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New iMac coming today...WHAT TO DO?

F

Foreverbfc

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 11, 2010
15
23
So, my new refurbished iMac comes in the mail today and I'm a little nervous as i don't know what to look for. With all this talk about yellow screens, dead pixels, and loud HDDs, how do I make sure no of this applies to mine:(? Is there a central thread that contains all the tools needed to test my iMac? :confused:

Please help... Thanks
 
Foreverbfc said:
So, my new refurbished iMac comes in the mail today and I'm a little nervous as i don't know what to look for. With all this talk about yellow screens, dead pixels, and loud HDDs, how do I make sure no of this applies to mine:(? Is there a central thread that contains all the tools needed to test my iMac? :confused:

Please help... Thanks
Click to expand...

A BIG SMILEY FACE to start with.... :D
 
Forget the tools. If you enjoy your computer, well, keep enjoying it. :D

If not, then go looking for ideas for your problem.

I see no reason in trying hard to search for problems. Chances are that you'll then just start imagining them instead.
 
The first thing you should do is smile and enjoy the experience of getting a new machine! :) (Congratulations!)

There's a strong likelihood that your machine won't have any issues, but there's nothing wrong with giving it a look over just to make sure. However, I wouldn't sweat it too much and look so hard that you start imagining things. Just give it a look over for any severe yellowing, make sure there are not an inordinate amount of dead pixels, and then check out all of your ports and the SuperDrive. Just a basic test drive is all that's needed.

Congrats again and I hope you enjoy your new iMac!

Bryan
 
Aside from what is mentioned above, you may want to try a quick DVD and audio CD to make sure both play and the drive can read it. Give the audio output jack a quick test with some headphones, and check both wired and wireless internet access.

Then post on MRF using your new iMac!
 
Other than the brown box, there is a very high likelihood that you won't be able to tell that your machine is not brand spanking new.
 
Smile, turn it on, then click Software Update. Unless you have quick interwebs frown then be prepared to wait awhile for the 1GB+ of updates to download. Restart then smile again :D
 
Enjoy it most of all!

I'm sitting here at work counting the hours until I can get home and complete the set up on my new i5 which arrived last night. How sad can i be!! :p
 
First thing I did (for new new mid-2010 iMac) is:

- Performed outer visual "physical" check. re: Dents, pings, scratches.
- Performed inspection of provided in-box DVDs, cables, documents, etc.
- Plugged it together and turned in on.
- As it does its intial MAC OS Load (with their over-load graphic images), I then performed its initial Screen Inspection.
- After logging in for the very first time, I then manually tested its DVD Player, its USB Ports, its Mic port, its outer speaker jack port, its internal speakers, its "wired" larger size keyboard, its wireless TrackPad, etc. etc.
- Afterwards, I then performed a "detailed" screen inspection. re: Yellow tinting, dead pixels, back bleeding, etc. etc. Even got my son to "double check" the screen's image quality as well. Thus, 2 heads instead of just me.
- I then did some basic "better GUI" layout improvements. Simple things like installing better background page (light blue - like our Win xx system), making its internal HD appear, enlarging its icons, putting icons on its left (like Win xx system). Little things to make its screen "near like" our broken Win xx system (that my wife is very comfortable with).
- I then connected its external My Book Studio HD (via FW800 port) and performed its first Time Machine backup. That went great.
- Applied its 21.5" Brighter Screen fix. See: https://www.macrumors.com/2010/08/1...lay-brightness-update-for-new-21-5-inch-imac/
- I then launched its provided Apps and configured their basics. For example, manually added its Bookmarks, manually added our Address Book entries, got its email app configured and did a few email tests, manually added Data files (from previos Win xx box) onto its internal HD.
- I then configured its Player to play .AVI and Windows .MOV files. Thus, allowing us to play data files that were copied over from our broken Win XP box. By default, Mac OS won't play these files. I had to download 3rd party Add-Ons.
- Font sizing is another area I had to change. re: Making fonts and icons larger - so one doesn't strain the eyes.
- Also installed Activity Monitor (as Alias on its desktop), iStat Nano and Fan Speed control program. Thus, allowing me to see "under its hood" and if needed, apply better cooling control.

After these major "basic" tasks were completed, I then "showed my wife" our new iMac system. First impressions are very important to her. And, she wanted a "smooth" transition with "easy" transiton - from Win xx to Mac platform as well. Thus, I had to do some "configuration and tweaking" before she could inspect it. If wondering, "she could see fly poop in a pepper shaker 50 feet away" (with her microscope eyes). Thus, I had to get it "perfect" in both Physical and GUI layout for her. Or, it was going back.

