in 27 years of using computers from apple inc, i get my first lemon

[jefhatfield]

it's a dual core imac...at least this machine is either a lemon or the whole line is not ready for primetime

rosetta is slow and crashes

microsoft excel will rarely open

my dsl password gets kicked out

i can't enter many of my programs' preferences

i plugged my ipod nano into the usb port in back and it fried the port and the working port is only able to sync up half of the time

the browser opera cannot be shut down so i have to shut down the machine

....and many other issues

before this, with 8 years experience as a certified PC tech, and mac tech, i thought macs were generally better...but apple's transition to intel, if judging from this machine and the awful tech support and lack of knowledge of phone techs' working of a mactel, have led me to the conclusion that it is best to wait to buy a mactel

as an apple road technician, i never saw any major problems with macs on the powerpc architecture

but mactel is the biggest dog i have ever seen in my life

 

[Deepdale]

apple's transition to intel, if judging from this machine and the awful tech support and lack of knowledge of phone techs' working of a mactel, have led me to the conclusion that it is best to wait to buy a mactel

It could always be that regrettable example of how something very flawed managed to complete the trip through the assembly line and testing process to be approved, but there is also a part of me that has some lingering reservations about the early introductions to the new chip. Your post provides more food for thought.

 

[crazycat]

Thats very strange, you might just got a bad apple from teh basket (pun intended). Rosetta is slow but not "that" slow, i had no problems with it. It might be slow because of a defective mac.

 

[jefhatfield]

Do you only have 512 RAM? Rosetta running other programs needs way more Maybe you just got a Monday Mac?

1 gig of ram, installed by the apple store

i think i might have got that monday mac ... is that like a monday morning quarterback or related to the song, "monday, monday"

 

[emw]

i think i might have got that monday mac ... is that like a monday morning quarterback or related to the song, "monday, monday"

There's always been the belief (true or not) that things made on Mondays are some of the worst products because workers on Mondays are generally not as "sharp" after a weekend.

I think Thursday is regarded as the best, since they're looking forward to the end of the week. Friday isn't as good as Thursday since they're all in a hurry to get the hell out of work.

 

[jefhatfield]

here's what i plan to do...i will keep a notebook diary of my PC and Mac repairs on the road from my clients

i will keep a section just on mactels and see what i come up with and see if there is a trend after a few dozen repairs over time

...but luckily, i have not any problems i have heard about from this site, or others, concerning not waking from sleep or printing issues with the mactel imac

the other mactel imac owner i have worked on is "ok" with issues that come from attaining a computer on the bleeding edge such as the intel imac...he wisely reminded me that there were major issues when apple inc switched to os x from os 9, and that os x 10.0, was basically a dog and worse, really, than my dad's intel imac...sheesh

being a microsoft certified professional since 2000, and sometimes lecturer on windows, besides a tech that is mostly pc side, i have seen some really doggy issues....but the intel imac of my dad and my client (who like i said accepts early adoption computer issues) is the worst thing i have seen since i started my business in 1998 or 1999

 

[jefhatfield]

There's always been the belief (true or not) that things made on Mondays are some of the worst products because workers on Mondays are generally not as "sharp" after a weekend.

I think Thursday is regarded as the best, since they're looking forward to the end of the week. Friday isn't as good as Thursday since they're all in a hurry to get the hell out of work.

woah, that does make sense

i wonder how effective viagra pills made on monday will be

but mostly i have heard men over 40 use viagra so they can use a public urinal without peeing on their shoes...ok, bad joke!

 

[jsw]

There's always been the belief (true or not) that things made on Mondays are some of the worst products because workers on Mondays are generally not as "sharp" after a weekend.

I think Thursday is regarded as the best, since they're looking forward to the end of the week. Friday isn't as good as Thursday since they're all in a hurry to get the hell out of work.

I wasn't aware that they allowed the workers in China access to calendars.

 

[emw]

I wasn't aware that they allowed the workers in China access to calendars.

Or weekends for that matter.

Perhaps it's now an out-of-date perception.

