Box of Pixelation in Safari on 2013 MBA

[musika]

This has happened about 4 times on my 2013 MBA, while browsing in Safari.



I'm kind of assuming it's a graphics card issue with the Intel HD Graphics 5000. When I move my cursor over the pixelation, it goes away.

I called Apple, reinstalled Mountain Lion, and it has happened one time since reinstalling. I don't think it's a hardware issue, especially because I was able to take a screenshot of it. Everything else on the computer is working flawlessly.

Seems like it's a firmware issue. I'll be keeping in touch with someone at Apple so that they can hopefully fix it. Has anyone else seen this?

 

[maflynn]

Yep, that looks like a defective GPU. I'd exchange it or get it repaired

 

[musika]

Yep, that looks like a defective GPU. I'd exchange it or get it repaired

You don't think it's a firmware issue?

 

[musika]

It's also worth nothing that I'm only seeing it in Safari.

 

[defomicron]

It's also worth nothing that I'm only seeing it in Safari.

I'd take it to the Apple Store. They'll have the answers. I'd bet on them giving you a new one.

 

[musika]

I'd take it to the Apple Store. They'll have the answers. I'd bet on them giving you a new one.

I have a build to order model from the online store (i7/8/256). How do they go about replacing that? I have to wait another week now probably.

 

[sk3tch]

I have a build to order model from the online store (i7/8/256). How do they go about replacing that? I have to wait another week now probably.

Likely. And perhaps they will let you keep your current rig until the new one arrives...so best to just go there and find out.

 

[defomicron]

I have a build to order model from the online store (i7/8/256). How do they go about replacing that? I have to wait another week now probably.

I don't know exactly how the process works, but chances are yes, you'd have to wait another week.

If you have a store close to you I'd at least go and see what they say. Maybe they can tell you that yes, it'll be fixed with a firmware patch. They might have a method for resetting the firmware in a way you can't.

I really don't know, but they will.

 

[fa8362]

I'd first check to see if I was running the latest Safari.

 

[musika]

I'd first check to see if I was running the latest Safari.

It's a brand new Air and all software is up to date. I have a feeling it is a firmware issue.

 

[maflynn]

You don't think it's a firmware issue?

Firmware does not cause pixelation when using it, like what you have shown.

Defective GPUs can cause this, and so I'd take it back to the apple store and have them look at it/exchange it.

 

[enisala]

I have similar issue. Also sometimes there is 0,5 mm stripe on centre of screen...

 

[musika]

This sucks!

 

[scaredpoet]

It's a brand new Air and all software is up to date. I have a feeling it is a firmware issue.

The firmware handles booting, power management and some port connections, but graphics is almost entirely the domain of the GPU.

By chance is the MBA getting warm when this happens?

 

[kosty]

I have the same issue since yesterday.
After waking the Air (2013, 13", 8GB, 256GB) from sleep, almost the entire screen is pixelated, espacially finder. The only thing that always shows without problems is the app switcher (Cmd-Tab).

Sometimes the defect remains after restart, booting in Safemode (shift pressed while booting) and rebooting normally solves the issue.

I installed a Colorprofile from this forum for my LG display and I think the issue started afterwards.

Now after a couple of reboots everything is here except some icons not showing on the menu bar.

I installed Mavericks on another partition and there is no problem there, so I think it's a software issue.
Also taking screenshots if the pixelated Desktop shows the pixel on the image file, so it's not only the screen / graphic card that is affected but the shown image itself...

One more thing to add :
The first time I saw the glitched after waking up from sleep, I couldn't log in to my account (neither a second account, nor the guest one).
After typing the password in and pressing enter, the screen flashed grays and I was at the login screen again. I also noticed, that the color of the screen turned more blue, so I guessed that the color profile I downloaded was the problem. I rebooted in safe mode and set the color profile to the standard one and I was able to boot again.

I will try to reinstall mountain lion again and see if this solves the issue.

 

[scaredpoet]

That looks pretty bad!

This could possibly be a software problem. HD5000 graphics are new, and no doubt some patched drivers were added to the MBA's installations of 10.8.4 to make it work. We'd probably have to wait for 10.8.5 or 10.9 to come out of beta to know for sure.

Or... it could be bad GPUs.

 

[Woyzeck]

My new MBA has the same issue. Probably a driver error. Don't worry, will be fixed soon.

 

[abz1981]

Just take it back and get it replaced and problem solved.

 

[kosty]

Just take it back and get it replaced and problem solved.

I live in a country without official Apple retail store (only resellers), so I wouldn't get a replacement for one that I ordered online. I would have to ship it back to apple and it will take approx. one week to get the replacement.

If it's a software issue, I would have the same problem with the new one.
I'm reinstalling 10.8.4 combo as we speak.

edit : 10.8.4 combo can't be installed. It seems that the preinstalled version of 10.8.4 is build 12E3067, whereas the downloadable combo installer is build 12E55.
Will try with 10.8.5 beta now.

 

[abz1981]

I live in a country without official Apple retail store (only resellers), so I wouldn't get a replacement for one that I ordered online. I would have to ship it back to apple and it will take approx. one week to get the replacement.

If it's a software issue, I would have the same problem with the new one.
I'm reinstalling 10.8.4 combo as we speak.

Oh okay that sucks dude
Hope the re-install will fix it.

 

[musika]

The firmware handles booting, power management and some port connections, but graphics is almost entirely the domain of the GPU.

By chance is the MBA getting warm when this happens?

Not at all.

 

[musika]

My new MBA has the same issue. Probably a driver error. Don't worry, will be fixed soon.

Good to know that others are having the issue and that it's not just me. You really seem sure that it's a software issue. How do you figure?

 

[enisala]

I did the same problem. I did reset smc and pram yesterday and so far I haven't had the issue. I don't know if resetting pram and smc could help

 

[kosty]

I did the same problem. I did reset smc and pram yesterday and so far I haven't had the issue. I don't know if resetting pram and smc could help

Did PRAM reset twice yesterday without any changes.
SMC reset today lead to faster bootup but graphic glitches still remain.

edit : I just reinstalled 10.8.4 via Rescue Partition over the current install. So far the glitches are gone.

 

[dlbmacfan]

I've been having the same problem with the Growl icon in my menu bar. I'm also having a major issue when I zoom in on an image in CS6; the whole screen goes haywire!