Black Screen After Logging In.

[CostaMoses]

2 week old 15" rmbp with discreet gpu and force touch track pad. I'm running the newest version of Yosemite.

I was using my computer for a few hours and then all of a sudden it slowed to a stop. I restarted and got the login screen. Typed in my password, hit enter, and then the screen went black.

I tried the same thing with an external monitor hooked up and had the same result.

I also tried resetting the PRAM multiple times, verifying and repairing disk permissions, and holding down shift (it didn't do anything) while booting.

I ran over to the closest Apple store (about 10 minutes away), and they told me they were all booked up for the day, and didn't have any available appointments until Thursday. They also checked all of the other Apple Stores here in Orange County, CA and none of those had available appointments until Thursday.

Tomorrow is supposed to be my last day on a 3 year contract for work, and now I may not get to finish up tomorrow. Its such a bummer to spend $2,700+ on a brand new computer, only to have it crap out a few weeks later.

Thanks for listening to my mini rant. Any advice or suggestions?

 

[Dark Void]

When you mention the screen going black after login, can you hear the computer still running, or does it appear to be off?

If it's still running, it could be your GPU since the issue persists on an external display which rules out the panel of the laptop itself. In any case, which you have already taken action towards, with it being in your hands for only two weeks it's going to need something replaced at Apple.

I suppose it makes no sense to try and diagnose the issue anyway since Mr. Solder and Mrs. Glue (or whatever someone is going crazy with over there) will require the entire board to replaced anyway - which they'll likely do.

I'd return it if you're being conservative with that "2 week old" mention and are still within the 14 day return. Perhaps they'll even make an exception for you - having a 2 week old machine go through a board replacement isn't exactly reassuring.

 

[CostaMoses]

Hi Dark Void, thanks for your reply.

It does not sound like the computer is running when the screen goes black.

It's looking like I'll just have to show up to the store early and hope someone cancels or "no shows" their appt.

I long for the old days when you could just walk in and get a genius bar appointment within 30 minutes.

My previous computer, a 2011 13" mbp had an issue a month or two ago where it would get stuck on a gray screen and not finish booting - walked in to the apple store (appointments were 3 days out then) and waited over 3 hours for help. I bought this new computer in hopes of not having to come in again so soon or often. wah, wah, waaaaaahhhhhh!!!!! I'll stop whining now, for a few minutes.

 

[Dark Void]

It's okay to be disappointed - I certainly would be if my expensive purchase needed a followup so soon after ownership. Nothing is guaranteed problem free however. I'd see if you could just a replacement instead of going through repairs with such a new unit.

I sort of was just curious as to diagnosing the actual problem - but like I said it won't matter as one part is generally all parts in Apple notebooks these days.

 

[CostaMoses]

I ended up going to the apple store yesterday morning and waiting in line for a walk in appointment. It took about an hour and a half or so.

The guy at the genius bar is the same guy that helped me before. He was incredibly helpful this time, too. He ran all sorts of diagnostics and it ended up saying that there was an issue with the sata connecter for the hard drive/ssd. He took the computer in the back room, opened it up, confirmed there was no debris and reset the connector. He brought it back out, we restarted it and ran into the same problem. He ended up swapping the entire machine out. Its a major bummer we couldn't save the data - I'm now spending my first day off reloading all of the programs and files to be able to work again.

tl;dr - some issue with sata connector. swapped entire computer.

 

[AaronM5670]

Pretty much the same thing happened to me last year with a 2014 rMBP 15" mid-spec. I had a grey fuzzy/black screen on startup every other time the machine was booted up. I took it to the Apple Store and was told it was a problem with the OS X update from Mavericks to Yosemite (which had just come out at the time).

In the end I ended up taking 3 faulty rMBPs back (all to different Apple Stores due to work travel commitments), and after the last one failed I was spontaneously told it was a dGPU and SATA connector issue with no real explanation. After 6 weeks of continuous issues I had just had enough and quickly took a full refund. I'm currently waiting for the Back to School promotion anyway and will buy a 13" with the iGPU only this time.

 

[AaronM5670]

Pretty much the same thing happened to me last year with a 2014 rMBP 15" mid-spec. I had a grey fuzzy/black screen on startup every other time the machine was booted up. I took it to the Apple Store and was told it was a problem with the OS X update from Mavericks to Yosemite (which had just come out at the time).

In the end I ended up taking 3 faulty rMBPs back (all to different Apple Stores due to work travel commitments), and after the last one failed I was spontaneously told it was a dGPU and SATA connector issue with no real explanation. After 6 weeks of continuous issues I had just had enough and quickly took a full refund. I'm currently waiting for the Back to School promotion anyway and will buy a 13" with the iGPU only this time.

 

[CostaMoses]

Ah, man. That sounds rough. Sorry you had to deal with that. I'm hoping mine was just a fluke. The guy at the genius bar said this was the first of this model that he's seen this happen to.