 

[plinden]

I'll just reply with my experience. I think you have a lemon and should send it back. The only problem I have is slow wireless with WPA encryption, which everyone expects to be fixed with a software update.

it's a dual core imac...at least this machine is either a lemon or the whole line is not ready for primetime

rosetta is slow and crashes

Rosetta never crashes. I get beachballs with many PPC apps, but the only program that "regularly" (ie. three times in two months) crashes is Firefox.

microsoft excel will rarely open

All MS Office programs open ok. My wife has used it more than I have, but she hasn't reported any issues to me.

my dsl password gets kicked out

I use a router, but have no problems staying connected either wirelessly or wired (although it is[/is] slow with wireless WPA so I keep to wired connection.)

i can't enter many of my programs' preferences

I haven't had a problem with this. I can't enter Flip4Mac's preferences, but that's because it's not compatible with the Intels and I haven't got around to removing it yet. I did initially have problems with the Finder Help but deleting its cache fixed that.

i plugged my ipod nano into the usb port in back and it fried the port and the working port is only able to sync up half of the time

I haven't had any problems with my iPod, but I'm using a firewire dock, so that's not relevant to your problem. But no other USB device has shown any problems.

the browser opera cannot be shut down so i have to shut down the machine

This is odd - force quit doesn't work? I've just tried Opera and was able to quit it with command-Q no problem.

I see you're a Mac tech so probably don't need any technical advice - unless you're particularly bad at your job - but I think if many people are having the problems you're having, we would have heard more about it.

Edit: however, you've seen two iMacs with problems? Are the issues the same or similar?
BTW, despite my accepting that this is an early rev A machine, I would not accept any of the issues you see, and I would tell your client to get Apple to look at his machine.

 

[Melvin Furd]

Most industries now a days work shift work and operate seven days a week. They can't afford to take weekends off.

 

[MacTruck]

I'll just reply with my experience. I think you have a lemon and should send it back. The only problem I have is slow wireless with WPA encryption, which everyone expects to be fixed with a software update.


Rosetta never crashes. I get beachballs with many PPC apps, but the only program that "regularly" (ie. three times in two months) crashes is Firefox.


All MS Office programs open ok. My wife has used it more than I have, but she hasn't reported any issues to me.


I use a router, but have no problems staying connected either wirelessly or wired (although it is[/is] slow with wireless WPA so I keep to wired connection.)


I haven't had a problem with this. I can't enter Flip4Mac's preferences, but that's because it's not compatible with the Intels and I haven't got around to removing it yet. I did initially have problems with the Finder Help but deleting its cache fixed that.


I haven't had any problems with my iPod, but I'm using a firewire dock, so that's not relevant to your problem. But no other USB device has shown any problems.


This is odd - force quit doesn't work? I've just tried Opera and was able to quit it with command-Q no problem.

I see you're a Mac tech so probably don't need any technical advice - unless you're particularly bad at your job - but I think if many people are having the problems you're having, we would have heard more about it.

Edit: however, you've seen two iMacs with problems? Are the issues the same or similar?
BTW, despite my accepting that this is an early rev A machine, I would not accept any of the issues you see, and I would tell your client to get Apple to look at his machine.

For every user with a problem you get one of these people that invents bliss.

 

[jeremy.king]

For every user with a problem you get one of these people that invents bliss.

True...But jefhatfield is an Apple Tech and he is making a general assumption that the Intel macs suck based on his experience with one machine, so why can't plinden?

Seems unfair, IMO, to make a broad generalization based on one bad (or good for that matter) iMac...Although, at least he qualified his opinion as being based on his experience.

 

[weldon]

How did you migrate all of your settings and applications to the new iMac? I've read of a couple anecdotal cases where people just copied the entire contents of their old hard drive onto the new computer and wiped out universal binary versions of apps with the older powerpc versions. Maybe something like that has happened here?

I would recommend wiping and starting over and then installing everything from scratch.

 

[Dreadnought]

When you get a new Mac fresh from the factory, always, always format the harddrive a couple of times and install the OS fresh! The factory installation is the most crappy one, and after shipping a lot of bits and bytes are facing the wrong direction.

My brother just purchased a MBP and its loaded. But he didn't do the above, just the factory installation and migrated everything. He's complaining about a lot of software issues mentioned above. Offcourse this wasn't the first time... You should say he would now better by now.

 

[Jovian9]

I thought about selling my iMac G5 when the core duos came out and was almost sure I was gonna sell my PB once they introduced a 12" or 13.3" MacBook........but the RevA Intel transition has me worried. So I agree. I think it would be wise that if you do not absolutely need a new Mac right now, to wait until at least they get another revision out.

 

[asencif]

I am a mac tech as well and agree with both of the previous posts. When I roll out a new mac for a cleint, I usually do a complete re-format and OSX install with only the needed drivers and apps they will use. Also, doing a data migration with the Apple setup wizard has been known to cause problems especially with PPC to Intel macs, so that's definitely not advisable at all. Do a clean install, re-install all apps, transfer only the needed data, and make sure no plug-ins, etc are transferred.

