the chime until the computer restarts and you hear the startup chime again) but I can’t see this helping the symptoms you described.

What a bunch of twatty unhelpful comments – typical PC users!

Have you got Applecare?

Might be worth checking the cable running to the panel?

You’ll need dent pullers, then just 20 Torx screws to undo 🙂

iMac Teardown

Or take it back to Apple and throw a bit of a tantrum. Doesn’t matter that it’s out of manufacturers’ warranty, sale of goods act is on your side. A £1500 machine should last for more than a year or two if not abused.

Try the 2 fixes in here perhaps.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9446032&tstart=0

Thanks for all the help. It has been absolutely flawless for 2 and a bit years with only free software updates.

So have the three PCs I’m regularly in contact with. In fact my last one which died of a shagged memory controller lasted 7, without any upgrades or windoze reinstalls…. Windowsupdate is free too, you know! 😉

Have you got one eye closed?

Macs dont go wrong, ask Rudeboy

S’not the Mac, that’s gone wrong, but a component made by a third party manufacturer. 😉

Does sound like a graphics card problem/dodgy connection/fecked LCD Display display.

You can try running a separate monitor from it, and use the Mirrored Displays option in System preferences. If the problem is in the graphics card, it will manifest itself on the second monitor. if not, then probbly a dodgy connection/faulty LCD Display display.

Could possibly be a firmware issue, which might be solved with a Firmware update, but that would probbly show up straight after a Software Update*. I took an old G3 iMac from OS9 to OSX, without doing this, and had an almost black screen. A second monitor attached proved the update was successful, but the Firmware needed updating. Was perfect, after this had been done.

Macs are suprisingly fixable, provided you’re prepared to hunt around for the info. I’ve ‘fixed’ several Macs, simply by digging around on tinternet for information.

*The Mac would probbly tell you if a Firmware Update was needed.

I don’t run firmware and don’t have applecare

See – I knew someone out there would help (even if ultimately the screen is shagged)

Now the big question is claim on the insurance or pay for the repair?

If the the screen is at fault, it could be costly. I found Applecare people very helpful even though I was’nt covered, as they told me the price for replacement parts on abused G4 I had.

Replacement screens for laptops or computers with integrated screens are silly expensive. Looking on the internet it is at least £150 for a 15″ or £500ish for the big screens, if you buy a refurbished part and fit it yourself. If you pay someone to fit it you’re looking at £400 upwards, and for the bigger screens more like £700.

Joe

Trust me, hugo, you’ve got Firmware in there somewhere. 🙂

As Rudeboy says, try an external monitor plugged into the back. This will show if it’s the graphics card or the screen / screen cable. It may simply be that the connector has come unseated – office cleaners can be a little clumsy at times.