Imac shattered looking video problem?

Hello, all, I am trying to help my friend with his unit, this is an imac A1207, was working fine then he said he "thinks" while moving it, it was knocked slightly against the wall becuase next time it was powered on, the video looks like shattered glass but the screen itself is not broken at all. It has OSX 10.6.3 and we can move the mouse all over the screen and open close any programs so no performance issues, only the shattered video look. Is this a hardware or software issue please? Oh how can I fix this?

Apparently I was misinformed about the usage of this unit. It's asking for the Admin Software password but my friend says he does not know it since he had bought it from a local auction, it was tested [powered on] before purchasing but it was during transportation that the unit was knocked and that's when this happened which he noticed when he got home.
I am trying to reinstall with the snow leopard disk he got with the unit but the same screen problem when it goes to the desktop so I can't clearly see the options to reinstall, since the screen is only visible in Safe Mode, is it possible to load the OS that way? I tried inserting the disk after going into safe mode but I don't know what do to get the cd to boot in Safe Mode, maybe it's becuase of the password prompt? Anything I can do please?

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IMac Still Has Video Problems after Upgrade

I did the firmware and software upgrade to my iMac, which was supposed to fix the video problem, however the problem continues. I am using OS 10.4.11. My computer never "froze" however the screen went haywire. I would have to do a soft restart (if I could find the restart dropdown window) or I would have to do a hard restart. Now I can do a screen refresh to do a soft restart.
Is Apple aware the these Intel iMacs are a POS? I use it for 3D design and I can't work more than 10 minutes before my screen starts going wacko. I've used Macs since 1985 and this is the first POS Mac i've owned. I don't want to have to get another computer, I can't afford it.
Any others out there with the same problem? Any solutions?
Thanks

I like AppleCare, as you get three years of that unlimited phone support. I know many consider it just another extended warranty, but note it can be legitimately purchased at a discount.
Amazon, retail computer stores, also a number of sellers abound online and on eBay, and a price mentioned by someone else on here two years ago that hasn't changed since then - check out L. A. Computer Company, online - you might be surprised!
(I have no affiliation with them.)

IMac Late 2012 video problem?

I received my new 27" iMac last week. I've upgraded about everything.
Today I started working for a project in AE CS6 and was surpised by horizontal lines in the preview during RAM playback.
It looks like there is some sort of refreshing problem with the screen. I created a similar animation in Premiere to see if it is a global problem, but no errors there (also when playing videos in quicktime full screen there are no problems). On the images you can see the effect.
When I leave my RAMrender playing, a 'glitch-line' seems to move up every 30 seconds.
Does anyone have similar problems / experience?
These are my systems specs:
Processor 3.4 GHz Intel Core i7
Memory 32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX 2048 MB
After Effects CS6
Thanks,
Jean-Paul de Win

Is this your issue? If so we're working on a fix.

Apple aware of video problem in the new Intel iMacs

Macworld Daily News
Thursday - February 09, 2006
Apple investigates Intel iMac Front Row problems
By Macworld staff
Apple has confirmed it is aware of, and investigating, reports of video problems in the new Intel iMacs.
Recent reports claimed that some users had experienced random horizontal lines and other video playback problems when playing video in Front Row.
"Apple is aware of this issue and is looking into it," the company said in an email to a web-based pressure group that has been gathering information on the problem. "If a customer has any technical issues, they should contact AppleCare."
The problem is allegedly software-based.

"Sure, I'd be more understanding had it been an issue that required a very special set of conditions to trigger"
Apparently it does as this issue is not affecting all users.
"As I was told, affected owners would not be proactively notified"
Where you you prefer them to use their limited resources, trying to figure out who MAY be affected and sending them some sort of detailed action plan, or spending the resources determining the cause of the issue and developing a solution that can be distributed to the ones who need it not only now, but those that may discover the issue next week?
I can understand that you are frustrated, and don't blame you for feeling that way, but this is an all new piece of technology and bugs are going to come up that were missed in testing. No company can afford to test at a 100% level. To do so would drive the costs so high as to make it impossible to sell the product, especially to the market the iMac is aimed at. Apple has a pretty darned good track record of resolving issues quickly when they appear. Until they do you only have a few choices. Use the workaround until the solution appears, waste time complaining about it, or sell the iMac and purchase a different product. That's really about all you can do!
It was good of you to spend your valuable time, and yes it is valuable, trying to help the engineers or service reps solve the issue. That they spent that much time with you should show their commitment to solving this issue.
Be patient, give them a chance, they have not had long to try and figure this out.

