I have an issue with the display graphics.
Some issues I experience:
Freezing
Windows that should be white have pale cyan bars
Poor video quality
Banding in images
System:
imac 1.9 GHz G5
512 MB Ram
ATI Radeon x600 Pro
OS X v. 10.4.10
Color settings are set to 'millions' and universal access features are set to off for 'seeing'.
Is there a way to reinstall the graphics driver? Do you think its hardware related?
thanks
I have a similar problem and wrote this morning to the Apple vendor (in UK). This is what I said and his reply follows. I hope it helps you (I will not be able to reply to posts though, as computer is probably going back for fixing):
My letter.
The Apple imac I purchased from you freezes frequently despite installing the latest updates from Apple and also despite following remedial action as recommended by AppleCare telephone support. I have read extensive reports on Apple's website forum that this model may have a graphics card fault. Ironically I purchased a new Mac because I wanted reliability and am dependent on it for work - I am a graphic designer. But this computer is unsuitable for professional use because of the interuptions the crashes cause. Please can you help?
This is the history:
1) Initially when new, imac was freezing after wake up. Freezing when using Safari
2) freezes got worse with each software update
3) Absolutely unusable after update on 2 November. Crashing every second.
4) Ran Apple hardware test, no problems found
5) Remedy: unplug power cord for 15 seconds. Unplug all external devices. Plug in , power on. Zap the pram, boot up install Cd, disk repair, none needed. Result: blank screen, artefacts, freezing for no apparent reason. Would only reboot in safe mode.
6) 7 November. Phoned applecare. reported everything to date. Remedy: deleted login items. deleted library caches, deleted startup items. Result: graphics software crashing. reinstalled graphics software. No better.
7) So I tried: Archive artwork. Reinstalled OSX from supplied CD. One graphics software much better - a dream. The other much worse. Computer freezing for no reason. itunes ok.
8) Since then: freezing on wake up, sometimes a blank screen on restart, no icons on desktop. Blue border round desktop. Itunes frozen. Loud siren noise on restart. Freeze on wakeup every time, can only restart in safe reboot. Just click on desktop window and it freezes. This is before even launching graphics programs.
I have read that Apple are not taking responsibility for whatever the problem is and thousands of people have this problem. Also Applecare and Apple resellers are not solving problems? I need this computer for my living and am at the end of my rag. I can not work. Tight deadlines, clients unhappy. Help would be gratefully received!
Their reply.
The machine is under warranty so there should be no reason for Apple to ignore it. I can bring it back here for diagnosis and repair, no problem. One last step may be to zero the HDD (in Disk Utility security options) to completely eliminate any software problems. Sometimes even a normal erase and install does not work if the problems are that severe. If the display is artifacting it normally always points to a graphics hardware problem.
If the zero does not solve the problem I will be happy to bring the machine back and get it fixed
