Freezing iMac.

March 23, 2006 8:48 PM

"New" iMac G5 with a serious case of the freezies. Hardware test shows no problems with any hardware. Wiping and re-installing does no good. How on earth can I fix this?

Perhaps I can not fix this and need to send the fresh-out-of-the-box refurbished computer back to Apple for repair, but I would like to at least try. I have already tried reloading the p-ram, doing something that involved taking out the powercord and plugging it back in again, booting from disk, running the hardware test, wiping and reinstalling OSX... I was on the phone with Apple last night for an hour, but they're not sure what can be done given that hardware test shows no problems with the hardware. I was really excited about getting this computer after a very problematic PC laptop that just died, especially since I have a six year old clamshell iBook that never gave me a single problem... it appears that I'm having a string of bad luck because I just got it yesterday and already have to contemplate sending it back.

I'm about ready to give up and say "It's goblins!" and demand a replacement, but I'd really rather fix it if it's at all possible.

The freezies, as mentioned, are completely random. There is no way to tell what is going to make the computer freeze (it originally seemed to be graphics related, but now that appears to have just been coincidence) and when it does, it must be restarted manually - it is so totally frozen that I can't relaunch the Finder or force quit anything.

posted by grapefruitmoon to computers & internet (15 comments total)

Your motherboard is fucked. I had exactly this with a dual G4. Hardware tests showed nothing whatsoever. It was probably something dumb like a dry joint that opened up with thermal expansion.

A new computer should just fucking work. Escalate the problem with Apple until they give you a new one. Be a broken record and don't give up.
posted by unSane at 9:02 PM on March 23, 2006

How much RAM is installed and who installed it? It's possible that one of the cards is poorly seated or defective. I believe the G5 iMacs aren't too difficult to open up, and adding/removing RAM shouldn't void your warranty. If it's a problem with one of the contacts, I don't think it'd show up in the hardware test.

If that's not it, it's probably an intermittent problem of some kind on the logic board. Not the sort of thing you can handle on your own.

I am, however, hardly a technician.

If there's an Apple store nearby, you can leave it for diagnostic observation (which will probably be necessary given the intermittent nature of the problem). They'll open it up and check the RAM and other potentially loose or messed up bits. If they can't figure it out, they'll send it back to the mothership for a working over - a secondary refurbishment, as it were.

If there isn't an Apple store nearby invoke your 90 day warranty and insist that they repair the machine. They'll send you a turnaround box and cover the postage, etc. It's a pain, but better than suffering with a lemon.

It's unlikely that they'll send you a completely new machine, but as it's already been repaired once they might be willing. Be persistent, but polite. Good luck!
posted by aladfar at 9:10 PM on March 23, 2006

I'm sorry, if it's new they should be replacing it not repairing it. You have the right to expect a new machine to function perfectly. This is exactly the attitude I hit with apple and I yelled and screamed at them until they gave me a new one.

The hardware tests should have shown up crappy RAM.
posted by unSane at 9:14 PM on March 23, 2006

They SHOULD send me a completely new machine because I got this one YESTERDAY and while it was refurbished, they promised a 100% guarantee that it was as good as new. The only people who touched anything with this computer were the good people of Apple, and I'm not going to open it up as I didn't order any extra RAM or anything like that.

I'll settle for a turnaround box, but if this keeps happening, I'm not going to be at all happy.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 9:18 PM on March 23, 2006

Refurbished makes no difference. The warranty is the same, just shorter.

Refurbed ALSO means, returned by someone else, checked out by Apple, and resold. 10 to one they simply made sure it booted, ran the hardware tests, checked all the leads and manuals were in the box, and packaged it back up again.

I hope you put this on your credit card because if they try to be difficult you simply put it into dispute.
posted by unSane at 9:21 PM on March 23, 2006

(Note: There is not an Apple store near to me, so I would need to get the computer shipped for any repairs.)
posted by grapefruitmoon at 9:21 PM on March 23, 2006

The warranty for a refurbished computer is actually the same 1 year they offer on all computers. And yes, it was on a credit card.

I've never had problems with Apple before - I've had an iBook for six years and their customer service has always been excellent. The person I spoke to on the phone yesterday was helpful and sympathetic, so hopefully, when I call back tomorrow, things will go well.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 9:23 PM on March 23, 2006

I agree, my experience with them has also been good (typing this on a PowerBook, currently own a grand total of 5 macs and hurting for an intel desktop mac).

The operatives on the end of the phone just need a bit of persuading to escalate it. It does help to be clear about what you want.
posted by unSane at 9:31 PM on March 23, 2006

Bad RAM—no doubt about it. Unless you can take it to a nearby Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Center (where they'd take verbal abuse from you until they tried putting your RAM in a functional computer and, having discovered that the RAM is, in fact, bad, coughed up replacements), you'll have to send it back. Seems silly for Apple to insist that you send it back over something you can just pop in and out, though.
posted by Yeomans at 10:09 PM on March 23, 2006

Err... Yeomans? Do you use macs at all?

The Apple Hardware Test CD tests the RAM. You can even tell it to take extra-long when doing it. If the Hardware Test CD gave no errors, It's probably not his RAM.
posted by blasdelf at 1:51 AM on March 24, 2006

I had a similar problem years ago with a Duo; if the machine freezes while just running Finder and nothing else it's clearly hardware related.

Make your demonstration case as simple as possible (mine is illustrated above) and escalate escalate escalate. Keep careful notes and at every call refer back to your previous calls, who you spoke with, etc. Make sure they know you're documenting every second that their problem is costing you. Don't be afraid to turn up the volume.

Apple will do the right thing; you've just got to push a little.
posted by Mutant at 3:29 AM on March 24, 2006

To their credit, Apple's turn around time for warranty work is amazingly quick. Usually not more than a week, start to finish. But you have to push.
posted by clarkstonian at 5:33 AM on March 24, 2006

Yeomans, it may well NOT be bad RAM. I had *exactly* this problem with a Dual G4 and swapped out all the RAM only to find the problem continued. It was a faulty motherboard.
posted by unSane at 5:37 AM on March 24, 2006

Send it back, pain in the ass that that is. You got a lemon -- it happens. OS X doesn't just crash (it's never happened to me in the year and a half that I've had my iMac G5). There's a hardware problem somewhere, and it's not important that the hardware test software can't find it. It's there, nonetheless.

My iMac went in for a new logic board and power supply (bad caps) -- they had it for 4 days, including two weekend days, at the Apple store.

They are fast about repair, in my experience. Get it shipped out now, so you can have it back sooner ( I actually wouldn't be at all surprised if yours had bad caps, too. It was not at all an isolated problem).
posted by teece at 11:23 AM on March 24, 2006

I've arranged to take it in for repair on Monday and the store doing the repairs estimates a three-day turnaround. I didn't bother push Apple for a replacement at this point, but if it doesn't work properly when it comes back, that is exactly what I am going to do.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 3:55 PM on March 24, 2006