15" Late-2006 MBP Graphical corruption/color shifting

[insomaniac]

I just upgraded my 15" late-2006 MacBook Pro's HD yesterday (dropped in a 320 GB) so that I could install a few OSes onto the main drive (2 OS X, 1 Windows). Today, I installed the Windows 7 Beta, which went well, except for what I originally thought was a weird Windows glitch. During this install process, the colors onscreen shifted randomly, where colors were substituted for other colors randomly (that's the best description I've got). I though it was OK when Windows 7 booted completely and looked fine. However, on restart, I noticed the same color issue on the startup disk selection screen, then saw it at the login screen. I've included a little shot from my phone of the issue:

http://flickr.com/photos/insomaniac117/3225535079/

So, oddly enough, the output on my external LCD (attached via DVI) is fine, free of the color problem (I'm using it right now to type, since the main display is useless). I had originally thought this to be an issue with the ATI chip (a Radeon X1600), but seeing as how the main display works, something else seems to be up. Is it possible that I bumped something while installing the HD? Could it be a software issue?

 

[duffyanneal]

You might have bumped your video connection. Open it back up and check all the connectors on the motherboard in particular the video connection. It is the large flat connector (about an inch wide) at the rear of the mobo.

 

[insomaniac]

You might have bumped your video connection. Open it back up and check all the connectors on the motherboard in particular the video connection. It is the large flat connector (about an inch wide) at the rear of the mobo.

I'm thinking the same thing, but even after I tried what I thought was the video connection, the problem remains. Just to check, I was looking at the large connection to the front right of the mobo, right by the superdrive. That had appeared to be it, and I could also see the DVI connection's wires further up.

 

[duffyanneal]

Your correct. I was having a flashback to the unibody machines. I would double check the connection by pulling it apart and making sure it seats well. Make sure no tape or debris is in the connector. Check all the other mobo connections as well. I'd zap the PRAM and reset the power manager as well. If that still doesn't do it then check the fan speeds and temps.

 

[insomaniac]

Your correct. I was having a flashback to the unibody machines. I would double check the connection by pulling it apart and making sure it seats well. Make sure no tape or debris is in the connector. Check all the other mobo connections as well. I'd zap the PRAM and reset the power manager as well. If that still doesn't do it then check the fan speeds and temps.

Yeah, so I went in and did the full reseat, then closed it up. Had a brief moment when I thought I had killed the computer when I tried to turn it on and got rapid flashing (which turns out being a RAM issue). After realizing that one stick of RAM wasn't in all the way, I got the system online and the colors are back to normal. Thanks for your help!

 

[insomaniac]

Hey folks,

So, it happened again. This time, I restarted the computer from my Windows partition (Windows 7 beta) and the computer's onboard LCD went all crazy again (see the picture in the first post). I tried to reseat the cable as before, but that didn't do it this time. Could the cable itself be bad? Once again, everything on the external LCD (via DVI) is fine, and is the only realistic way to use the Macbook Pro right now.

Any ideas?