Why appeared vertical lines on my Imac monitor?

I bought an IMac sixteen months ago. The machine, wonderful! But since several months ago has been appearing several vertical lines all over the monitor. Those lines doesn't dissapear, on the contrary, they goes increasing in number (on september it started with 1 line today i have 5 lines!). For me as a Advertiser and designer, this is deadly because of i can't see my work perfectly because of these lines. Other three Imac i know of some friends has presented the same problem. ¿Is this an Imac general quality problem? ¿What can be done to solve this? ¿what has Apple to say about this? By the way, i guess that Apple site should have an email open support option, because despite these forums are useful to learn a lot about mac and many tips and tricks, i feel dissapointed because i couldn't find the right way to get a direct contact with Apple in order to obtain a satisfactory answer ot the manufacturer.

Sorry to hear your woes but joint the the ever increasing membership list.
Although Apple claim otherwise, its quite a wide spread problem and they don't want to know unless you have Applecare.
17" iMac and Macbook Pro's suffer the same problem and I have had experience with both. My 2006 iMac started to produce lines around 12 months ago and today (Dec 08) I have 70 of them.Usually another pops up every few days.
I love my iMac and am holding onto it until it becomes unbearable to use (not long now) because I only use it for surfing the net and mail as I have a Mac Pro for work stuff. But I have to admit its the ONLY computer I have EVER bought (PC or Mac) that's lasted just over 19 months before a major hardware failure started to develop. Considering the screen is the computer in the iMac its a terrible quality issue and I'll never buy one again.
I have read replacing the screen does not solve the issue long term as its a part within the iMac that causes the screen to fail. A new panel therefore could be an expensive fix and a new machine (with Applecare) may be a better solution.

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I have blue and green vertical lines on my iMac which is no longer covered by Applecare. Is it fixable?

I have blue and green vertical lines on my iMac which is no longer covered by Applecare. Is it fixable?

What model iMac? Could be a failing video card but maybe not. Is it that way on every screen, startup to shutdown, any time the screen is lit?
Do you have an AASP nearby? Time to have an estimate made. Fixing it will likely be very expensive.

Is there an extended warranty involving vertical lines on my iMac?

is there an extended warranty involving vertical lines on my iMac?

Hello Royce, when did you buy it? Did ypu purchase extended AppleCare for it?
So we know more about it...
At the Apple Icon at top left>About this Mac, then click on More Info, then click on Hardware> and report this upto but not including the Serial#...
Hardware Overview:
Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac7,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 6 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: IM71.007A.B03
SMC Version (system): 1.21f4
At the Apple Icon at top left>About this Mac.
Then click on More Info>Hardware>Graphics/Displays and report like this...
NVIDIA GeForce 7800GT:
Chipset Model:    GeForce 7800GT
Type:    Display
Bus:    PCI
Slot:    SLOT-1
VRAM (Total):    256 MB
Vendor:    nVIDIA (0x10de)
Device ID:    0x0092
Revision ID:    0x00a1
ROM Revision:    2152.2
Displays:
VGA Display:
Resolution:    1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz
Depth:    32-bit Color
Core Image:    Supported
Main Display:    Yes
Mirror:    Off
Online:    Yes
Quartz Extreme:    Supported
Display:
Status:    No display connected

Anyone know what causes thin vertical lines on my iMac screen?

Anyone know what causes thin vertical lines to appear on my iMac screen?

Hello,
Have you blown the dust out lately?
Get Temperature Monitor to see if it's heat related...
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/12381/temperature-monitor
Take a screen shot & view that in Preview, move the Preview window around, if you see double lines it's a Video card/VRAM problem, if the lines do not move moving the pic around then it's the LCD or cable.

Thin vertical lines on my iMac 27"(late 2009)

Hi,
I know there have been many issues with the iMac screens, actually I hold my purchase for months back in 2010 because of the first issues found on the 27" monitors. I bought mine that year with a 3 year Apple Care protection plan, which expired about 6 months ago(summer 2013). After that I started to notice some thin(1pixel) vertical lines but they weren't visible most of the time, until recently that they became very obvious and present all the time(see attachment). They can be easily seen on a dark grey background, which is very annoying when you do graphic/web design.
I contacted Apple Care and they say I should bring the iMac to a near Apple Store and they will tell me how much I will have to pay to get it fixed.
I just wanted to know if there is anyone out there with the same issue that had to pay to get it fixed, just to know more or less how much can that cost. I don't live close to an Apple Store and I don't have a car, which makes it hard for me to carry such a big box and If fixing this issue is too expensive(> 500 euros), I will not repair it and live with a crappy screen.
It's an iMac 27"(late 2009), 2.8GHz Intel Core i7. With ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB.
Thanks!

