Video chips

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Diagnostics say the video chip in my iMac is going out. This is bad. Hope I can make it work for another two weeks but I'm probably going to be using the laptop iBook more for a bit.

Hugs,
Erin

Comments

Video chips

Are they anything like fission chips?

Jessica
I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way.

You must have lived downstream from Seleffield ...

Or whatever was the name of that British reactor that went a bit wonky.

Fission chips, the tasty, greasy meal that glows in the dark.

Makes me wory about places that offer Fussion cuisine.

John in Wauwatosa

P.S. Any news on the French condemed housing search, or so your agents seemed to think you wanted?

John in Wauwatosa

That doesn't sound good.

The way you said it, I'll have to guess that replacing said video chip is not as easy as replacing a video card in a Windows PC? For all the Faults of PC's at least they are easier to work on.
hugs!
grover

iMac

Piper's picture

Not having ever had to actually open an iMac or eMac this is pure conjecture, but since they are 'all in one' units (the motherboard, hdd, cd, etc are built INTO the CRT or LCD [depending on model year / vintage] housing), it's probably quite like working on a laptop only even more cramped!

That said, the older mac Blue and White mac towers or even the beige desktops are brilliant to work on. Everything folds out nicely on hinged platforms with cables long enough to make everything easy access but channeled in recessed cavities for bwttwer airflow!

Having spent most my juvenile and adult life working on PC's (my first computer was an 8088) I feel I can honestly say that ease of repair was a HUGE part of the design process.... The only real issue being the limited parts vendor pool...

Sorry for the semi rant, but I'm and Apple Fangirl!

-Piper
Pipers Blatant GabyZone Plug


I actually LIKE image SIGs!


"She was like a butterfly, full of color and vibrancy when she chose to open her wings, yet hardly visible when she closed them."
— Geraldine Brooks


I bought the extended warranty

erin's picture

So if it goes Johnny-out-the-door on me, I'll just take it into the shop. Opening the case on one of these takes a specialized tool, I think. This morning it seems fine.

Hugs,
Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

Sometimes It Can Be a Heat Build Up Due to Accumulated Dust

Most regular PC's and laptops use fans to cool them. Over time the fans pull lots of dust and loose fibers into the PC which can build up and cause operational issues. My daughter was having graphics issues with her PC. I opened the box (which turned out to be very dusty inside - think hair and gosh knows what). Picking stuff out and some careful vacuuming solved her problems. If your PC is 2 years or so old and you can get it open, cleaning the dust out might help with your issue if it reoccurs.

Even if you can't get it

Even if you can't get it open using a can of compressed air in all of the openings can also blow alot of the dust and junk out too, although it is much better if you can get it apart.

Melanie

iMac Chimney

erin's picture

The iMac uses a chimney effect to move air through, I'm not sure it has a fan. I can't hear one running. Since the works are vertical, there's a large opening with screens at the bottom and a narrower one on the back near the top. You can actually feel air moving when your hand is near one of the openings so maybe there is a fan.

- Erin

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.

You're right, dust is a big problem

Friday I went to see a friend at the garage we use, whose PC had gone phut.

I opened it and the dust inside was incredible. I pulled out what I could, and shook another bunch out, but didn't have the stuff to give it a proper clean. The dust bunnies when put together, came out the size of a tennis ball.

I called him in and it transpired that the company dipstick (who's actually a lorry driver and fixes their computers in his spare time--badly) had installed a new CD drive and hadn't even taken the time to give it a clean.

The upshot is, I didn't get the work, but they are getting a brand new PC now!

Beware of dust, it's the cause of many a breakdown

NB

Jessica
I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way.