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Model A1225 / Mid 2007 and Early 2008 / 2.4, 2.8, or 3.06 GHz Core 2 Duo processor

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Computer only works when there is an external monitor connected

My IMax Intel 24" A1225 Freezes up (except mouse it will mover but nothing else) after log in. When it first happened over a month ago I had the finder window open trying to get to Disk Utility. If I restart the same thing happens over and over, including the sames program opening and about 10 minutes after the computer locks up the screen goes white, sometimes black.

Took it to tech support, they said it was the video card. Next day said they installed video card but that was not the problem and that I needed a new monitor. I said the monitor displayed fine crystal clear color. He said it was the inverter board attached to the monitor. I said replace the inverter board he said they can't because it sells as one piece. Got the computer back, purchased and installed an inverter board, problem not fixed.

Removed Mac monitor and with Mac monitor out I plugged in an external monitor and the computer works great. Went to disk utility and fixed HD files, did a long extended hardware check and all was good. Shut off computer and installed Mac monitor and turned on...everything works great. Did hardware test again and all is good. Did dist utility again and all is good.

Here is where it gets weird. If I disconnect the external monitor the computer locks up about 10 minutes later and the screen goes white. If I reboot with the external monitor installed all in good in MAC world. If I reboot with just the Mac monitor installed I opens the exact same programs that were open when it crashed over a month ago and then freezes and ten minutes later screen goes white.

Don't want to have the external monitor plugged in to work. Any suggestions or test that will determine what is really causing the problem would be greatly appreciated.

Also my computer just started turning on, from OFF not in sleep mode, all by itself at 7:00 AM. That is a first and I did not set it to do that. Has done it twice in a row so far. Woooo spooky and it is not Friday yet!!! Wonder what will happen tomorrow....

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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Reply to machead3: Thanks for taking the time to reply. I posted the original question and your above instructions state, "post the contents AS AN UPDATE to your Original Question." Wanting to follow directions I looked for 10 minutes trying to find something to click that said UPDATE and I can't find it. I see Permalink, history, add comment, accept answer but no update. Up at the top along with my original question I see History • Edit • Delete • Add Comment But no UPDATE. So am I stupid or did you not give me good directions?

Assuming this is where I reply the link for the mac os x crash doesn’t work.

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REPLY TO Mayer, thanks you also for taking the time to get me some direction. First I downloaded a few temp Monitors but none of them tell me the temp of the monitor. The programs are neat but useless if I don't know what the operation temps should be. I read many posts of people asking the same questions and they are never answered. If you have that information that would be helpful. Since the monitor does have a temp sensor attached to the top of the monitor I would think that I should be able to display that temp reading, is that a correct assumption? As far as actually seeing that temp reading is another problem since the computer locks up after sign in and would not allow me to open the program.

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So if it is the temp sensor causing the computer to first freeze and then after 10 minutes fade to white why doesn't it do the same thing when I have an external monitor installed at the same time the Mac monitor is also on and working? Isn't the Mac monitor still getting hot during use causing the same problem that it does without the external monitor installed. Do you understand my question and logic? If using the Mac monitor alone causes a problem then why does that problem go away when I use an external monitor at the same time? Is the temp sensor on the Mac monitor affected by the external monitor? Does the temp sensor control many functions like fan control etc or does it just send the monitor temp to the logic board where the information is processed and from there the fans are regulated and the monitor shut down as a temp override function? The temp sensor part is not expensive but I just replaced the monitor inverter board and that did not solve the problem.

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Obviously I am frustrated with the problem that has been going on for 2 months. I took the computer to an Apply tech and cost me $$ and was told it was the inverter board. To date I have spent $150 and nothing has changed. In my industry, which is not computers, we systematically work through the problem to isolate the issue and pinpoint the problem. In the two months I have been trying to get answers I don’t see that link of applied logic. I understand that your help is free but I would think if all this knowledge is somehow linked together somewhere someone else has had the same issue and that the cause of this problem determined. I get the feeling that Apple does not want the issue know to the public in an attempt to force the issue back to they tech people where they can control the flow of information. Please don’t take my frustration personally it is not directed toward you or the others that try to help. It is my observation that this method of getting answers is terribly flawed.

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Chosen Solution

First the "automagic start" is being launched from System Preferences->Energy Saver: Schedule... OR some third party auto start application, disable it.

Second look at your http://osxdaily.com/2007/02/27/decipheri... to see what is/kicked off the crash. Do this from a booting, working configuration.

If you have problems with that people here may be able to help you - but please post the contents AS AN UPDATE to your Original Question, not as an Answer.

If this Answer is helpful please remember to return and mark it Accepted.

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Reply to machead3: Thanks for taking the time to reply. I posted the origional question and your above instructions state, "post the contents AS AN UPDATE to your Origional Question." Wanting to follow directions I looked for 10 minutes trying to find something to click that said UPDATE and I can't find it. I see Permalink, history, add comment, accept answer but no update. Up at the top along with my origional question I see History • Edit • Delete • Add Comment But no UPDATE. So am I stupid or did you not give me good directions?

