Mac design flaw? Tech support knows nothing about it? What?

[alanp]

So my imac started acting up. Horizontal lines, strange shapes on the display, stuck pixels, and worst of all, crashes.  Horrible crashes.  Always in the middle of something important. 

Tech support was totally not encouraging.  Either claiming the LCD was going out or the video card; which is part of the imac motherboard and the whole thing would have to be replaced.  Replacing either would almost warrant just to get another computer.  And macs normally have a good lifespan.  Heck, I just threw out my apple 2 because I needed more space and already have all my apple 2 apps running on my new computer.  But it was still running when I threw it out.

The forums and message boards would report hundreds of people with the same issue but nothing as far as an answer.  Apple still claimed there were no known issues of this type.

I suspected it was a heating issue but didn't know what exactly to do about it.  I blew it out with canned air, put a fan on it, and kept the room temp down. I suspected damage was done and irreversible. 

Finally on one of the message boards, a cure was found! The exact issue was the ATY RadeonX1600 was getting too hot and causing problems by installing a fan control and lowering the temp, all is now fine.

[Rico]

A Mac with problems?  No?!?!

[alanp]

That's what I said.  But sadly macs do get sick, sometimes.  I don't know how at least hundreds of people had the problem and tech support can say there are no known issues with that video card.  But at the same time, it speaks volumes about a community being far more resourceful than the tech support department of the company.

[Bromptonboy]

You mean the cool guy Mac and nerdy PC commercials are lying to us?!  :)

[Bryancd]

Which iMac do you have? And don't mind the naysayers, they don't own the stock. ;)

[alanp]

I have the 20 inch imac.  It's been a really good computer; and is once again now that the fan control program is installed.  I dare say the best one I've owned.

At the same time, apple should have been the ones to address this and post the fix since a video card getting to hot in the case is a design issue.  Not one of the many issues like viruses, worms, spyware, etc, that happen to computers infected or altered after leaving the factory.

[Bryancd]

I have the same one. Been a solid machine. Apple is a bit known for technology which doenst have the same "legs" as others. It's a hassle but people end up upgrading to a new machine or iPod or iPhone, so longevity isn't there strong point.

Again, buy the stock and a new machine, you will mkae up for it. :)

[X]

Macs have always had problems. One of my first computers was the Mac SE and in less than a year, the on/off switch went out. I had to rig it using aluminium foil to make the connection.

I had Mac when there were no software of interest for them and they had no games to speak of. The only reason that it's not prone to viruses like a PC is because it's a niche market and few hackers target it. If it does ever beat the PC in popularity, expect for the viruses to come a knocking.

[Bryancd]

. If it does ever beat the PC in popularity, expect for the viruses to come a knocking.

That will never happen. Apple will never go to a high volume/ low margin model.

[davekill]

This week Scott Johnson talks about a video card problem that showed up in a few late 2006 iMacs - might prove useful

http://www.maccast.com

[Rico]

Here's the thing guys - the hardware on ALL of the personal computers out there these days comes from similar manufacturers and only varies in specs & level of quality.  Mac's use OK components for the most part.  Not the very best hardware, but not the weakest either.  So, that said some computers have much better hardware in them than the average Mac (the one I built for myself is one - there are many others).  On the subject of heat, any electrical component generates heat.  That heat has to go somewhere.  An iMac is a pretty machine, but touch one once it's been on awhile - fairly warm.  A few more fans would help and a bigger heat sink on certain components, but that complicates the size and aesthetics.  Anyway, all I'm trying to say is components deteriorate and break down - especially less high quality ones that are not well cooled.  Keep in mind, I'm only talking hardware in all this.

[Bromptonboy]

I was an early Mac user - using the Mac 512 then upgrading to the Mac SE/30 at one point.  In parallel I was also using PC's (and going back further - an Osbourne Vixen running CP/M - now I am showing my age!).
Macs are outstanding, and I love that they use Unix with a friendly shell. 

[alanp]

Well I try to use a little of everything.  I love the Mac OSX and have since the early versions of it.  Most of the Mac operating systems through the mid-late 90s were terrible.  But I'd say the pretty hardware is only 20 percent at most of the selling point of an apple product.  80 percent software.  It's the software of an ipod or an iphone that make those items cool.  It's the Apple software that mac users love as well.

I also have a laptop running Fedora Core Linux; which I would call the second best OS in all of computing.  I think everyone should have a little working knowledge of open source software.

Windows - I have not kept up with the versions later than XP so I just don't know much about them.  From what I understand, Microsoft has some brilliant people who would do great things but it clashes with the corporate culture up there in Seattle.  It's a shame since they were the leaders in the 90s.  Bill Cosby said he didn't know what the path to success was but the path to failure was trying to please everybody; and that's what I think is that companies problem.  Apple knows what their fanboys want.  Microsoft has to balance business, governments, home users, gamers, etc.  All with the same operating system and try to satisfy everyone with total backwards compatibility and hopefully no security holes.  I've been saying for a while that Microsoft should make a closed box that they don't turn over to the OEMs and customize a new OS for the home market.  One that doesn't rely on backwards compatibility and create all new applications from scratch.

[Rico]

Someday I'd still like to get some type of Mac so I can learn the OS and more of some of the applications.  I agree that their OS and software is their main selling point - by far.  But Vista has worked very well and been very solid for me.  It works great when used on some good hardware.

[billybob476]

I kind of feel that my next laptop will be a mac, I can't see myself with a mac desktop.