Getting blank white screen on new iMac...have to unplug it to revive...

LABachlr

LABachlr

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For some reason, a friend of mine is having issues with her new iMac (one generation back). Here is what she emailed me about the situation:

Here’s what happens in greater detail. I quit or force quit all open applications. I press the ON/OFF button until the screen goes black. I wait several minutes and press the same button ON. I get the Apple cord sound and a blank white screen. The Apple icon does not come on; nothing happens. That’s when I close it down again and disconnect it from the back and reconnect it (a few seconds). Then I press the O/F button and the Apple cord sound AND the Apple icon come back, the system revs back up. All all is well – except for the ball coming back....

She is also having issues with the beach ball. I've had her update her system software repair file permissions, reinstall Firefox (which was giving her a never ending spinning beach ball), but she keeps having issues.

Any ideas?
 
Tell her to back up what she can while she can. I'm pretty sure the HD is failing. Sounds like the drive is getting hot and freaking out. You can verify this by putting your hand on the back vent that runs across the back. That vent is essentially where the drive is.
 
Ok. Thanks. How do I test the hard drive? Should I use the hardware test on the install DVD or will that just find things that have already failed, not those that are in the process of failing?
 
You can use the AHT to scan the HD. Possibly loop it a few times over. It may or may not fail on the HD. I suspect if its heat related looping the test it will eventually fail the drive.
 
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