[andi*pandi]

Hey all,

My dad has dual Intel 2007 imac, and unfortunately ignored this problem until it got really bad. The screen has green horizontal lines, and the apple menu is invisible, and the icons are practically impossible to click. It used to go away, but it kept coming back, and now it won't leave.

Google tells me it's heat, and the video card is likely going/gone. He went to a local apple repair shop in Gainesville, Florida, they said $800 to fix and he may as well buy new. He is very frustrated with apple right now as he just bought ram for this computer so he could install 10.6 so he could use the new iPod he got for christmas. Expensive iPod eh, but that's another thread.

Is that about right price for replacing video card? Or is the Gainesville guy ripping him off, and he should drive 2 hours to Tampa Apple store?

I sent him a dvd with Fan Control on it, but it may be too late for that. Advice appreciated. I don't have remote access set up with him so I'm trying to help over the phone.

[ibook_steve]

I don't know about the pricing, but unless the repair was maybe under $400 or $500 max from the Apple store, I would just replace it. This is definitely a GPU issue and would require a main logic board swap. I'm assuming there's no Applecare here.

How long has the problem been going on? Can the RAM be returned?

4 years of service is not bad, though I would have had the video problem checked much sooner (if it has been happening for a while).

Steve

[P]

If heat is the problem it is often caused by dust clogging up the vents. Cleaning them isn't hard, but I think it's probably too late.

You don't mention the exact model, but this page for a 20" 2007 iMac lists the replacement GPU at $350-400. If it's the aluminium model, it's not that terrible to disassemble, so $400 for the labor seems a bit much.

If you know what the defect is, can't the Apple Store give you a quote by phone?

Personally, I'd just cut my losses and buy a new iMac. The low end model is excellent value after the latest update, IMO. The RAM can probably be returned or worst case sold.

[andi*pandi]

Well, against my advice he gave in and took it to Gainesville. Hopefully they do a good job. It had been happening for a long time I think.

The RAM is from crucial, so he could have returned it... but I suspect he was just too fed up to backtrack.