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Help! Brand new 17" uMBP display lines/flickering/FAIL!!!

M

midgetsanchez

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 9, 2009
174
0
So I have a new 17" uMBP that I've owned for just a few days. I noticed yesterday that while I watching a video that i had strange green/red lines (horizontal) appear across the screen and flash/flicker. I freaked out and closed the lid, putting the unit into sleep, and opened it again and it all stopped.

Today, I was using it again as usual, on firefox/etc. when it started happening again. Horizontal lines across the screen, the entire display flickering and screwing up and finally going black. I don't know what's going on, but I know this definitely isn't supposed to happen. I took a screenshot during the flickering/lines/etc but the screenshot came out perfectly fine unfortunately. I'll try and get it on camera next time.

I have all software updates installed. I tried resetting PRAM. The flickering I'm talking about isn't minor, it's actually absolutely horrendous and the computer is completely unusable when it's going on. It ultimately leads to a black screen.

Anyway, this is all on the 9400, and I have no idea what's going on but I definitely know this isn't supposed to happen. Can anyone help?


UPDATE: I booted into Windows via bootcamp and it STILL happens. I also connected it to an external display(which works perfect), which leads me to believe that it's 100% a hardware issue. I'm taking it back to the apple store, enough said. This is my first Mac and I can say I'm definitely not happy to be having such issues with a $2500 machine.
 
Take it to the Apple Store for evaluation

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
Why do you guys come here and create these posts when you just bought the machine. You know it's acting way abnormally. Take it back. Nuff said. ;)
 
HLdan said:
Why do you guys come here and create these posts when you just bought the machine. You know it's acting way abnormally. Take it back. Nuff said. ;)
Click to expand...

I'm all for chiding people for moronic questions whenever it's warranted, and sometimes even when it's not. :D But every so often, there are simple DIY fixes for stuff like this that save people a trip to the genius bar. Probably not the case here, but...just sayin.
 
It is kinda like going on the Ford discussion board and saying:

I bought a brand new truck 2 days ago and the headlights don't work
What do you guys think I should do?

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
MacDawg said:
It is kinda like going on the Ford discussion board and saying:

I bought a brand new truck 2 days ago and the headlights don't work
What do you guys think I should do?
Click to expand...

right but sometimes the answer will be "if you have an F150 made in 2009, they forgot to take the caps off the wires...open the hood and remove the caps. done." or whatever...you get the point.

ps. Dawg, can you plz put your woof woof in your sig prefs, not directly in your posts? everyone who quotes you quotes the paw prints.
 
MacDawg said:
It is kinda like going on the Ford discussion board and saying:

I bought a brand new truck 2 days ago and the headlights don't work
What do you guys think I should do?

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
Click to expand...

you shouldnt be buying Fords anyway.
 
MacDawg said:
It is kinda like going on the Ford discussion board and saying:

I bought a brand new truck 2 days ago and the headlights don't work
What do you guys think I should do?

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
Click to expand...

But to not knock the OP too much - such posts can help show early numbers of problems with a new model. The OP has found a solution quick enough, and we can add +1 to our sense of proportion of new MBP owners with a pretty immediate issue with their screen/graphics.
See kernel panic thread, HD 7200rpm thread etc.
 
I love how people act like Mac's are bulletproof. I hate to tell you but there are some Ferrari owner's that get brand new Ferrari's that act up. It happens, yeah it sucks but it does happen. Take it in, its under warranty. Yes, even $2500 machines can have hiccups from time to time. :rolleyes:
 
That would be the case....

BTW - LEDs can run off AC current - but the electrical design needs to compensate for the "off" part of the AC cycle.
 
Apple Corps said:
That would be the case....

BTW - LEDs can run off AC current - but the electrical design needs to compensate for the "off" part of the AC cycle.
Click to expand...

gotcha

it's funny because when I used to repair laptops, 99% of the time when I found flicker, it was an inverter problem

so I saw the word flicker and automatically thought bad inverter
 
Truth be known - I don't know what design Apple is using - just guessing that it is DC. I've read that if dc current is too low there is a pulse amplifier design that allows dc from the battery to get boosted to properly power the leds.
 
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