Video Ram
- Thread starter andaman
- Start date
ElDiabloConCaca
U.S.D.A. Prime
Video RAM is not user-serviceable (you'd likely have to replace the entire motherboard), since it's built-in to the computer, and not a PCI/AGP card like in tower computers.
Best bet is to get in touch with Apple, or contact an authorized repair facility.
Best bet is to get in touch with Apple, or contact an authorized repair facility.
I had taken the computer to an Apple Certified Repair Center some months back with the EXACT same symptoms (crashing and a cursor which had a shadow hatch-box around it) - they found nothing wrong with the hardware, claimed it was a software problem, and sent me on my way. I found out today that they also "reset the logic board" - and all this happened the day before the computer came out of AppleCare coverage. Now I've explained to them that since I've got the exact same symptoms, including the bizarre cursor with the shadow hatch-box, that the board was probably compromised back then and resetting it instead of replacing it allowed it to work another few months. So now it's completely fried - they want $425 to install a new one - and I should feel free to take my case to Apple to see if they'll be willing to cover it under my expired AppleCare contract given the special circumstances (which I consider a bad diagnosis). Naturally I can't find a single phone number or email address to contact an AppleCare customer service person. Frustrating... Any suggestions on how to contact AppleCare and any thoughts on whether that would be a waste of time? Many thanks...
DeltaMac
Tech
Call AppleCare at 1-800-MY-APPLE, and state your case. A logic board reset is quite common, and is sometimes a good fix for freezes, boot problems, and a few other types of strange hardware-like symptoms. It's also a way to claim a small warranty reimbursement if no real problem is found, and the unit passes other hardware tests. If the service center also charged you a troubleshooting fee, then you might be OK in trying to reclaim that.
Sorry to say, some hardware problems are not going to be found easily at a service center, as they can be heat-related, or can only be seen when other hardware that you have at your site are connected, and the service center may not be able to test with everything that you may have connected.
As Diablo stated, if your system is now failing a video test, then the only likely fix is to replace the logic board. Apple might offer a repair exception if a reasonably short time has elapsed since the first checkout, say less than 30-45 days.
Sorry to say, some hardware problems are not going to be found easily at a service center, as they can be heat-related, or can only be seen when other hardware that you have at your site are connected, and the service center may not be able to test with everything that you may have connected.
As Diablo stated, if your system is now failing a video test, then the only likely fix is to replace the logic board. Apple might offer a repair exception if a reasonably short time has elapsed since the first checkout, say less than 30-45 days.