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nlj

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 13, 2006
4
0
OK, girlfriend bought an educational imac three and a half weeks ago. The first one arrived and as soon as we updated the system software the computer would boot up to a blank video screen. The way around the problem was "reset the pram" almost every boot up. Talked to apple for several days (we/they thought it was fixed after running disk utilities and resetting the pram and blah blah) and finally they had us send it back. Waited for the labels to arrive and slapped them on the box and shipped the computer back to California. We finally got the replacement yesterday. Booted up just fine. Installed system updates, restarted and the cursor froze. Put the computer to sleep and woke it up and the cursor worked. Shut computer down for the night, went to sleep, went to work, we come home and boot the computer up to a blank video screen again. Reset the pram and the computer booted up fine. Doesn't this seem like a problem? Anyone have any idea why this is happening so frequently? Blank video screen? Very annoying. Should brand new computers have to have pram reset all the time? We're quite frusterated...
 

generik

macrumors 601
Aug 5, 2005
4,116
1
Minitrue
It shouldn't happen, maybe try getting yet another replacement? After all Macs are very high quality these days, you won't find a similar experience elsewhere, especially with manufacturers like Dell.
 

theBB

macrumors 68020
Jan 3, 2006
2,453
3
generik said:
It shouldn't happen, maybe try getting yet another replacement? After all Macs are very high quality these days, you won't find a similar experience elsewhere, especially with manufacturers like Dell.
If the computer is shipped directly to home and two or three of them in a row is broken, I'd say the shipping company is messing things up. There are so few iMac owners complaining, two in a row is very unlikely to come from a random selection at the factory.

BTW, what is your problem with Apple, you seem to relish the opportunity to rib into it at every opportunity. It does not sound healthy.
 

bradc

macrumors 6502
Mar 17, 2006
263
0
Canader eh
Is it the Educational iMac as in the one with integrated graphics? If so, I don't think there are many/any users on here with that computer.

If it's a normal iMac just purchased with a discount, that sounds like a really odd problem because it seems the iMacs are rock solid. I personally don't have an iMac but maybe, just maybe you're somehow applying the updates wrong? Or maybe you have a bad power source/power bar? Check out Apple's own Support Forums, maybe you'll find your answer there too.
 

Sun Baked

macrumors G5
May 19, 2002
14,941
162
bradc said:
If it's a normal iMac just purchased with a discount, that sounds like a really odd problem because it seems the iMacs are rock solid. I personally don't have an iMac but maybe, just maybe you're somehow applying the updates wrong? Or maybe you have a bad power source/power bar? Check out Apple's own Support Forums, maybe you'll find your answer there too.
That is usually a major problem people have especially when the grids are so bad these days. (ie, doesn't work at home, but the dealer cannot find anything wrong.)

But, 3rd party USB/FW devices will also play hell with these machines.

A power problem is usually tested by taking the machine to somebody elses house/work as long as they aren't on the same circuit (aka neighborhood.)
 

nlj

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 13, 2006
4
0
It IS the new Educational Model imac model that was available for only a few days to individuals and I realize not many people have these. Perhaps it IS a power issue as we have the computer plugged into a power strip plugged into some very old looking outlets in the basement "computer room"...though talking to Applecare they never even asked about power source...I considered this in the first go round and plugged the computer into some other outlets when I got the blank (ok, dull blue) screen but it did not go away...perhaps the computer already had problems because of bad power??? And just needed to be plugged into something better AFTER resetting the pram??? Do you guys think it's the outlet that is causing the issue? How would it effect the computer in such a way that the pram needs to be reset? Also: what in all tarnation does "resetting the pram" mean? We know HOW to do it but don't know WHAT we're doing exactly...
 
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