Mid 2011 21.5 inch iMac with lion video=freeze, will not restart for 30-60 minutes , today it took 14 hours before power button would restart it , is anyone else having a long restart after this problem?

mid 2011 21.5 inch iMac with lion video=freeze, will not restart for 30-60 minutes , today it took 14 hours before power button would restart it , is anyone else having a long restart after this problem?

Look in Activity Monitor (Applications - Utilities - Activity Monitor) and see if you have any runaway processes using a lot of %CPU.
I would also strongly recommend running Apple Hardware Test in Extended Mode. If it reports errors you can Google them or post them here.

24" iMac Video Problem on Window XP

I brought 2 units of 24” iMac last month and using boot camp to install windows xp. Both iMac are completed the installation of window xp and one of the iMac run normally but video problem found on second iMac. After running in window xp about 5 – 10 mins, the screen images distort suddenly. If computer restart again, the display will become normal for 5-10 mins and distort again. But the second computer runs normally in Mac OS. Please kindly help….

Are the driver installed, or installed properly?

Could Bad RAM Cause Video Problems in 1st Gen 24" iMac

I have been having video problems with my 1st Gen 24" iMac over the past 6 months, but recently the machine wouldn't turn on at all. I left it at my local Apple Store to be diagnosed and they said that it was just a bad stick of RAM (not a big deal, its cheap these days). But what I forgot to ask them was, could that bad RAM be causing the video problems I've been having or is it the video card also?
Thanks!

Are you still having video problems since the ram was replaced? If the problem went away then it was the cause, it not then something else is.

IMac 600 SE - strange power/video problems - need motherboard?

Hello all,
Got this "project" iMac, have no knowledge of its history. Here's what's going on:
When I first got it, it would take 3 or 4 tries for it to fully boot up, on the first try it would shut off after a second or two, the next try it would get a little further along before shutting down and finally on the 3rd or 4th try, it would boot up completely.
Initially, it had a dim display and a bunch of wavy horizontal lines, like a TV with bad reception using a "rabbit ears" antenna. The person I got it from said from what he had learned, he thought it was a power supply problem.
So I replaced the down converter/power supply with a spare one I had leftover from a previous motherboard replacement, which made no difference at all, same problems.
So I then checked the firmware, which was the latest version (4.1.9). Then I did a PRAM reset, which helped, followed by a PMU reset. I did the PRAM reset several times when problems cropped again, and have done the PMU reset twice, resetting the clock both times.
The shutdowns on boot up have disappeared, but it will occasionally shut down out of the blue after being on for awhile now. The horizontal lines have disappeared, but it now has a strange video problem:
The geometry of the screen is off-kilter by default, so when I go into System Properties to reset the geometry there, and I use the "Rotate" command to correct the overall incline in the display from right to left, the display gets dimmer, and sometimes the horizontal lines reappear, usually on the right side of the screen. When I click on "Factory Defaults", the display gradually brightens again, and if horizontal lines are present, they disappear. This phenomenon doesn't appear to occur when I adjust the display height and position, only with the "Rotate" command, rotating it counter-clockwise. I believe the iMac even shut down once when I was doing this.
I have also noticed an occasional higher-pitched "whine" on boot up, which usually results in an eventual shut down.
So, are these problems symptomatic of a bad motherboard or a bad video board/card? Since I have the latest firmware and have tried both PRAM and PMU resets, and the occasional random shut down still occurs, it makes me think it's a hardware problem.
I just need some feedback here before I purchase a replacement motherboard.
Also, can the video board/card be replaced separately?
Thanks for any ideas/suggestions/help!
iMac 600 SE Mac OS X (10.4.3) 600MHz, 384MB RAM, 40G HD
iMac 600 SE Mac OS X (10.4.3) 600MHz PowerPC, 384MB RAM, 40G HD

flaash...
In your situation I believe 2 components need checked first. PAV board and the CRT. Or essentially anything shared by the 2 items, such as the CRT yoke/gun board.
As far as the logic board goes, the video chip-set is part of it (soldered in) and not repairable. Those parts rarely "weaken" (normally just die) so I would be less likely to suspect them.
...Ron

