Green dots on screen (MBP 15")

Shore Points · Nov 30, 2006, 10:28 PM

Hello,
I just purchased my first Mac (MBP 15" C2D). I'm having a problem already....and I'm not having much luck searching the forums.

I'm getting little splotches of green dots on my screen. They show up on different parts of the screen when an app is open. IE.....when the browser is open, the dots are in the middle of the screen.....when the browser is minimized, the dots are over on the right side of the screen.

You can see the dots in the attached screenshot.

I'm sure this isn't something I can fix.....so my two questions are:
1) What is this? Is this something common in Macs?
2) Can I bring this back to the apple store (I bought it in a different state the day after Thanksgiving)....or do I need to ship it off somewhere. I don't have Apple Care (yet)....but this has to fall in the manufacturer's warranty.

Thanks in advance for your help!

TC

clevin · Nov 30, 2006, 10:49 PM

bring it to apple store first, no matter where u bought it

mad jew · Dec 1, 2006, 01:38 AM

Bizarre. Try booting it up in Safe Mode to see if the problem occurs there too.

Shore Points · Dec 1, 2006, 08:51 PM

Thanks for the tips.

Just some more info on the issue.....the green dots aren't static.....IE....they aren't in the same spot all of the time. If I move a window over the green dots.....they'll disappear.....but may pop up someone else on the desktop.

Also.... I only see them when the computer is fully booted....I don't see them when the machine is warming up.

Any thoughts? I can't find ANYTHING in any of my searches.

THANKS!
TC

Shore Points · Dec 1, 2006, 09:02 PM

OK...now I'm really perplexed.
Per someone's recommendation.....I booted in safe mode....and what do you know..NO green marks on the screen.

Very interesting..

TC

Fearless Leader · Dec 1, 2006, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shore Points

OK...now I'm really perplexed.
Per someone's recommendation.....I booted in safe mode....and what do you know..NO green marks on the screen.

Very interesting..

TC

thats really weird. Its probably software. Try an archive and install.

backsidetailsli · Dec 1, 2006, 09:12 PM

reinstall the os. you should do that anyways when you buy a new comp

Shore Points · Dec 1, 2006, 09:50 PM

OK....I'll give that a try. More to follow.
Thanks!
TC

roma.hicks · 11:41 PM

Kind of sounds like a driver problem or a problem with Quartz. I had a similar problem with a Linux box of mine; re-installing the driver seemed to fix it. The only way I know how to fix that is to re-install OS X, but there probably a way to fix it without resorting to that.

After thought: I just occured to me maybe why it is happening. And still likely driver. The controller for the screen might be messing up the data for those pixels and memory allocation, and when you change the screen layout is changed that "anomally" is carried over into other pixels. If re-installing does not work, you might have teh hardware checked.

Shore Points · Dec 1, 2006, 11:46 PM

Whats Quartz?

OK.....I reinstalled the OS. So far, so good.

Thanks for all of the help. Hopefully this will work.
TC

roma.hicks · Dec 2, 2006, 01:00 AM

It is (correct me if I'm wrong) the graphic engine for the 2D interface in Mac's desktop environment. Does things that Windows couldn't even imagine or still can't with Vista (why you have to have one hell of a graphics card to run Vista)

reppans · Dec 2, 2006, 10:28 PM

THIS thread might help you.

mad jew · Dec 2, 2006, 10:34 PM

I don't think they're dead/stuck pixels because they move.

Shore Points · Dec 3, 2006, 11:06 PM

An update for those who care (or who might have this problem in the future)

I took the MBP to my local Apple Store....and stumped three of the staffers there. They have never seen that issue. Since I was half-way through my 15 day grace period.....they provided me w/ a new MBP.

I haven't even cracked the seal on the new book yet.

Anyway....thanks for the assistance!

TC

mad jew · Dec 4, 2006, 07:46 AM

I've gotta admit, I haven't seen this before. I wonder what they'll do with it because it's most likely a software issue that might have been fixed quite easily. Meh, it doesn't matter. I'm glad you've got a new machine and I hope it serves you well.

mephud · May 27, 2008, 11:27 PM

Same issue, although i only get a single dot in my screen right in the center(when it started -2yrs after purchase-). I have not been able to find ANY INFO useful up to date. Changing the driver did not seem to work, the problem got so bad that my computer would not boot up anymore. The dots would appear in the boot screens and the screen would just be black and the monitor would turn off when the windows xp load screen would normally appear. I fixed the issue for about a week by reinstalling my OS and getting the most up to date video driver. I have seen the dots since then, but a restart has seemed to fix the issue temporarily. It seems to be a hardware issue, similar symptoms ive been told of overheating or under-powering.