At the end (and passing her microscope inspections), she said "it's a keeper". As some might say, "get someone else to inspect it. They may see things you may have accidentlly missed". Works for me and my "microscope eyes" wife.

Same inspecition / acceptance process might work for others as well...

.
 
Spike88 said:
First thing I did (for new new mid-2010 iMac) is:

- Performed outer visual "physical" check. re: Dents, pings, scratches.
- Performed inspection of provided in-box DVDs, cables, documents, etc.
- Plugged it together and turned in on.
- As it does its intial MAC OS Load (with their over-load graphic images), I then performed its initial Screen Inspection.
- After logging in for the very first time, I then manually tested its DVD Player, its USB Ports, its Mic port, its outer speaker jack port, its internal speakers, its "wired" larger size keyboard, its wireless TrackPad, etc. etc.
- Afterwards, I then performed a "detailed" screen inspection. re: Yellow tinting, dead pixels, back bleeding, etc. etc. Even got my son to "double check" the screen's image quality as well. Thus, 2 heads instead of just me.
- I then did some basic "better GUI" layout improvements. Simple things like installing better background page (light blue - like our Win xx system), making its internal HD appear, enlarging its icons, putting icons on its left (like Win xx system). Little things to make its screen "near like" our broken Win xx system (that my wife is very comfortable with).
- I then connected its external My Book Studio HD (via FW800 port) and performed its first Time Machine backup. That went great.
- Applied its 21.5" Brighter Screen fix. See: https://www.macrumors.com/2010/08/1...lay-brightness-update-for-new-21-5-inch-imac/
- I then launched its provided Apps and configured their basics. For example, manually added its Bookmarks, manually added our Address Book entries, got its email app configured and did a few email tests, manually added Data files (from previos Win xx box) onto its internal HD.
- I then configured its Player to play .AVI and Windows .MOV files. Thus, allowing us to play data files that were copied over from our broken Win XP box. By default, Mac OS won't play these files. I had to download 3rd party Add-Ons.
- Font sizing is another area I had to change. re: Making fonts and icons larger - so one doesn't strain the eyes.
- Also installed Activity Monitor (as Alias on its desktop), iStat Nano and Fan Speed control program. Thus, allowing me to see "under its hood" and if needed, apply better cooling control.

After these major "basic" tasks were completed, I then "showed my wife" our new iMac system. First impressions are very important to her. And, she wanted a "smooth" transition with "easy" transiton - from Win xx to Mac platform as well. Thus, I had to do some "configuration and tweaking" before she could inspect it. If wondering, "she could see fly poop in a pepper shaker 50 feet away" (with her microscope eyes). Thus, I had to get it "perfect" in both Physical and GUI layout for her. Or, it was going back.

At the end (and passing her microscope inspections), she said "it's a keeper". As some might say, "get someone else to inspect it. They may see things you may have accidentlly missed". Works for me and my "microscope eyes" wife.

Same inspecition / acceptance process might work for others as well...

.
Click to expand...

Good writeup. I pretty much did the same procedure on sunday when I brought home my new iMac. I also did a migration assistant from my old Powermac G5 tower. I didn't have a firewire cable so over the network it took about 3hours to transfer my data / apps. Some of the apps did not work since they were PPC versions. (I thought the iMac might see those and not waste the time copying but oh well)
 
Don't Worry, Be Happy!

Toward what iKimm said, "Enjoy!!! It is an incredible, beautiful machine!!! Congrats." It truly is a thing of beauty! Pour a glass of wine, sit back, and take in the work of art. And, don't worry, be happy, as a song writer says.

My 27"-er is so nice. No problems. If I tilt the screen just so, to get some ceiling light reflection, I can imagine some slight yellowing at the very bottom right. But if I tilt my head a bit, or tilt the display a bit, I don't see any yellowing what so ever.

Are you getting the wireless keyboard and mouse? I have them, and it makes the whole set-up very architecturally pleasing...no wires in sight. Also have the trackpad, and I think I like it more than a mouse.

Jerry
 
Almost Perfect

Could it be??? An "almost" perfect iMac refurb?

After setting up my 27" iMac refurb and doing a thorough inspection, I couldn’t find any major defects on it. No yellow tint problems and no dents on the body. The only slight imperfection is one tiny dead pixel. The dead pixel is not the glowing kind, it looks like a period. I would have never found it if it weren't for me getting really close and trying to find it. When I sit back, my eyes lose track of it and I can't pick it out in a normal setting. So, I figure, it's a keeper. I wouldn't send it back for one dead pixel, especially if it wasn't all that noticeable.
 
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