iMac Graphics Problems

This is on a early 2009 24" iMac. Problems started a few days ago.

Horizontal lines across the screen - three of them approximately 1/3 of the way from the top, in the center, and 1/3 up from the bottom. It also gets progressively darker and more pixelated from the top to the bottom.

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

Hackintosh for the last three years. First a q6600 and now an i7 with ATI 5870/2 gb vRAM. I have a 24" HP H-IPS matte CCFL display.

Refurbed iMac 27" i7 with ATI Radeon HD 4850 512 MB

But I'm getting interested in this Hackintosh idea.

if this happened in the past, you shouldve been suspicious when your gpu or cpu hits 120 degrees. any normally functioning modern computer shouldnt be pass the ~90 degrees even under heavy load. if it does, then theres probably something wrong with the cooling systems, processors, etc. @$900. id consider a replacement machine instead of repair.

Does an iMac have a display out? That should tell you if it is the LCD or the video card.

If it's the LCD you can find replacements on ebay usually.

Apple Store hooked it up to an external monitor and the screen was clear, so they diagnosed it as a bad LCD panel. It's in for repair now.

I never paid attention to operating temperatures before I started having graphics problems, so I don't know if that's normal for my machine or not.

There's no way I could have bought a new comparable PC for under $1000 or another comparable Mac for under $1500. The LCD panel replacement was $500 - ridiculous for a computer just under 3 years old, but it was the least expensive option.

I've had 2 Packard Bell computers, 2 HP computers, 1 Gateway computer, and 1 Mac over the last 18 years. I guess I've been fortunate that this is the first hardware problem I've ever had.

i72600K hack with Geekbench score of 14,563.

I use a custom PC and could replace any of the parts relatively easily at low cost....at least compared to $900.

imjason wrote in post #14311462
if this happened in the past, you shouldve been suspicious when your gpu or cpu hits 120 degrees. any normally functioning modern computer shouldnt be pass the ~90 degrees even under heavy load. if it does, then theres probably something wrong with the cooling systems, processors, etc. @$900. id consider a replacement machine instead of repair.

Unless you're speaking celsius mine hits 120+ regularly.