17" iMac + redline on screen

[staka69]

I bought my dad a 17" iMac back in the spring of 2006 and it has developed a red line running vertically along the screen.

We got the 3 year apple care, so it is still covered, what can they do about it. Will they try to fix it or just give me a store credit or something?

Is this a common issue, I got a 20" iMac a few months later and so far so good.

I'm going to the mall later today and there is an apple store there so I'll swing by and ask but just wanted to ask you folks anyway.

Also, I noticed my dad's iMac says it has a x1600 graphics card, I'm 99% sure it has the intel 950 integrated graphics and did say that once upon a time, weird that it says it has an ati 1600 now?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[RealaT]

I don't see why it wouldn't be covered, it's a fault with the screen after all.

When you report the fault to applecare, they will ask you to return it to a store for repair.

If your dad's iMac says it has an Ati x1600 graphics card then it's a pretty safe bet that it's telling the truth

 

[bov]

I am getting this same problem except it is happening on my MBP.

There is a red vertical line probably about 2 pixels wide running down the left side of my screen whenever i awake it from sleep. However, it disappears after i login

My 1 year applecare ends on the 23rd of this month.

What should i do?

 

[staka69]

I don't see why it wouldn't be covered, it's a fault with the screen after all.

When you report the fault to applecare, they will ask you to return it to a store for repair.

If your dad's iMac says it has an Ati x1600 graphics card then it's a pretty safe bet that it's telling the truth

According to the specs. below it's the intel GMA 950 on my dads iMac, he has the1.83 GHz and came with 512 mb of ram (I upgraded that to 1gb). I remember thinking at the time if that was a good idea since the intel gma 950 stinks but my dad only uses it for email/web so that was fine by him, not sure why it thinks its the x1600 inside.

Here is the link: http://guides.macrumors.com/iMac_(Intel)

Scroll towards the bottom

 

[RealaT]

not sure why it thinks its the x1600 inside

it doesn't 'think', it's telling you what hardware it has found, therefore if OSX says you have a x1600 then you have a x1600

 

[n00n00]

I bought my dad a 17" iMac back in the spring of 2006 and it has developed a red line running vertically along the screen.



Is this a common issue,

yes it is EXTREMELY common.

There is a whole blog dedicated to the problem:

http://www.imaclines.blogspot.com/

Also there is a peition regarding the fact Apple has ignored it (please make sure you sign it)

http://petitiononline.com/maclines/petition.html


The issue mostly affects 17 inch imacs made in 2006 in Shanghai. Almost all have the serial number W860 often ending with U2N.

Typically they fail when 13-15 months old, and people are quoted $700 for a repair as the standard one year Apple care has expired by then. For those who can't afford such a huge cost lines continue to appear every week or two (usually in teh right hand side).

Many end up buying external monitors one the screen becomes completely unusable

For those who do get a repair, quite often the repair does not work and the problem soon reappears.

edit - forgot to mention 17 inch powerbooks have the issue too:

http://powerbook17lines.blogspot.com/