Assuming this is where I reply the link for the mac os x crash doesnt work.

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Edit your original Question; in formatting help the first button will markup a post. No matter how your industry works when you sling insults at your volunteer help, then deflect your behavior by claiming "frustration", it doesn't entice one to come back for more abuse.

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machead3 you have got to be kidding me, I read my post 3 times to find what I wrote that was offensive and I could not find it. Stating the helplessness I feel was not intended or directed toward you, unless you feel guilty about the quality of your first reply. Maybe you should look at your advice and ask yourself an honest question, was the advice I gave well throughout and valid or just a quick response. I would rather have no replies then 100 that are not valid and just get me chasing my tail and accomplishing nothing. I can get that kind of help calling a help desk in India. I took the time to write a detailed and accurate explanation so that I would not waste your time asking me 20 questions to get to the core issue. If my problem is above your level of expertise or ability to articulate then refrain from trivial advice. When you do provide advice take the time to be clear and do not assume that those you advise already know what you know. Provide directions that are geared more toward a novices. An incomplete or misleading answer is not helpful even if your intent is pure. If you are going to do something take the time to do it well and completely. Finally you are not the one who defines whether you are helping, it is the person that is receiving the assistance that defines that. Sorry if you were expecting roses for your help, I prefer honesty it last longer.

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Just as I don't define who's "helping" you are not the one who defines when words are insulting - I didn't expect roses, but I did expect common courtesy from a stranger seeking assistance. You never did provide me with the information I requested in an honest attempt to assist in troubleshooting but jumped straight to accusation "not give(ing) me good directions." You couldn't find/post the crash log, You couldn't figure out how to Update a post ( "make a heading" is the first formatting option). The last thing I wrote was a plea not to use the Answer form to input information - yet here you are! (The last option at the top of any Answer says "Add Comment".) You go on at length about others faults apparently expecting perfection - reading comprehension appears to be a major one of yours.

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Most Helpful Answer

I would suspect a temperature problem or sensor is locking you up. Try downloading "Temperature Monitor", and see if the LCD is overheating

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/12381/t...

Apple part number 922-8236 for the LCD temperature cable and the sensor is 922-8235.

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John -

Try 'Check My Temp' from the Mac App store. It shows the internal monitor temp sensors (in my iMac '11 model I have two sensors). My screen is running 67° F & 92° F as I write this.

From what you state from the original post your mouse pointer is still moving across the display (correct?) when this happens. If that is so that points me to a frozen OS not a display issue (the displays temp or display hardware).

I would first see if you have some malware running. Run Apple's software update or go here if you have Lion without Java running http://www.cultofmac.com/160766/apple-re... Also disable Java if you don't need it. I would still get a good virus checker to make sure something else is not running (now or later on).

If that didn't solve things I would start by checking the OS and Apps, make sure you have the latest updates running of your apps and any add-ons. If you have any older OS add-ons they may not play well with the newest versions of OS-X (Snow Leopard or Lion) disable them. Also make sure you don't have applications loading on boot. Did you add something new that doesn't play well? If so remove/disabler it.

If that doesn't isolate out your issue see if you can boot under an external HD which has a fresh copy of OS on it. If the system does not get crash like before using the external HD apps you can focus on isolating out what is running on your systems internal HD that is crashing it (under that given user account).

To isolate out other malware or other background apps from the OS try creating a new user account on your system. Using this account on your internal HD see if the problem persists. If not you have something running in the browser under your original user account. Going into the browser settings fully reset all of it's saved items (Safari > Reset Safari... check off all of the items). Doing this will loose any saved settings so make sure you have written down your web server user accounts and passwords as well as copies of any important URL links. Also remove any add-ins and download and instal fresh copies after you have proven the issue is within your browser.

I would also at this point test the HD and defrag it if the drive is very full. You may also need to make more free space so less swapping takes place. Try to leave at least 2-4 gigs of free space on your primary HD. Don't forget to make a backup before doing this. You may also need to boot under an external HD to do a full job.

If this doesn't solve it you will need to dig deeper into isolating out the different processes running on your system which is a bit of science and luck using Apples 'Activity Monitor' application. As your system is crashing you will need to have the monitor running on your desktop so it's not covered by something so you can see what was running at that split second it froze up.

OK using the external disk did not help now what?

If using the external HD did not isolate out an OS or App issue (still crashes) I would suspect a main logic bd has a problem. It could be a cold solder joint on the CPU/GPU logic so when the system heats up it fails. Its also possible the problem it's within a component.

At this point I would think about getting it serviced by Apple directly as the first service person (non-Apple? service) did not go down the right path of diagnostics. If you can get your self to a real Apple 'Apple Store' with the system they might cover it under warranty (if the orginal service was done by an authorized Apple servicer) Bring your paperwork and a sad face. You may want to enlist your wife or girl friend to help you here two sad faces does wonders ;-}

Good Luck!

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John will be eternally grateful.
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