(Firstly, I should point out I posted this on the Apple Discussions section of the Apple support site. If you read that as well then applogies for the duplication!)
Anyway, perhaps someone can help me. A little over a month ago I started to get kernel panics. (Or at least that is what I assume they are. The Darwin text comes through the screen and the Mac completely locks up requiring a hard reboot.) Initially, I thought this just happening randomly. However, I did suspect that it might be happening when I was doing something CPU intensive (e.g. playing video files, or compressing data to fit onto a DVD).
I tried calling Apple but was turned away as I was just slightly outside of my 90 days software support period. Instead I was sent a couple of trouble shooting Docs and pointed to the website. (They did suggest getting Apple Care but it pains me to pay for this when the machine is so new).
Anyway, I tried a few things suggested in various Docs and that I saw mentioned in other non official Apple websites. (e.g. I verified the file permissions and corrected the few that where wrong and I reset the Open Firmware).
I stopped seeing the kernel panics after this and hoped what I had done had fixed the problem. However, one to one and a half weeks ago I started encountering a new problem. After I had been running the machine for some time (+4 hours) or if I did something CPU intensive the machine would unexpectedly go into sleep mode (the screen goes dark and the disk spins down). This seemed weird since I had the Mac set to 'Never' sleep (under system preferences/energy saver). What is more annoying is that once this happens the machine will go back to sleep approximately every 30 seconds. It takes a mouse click to bring it back awake again, then 30 seconds later it will go back to sleep of its own accord (again requiring another mouse click). The only way I have found to get it out of this cycle is to restart the machine (which is obviously annoying as I'm always in the middle of something).
Today (after this finally got to much for me) I booted the apple hardware test CD and decided to run the complete (extended? Not sure of the right word but you know what I mean) test. Within 9 seconds I got a message stating "Logic error detected", along with an error code:
2STH/1/2:CPUT-Diode
(Think I copied that down correctly)
With this in hand I 'naively' expected that I could simply call Apple Support, quote the error code and they would have someone come and pick it up send it back fixed (or replaced) within a minimal number of days, since it is still under warranty. (Don't laugh, I had hoped it would be this simple!).
Anyway I rang Apple UK's Support line (at a cost of 8 UK pence per minute) and remained on hold for 13 minutes before I was unexpectedly cut off. I rang back again and held for another 11 minutes before someone answered. He informed me I should use the 'iMac G5 assistant'. Of course I told him that I had tried this first but being outside of the 90 days free software support it would not allow me to chat with someone (which is why I was spending a couple pounds [UK money] calling through to him). He then told me to call a local Apple Authorised Reseller and pointed me to the page on apple.com where I could find one near me.
I called the nearest one. The guy said I should bring the Mac in to them. The would look over it after a few days (seemed to have a backlog), if it needed a new part they would order it (he warned this could take a few days). They would fix it and I could then come and pick it up. This also seemed to be the case at the next closest one (but with then I would have to wait a couple of weeks before they could look at it!).
I guess my real questions are:
- Could I order the part (under warenty) and replace it myself?
- Has the guy from Apple Support given me the correct information? Do I have to go to one of these Authorised Resellers? (I don't live far from the London Apple store and by coincidence will go be going past it today.)
- Does it really take so long (like all Mac users I don't think I can live without it for what is almost certain to be well over a week)?
- Do I really have to deliver and pick up the Mac myself? (This will require me taking days off work if I have to do this during normal UK working hours).
Any thoughts and suggestions would be gratefully received.
(In case you want to know. It is an iMac 1.8 Ghz G5 (17 inch Flat Panel), running Mac OS X (10.3.9). The only deviation from the standard setup is that it has 512MB of RAM, bluetooth keyboard & mouse and an airport extreme card).
On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 4:23:48 -0700, Ruari Callow wrote (in message Pine.NEB.4.62.0504250717300.10649@redacted.invalid):
(Firstly, I should point out I posted this on the Apple Discussions section of the Apple support site. If you read that as well then applogies for the duplication!)
Anyway, perhaps someone can help me. A little over a month ago I started to get kernel panics. (Or at least that is what I assume they are. The Darwin text comes through the screen and the Mac completely locks up requiring a hard reboot.) Initially, I thought this just happening randomly. However, I did suspect that it might be happening when I was doing something CPU intensive (e.g. playing video files, or compressing data to fit onto a DVD).
