iMac from hell

[queshy]

Yep, the title says it all.
(January) iMac #1 - ordered online. arrives, and kernel panicks daily+humming noise

iMac #2 - exchange/replacement from apple arrives. humming noise + loud HD click

iMac #3 - #2 is returned to apple, #3 is purchased at a retail store for easier returnability. Before walking out of store, I ask to test it because of my bad experiences. Using pixel checker, I find a dead pixel right in the middle of the screen.

iMac #4 - they swap number 3 for a new one. No apparent dead pixels in store or noise (probably since its so quiet in there). I bring it home, run dead pixel checker again, and one shows up (a stuck pixel - blue) in the middle of the screen. Ok, forgivable, since I can only see the messed up pixel on a completely black screen. I insert a CD into superdrive and geroighnerigonregorgnr.....loud sound, sounds like its eating the CD. Very very noisy, sounds liek a jet engine. Going back to retail store tomororw...

I will keep you updated on iMac #5 that I receive tomorrow. Are all iMacs this bad?? Jeez....

Signed,

One very very unhappy switcher

 

[Father Jack]

I think that saying you have been extremely unlucky is somewhat of an under-statement.

Mac's are usually excellent.

Hopefully the next one will be perfect.

FJ

 

[nateDEEZY]

Meh, you're pretty unlucky! My only misfortune was my first 20" after 2 weeks logic board fries =[ Then I convinced them to let me upgrade to the 24" and I paid the difference.

Only thing for me now is that I may have a potentially bad power supply, because compared to others it seems relatively hot >_<

 

[queshy]

thanks for the replies. thank god theres some support here on this forum!
my brother actually got a macbook from the apple retail store.hes currently on macbook #6! And hes not even picky like I am! His macbooks were vibrating, shutting off, mooing, etc.

Its incredible...theres like 100s of reviews for hte 24" iMac that are all glowing, yet only like one of the reviews I read reported some issues....it just seems to me that the iMac is a POS. I love the computer, but the quality control sucks. I hope I will be proven wrong tomrorow. Im gonna get up early to go...I anticipate ill have to return. How can I really check at the apple store to make sure hte replacement htey give me is good? Its so loud in there, the only thing I can do is evaluate for dead pixels. I actually missed one also...the machine I got has a dead pixel, and I didnt see it in the store when I ran pixel check. Its also making a high pitched whine...ARGGG Wish me luck.

 

[sparkyms]

thats such a shame.

I've had no problems at all with my mac, and couldnt be happier.
i hope the next one is fine and you have no problems.

You should ask for some $$s for your troubles. Or be given the mac for free! haha

 

[TheDance511]

thanks for the replies. thank god theres some support here on this forum!
my brother actually got a macbook from the apple retail store.hes currently on macbook #6! And hes not even picky like I am! His macbooks were vibrating, shutting off, mooing, etc.

Its incredible...theres like 100s of reviews for hte 24" iMac that are all glowing, yet only like one of the reviews I read reported some issues....it just seems to me that the iMac is a POS. I love the computer, but the quality control sucks. I hope I will be proven wrong tomrorow. Im gonna get up early to go...I anticipate ill have to return. How can I really check at the apple store to make sure hte replacement htey give me is good? Its so loud in there, the only thing I can do is evaluate for dead pixels. I actually missed one also...the machine I got has a dead pixel, and I didnt see it in the store when I ran pixel check. Its also making a high pitched whine...ARGGG Wish me luck.

ARRG the MAc curse is with you juat imagine if it was a PC

 

[queshy]

thanks for all y our support...

so I wake up bright and early to head down to the apple store (having made an appt at the genius bar for 10:25 am). The genius cant hear the extremely loud superdrive, probably because the store was quite loud. He finally heard it, and saw the dead pixel, and offered me an exchange. I was smart: I asked to boot up teh computer (replacement) right there so I could test it. I found no dead pixels, and heard no noise; even if there was noise though I wouldnt hear it in that store. So I take the machine home and....

FINALLY! An iMac that seems to work. Some observations:

1) the remote rest on my previous iMacs was not nearly as "magnetic" as this one. this remote rest grabs the remote from a mile away lol.