IMac 24" Bootcamp scrambled video Problem in Windows Setup.

I just got a new iMac 24" today and was wondering if anyone else's iMacs are exhibiting display problems in boot camp (see picture links below and description) while in the windows setup screen or other LOW RESOLUTION screen modes.
http://disgruntleddesigner.com/imac.JPG
http://disgruntleddesigner.com/imac2.JPG
http://disgruntleddesigner.com/imac3.JPG
In low resolutions screen modes used by windows setup and the windows boot screen, the display is completely scrambled with moving pixel artifacts such as black vertical lines and misplaced color pixels all over the place.
The computer is a brand new 24" iMac 2.4 with all the latest OS updates. I called Apple's tech support and explained the situation and as soon as the tech rep heard the word bootcamp
he essentially turned his ears off. While I understand Apple doesn't support bootcamp I'm pretty sure this is a hardware/firmware issue and NOT a bootcamp thing.. but they suggest I write here instead of bothering them... so here's my plea for help.

Update.. I exchanged the computer for another at Best Buy and this one does NOT have this issue. I suspect it's a firmware or hardware thing after all.

Possible video problems in iTunes 8.1 [no grid or cover flow views]

I had posted this problem under iTunes, but mentors there suggested instead I connect it to a video problem
*"...my video drivers or other related problems I've had over the last two months with the iPhoto...*
*Ah, didn't know about that. Try re-posting it as a video problem in one of the other forums. It begins to look less like an iTunes problem."*
So, the problem is that I cannot get any other view in iTunes other than LIST. The grid view is completely non functional and is grayed out. The cover flow only shows as a black screen without any logo (such as the familiar music symbol). I never had this problem in iTunes until I upgraded to 8.1.
It is curious that when I select tunes from my **own playlists*, the grid view appears both in the "view choices" and its respective icon is NOT grayed out. That does not happen when I select genious playlist: then the icon is grayed out and there is a grayed out "View choice" in the pull down menu. The same problem exists in my own playlists whenever I select cover flow, however. It is always black without any images or logos displayed. It's an active choice in the pull down menu, and you can click on its icon...but nothing appears.
Message was edited by: Bronco 01
Message was edited by: Bronco 01

Carolyn Samit wrote:
HI Bronco,
Go here and make sure your Mac meets the minimum requirements for iTunes 8.1
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/ <--- left side of the page</div>
*Macintosh Hardware*
*Mac computer with an Intel, PowerPC G5, G4, or G3 processor*
*Screen resolution of 1024x768 or greater*
*Playing videos purchased on the iTunes Store requires a Mac computer with an Intel, PowerPC G5 or _1.0GHz PowerPC G4 or faster processor_*
*Playing HD-quality videos purchased on the iTunes Store requires a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or faster processor*
*512MB of RAM; 1GB is required to play HD-quality videos*
*Playing videos also requires at least 16MB of video RAM*
*A broadband Internet connection is required to use the iTunes Store*
*Macintosh Software*
*Mac OS X version 10.4.10 or later*
*QuickTime 7.5.5 or later*
*200MB of available disk space*
As best I can tell, my iMac meets all criteria. However, it is not clear to me that it meets the criteria for playing videos (processor speed). I can't tell what this processor speed is; where do I discover that? Under "About this Mac," it says I have *_512 MB SDRAM_*; is that the answer that denies this functionality?
*"The grid view is completely non functional and is grayed out. The cover flow only shows as a black screen without any logo (such as the familiar music symbol)."* Your video card may not support cover flow.
Carolyn
Perhaps, but this is not obvious to me. As I posted earlier, iTunes demonstrated cover flow capability in its prior version. Did it change once 8.1 and now 8.1.1 came out?
Message was edited by: Bronco 01

Video problem on 1.42 ghz--covered under repair extension?