Hi,
I have exactly the same issue with an iMac mid 2010 and its the monitor itself.
I was at an Apple Service Station today and they quickly checked the iMac. Its an electronic defect and the only way is to exchange the monitor pannel. The cost would be around 550,- €.

Sleep causes vertical lines on G4 iMac (Flat Panel)

Hi.
I've installed Leopard on my Flat Panel iMac and everything seems fine - except that I cannot use the sleep function.
As soon as I enter sleep mode (timed or manual), the screen is filled with vertical lines before sleeping.
When I wake it up, even more lines appear, filling the screen completely. Though, keyboard commands etc. still work fine. Only the screen output is affected. The only solution I found is a hard reset and disabling sleep mode...
Does anyone have the same problem - and even better - found a solution?
Thanks,
Phillip

I've had exactly the same issue with a 17" Flat Panel iMac, 800Mhz. I would be interested if anyone comes up with a solution.

Getting vertical lines on 27" iMac

As the title states, I'm getting vertical lines on my 27" iMac. Warrenty is long gone. These have started showing up maybe 6 months ago. They appear, from what i can notice, usually once the iMac start going to work. As you can see in the image, I was on Premiere when I took the screen shot. Futhermore, as you can see, I did not circle all of them, you'll see they are prominent across the screen. They arent discolored, the screen does not go black, they go away eventually when the computer stops doing excessive work. Anyone have any insight on this? They are simply annoying to look at and if its an early sign of something failing, I'd like to know.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Would they still possibly be dead pixels if they are going back to normal after the computer calms down? In my little experience with dead pixels, they usually dont display any color or 'life' where as these are still emitting the 'proper' tones/hues of the information on the display. Also I forgot to note: they seems to move up consistently like the "marching ants" of a photoshop outline.
Lastly, I'd like to try any kind of troubleshooting before hitting the apple store if possible. I've lugged this thing there to replace a logic board and power supply before. I don't want to take it there and explain that it only happens sometimes, they check on it for the course of a few days only to find 'nothing', then I lug it back home to no avail. If I can run any kind of test at home first and get results that I can inform them, plus a print out of the image, if I end up having to go to the store.
Thanks for the quick response mende1

One pixel vertical line on new iMac 24" display - defective?

I have a one pixel vertical line that is fairly constant on my new (one week old) 24" iMac -- it sits there between the Edit and View mens mocking me, and runs the length (well, height) of the screen.
I've tried changing resolutions and resetting the SMC and neither seemed to do anything. My guess is it's defective, so I'm probably looking at a trip to our nearby Apple Store... the only thing is, I don't want to be without my computer for an extended period of time, since I use it for work and everything.
Is this the sort of thing that the Apple Store could order the new part and do the swap in house? If they replace the whole unit, could I put the existing HD in it? (of course the defect shows up right after I migrate and do all my upgrades, installs and patches)

I recently just had the LCD on my 24" imac replaced due to a stuck pixel. Without even bringing my imac into the apple store i told one of the genius bar associates about my problem and they ordered the LCD without even seeing my computer. They then called me when it came in and i took it down there for it to be replaced. I took it on a monday morning and i went and picked it up on tuesday. It is an in house repair so as long as they are not super busy you should not have to be without it for to long. I would try what i did, go in their without your imac first and tell them your issue and see if they will order the part. That way your not leaving your imac there while they order the part in.

Greenish Vertical Lines in Intel imac 21.5" 2008

I have an intel Imac 21.5" 2008 that has some kind of cloudy greenish vertical lines in pairs all over the screen. Here is a photo http://imageshack.us/f/845/img0041wy.jpg/ Any ideas whats causing this?
I had the same problem about a year ago and apple care covered all expenses. Now that i dont have apple care I was hoping this was a quick fix or at least get an idea how much its gonna cost.
Any help would be awesome guys

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
I see the bars. Although it looks like a display issue, first reset the SMC > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3964 Do the same with the PRAM > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379
If they don't work, the display is damaged. For hardware problems, there isn't a software solution, so the only thing you can do is to take it to an Apple Store or reseller.
I have never had any problem with my Late 2009 21'5-inch iMac, but in 2012, my GPU failed, I suspect because of high temperatures

Any resolution from Apple regarding vertical lines on 17" iMac?

A few months ago my iMac 17" developed a vertical line on the right hand side of the screen. This has now gone up to 5. I have read articles on the web that suggest Apple are aware that this is a hardware issue. Has anyone had this resolved?