2) no dead pixels, but I checked for that in store

3) HD is quiet

4) superdrive normal

5) machine overall very quiet. hum is there but ONLY on low brightness levels. w00t! now I know why people are annoyed with that...Im happy my eyes will always prefer the higher brightness setting. the hum is abstent on the highest brightness setting.

Overall, seems good so far, but I will keep you updated.

 

[evs]

are dead pixels a common issue with the imacs? i plan on getting one after leopard comes out. this thread has me scared.

 

[queshy]

Yeah theyre probably quite common but most people dont notice them. when i asked to test it in store, it didnt appear to have any until i ran a pixel c hecker i downloaded there on the spot. there are so many pixels on the screen, and unless its like black or something you wont see it unless you use that program lol...to be honest, the replacement they gave me(which i also tested), turned out to have a dead pixel when i reran the test at home! I gave thatm achine back though due to a faulty superdrive...and the new one has none. so out of 5 imacs, 2 of them had dead pixels. so 40% is the answer.

 

[wizwaz3]

are dead pixels a common issue with the imacs? i plan on getting one after leopard comes out. this thread has me scared.

No matter what company you buy from, you have pretty much the same probability of getting dead pixels. It's not a company thing, it's the LCD itself. Don't be scared.

 

[Zwhaler]

Here is a tip: if you want to feel good about your Mac do not run pixel checker (unless you don't own it yet, like you are checking it in the store) because you will find little pixel anomolies that normally you would never ever have noticed. My old PC i loved the screen that came with it, and once I got my Mac I ran pixel checker (on the PC) in it and found several stuck pixels, that I never noticed before, but now I notice all the time because they are there.

I ran pixel checker in this computer and on a very rare particular shade of blue, there is a black pixel in the bottom right. But on any other color it works fine, so it doesn't bug me. But just do yourself a favor and don't run pixel checker, because really no good can come from it, if you are using it on a machine you already own.

 

[Sutekidane]

I bought mine january 2006 and it has been working perfectly.

 

[osirisX]

Atleast everything worked out for you in the end. My screen seems fine to me and I'm to scared to use a pixel checker because once I know a dead pixel is there it will annoy me to no end

 

[suneohair]

Honestly it sounds like you are too picky.

If you have to run a dead pixel checker to see the dead pixel, it isnt something to get in a fuss about.

It is a slot load drive, that noise is normal.

Glad it worked out, but seriously that was a bit much.

 

[queshy]

yeah I admit to being picky about the dead pixel. ,but the superdrive noise was definitely not normal. I t sounded liek it was going to break the disk! I just wanted no dead pixels because if I brought it home and there were like 3 or 4, I would notice, and hten I'd have to risk apple not taking it back. I had to work so long to afford this machine, so I want it to be perfect.

 

[bananaquit]

Zwhaler, I think that's a great suggestion about not using the pixel checker. I just received my 20 and after reading this forum (which is great by the way!) I'm almost afraid to turn the thing on. if I don't notice anything wrong, I'm not going to worry about it. I'm a perfectionist about things like this so I completely understand the consternation about dead pixels. I just don't have time to worry about such things right now. I'm setting up my office, and out of the box the computer is lovely. I'm very excited about starting my new Mac experience.

 

[strydr]

Wow, what a string of bad luck. I've had my iMac for over two years, and the only problem I had was a failed power supply (just a couple months ago). No dead/stuck pixels, no excessive noise. It runs a bit warm, but It's always on, and I expected that.

Good luck with #5. The iMac is a great computer. Sounds like you just had a basket of lemons.

 

[queshy]

thanks everyone...and that's a good suggestion if you already have your mac. but if you ever haev the chance to, run the pixel checker in the store. My iMac has no humming sound, but I have yet to find one that is "quiet as a dead mouse" as one user put it. It's still quiet, and runs cool. I like it! I think Apple customers are indeed harder to please...most of us have switched from PC, so we are expecting a way better experience because Macs are pretty hyped up (but they do live up to the hype).