Do I have a repaired imac?

[Chayan Chakraborty]

Hi,

I just bought a refurbished imac which is supposed to be a 27 inch late 2011 model with 3.4 GHz i7. But the GPU, a Radeon 4850, does not look like from 2011 imac. How do I find out if this is a repaired unit or not? Serial number lookup shows it as a 2011 model.
Please help!

 

[TwoH]

It's a 2011 model where the GPU has been swapped out for the 2009 model GPU. Most likely due to the common GPU faults on the 2011 cards.
Yeah it's a repaired machine (GPU swap at the very least) - but it's kind of expected of a refurbished 9 year old machine

 

[Chayan Chakraborty]

It's a 2011 model where the GPU has been swapped out for the 2009 model GPU. Most likely due to the common GPU faults on the 2011 cards.
Yeah it's a repaired machine (GPU swap at the very least) - but it's kind of expected of a refurbished 9 year old machine

Okay, so will that create issues with using the thunderbolt ports? I am okay with the machine. Just need both of those ports to work.

 

[TwoH]

Okay, so will that create issues with using the thunderbolt ports? I am okay with the machine. Just need both of those ports to work.

Unsure to be honest - I haven't had a chance to ever test it. Sorry

 

[CheesePuff]

Okay, so will that create issues with using the thunderbolt ports? I am okay with the machine. Just need both of those ports to work.

I doubt the GPU swap would have any impact on the Thunderbolt ports

 

[Juicy Box]

I just bought a refurbished imac

If you are in the US, buying something "refurbished" is no different than buying something used.

There are no consumer laws governing the definition of refurbished. The seller could wipe the iMac case with a damp cloth and call it refurbished.

Apple's refurbished products are different, and they define what they mean by refurbishing a device, but something off of eBay, refurbished is just another way of saying used.

 

[r6mile]

Okay, so will that create issues with using the thunderbolt ports? I am okay with the machine. Just need both of those ports to work.

I don't expect that swapping the GPU would have any impact on the Thunderbolt ports. Do you have any sort of warranty on the machine? I just mention it because these 2009-11 iMac Radeon GPUs have a strong tendency to die. So even though yours has been replaced, it will have been with a used GPU from another machine, and that one may die at some point too...

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

If HD4850 can be installed in newer iMac 2011, can the new GPU in iMac 2010 (like HD5670) be installed in the old iMac 2009 (A1225 24" early 2009, not the 27" late 2009)?

 

[Chayan Chakraborty]

Okay so now I have a different issue. I started this imac and went in to play a game. But it did not launch. Instead from then onwards I am seeing screens with chequered boxes. But the boot screen and the os installation screen are all fine. Has the GPU gone bad?

 

[r6mile]

Okay so now I have a different issue. I started this imac and went in to play a game. But it did not launch. Instead from then onwards I am seeing screens with chequered boxes. But the boot screen and the os installation screen are all fine. Has the GPU gone bad?

Yes you clearly have a bad GPU. I had a similar issue in my 2010 iMac, went away with a gpu replacement. I hope you had some sort of warranty with your 'refurbished' iMac? The Radeons in these iMacs always eventually fail.

 

[Chayan Chakraborty]

Can I do the GPU bake with this?

 

[Juicy Box]

Can I do the GPU bake with this?

You can try, but that GPU isn't particularly anything special. You could probably find a lot better GPU and just do the swap.

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

You got a lemon. Any chance of getting your money back?

Apple sell the only 'genuine' refurbished models, up to two or three years old oly with ther latest operating system and a full 12 month warranty. Don't spend too much money on it as it is coming up to ten years old.

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Still can be used as a monitor, if you can't return it.
Replace GPU is an option, but it's not 100% sure.

 

[Chayan Chakraborty]

Update,

I baked the GPU, and it works as of now. So will keep on using it and later upgrade the GPU.

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

K610m is just 36$ + １～２month waiting.

 

[Chayan Chakraborty]

K610m is just 36$ + １～２month waiting.

Is K610M compatible with this? Do I have to do the vbios flash to get post and brightness control?

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Is K610M compatible with this? Do I have to do the vbios flash to get post and brightness control?

It's been preflashed by the seller already.
Compatible or not? I don't know.
Depending on how your GPU heatsink is shaped, maybe you'll have to Dremel it a bit to fit perfectly.