PLEASE EMAIL ME with any questions or suggestions --- MEPHUD@MSN.COM ---

Nov 30, 2006, 10:28 PM	#1
Shore Points macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Woodbridge, VA	Green dots on screen (MBP 15") Hello, I just purchased my first Mac (MBP 15" C2D). I'm having a problem already....and I'm not having much luck searching the forums. I'm getting little splotches of green dots on my screen. They show up on different parts of the screen when an app is open. IE.....when the browser is open, the dots are in the middle of the screen.....when the browser is minimized, the dots are over on the right side of the screen. You can see the dots in the attached screenshot. I'm sure this isn't something I can fix.....so my two questions are: 1) What is this? Is this something common in Macs? 2) Can I bring this back to the apple store (I bought it in a different state the day after Thanksgiving)....or do I need to ship it off somewhere. I don't have Apple Care (yet)....but this has to fall in the manufacturer's warranty. Thanks in advance for your help! TC Attached Thumbnails

Nov 30, 2006, 10:49 PM	#2
clevin macrumors 601 Join Date: Aug 2006	bring it to apple store first, no matter where u bought it __________________ New features of Firefox 3! Pt 1 & 2. Pt 3, Pt 4, Pt 5 Firefox Extensions Recommendations

Dec 1, 2006, 01:38 AM	#3
mad jew Demi-God (Moderator emeritus) Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Adelaide, Australia	Bizarre. Try booting it up in Safe Mode to see if the problem occurs there too. __________________ Some things are better mad...

Dec 1, 2006, 09:12 PM	#7
backsidetailsli macrumors 65816 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Toronto!	reinstall the os. you should do that anyways when you buy a new comp __________________ Check My Band Out! www.thegoodratsradio.com

Dec 1, 2006, 11:22 PM	#9
roma.hicks macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2006	Driver Problem Kind of sounds like a driver problem or a problem with Quartz. I had a similar problem with a Linux box of mine; re-installing the driver seemed to fix it. The only way I know how to fix that is to re-install OS X, but there probably a way to fix it without resorting to that. After thought: I just occured to me maybe why it is happening. And still likely driver. The controller for the screen might be messing up the data for those pixels and memory allocation, and when you change the screen layout is changed that "anomally" is carried over into other pixels. If re-installing does not work, you might have teh hardware checked. Last edited by roma.hicks : Dec 1, 2006 at 11:41 PM.

Dec 1, 2006, 08:51 PM	#4
Shore Points Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Woodbridge, VA	Thanks for the tips. Just some more info on the issue.....the green dots aren't static.....IE....they aren't in the same spot all of the time. If I move a window over the green dots.....they'll disappear.....but may pop up someone else on the desktop. Also.... I only see them when the computer is fully booted....I don't see them when the machine is warming up. Any thoughts? I can't find ANYTHING in any of my searches. THANKS! TC

Dec 1, 2006, 09:02 PM	#5
Shore Points Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Woodbridge, VA	OK...now I'm really perplexed. Per someone's recommendation.....I booted in safe mode....and what do you know..NO green marks on the screen. Very interesting.. TC

Dec 1, 2006, 09:50 PM	#8
Shore Points Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Woodbridge, VA	OK....I'll give that a try. More to follow. Thanks! TC

Dec 1, 2006, 11:46 PM	#10
Shore Points Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Woodbridge, VA	Whats Quartz? OK.....I reinstalled the OS. So far, so good. Thanks for all of the help. Hopefully this will work. TC

Dec 2, 2006, 01:00 AM	#11
roma.hicks macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2006	It is (correct me if I'm wrong) the graphic engine for the 2D interface in Mac's desktop environment. Does things that Windows couldn't even imagine or still can't with Vista (why you have to have one hell of a graphics card to run Vista)

Dec 2, 2006, 10:28 PM	#12
reppans macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2006	THIS thread might help you.

Dec 2, 2006, 10:34 PM	#13
mad jew Demi-God (Moderator emeritus) Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Adelaide, Australia	I don't think they're dead/stuck pixels because they move. __________________ Some things are better mad...

Dec 3, 2006, 11:06 PM	#14
Shore Points Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Woodbridge, VA	An update for those who care (or who might have this problem in the future) I took the MBP to my local Apple Store....and stumped three of the staffers there. They have never seen that issue. Since I was half-way through my 15 day grace period.....they provided me w/ a new MBP. I haven't even cracked the seal on the new book yet. Anyway....thanks for the assistance! TC

Dec 4, 2006, 07:46 AM	#15
mad jew Demi-God (Moderator emeritus) Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Adelaide, Australia	I've gotta admit, I haven't seen this before. I wonder what they'll do with it because it's most likely a software issue that might have been fixed quite easily. Meh, it doesn't matter. I'm glad you've got a new machine and I hope it serves you well. __________________ Some things are better mad...

May 27, 2008, 11:27 PM	#16
mephud macrumors newbie Join Date: May 2008	AMD 4200/Geforce 7950gx2/2gb ram Same issue, although i only get a single dot in my screen right in the center(when it started -2yrs after purchase-). I have not been able to find ANY INFO useful up to date. Changing the driver did not seem to work, the problem got so bad that my computer would not boot up anymore. The dots would appear in the boot screens and the screen would just be black and the monitor would turn off when the windows xp load screen would normally appear. I fixed the issue for about a week by reinstalling my OS and getting the most up to date video driver. I have seen the dots since then, but a restart has seemed to fix the issue temporarily. It seems to be a hardware issue, similar symptoms ive been told of overheating or under-powering. PLEASE EMAIL ME with any questions or suggestions --- MEPHUD@MSN.COM ---

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