 

[MacTruck]

When you get a new Mac fresh from the factory, always, always format the harddrive a couple of times and install the OS fresh! The factory installation is the most crappy one, and after shipping a lot of bits and bytes are facing the wrong direction.

My brother just purchased a MBP and its loaded. But he didn't do the above, just the factory installation and migrated everything. He's complaining about a lot of software issues mentioned above. Offcourse this wasn't the first time... You should say he would now better by now.

This is a joke right? Format a COUPLE of times? I have NEVER formatted my brand new mac and installed a new copy of the OS and I have never had any problems. This advice only makes sense on a PC loaded with AOL crap.


Oh and PS: Being a MacTech means NOTHING. The dumbasses that work at the Genius bar are mac techs and they don't know their arse from a hole in the ground.

 

[asencif]

This is a joke right? Format a COUPLE of times? I have NEVER formatted my brand new mac and installed a new copy of the OS and I have never had any problems. This advice only makes sense on a PC loaded with AOL crap.


Oh and PS: Being a MacTech means NOTHING. The dumbasses that work at the Genius bar are mac techs and they don't know their arse from a hole in the ground.

This is an example of I have never done anything and it's fine for me deal. Well that's great. Being a Mac tech means a whole lot thank you. Rescuing HD's, taking apart laptops and replacing logic boards, setting up Xserves and XSan networks, troubleshooting software on a corporate setting, building a setup for an advertising agency or music studio. Building specific images meeting certain needs for a client. IMHO judging techs by who answers the phone in a 3rd World country or some geniuses that are rookies at your store is unfair. By the way, I also support Windows networks for many years as well. So I know both sides.

 

[corbin_a2]

When you get a new Mac fresh from the factory, always, always format the harddrive a couple of times and install the OS fresh! The factory installation is the most crappy one, and after shipping a lot of bits and bytes are facing the wrong direction.

My brother just purchased a MBP and its loaded. But he didn't do the above, just the factory installation and migrated everything. He's complaining about a lot of software issues mentioned above. Offcourse this wasn't the first time... You should say he would now better by now.

Oh, come on! This sounds like the advice of some car people that tell you to empty out and change all your fluids in a new car when you get it home the first day!

I can understand wanting to install only the apps and languages that you need to save HD space but reformating the HD "a couple of times," come on! A full install is a full install and not "the most crappy one."

 

[jefhatfield]

I see you're a Mac tech so probably don't need any technical advice - unless you're particularly bad at your job

i don't admit to being the best tech, really...i have a microsoft certified professional cert and two cisco certs but that is irrelevant to os x

i have graduate level math and i am furiously studying quantum physics but again that is irrelevant to os x

i am a former phd student in computer engineering (networking devices and processors) from the university of california, and that is totally irrelevant to os x

actually, to be honest, the best techs i have seen in the last 25 years are always non degreed, non certified, teens and early 20-somethings who are into hacking and almost all have this strange pattern of virginity, and bad body odor and i don't know if the two traits are related

 

[MacTruck]

This is an example of I have never done anything and it's fine for me deal. Well that's great. Being a Mac tech means a whole lot thank you. Rescuing HD's, taking apart laptops and replacing logic boards, setting up Xserves and XSan networks, troubleshooting software on a corporate setting, building a setup for an advertising agency or music studio. Building specific images meeting certain needs for a client. IMHO judging techs by who answers the phone in a 3rd World country or some geniuses that are rookies at your store is unfair. By the way, I also support Windows networks for many years as well. So I know both sides.

Blah blah blah.

When a certified mac tech behind the genius bar says to me "Whats a quad?" After I asked him if they had them in stock yet, I consider that stupid. Must be pretty easy to become mac tech certified I guess.


And YES, he was serious.

 

[jefhatfield]

I thought about selling my iMac G5 when the core duos came out and was almost sure I was gonna sell my PB once they introduced a 12" or 13.3" MacBook........but the RevA Intel transition has me worried. So I agree. I think it would be wise that if you do not absolutely need a new Mac right now, to wait until at least they get another revision out.

mac users, pc users, mac techs, pc techs, uneducated techies, and educated techies have told this to me and...low and behold...i didn't listen this one time...and i know, i have nobody to blame but myself

i predict in 4-8 months apple will get the intel imacs working more seamlessly with tiger

 

[Diatribe]

I'd try to reset everything first (after repairing permissions) like open firmware reset, pram, pmu. If that doesn't work I'd try a clean install, if that doesn't work go to the Apple store.

 

[Josias]

I would go to the apple store before messin' too mcuh (unless you're pro of course )