I have a 1.42 ghz eMac that started showing scrambled video about six weeks ago. After a bit of research, I came across the eMac repair extension program. Apparently it covers only 1.0 and 1.25 ghz machines. But, my serial number falls in the range covered.
Also, I hadn't turned it on since the problem came up; last night I did, and there were no video problems. For about two hours, then it was right back to the scrambled video. Did the same thing happen for those of you with the 1.0 and 1.25 machines?
Any thoughts or info to share? Anyone else with the problem on a 1.42 ghz machine?

cosmic hobo,
I picked up that tip about taking photos of intermittent screen glitches back in the nVidia graphics eMacs days, when raster shift affected a number of eMacs (including mine). I'm afraid I no longer recall who gets credit for the original idea.
You raise a good question about why the leaking capacitor issue only seems to be a serious problem with first-generation G5 iMacs and with eMacs from the 2004 time frame. Certainly other Macs, with and without integrated displays, were being sold in large numbers throughout the period. It might be worth the time to try to look up what factories where building which Mac models at that time, figuring the bad capacitors may've ome through the vendor to a single factory. That's almost certainly considered properitary information, through.
(Off-topic: let me offer thanks to you and Don Morgan, among others, who helped get the eMac capacitor issue recognized. It certainly took more patience than I have to wade through all the rants and whines in that 675+ post monster to work out the parameters of what was affected.)
(I reserve the right to laugh my head off at the poster who demanded action against Apple for the crime of using capacitors in a computer in the first place; I trust that poster wasn't an EE major in college!)

IMac G5 Boot Up Problem

I have an iMac G5 running OS X Lepoard. When I boot up the computer it has lines going accross the screen ( my youtube video of it happening http://youtu.be/Hb-BiNcN7kA) and It will not boot up all the way but I can get it in safe mode. I tride reseting the PRAM and I did a HDD check in single user mode and still it won't work.

Unfortunately, it might be a hardware problem, such as graphics hardware, power supply, logic board...
Here are some things you can try, in case the cause is less serious.
Reset PRAM, if you have not already
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379
Also reset SMU (power management). This is the procedure for iMac G5.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1767
When you connect it back to power, I saw in the video that you were using a direct connection to a wall outlet, by itself. That's good, to rule out a faulty (or over-crowded) power strip. Be sure to disconnect ALL peripheral devices; start it up with only the power cord connected, then add just a standard keyboard and mouse. If that makes a difference (and it starts up properly), run it that way for a while to see if it continues.
Check the vents along the bottom (and elsewhere) for accumulation of dust, blocking airflow. That could cause overheating, which may result in video issues. If this is the older type of iMac G5 that is easy to open up, you can also check it internally for dust.
If the PRAM battery has never been changed, it could be weak or dead. That can cause odd startup issues, but usually not like the issues you have. The PRAM battery for an iMac G5 looks like this.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/CR2032/
The fact that it works better in Safe Mode makes me think it is related to the graphics hardware. In Safe Mode, the graphics hardware is not being used to full capacity, so it might work more reliably (if it's becoming faulty). For similar reasons, it could be the power supply, which may be less "stressed" in Safe Mode.

