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Recourse for freezing iMacs

U

UNCMo96

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 26, 2007
66
4
Here's my situation (I'm sure I'm not alone). I'm a long time PC user and Mac dabbler (Wife's a mac user). My primary PC is 6 years old and I'm ready for a new computer. I'm looking to get an iMac but am really concerned about all these freezing issues. Here's my question:

If I buy an iMac from a authorized reseller (Amazon or MacMall) and it has the freezing bug, can I take it to my local apple store (while it's still under warranty) and exchange it for a new one?
 
You won't have any problems returning or exchanging a Mac through Amazon. However, I don't believe that MacMall will accept returns on Apple products.

I haven't had any freezing issues with my new iMac.
 
I know MacMall doesn't take returns. Amazon takes them but charges a 15% restocking fee. My question is : if I bought an iMac from one of these 2 places and it had the freezing issue and I took it to an Apple Store while still under warranty for service what would happen?
 
First of all as I understand it, the freezing issue is software and/or firmware based, not hardware - so returning it for repair or replacement is pointless. Just wait for the software fix from Apple.

Secondly, I see no reason why an Apple store wouldn't take your purchase in for a hardware warranty repair - they probably won't take it as a replacement however. The Apple store would only ship it off back to Apple, as an alternative for you having it collected via courier.
 
Maybe I'm missing something but...

1. It seems not all the iMacs are affected by the freezing issue. Some freeze and some don't. (It seems like there's no rhyme or reason as to why some do and some don't).

2. If I buy an iMac and it's a freezer and they can't "fix" it since it's a software issue and not a hardware issue don't they have an obligation to replace it in the hopes that the new one doesn't freeze?
 
flopticalcube said:
I have 2 20" iMacs. One freezes the other doesn't. They are identical in nearly every way.
Click to expand...

2 ALU imacs?i don't believe to people that said "my imac doesn't freezes"
May be they want to believe that their imacs don't freezes..Other don't even know that imacs have this issue(personaly i didn't installed 1.1 update and my imac never freezed).. it's a firmware issue of GPU.and apple is not responsble for what ATI has done.thatswhy lets wait some days.. ..i think it'll come monday-tuesday.
 
deviant said:
2 ALU imacs? i don't believe to people that said "my imac doesn't freezes"
May be they want to believe that their imacs don't freezes..Other don't even know that imacs have this issue(personaly i didn't installed 1.1 update and my imac never freezed).. it's a firmware issue of GPU.and apple is not responsble for what ATI has done.thatswhy lets wait some days.. ..i think it'll come monday-tuesday.
Click to expand...

LOL:D
 
l33r0y said:
First of all as I understand it, the freezing issue is software and/or firmware based, not hardware - so returning it for repair or replacement is pointless. Just wait for the software fix from Apple.
Click to expand...

So what you're saying is the following: 1. Person buys iMac. 2. iMac freezes. 3. Goes to Apple store. 4. Apple rep says: "It's a software issue, it will be fixed soon be patient."

No offense meant to the Mac community, but if I bought any electronic product that cost that much and I got that answer I think I'd raise hell and DEMAND a new one. IMO it's the fair thing to do. If the 2nd one freezes I'd go back in and get another until I have one that doesn't freeze.
 
My iMac had a HUUUUUUGE crash on the fourth day I had it (ish)

I was quite put off but I've not had any weird crashes since. I've had one or two because I've tried to access files on my old PC and the PC has randomly stopped transferring data (Leaving the iMac still thinking it's transferring, but quite clearly not) so I had to restart then, but that's about it. I got a few Safari 2 crashes, iTunes crashes (Playing CDs I made on my home studio. It didn't like that) and I made text edit crash once by trying to use the text to speech tool at the same time in two documents.

But no random crashes since the software update.

My iMac has also been cooler since then, so it was obviously the graphics card.
 
Well I had a kernel panic the first day I had it but haven't had one since. It hasn't frozen at all either save for the annoying "unexpectedly quit" when trying to close a program with quicktime and other programs which is a software issue.
 
UNCMo96 said:
If I buy an iMac from a authorized reseller (Amazon or MacMall) and it has the freezing bug, can I take it to my local apple store (while it's still under warranty) and exchange it for a new one?
Click to expand...
No, an Apple retail store will not exchange products purchased from a reseller, but they probably will offer to attempt a repair. However, if you accept the repair offer, you have pretty much destroyed any hope of ever getting a replacement -- even if the repair attempt fails. That's Catch 22 -- from One Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA.

Study the "DOA" provisions of Apple's sales policy carefully BEFORE agreeing to a repair. Your best (only?) chance of getting a replacement from Apple is to convince AppleCare that your iMac was Dead On Arrival. Read Apple's sales policy and follow the DOA procedures -- to the letter:

http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/salespolicies.html

Before going that route, I'd call Amazon and see what they have to say about returning a defective iMac. They'll probably accept a return with no restocking fee if the product doesn't work as advertised -- I 'spect they'll even pay for return shipping.

...OTOH, if you buy from a vendor like MacMall, you'll get what you deserve,

LK
 
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