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Jara2212

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 19, 2017
2
0
Hello, a few days ago I locked my imac screen and got a black screen with blue lines instead of the lock screen where I usually write my password (pic #2). The only solution I found was to restart the computer but, everytime, it starts up with a similar glitch screen (pic #5), sometime if I'm lucky (1 out of 5 times restarting) it starts up with the same glitch screen but then it displays my user logo behind the blue lines so I can put my password and everything looks normal again (pic #4), but if I lock my screen again (cmd+shift+eject) I would get the same glitch screen as when I restart it. I couldn't find any solution, please help. Thanks.
20987898_10155192943309232_40154748_n.jpg
 

SaSaSushi

macrumors 601
Aug 8, 2007
4,156
554
Takamatsu, Japan
Vertical lines are an almost certain sign of a failing video card. Unfortunately, if so there are no easy or inexpensive fixes.

What year and model is it?
 

SaSaSushi

macrumors 601
Aug 8, 2007
4,156
554
Takamatsu, Japan
My best guess is either a failing GPU or an LCD panel gone bad. If the machine is not freezing, crashing, rebooting, more likely the latter. Either one is a very expensive repair.

I take it the machine doesn't have AppleCare? Do you only get the vertical lines at the login screen? No glitches while in use?
 

Huddy

macrumors member
Oct 9, 2009
58
27
As SaSaShushi states it's either a dying GPU or LCD failure. Without AppleCare that's going to be a very expensive repair sadly.
 

jacklivehere

macrumors regular
Oct 9, 2014
244
118
Utopia
I had similar issue on my iMac 5k 2014 i7 model. but only during startup. not on lock screen. It turned out to be Beta version of MacOS. Once I reinstalled without beta, every thing went back to normal.
 

vyokyong

macrumors newbie
Aug 16, 2017
3
0
My iMac late 2009 had blue vertical line on screen and I thought that its VDO card had problem. I did back up with time machine. And did reset every thing back to factory default from HDD formatting and reinstall new OS-X online. Good thing was happened that blue vertical line was totally disappeared. The iMac late 2009 becomes normal. I think that the problem is caused by latest update of OS-X Sierra. Then I set my iMac late 2009 does not to automatically update OS-X in order to avoid this problem again.
 

littlehb

macrumors newbie
Dec 11, 2017
1
0
Hello, a few days ago I locked my imac screen and got a black screen with blue lines instead of the lock screen where I usually write my password (pic #2). The only solution I found was to restart the computer but, everytime, it starts up with a similar glitch screen (pic #5), sometime if I'm lucky (1 out of 5 times restarting) it starts up with the same glitch screen but then it displays my user logo behind the blue lines so I can put my password and everything looks normal again (pic #4), but if I lock my screen again (cmd+shift+eject) I would get the same glitch screen as when I restart it. I couldn't find any solution, please help. Thanks.
20987898_10155192943309232_40154748_n.jpg

Did you find a solution to this? I am having the same problem with my late 2013 27"iMac.
 

Del Rei

macrumors member
Dec 13, 2017
49
4
Brazil
Did you find a solution to this? I am having the same problem with my late 2013 27"iMac.

Today my 21” iMac late 2013 got the same problem. Vertical blue lines on start up and nothing happens. No start up. It’s completely dead.

Any ideas?
 

Del Rei

macrumors member
Dec 13, 2017
49
4
Brazil
Just to help someone in future...
Got mine today at assistance today. That was a LCD problem. I had to buy a new LCD to replace it.

Thats not a video card or logic board problem.
 

Hank Unck

macrumors newbie
Apr 5, 2019
3
0
Can anyone who has had the LCD or GPU replaced give me an idea of the cost? My iMac is 7 years old, and I'm willing to put a few hundred into it, but if the cost is $1000 or more, I'll probably just get rid of it, since it's already nearly a dinosaur in "computer years".
 

Del Rei

macrumors member
Dec 13, 2017
49
4
Brazil
Can anyone who has had the LCD or GPU replaced give me an idea of the cost? My iMac is 7 years old, and I'm willing to put a few hundred into it, but if the cost is $1000 or more, I'll probably just get rid of it, since it's already nearly a dinosaur in "computer years".

I took the computer to the technical service and they said the LCD was about $999 directy from Apple. Then I searched on internet for other options. At firts I would suggest you to check if your problem is just the LCD (or the motherboard). And you can check on ebay or other websites for better prices.
 

Hank Unck

macrumors newbie
Apr 5, 2019
3
0
I took the computer to the technical service and they said the LCD was about $999 directy from Apple. Then I searched on internet for other options. At firts I would suggest you to check if your problem is just the LCD (or the motherboard). And you can check on ebay or other websites for better prices.
Thanks for the information. It's helpful.
 
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