What is this?! Russian Futurists invaded my GUI?

[yojitani]

I have no idea what to call this. It looks as though Wyndam Lewis grabbed hold of GUI and went mad, but that's not exactly technical. Basically, this just started to appear when I was scrolling through email. When I tried to take a screeenshot, everything went back to normal. It happened a few other times doing various other activities (like bringing up my dock). What is here in the picture is actually iCal. What is it? Why does it happen? Is this a reason to be concerned about my hardware?

Thanks

Yes, sorry, this is on an iMac 24" 2.4 C2D with 4 GB RAM running Leopard 10.3

 

[motulist]

What hardware do you have?

 

[zmttoxics]

I am thinkin bad video card / drivers. Techtool that / try a reinstall.

 

[yojitani]

I am thinkin bad video card / drivers. Techtool that / try a reinstall.

I just ran techtool, and the hardware tests came back ok. Anything else I can try before resorting to a reinstall. I really don't want to do a reinstall!

 

[zmttoxics]

Well, you can try removing iCal and reinstalling it. Or you can remove it, do an archive and install (so you dont loose your personal bits) and put it back on then.

Not sure, to me it really looks like a video issue so its odd that it passed the tests.

 

[yojitani]

Well, you can try removing iCal and reinstalling it. Or you can remove it, do an archive and install (so you dont loose your personal bits) and put it back on then.

Not sure, to me it really looks like a video issue so its odd that it passed the tests.

The issue isn't with a particular program. It just so happened that it occurred again when I opened ical. It happened with the dock, mail, itunes, firefox, finder (at different times).

 

[zmttoxics]

The issue isn't with a particular program. It just so happened that it occurred again when I opened ical. It happened with the dock, mail, itunes, firefox, finder (at different times).

Ya, thats what I thought. That really only meens it can be hardware/ driver related. I would think its time to phone apple.

 

[Gasu E.]

Personally, I think your Mac has skyrocketed in value as an objet d'art. I think you should donate it to a Museuem, take a tax write-off, and buy a new system out of the savings.

 

[Moof1904]

Video tape it, if you can

I had a freaky video artifact problem with my G5 one time and because it was intermittent, I couldn't get it to appear when at the Apple genius bar, so I video taped it the next time it happened at home. Apple replaced my video card because I was able t show it happening on a video.

I understand that you have a still image, but for some reason (probably because it's tougher to fake video than still), video seemed more compelling.

 

[hwojtek]

IMO that's an overheating issue.

 

[yojitani]

I had a freaky video artifact problem with my G5 one time and because it was intermittent, I couldn't get it to appear when at the Apple genius bar, so I video taped it the next time it happened at home. Apple replaced my video card because I was able t show it happening on a video.

I understand that you have a still image, but for some reason (probably because it's tougher to fake video than still), video seemed more compelling.

ok. Not a lot ot video really, but I can. I'm running the apple hardware test right now.. see what comes of that. I don't know why it would be overheating. I had mail and firefox open when it first started. and hadn't been doing much since last night.

@ Gasu. Nice idea!

 

[rworne]

Mine did this a month or two ago. Scared the crap out of me as well.

The problem spans across all applications and survives log out/log in. Only a reboot will fix it. Usually popping a window to the foreground looks OK, but scrolling or moving the window with a mouse will cause odd-shaped geometric patterns to appear just like the OP's post.

Unlike the OP, I managed to get screen grabs of mine. Now, this has only happened to me once - I really hope it does not occur again.

 

[kabunaru]

It's a video card issue...

 

[yojitani]

It's a video card issue...

Well, I've run the apple hardware test and no problems reported. Supposing it is a video card issue, should I be concerned? It actually hasn't happened since this morning (though I've been on my laptop more than the imac) and I've had very few problems up till last night running anything that requires a robust video card.

 

[chaosbunny]

Well, I've run the apple hardware test and no problems reported. Supposing it is a video card issue, should I be concerned? It actually hasn't happened since this morning (though I've been on my laptop more than the imac) and I've had very few problems up till last night running anything that requires a robust video card.

Well apple hardware test might often be not entirely accurate. Just because it says no problem doesn't mean there is none. I have been told that by a guy repairing macs at my local apple retail store of choice.

And like others said I too suspect a video card issue.

But maybe you could try creating a new user and see if the problem reappears?

Have you bought your system online or at an apple store? If it was a store you could send them a mail with your photos attached and ask what to do.