Mini DVI to VGA Adapter Video Problem

This year at Randolph-Macon College we replaced the Math lab Emac computers with IMac G5 Intel machines. The laboratory has an NEC model MT1050 projector with a manufacturer’s date of August 2002. We can not seem to get rid of ever present scan lines. We can slow them down and speed them up by adjusting resolution and refresh rates, but nothing will remove them. We are connecting the IMac to the projector via the Apple Mini-DVI to VGA Adapter. It is specifically designed for use with the iMac (Intel Core Duo), and the adapter connects to the Mini-DVI port of the computer and the VGA end of the adapter to an external VGA monitor or projector.
Troubleshooting the problem we have swapped IMac Intel computers with no luck, but we still have to use the Apple Mini-DVI to VGA Adapter. When we hook the projector to a Intel Mac Book Pro, we have to use a different adapter, but then it works perfectly. In fact, everything we try using other adapters works fine, it’s just when we use the Apple Mini-DVI to VGA Adapter that we experience the video problem.
Has anyone experienced this problem and if so, have you been able to remedy it?
iMac (Intel Core Duo) Mac OS X (10.4.8)

I don't have much to suggest, except to ask if you can try with a different mini-DVI to VGA adapter. (i.e. do you have more than one on hand to make sure yours isn't just defective?) Make sure it is firmly seated into the iMac.
I use the same adapter to provide an extended desktop on an old CRT monitor and the display is great.