I tried calling Apple but was turned away as I was just slightly outside of my 90 days software support period. Instead I was sent a couple of trouble shooting Docs and pointed to the website. (They did suggest getting Apple Care but it pains me to pay for this when the machine is so new).
Anyway, I tried a few things suggested in various Docs and that I saw mentioned in other non official Apple websites. (e.g. I verified the file permissions and corrected the few that where wrong and I reset the Open Firmware).
I stopped seeing the kernel panics after this and hoped what I had done had fixed the problem. However, one to one and a half weeks ago I started encountering a new problem. After I had been running the machine for some time (+4 hours) or if I did something CPU intensive the machine would unexpectedly go into sleep mode (the screen goes dark and the disk spins down). This seemed weird since I had the Mac set to 'Never' sleep (under system preferences/energy saver). What is more annoying is that once this happens the machine will go back to sleep approximately every 30 seconds. It takes a mouse click to bring it back awake again, then 30 seconds later it will go back to sleep of its own accord (again requiring another mouse click). The only way I have found to get it out of this cycle is to restart the machine (which is obviously annoying as I'm always in the middle of something).
Today (after this finally got to much for me) I booted the apple hardware test CD and decided to run the complete (extended? Not sure of the right word but you know what I mean) test. Within 9 seconds I got a message stating "Logic error detected", along with an error code:
2STH/1/2:CPUT-Diode
(Think I copied that down correctly)
With this in hand I 'naively' expected that I could simply call Apple Support, quote the error code and they would have someone come and pick it up send it back fixed (or replaced) within a minimal number of days, since it is still under warranty. (Don't laugh, I had hoped it would be this simple!).
Anyway I rang Apple UK's Support line (at a cost of 8 UK pence per minute) and remained on hold for 13 minutes before I was unexpectedly cut off. I rang back again and held for another 11 minutes before someone answered. He informed me I should use the 'iMac G5 assistant'. Of course I told him that I had tried this first but being outside of the 90 days free software support it would not allow me to chat with someone (which is why I was spending a couple pounds [UK money] calling through to him). He then told me to call a local Apple Authorised Reseller and pointed me to the page on apple.com where I could find one near me.
I called the nearest one. The guy said I should bring the Mac in to them. The would look over it after a few days (seemed to have a backlog), if it needed a new part they would order it (he warned this could take a few days). They would fix it and I could then come and pick it up. This also seemed to be the case at the next closest one (but with then I would have to wait a couple of weeks before they could look at it!).
I guess my real questions are:
- Could I order the part (under warenty) and replace it myself?
I doubt it. Even if you were able to tell exactly what the problem part is, I don't think that Apple would send/sell you the part, since you are not an authorized Apple Reseller/service center.
- Has the guy from Apple Support given me the correct information? Do I have to go to one of these Authorised Resellers? (I don't live far from the London Apple store and by coincidence will go be going past it today.)
I don't know of any reason that you can't go to the London Apple Store. I did just this with a defective iBook that I purchased through the Apple Store online. The person I dealt with was reasonably helpful in giving me my options, and arranging an exchange for a working unit. I am pretty sure that you will have to send your machine in, or have an Apple approved technician fix it.
- Does it really take so long (like all Mac users I don't think I can live without it for what is almost certain to be well over a week)?
A couple of weeks to a month seems about standard, depending on a variety of factors.
- Do I really have to deliver and pick up the Mac myself? (This will require me taking days off work if I have to do this during normal UK working hours).
Apple arranged for me (via email) to print FedEx shipping labels which I attached to the original packaging and dropped at my nearest FedEx/Kinkos. Contact Apple and ask for your options.
Any thoughts and suggestions would be gratefully received.
I sucks to be with your beloved Mac, I know, but the process is little different than with any other manufacturer. They are all going to want the item repaired by themselves, or by an approved repair shop. I would do the same in their place. How long the process takes depends on how close you are to a repair facility, exactly what may be wrong, and how long it takes to get a replacement part.
Stephen C.
(In case you want to know. It is an iMac 1.8 Ghz G5 (17 inch Flat Panel), running Mac OS X (10.3.9). The only deviation from the standard setup is that it has 512MB of RAM, bluetooth keyboard & mouse and an airport extreme card).