OK, I did an archive & install on my iMac...

[NewJeffCT]

as recommended in this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

I had been complaining that my iMac was way slower than it had been when I first got it. I had emptied the cache, etc, fixed the "permissions" and whatnot as recommended by folks on here. Then, I started getting some weird virus-like pixalated lines going across my screen whenever I opened up an application.

So, as recommended in the thread above, I booted the make up with the install disk and then reinstalled OS X.

The results:

My iMac is now even slower and Safari doesn't seem to be working at all - Firefox seems fine at least. I'm also still getting the pixalated lines across the screen, though.

So, basically booting up from the install disk and doing the archive & install did nothing positive.

I think I'm going to have to bring it in to a Mac repair shop.

Any other ideas?

[MrCoffee]

1. trade it in for a PC with Windows

:hide:

[NewJeffCT]

3. It's been a frustrating experience

I hadn't used a mac in over a decade, and it's a big learning curve no matter what they say. I'm still pissed that they don't include a mouse that you can right click with the computer ("oh, you can buy one...") And, it's been partially broken for a while now. I've never had that happen with a Windows mouse, and I'm at a computer all day at work.

Even in the beginning when it was new and when it booted up quicker than my then 4 1/2 year old Dell, the old Dell was faster on the internet than my brand new iMac. And my then 4 1/2 year old Dell was (at best) a middle of the road Dell when we got it.

[sellitman]

4. You can right click a Apple Mouse.

Go to systems .....then mouse & keyboard.....then mouse.....then use the right drop down menu and make it a secondary key.


Bingo!

[NewJeffCT]

5. umm, my mouse has no buttons

there is nothing to right click.

[Mr. Blonde]

9. There are sensors underneath

the shell that can tell what side you are clicking on.

[sellitman]

27. You press down on the right top or left side. NT

[QueenOfCalifornia]

10. Is it all

of the system that is running slow?

Is it the internet?

[NewJeffCT]

13. it could be separate problems

the internet being slow and the computer being slower when it boots up... the internet has been slow since the beginning.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

20. What kind of connection do you have?

Cable, DSL, dial-up? Do you use AirPort with a router? Is your iMac plugged directly into the wall?

Do you have an intel core 2 duo or is it a G3, G4 or G5 chip?

What os do you have? For example I am running 10.4.10

[NewJeffCT]

21. We have DSL through SBC/AT&T

No router - the DSL line is plugged directly into the DSL modem, which is plugged right into the phone line.

It's the G5 chip - we bought it a few months before the Intel chips came out. I would have waited to buy the intel chipped iMac, but at the time they said it would be at least a year.

I'd have to check which version operating system, but I'm sure I've done the various upgrades over the past two years to keep it current.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

25. Open

Applications,
Utilities
Disc Utility
On the left will be an icon of your hard drive, where your OSX is located.
Highlight it (DO NOT HIGHLIGHT a drive that does not contain your OSX!)
a window will open with: Verify Disc Permissions and Repair Disc Permissions.
Click Repair.

Follow the instructions.

PM me if this does not work and we will try the next thing.

Peace.

(This can be fixed)

[NewJeffCT]

26. I did that a while back

no improvement/change.

[huskerlaw]

2. Take it to an Apple Store, if possible

The genius bar people are FABULOUS. Just make an appointment via the website, and they'll help you out.

[NewJeffCT]

6. I think that is my only option

It's gone from fairly slow to painfully slow...

[colinmom71]

7. What model iMac do you have?

And of course my Mac tech hubby is out of town right now... I'm strongly suspecting a hardware issue though considering the pixelated lines on your screen and the install disk not improving the situation. If so, you'll definitely need to take it to a Mac repair shop.

I had an almost 2 year old iMac (a white 17" bought about two months before the switch to the dual core chips) die back in June - bad logic board. The cost to repair it was only a few hundred less than buying a MacBook to replace it, so that's what we did. I now also have one of the new aluminum iMacs and it's wonderful! So far, so good with both the Macs to date...

[NewJeffCT]

8. I think maybe we got a similar one

we bought it around thanksgiving 2005, and the intel chips came out in Jan or Feb of 2006, I believe. I was upset, because it was originally announced it would take at least a year to get the intel chips integrated into macs, but it only took a few months.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. The Intel chips are wonderful!