Apple IMac 27 has a problem. Random black screen. Over 1 year without any fix

Apple IMac 27 has a problem.
Random black screen.
Over 1 year without any successful fix.
IMac 27 10.8.4 (12E55) - bought in 2010
3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB 1067 Mhz RAM
Graphics ATI Radeon HD 4670 256 MB
The IMac computer screen goes black randomly but the machine still running beyond.
In order to go back to normal i need to awake the computer by hitting with the pointer a hot corner previously created " sleep mode" ( top left ).
..the black screen would come back after one second again..and then again and then again and then again..with different intervals..sometime 2 seconds after the other, sometime as soon as appears the user login screen.
I took the machine to an Apple Store two times over one year, they opened, cleaned it but they didn't replace anything has they could not understand what they real problem was. I was happy for that because they didn't try to make me spend money on something which was not going to solve my issue for sure.
Last time i kindly asked them to inspect everything meticulously, part by part, i left the machine with them for over 2 months. They couldn't understand why this was happening..after couple of weeks, 5 more machines came in with the same problem.
On some of them., upon request of the client they changed the graphic card but apparently this was not the fix, the problem come back again. Apparently changing the graphic card or the screen or else it didn't solve any problem to anyone. I'm almost thinking to "trough it out of the window"..we all spend money for this machines and i think we need to know if Apple is looking in to this or not.
Lately i tried to do an SMS RESET and PRAM RESET, it feels it got better a little but problem still coming back.
Also, all usb devices are disconnected and the problem still there
Below you will see a copy of the console report. I honestly don't understand much of it as i'm not a computer guy.
27/07/2013 11:03:39.837 WindowServer[119]: Created shield window 0xb3 for display 0x04272d40
27/07/2013 11:03:39.837 WindowServer[119]: device_generate_desktop_screenshot: authw 0x7fad92c79dc0(2000), shield 0x7fad92c34370(2001)
27/07/2013 11:03:39.906 WindowServer[119]: device_generate_lock_screen_screenshot: authw 0x7fad92c79dc0(2000), shield 0x7fad92c34370(2001)
27/07/2013 11:03:41.701 WindowServer[119]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: releasing authw 0x7fad92c79dc0(2000), shield 0x7fad92c34370(2001), lock state 3
27/07/2013 11:03:41.702 WindowServer[119]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: err 0x0
27/07/2013 11:03:41.704 WindowServer[119]: Created shield window 0xb4 for display 0x003f003d
27/07/2013 11:03:41.704 WindowServer[119]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: releasing authw 0x7fad92c79dc0(2002), shield 0x7fad92c34370(2001), lock state 3
27/07/2013 11:03:41.704 WindowServer[119]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: err 0x0
27/07/2013 11:03:45.186 com.apple.launchd.peruser.502[163]: (com.akamai.client.plist[740]) Bug: 12E55: launchd + 95444 [7DCC9489-2DF5-3807-83FA-EF5666EE8078]: 0xd
27/07/2013 11:03:45.208 com.apple.launchd.peruser.502[163]: (com.akamai.client.plist) Throttling respawn: Will start in 10 seconds
27/07/2013 11:03:52.117 WindowServer[119]: CGXSetWindowBackgroundBlurRadius: Invalid window 0xffffffff
27/07/2013 11:03:52.118 loginwindow[43]: find_shared_window: WID -1
27/07/2013 11:03:52.118 loginwindow[43]: CGSGetWindowTags: Invalid window 0xffffffff
27/07/2013 11:03:52.118 loginwindow[43]: find_shared_window: WID -1
27/07/2013 11:03:52.118 loginwindow[43]: CGSSetWindowTags: Invalid window 0xffffffff
27/07/2013 11:03:53.763 WindowServer[119]: Created shield window 0xba for display 0x04272d40
27/07/2013 11:03:53.763 WindowServer[119]: device_generate_desktop_screenshot: authw 0x7fad92c87490(2000), shield 0x7fad92e6eef0(2001)
27/07/2013 11:03:53.838 WindowServer[119]: device_generate_lock_screen_screenshot: authw 0x7fad92c87490(2000), shield 0x7fad92e6eef0(2001)
27/07/2013 11:03:53.880 WindowServer[119]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: releasing authw 0x7fad92c87490(2000), shield 0x7fad92e6eef0(2001), lock state 3
27/07/2013 11:03:53.880 WindowServer[119]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: err 0x0
27/07/2013 11:03:53.883 WindowServer[119]: Created shield window 0xbb for display 0x003f003d
27/07/2013 11:03:53.883 WindowServer[119]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: releasing authw 0x7fad92c87490(2002), shield 0x7fad92e6eef0(2001), lock state 3
27/07/2013 11:03:53.883 WindowServer[119]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: err 0x0
27/07/2013 11:03:55.209 com.apple.launchd.peruser.502[163]: (com.akamai.client.plist[742]) Bug: 12E55: launchd + 95444 [7DCC9489-2DF5-3807-83FA-EF5666EE8078]: 0xd
27/07/2013 11:03:55.252 com.apple.launchd.peruser.502[163]: (com.akamai.client.plist) Throttling respawn: Will start in 10 seconds
27/07/2013 11:04:04.482 WindowServer[119]: CGXSetWindowBackgroundBlurRadius: Invalid window 0xffffffff
27/07/2013 11:04:04.482 loginwindow[43]: find_shared_window: WID -1
27/07/2013 11:04:04.483 loginwindow[43]: CGSGetWindowTags: Invalid window 0xffffffff
27/07/2013 11:04:04.483 loginwindow[43]: find_shared_window: WID -1
27/07/2013 11:04:04.483 loginwindow[43]: CGSSetWindowTags: Invalid window 0xffffffff
27/07/2013 11:04:04.704 WindowServer[119]: Created shield window 0xbf for display 0x04272d40
27/07/2013 11:04:04.726 WindowServer[119]: device_generate_desktop_screenshot: authw 0x7fad92ebdb20(2000), shield 0x7fad92e6eef0(2001)
27/07/2013 11:04:04.795 WindowServer[119]: device_generate_lock_screen_screenshot: authw 0x7fad92ebdb20(2000), shield 0x7fad92e6eef0(2001)
27/07/2013 11:04:05.245 WindowServer[119]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: releasing authw 0x7fad92ebdb20(2000), shield 0x7fad92e6eef0(2001), lock state 3
27/07/2013 11:04:05.246 WindowServer[119]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: err 0x0
27/07/2013 11:04:05.253 com.apple.launchd.peruser.502[163]: (com.akamai.client.plist[744]) Bug: 12E55: launchd + 95444 [7DCC9489-2DF5-3807-83FA-EF5666EE8078]: 0xd
27/07/2013 11:04:05.249 WindowServer[119]: Created shield window 0xc0 for display 0x003f003d
27/07/2013 11:04:05.249 WindowServer[119]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: releasing authw 0x7fad92ebdb20(2002), shield 0x7fad92e6eef0(2001), lock state 3
27/07/2013 11:04:05.249 WindowServer[119]: handle_will_sleep_auth_and_shield_windows: err 0x0
I'm now thinking to try to take the machine to its original firmware and see if it still does it, does anyone have any sugestion?
I use a lot photoshop and other image software, this computer is essential for my work. For more then one year this issue caused me problems.
Luckly i have a Macbook Pro too and i managed to do some of my work there. At last I was thinking to buy an external screen and attach it to the Macbook pro in order to work on my big images. But who wants to spend money again!!!???? This is not a fixture, this is silly. I wish to have my IMAc working again.
The warranty it's obviously over and this problem happened right after the warranty was over...
I write this post because i'm so tired of this issue and online nothing can be found apart from posts from so many people that have the same problem and no fixture has been found.
The only fixture seams to be to buy a new computer... Ole'!!!..new money flowing in in the cashier!! forget it!!! i would rather change company if apple doesn't respond to this.
For over 10 years i have been a Apple owner..
When this problem appears it's like someone it's playing a joke at you...
Comments welcome..
Thanks

