Need iMac Help

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

My iMac will not open. When I turn it on, I see a grey screen with horizontal lines. There is also a bar that is moving from left to right but stops when it gets about 25% of the way to the end at which point it goes back to the beginning and starts all over again.
It was doing this before I went up north for 6 days. When I returned, it booted up and I was able to use it for a day or two and then it went back to this non operational mode.
I have an appointment at the Apple store on Thursday, but I hate driving and hour and a half if it's something I can get fixed around here.
Any advice would be appreciated.

[memason]

My iMac will not open. When I turn it on, I see a grey screen with horizontal lines. There is also a bar that is moving from left to right but stops when it gets about 25% of the way to the end at which point it goes back to the beginning and starts all over again.
It was doing this before I went up north for 6 days. When I returned, it booted up and I was able to use it for a day or two and then it went back to this non operational mode.
I have an appointment at the Apple store on Thursday, but I hate driving and hour and a half if it's something I can get fixed around here.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Unfortunately, I think you're gonna be stuck going to the Apple Store to get this looked into and/or repaired.

My Son has a very similar problem with an iMac and it's yet to be corrected. In his case, the screen would just stop working altogether; i.e. go black. Sometimes, it would come back, but eventually it went away, never to return.

He's had it to a couple different repair places and they've not been able to correct this issue. He also lives about an hour and a half from an Apple Store and with 3 kids and a job, it's not easy to get there.

Once you find out something, I'd appreciate a PM, so I can pass the solution [at least for yours] along to my Son.

Good Luck!

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Unfortunately, I think you're gonna be stuck going to the Apple Store to get this looked into and/or repaired.

My Son has a very similar problem with an iMac and it's yet to be corrected. In his case, the screen would just stop working altogether; i.e. go black. Sometimes, it would come back, but eventually it went away, never to return.

He's had it to a couple different repair places and they've not been able to correct this issue. He also lives about an hour and a half from an Apple Store and with 3 kids and a job, it's not easy to get there.

Once you find out something, I'd appreciate a PM, so I can pass the solution [at least for yours] along to my Son.

Good Luck!

It sounds like the hour and a half drive to Altamonte Springs is going to be necessary. I have an appointment there for Thursday at 10:00am. At least it gives me an excuse to stop at my favorite sushi buffet again.

I'll let you know what I find out.

[Northerner52]

Try zapping the PRAM. Reboot and hold down the P, R and Apple key and let it chime 7 times and then take your fingers off the keys

[fred53]

Eh? If it's more than 4 years old buy another....Mine's an 09...when it goes...it goes...nope,not rich...just dislike dragging a desk anchor around...

[Midvale]

My iMac will not open. When I turn it on, I see a grey screen with horizontal lines. There is also a bar that is moving from left to right but stops when it gets about 25% of the way to the end at which point it goes back to the beginning and starts all over again.
It was doing this before I went up north for 6 days. When I returned, it booted up and I was able to use it for a day or two and then it went back to this non operational mode.
I have an appointment at the Apple store on Thursday, but I hate driving and hour and a half if it's something I can get fixed around here.
Any advice would be appreciated.
I believe the Apple Store still has a $300 flat rate option where they will repair anything wrong with a Mac. I had a motherboard replaced about a year ago in my MacBook Pro.

[ConnecticutYankee]

Have you tried the Apple Users group of the villages? They have a drop in where you can get help with your computer. Here's the link:
Home | TVAUG (http://www.tvaug.org)

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I finally got it down to the Apple store. It turns out the video card is shot. It also turns out that Apple made about 10,000 27" iMac in mid 2011 with bad video cards. The cards crap out after about three years.
The good news is that Apple is going to replace the card and clean up the computer for no charge.
If your computer was made in mid 2011, you can take it to an Apple store and they will replace the video card for you.
They don't have the parts in stock so it's going to take a few days.
If you bring your computer in to them, you don't need to bring the keyboard or mouse. They use their own.
Well worth the drive down and back and it will give me another opportunity to go to my favorite sushi buffet,

[memason]

I finally got it down to the Apple store. It turns out the video card is shot. It also turns out that Apple made about 10,000 27" iMac in mid 2011 with bad video cards. The cards crap out after about three years.
The good news is that Apple is going to replace the card and clean up the computer for no charge.
If your computer was made in mid 2011, you can take it to an Apple store and they will replace the video card for you.
They don't have the parts in stock so it's going to take a few days.
If you bring your computer in to them, you don't need to bring the keyboard or mouse. They use their own.
Well worth the drive down and back and it will give me another opportunity to go to my favorite sushi buffet,

Thanks for the update, Dr. My Son's was also built in 2011, so he might have a chance....

Later....

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Eh? If it's more than 4 years old buy another....Mine's an 09...when it goes...it goes...nope,not rich...just dislike dragging a desk anchor around...

What kind of computer do you have? A Mac will last forever if it's taken care of. I don't plan to spend $2500 every four years to replace my iMac.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Eh? If it's more than 4 years old buy another....Mine's an 09...when it goes...it goes...nope,not rich...just dislike dragging a desk anchor around...

What kind of computer do you have? macs will last forever if they're taken care of. I don't plan to spend $2500 every four years to replace my iMac.