Skewed image on screen
Sallie
inches long and maybe an inch or 2 wide - of whatever image I'm
looking at - stretches & skews at an angle like this /
If I click anywhere on the screen, it snaps back. It happens on and
off line. If this was a Windows puter, I'd say I need a new monitor.
But Apple IS the monitor - its 'guts' are in there. Anyone else
encountered something like this? Any comments or suggestions?
Paul Richards
On Aug 26, 2009, at 12:47 PM, Sallie wrote:
> If this was a Windows puter, I'd say I need a new monitor.
> But Apple IS the monitor - its 'guts' are in there. Anyone else
> encountered something like this? Any comments or suggestions?
You don't mention the specific computer model, nor even whether it is
a CRT type or flat screen TFT type (like a laptop's screen or the
newer TVs.) My guess is it is a CRT like and older iMac or an eMac.
eMacs had some known video hardware issues. Another possibility is a
magnetic field near the computer interfering with the CRT's image, but
I think that is less likely in this case. Unless you can rule out that
idea, I think it would need to go in for repair or replacement.
Paul Richards
Ambassador
Syracuse Macintosh Users Group
Syracuse, NY, USA
http://www.iSMUG.com
Sallie
- Version 10.5.8 (Leopard)
Paul Richards
On Aug 26, 2009, at 3:59 PM, Sallie wrote:
> Paul - it's flat screen - not cathode ray. It's a 3 yr. old iMac
Okay, that changes things some. I don't know of a hardware issue with
them, but there are plenty of things I miss hearing. It still might be
a hardware issue, but you might check these first. Look in your System
Preferences>>Desktop & Screensaver and make sure you don't have some
weird screensaver enabled that you forgot or didn't know about. I
would expect that to be impacted by mouse MOVEMENT rather than mouse
clicking, but who knows. Take a look at System
Preferences>>Accounts>>yourusername>>Login Items and see if there is
any item listed there that might be a factor. Does it happen if you
try creating and using a different user account? Are you running any
kind of third party screen enhancement software that could be a
factor, such as a cursor enhancer, screen capture, video desktop, etc.
derekcurrie.deluxe
On Aug 26, 2009, at 08/26, 4:24 PM, Paul Richards wrote:
> Does it happen if you
> try creating and using a different user account? Are you running any
> kind of third party screen enhancement software that could be a
> factor, such as a cursor enhancer, screen capture, video desktop, etc.
--A few other things to try--
Installed software:
One catch all to try is booting into 'Safe Mode' on your iMac and
seeing if the problem is gone. You can do this by holding down the
SHIFT key throughout your boot up. Then log into your account and
immediately hit the SHIFT key again to stop anything from loading up
into your user account. Is the problem then gone? If so, you most
likely have installed something somewhere on your Mac that is the cause.
PRAM:
Macs still hold data relevant to your monitor inside the PRAM data.
(It has another name in newer Macs, but it's not relevant). Boot your
Mac and immediately hold down these keys:
Option-Command-P-R
The Mac will boot for a bit then 'BONG' again, performing a restart.
Let it go through this cycle one more time. On the second restart,
let go of these keys and let the machine boot up. Is the problem
gone? If yes, kewl! If no, you may need to take the machine to an
Apple repair shop.
Note: Apple these days do not recommend zapping the PRAM for every
little ailment. They believe it should be a rare event. But in this
case the monitor settings are relevant. Also note that years back
Apple used to tell us to go through three 'BONG' restarts. Not any
more. They now recommend only one 'BONG' restart. I add in one more
just to be sure the PRAM is properly wiped clean. Consider it my quirk.
Hard Drive:
Also worth noting is that hard drives go bad. They all eventually
die. For all you know, a critical bit required to properly control
your monitor has died when a hard drive sector has gone bad. It is
sometimes shocking to find that simply reinstalling Mac OS X can cure
your ills. But also note that it is useful to:
1) Make a regular backup of all your critical files.
2) Make a low level format of your hard drive before you reinstall
Mac OS X. I have friends who recommend low level formats 7 times!
Instead I occasionally run a program that verifies all sectors on my
hard drives. If they are bad, the programs will try to recover data
from the sector then will replace it with a good reserved sector on
the drive. (Examples: SpeedTools and DriveGenius).
But again, count on your hard drive eventually dropping dead. That's
what backups are for.
Hope that helps,
:-Derek
===================
Derek Currie
derek...@mac.com
===================
http://Mac-Security.blogspot.com
http://MacSmarticles.blogspot.com
http://zunipus.blogspot.com
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/dwaynecameronfanclub
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ymorare
Paul Richards
Don't assume. Take it in to be looked at by the pros. Whatever parts
are involved can almost certainly be replaced. The question will be
whether it is cost-effective to do so. Nobody can answer that until
the cost of the repair can be determined.
Paul Coe
Yes it is possible to replace just the screen on a flat screen iMac
for a fraction of the cost of a new machine. I do not know the exact
costs bit heard its a couple of hundred. If you have an extended
warrenty, it may be covered.
~Paul Coe
2009 SMUG VP
Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 27, 2009, at 2:33 PM, Sallie Bailey <snba...@twcny.rr.com>
wrote:
>
> Cheers - Sallie
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Martijn van Ackooij
On 27 aug, 20:48, Paul Coe <mac...@mac.com> wrote:
> Hi Sally,
>
> Yes it is possible to replace just the screen on a flat screen iMac
> for a fraction of the cost of a new machine. I do not know the exact
> costs bit heard its a couple of hundred. If you have an extended
> warrenty, it may be covered.
>
> ~Paul Coe
> 2009 SMUG VP
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>