Bizarre Mac OS X graphics glitches

Some users are running into major graphics glitches, in which huge color shapes, splotches, blank areas, and stretched objects seem to fill part or all of the screen; it seems like the Mac OS X interface has exploded. Users have posted the following screenshots of the problem.

When this problem occurs, users have to reboot in order to clear it, which indicates the possibility of temperamental hardware and driver software combinations more than a hardware failure; however, if the problem is occurring more and more frequently, a hardware component may be actively degrading. This problem has been primarily reported in iMac computers which run the AMD/ATI Radeon X1600 and 2600HD graphics processors, but also in Mac Pro computers running ATI graphics as well. For users with secondary monitors attached, the corrupt visuals will display there also.

It seems that there are two possible causes of this problem. The first involves temperature dependency, in which the graphics processor may be getting too hot which would result in graphics artifacts. For a few users, when the computers fans have been blowing at full speed, the problem does not seem to occur. The second is possible power fluctuations, because users with battery backups attached seem to experience this problem more than others, especially if they have "powerchute" power management software installed. If the computer is experiencing power fluctuations from poorly managed power sources, various components including the graphics processor could be adversely affected.

The following suggestions could help the situation, but if they do not fix the issue, we recommend taking the computer in for servicing. In some cases Apple has replaced the computer.

Fixes

Try without a battery backup For users with a UPS, try connecting the computer to a non-battery backup power source to see if the problem still occurs. We recommended that users bypass the backup unit altogether and plug directly into the wall. If the problem only occurs when the computer is on the battery backup, it may be a result of a dead battery and users might pursue replacing the battery.

Clean the computer The problem could be a result of overheating, and as such it is recommended to clean the computer since dirt buildup can insulate components and block airflow. The recommended way to do this is to use a can of compressed air and puff into the vent ports of the computer. Mac Pro users can open the side-door and blow around the graphics card, especially on the heat sink and fan, as well as in the power supply, but cleaning everywhere should help. Do not wipe the insides of the computer with a cloth since this can cause static buildup and discharges which may harm the sensitive components. NOTE: this can result in a lot of dust, so it's recommended that users do this in a well-ventilated area or have a gentle hose vacuum handy to clean up the dust.

Uninstall PowerChute software Since UPS software has been correlated to this problem, users can troubleshoot this by uninstalling it. There may be an incompatibility between the latest PowerChute software and the latest OS X updates, which could cause power fluctuations in the UPS device.

Reseat computer hardware Users might try reseating the computer's RAM chips as well as the graphics card if it is removable (Mac Pros). In addition, users also might try changing RAM configurations by swapping the RAM slots that are used if users have multiple RAM chips installed. If the computer is having trouble accessing areas of memory, this could result in problematic application operation, including drivers and OS software.

Reinstall the latest OS update Since OS X graphics drivers are not supplied separately, users might try first reapplying the latest OS X update which contains the latest graphics drivers and as such will replace any corrupted drivers on the system. Download the Mac OS X combo update and then boot into "Safe Mode" by holding the shift key at startup. Apply the update and then restart the computer.

Reinstall the OS If the previous fixes do not apply or do not work, users should try reinstalling the operating system using this tutorial. This will install a fresh copy of the OS software while providing the option to preserve user accounts and network settings, as well as keep previously installed software available for transfer to the new installation. Hopefully this will fix any driver corruption that is contributing to this problem.

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