I have a iMac with the same problem.
Until last year, Apple was offering to repair free of charge to many people who had this problem with there iMacs.
But that repair program is over.
I read that some users found out that the computers would work fine with an external screen.
I have ordered an mini DVI to HDMI adapter to see if it works with my HDTV as a external screen.
I should be getting it today or tomorrow.
If you have a screen available at home, it is wort trying since like you said, the computers are otherwise in perfect working order.
You can get an adaptor for cheap on eBay or the Apple store (more expensive!) you can also find them in computer stores.
I will post back when I have done the test with my computer.

There are coloured vertical lines on my iMac screen?

So, I was browsing Safari using my iMac the other day (as I always do), when my computer froze and I had to force shut down. Upon starting back up, I noticed that 1. there were coloured diagonal lines on my iMac screen, and 2. that my mac would not boot up unless I booted it using safe mode. I haven't had an issue with this iMac until now, so I am kind of concerned...
I know that this is not an issue with damage to the iMac screen because, well, when I took a screenshot using shift + command + 4, the coloured lines were still there!
So, I'm just wondering if anyone knows what the cause of this issue could be? I'm wondering if it is linked to Safari (because when I open a new tab, Safari slows down massively and my top sites selection keeps appearing and disappearing rapidly. Does anyone know what is causing this issue and how I could solve it. I hope its nothign expensive like replacing the motherboard...

Yes, it does require some disassembly. Namely, removing the glass, screen and the GPU component. Total war could probably develop temperatures too high.
I don't know how familiar you are with reflowing. This is only a crash introduction, to get an idea what reflowing might include (i.e. not a detailed procedure)...
Reflowing theory to give you some background. Here and here in more detail.
To get familiar with iMac (only steps 1 through 9 apply). After that, GPU component can be taken out, and from that point on, the work is done on the GPU component.
GPU component is then disassembled in 3 key parts. The heatsink, the reinforcement, and the video card itself.
The video card and the heat sink are then cleaned carefully using alcohol from any residue of thermal compound. Any paper stickers must be peeled off, too.
Reflowing. Videos to get an idea how it is done. Here and here.
New thermal compound is applied.
Assembly.
It is a risky approach, especially if you are not comfortable with disassembling your iMac. In that case I would suggest you do not do that at all. Still, even then, I hoped it could give some clue to the issue and you might get someone to do it for you.
Cheers

What can I do about the vertical lines on my iMac screen?

For the past few days there have been 2 lines, one a solid, definite white, the other faded toward the bottom. It's been almost 5 years since I bouight it, so out of warantee, but isn't there some solution, other than (ouch) buying a new one?

Had the same problem but with red vertical line to right of screen. Called support and was told this was either a problem with screen itself or video that is displaying lines on screen. Support was very patient and talked me through shutting down mac then holding down certain keys ( I forgot which ones) as I turn the power back on. Try calling support. Hope this helps.

TS2094 I have solid vertical lines on my IMac G5 how do I resolve this problem?

I have solid vertical lines on my I Mac G5, how do I resolve this problem? I cannot seems to resolve this problem on the Apple support page.

At the best, one condensor is dead. At the worst, graphics card. You must go to a technician for a thorough check.

IMac (late 2006) vertical line, flicker, funky

After almost exactly three years of multiple-hours-a-day of good service, my late 2006 iMac 17" (2 Ghz/4 GB, 10.5.8) has started exhibiting a crazy, crazy display issue.
There is a straight line, about one-inch thick, extending vertically down the left side. It flickers, but never goes away and is discolored/washed-out but still allows visibility. Photos attached.
It's there right on boot-up, on multiple accounts and booting from install disk. It's obviously a hardware failure, correct?
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Noah

That happened to me and eventually the whole screen 'collapsed'. I used an external monitor for a while, which cluttered up my desk; eventually the iMac died completely and I've had to scrap it. I believe the term used is 'Shanghaied' because that is where these screens originated. My 'puter was younger than yours and unfortunately I didn't have insurance - also I live in a remote area so there was no recourse to repairs. Oh well, I've stuck with Mac although I was really disappointed.
If you search google 'vertical lines on screen iMac' you'll be surprised how many people have been affected.

Vertical lines are all over my imac. I is 4 years old. How can the lines be removed.?

Why are vertical lines of different colors on my imac screen? How can they be removed. Imac is 4 years old.

I received this message from support. I tried to do this, but it did not work. I hope it works for you. Good luck.
Sounds like the Graphics card is going south. Run the Hardware Test in Extended.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1509
Open Console in Utilities and navigate to system.log. Enter "graphics" in the search/filter field.

Why appeared vertical lines on my Imac monitor?

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