I got a MacBook with a dual processor in August, and it's noticeably faster than my 2004-model iBook. It's almost as if it had "instant on."

The reason I got it was that a client wanted me to use a piece of proprietary software that runs only on Windows XP or higher. It runs just fine when I boot in Windows.

I explained my requirements to the salesman at the locally owned Mac store, and the next day, I picked up a dual-boot MacBook with a partitioned hard disk and both OS 10.4 and Windows XP installed.

Tomorrow night, I'm going to drop in on said Mac store for the release of the new OS. It got a great write-up in the NY Times today and the preview looks fantastic, especially the automatic backup and the way the icons will show the first page of the document. I can't afford to buy it right now, but I'll enjoy meeting the other attendees, playing with the gadgets on display, and maybe winning a door prize.

BTW, I agree with the rave reviews given to the Genius Bar at the proprietary Apple Stores. I needed some help on Monday due to a software problem, and I didn't realize that I needed an appointment to see a techie. No problem. I made an appointment on the spot, and there was just enough time to have lunch before my turn came up. There was no charge, the techie could see what I was talking about and show me how to fix the problem. It was a lot more pleasant than being on hold with the phone against my ear, trying to describe the problem to a disembodied voice.

[NewJeffCT]

17. when I bought my iMac two years ago

It was almost like "instant on" as well. However, last night, it took nearly 10 minutes. And, this was after the archive and re-install.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

18. Oops, I hate to say it but that sounds like a hardware problem

:-(

[NewJeffCT]

19. alrighty then

it looks like my next computer will be a Lenovo or a Gateway.

but, hopefully my iMac won't be too expensive to fix.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

22. It appears...

after reading the thread closely you probably have a G5 processor in a 2005 iMac -
To help, I need to know.

[colinmom71]

12. Yeah, I'd say to go ahead and take it to a Mac repair place...

As soon as you can. I'm pretty sure we bought our old iMac either late October or early November of 2005, so yes we likely have the same iMac model.

My husband had to place a corporate order for his company right around the time we were trying to find out what to replace the iMac with. So he spoke with the Apple corporate liaison to see if there were any internally known issues with that model iMac and luckily he said there wasn't. Likely my iMac's issue was a fluke but you never know. We've owned numerous Macs over the last 12 years or so, and that iMac was the only one we've ever had any problems with.

Hope your problem isn't too hideous (read as not too expensive to repair!)... Good luck!

[pinniped]

14. Leopard is coming out today.

.

[REP]

15. Can't find the original thread

so I don't know what version of of OS X you're running. I'm assuming from this thread it's a PPC and not and intel? Might pen Activity Monitor to see if there's any unknown apps hogging processor time ... other than reinstalling, without knowing much of what's going on, AM's my only suggestion.

[NewJeffCT]

16. sorry about that, here is the link

to the original thread...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=233x5060

[eeyore]

23. Get that thing into an Apple store...

I know it's a pain to do, but the best thing would be for you to get it into the store. Go to the Apple site, then find the sub-site for your local store. You can make an appointment ahead of time so you don't have to wait.

I think you have a hardware issue, possibly the logic board. I had a similar problem with an eMac I bought about 5 years ago. Last year it started performing really poorly, got the strange pixellated screen look, and I eventually had no choice but to take it in.

I found out when I got there that they were fixing any logic board problems free of charge. I checked in the machine, and waited about a week, then got a call from them that the logic board I needed had been backordered, and would not be available for about 3 months. They gave me two options at this point: wait for the board to become available, and they would give me a free RAM upgrade upon return, or scrap the machine and get a $1000 credit at the store. Like any sane person, I took the credit, and replaced my 3 year old eMac with a new Pentium iMac.

The moral of this story is that Apple is very good about working with customers on known issues. There very well may be a program in place to fix your machine for free, regardless of whether or not you have Apple Care for that computer.

Good luck!

[DS1]

24. my parents have one of those power laptops

it's a huge piece of shit. everything in it is shit, everything that runs on it runs slow, all the components suck. fucking ripoff, through and through

[GCP]

28. That piece of shit has never let us down, once

Unlike all the PCs and windows crap that failed in the past.