Hi, I've seem to have found out the source of the problem.
The issue is related to heat, and an iMac 27" gets hot pretty fast.
If I boot the iMac straight after first start into Windows 7 I seem to get a lit built-in display at all times. I can also boot OS X first and then into Windows 7 and the built-in screen get lit every time as long as the iMac isn't hot.
Strange thing is that the monitor connected to the display port gets lit every time. So I can only assume that the heat only interfere with output to the built-in LED screen.
So this iMac is going to an Apple premium reseller for service, and I'll tell you guys how it went.

Why does a Safe Boot fix my video problem?

After visiting my local Genius Bar twice (and getting two different answers), I erased and reinstalled Snow Leopard 10.6 on my late-2006 "white plastic" iMac.
I reinstalled the version of SL that came with the iMac, then upgraded it twice to OS 10.6.8. Software Updater says all of my OS components are up-to-date.
My video-corruption problems ("ghosting", "tearing", pixelation of icon, then the kernel CRASHES within 20 minutes) appear when I boot normally. But they permanently disappear when I reboot into the Safe Mode!
I've search Apple.com and every other site I can find without a clear answer to this:
What extensions, StartUp items, software daemons or gremlins DO NOT load in Safe Mode? Shouldn't one of them be the cause of my problem? Or does Safe Boot work on a hardware-level, too?
This happens on ALL accounts, both Admin and regular users. No external devices are connected except the wired mouse and wired keyboard.
I've zapped the PRAM three times, and I've unplugged it for hours. Disk Utility shows everything is good, too. There's about 50 gigs left on the internal 750 GB hard drive.
The so-called "Geniuses" both ran their Triage OS off an external drive and my iMac hardware passed ALL of their tests. One said it just needed a reinstall (a free fix!!), and the other said my video card is bad ($800, and I have to use an outside repair shop).
Can someone give me an idea how to proceed? I've been working in Safe Mode for days, but that prevents me from using: Sound, my home network, fonts, Preview, editing in iPhoto, etc.
Thanks.
Specs:
Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac6,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.33 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 3 GB
Purchase Date: March 2007

Hi, Mike,
Thanks for the quick reply.
I read the linked post about QE, but I don't see how it could help me troubleshoot my problem. Could you clarify: is QE a piece of "software" (that is, a file -- like an extension)?
If QE IS a piece of software that is disabled in a Safe Boot, I should be able to move it to my Desktop and restart. If my video problem is eliminated, the QE software is the problem, right?
But then, if my problem is caused by a file/extension, why would the problem occur (and be eliminated in a Safe Boot) right after I re-installed the OS? Shouldn't all the System software be pristine right after re-installation? But since it's NOT fixed by the re-installation, it seems like a hardware problem -- like the expensive video card. That's what's confusing me.
So, I'm proceeding as if the problem is caused by a file being loaded into memory and I'm trying to disable the items that don't load in Safe Boot Mode one-at-a-time. I just need a specific list of what those items are (and their locations on my hard drive).
In OS/9, I used Conflict Catcher to do this automatically, but I haven't found an OSX app to do the same. So I'm trying to do it manually.
Please excuse my layman's terms. Any help is appreciated.

Imac shattered looking video problem?

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