Is this hardware or software?

[planktons]

From time to time my work MBP will crap out and give me these weird graphic artifacts. It's my company's laptop, and IT keeps telling me it's a software problem. Is it or can it be a hardware thing (maybe overheating)?

 

[T5BRICK]

Most likely hardware, but it is possible that it is a software issue.

If you're really curious, run AHT and see if it reports any problems.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509

 

[Orlandoech]

More than likely hardware, but possible OS. Reinstall OS X and see if the problem persists.

 

[Mrbobb]

When it happens, hook it up to an external display?

 

[planktons]

Thanks for the help so far, guys. This just happened again. External display also produces the glitches (after waiting for quite some time for the laptop to start sending a signal out).

 

[Mrbobb]

Thanks for the help so far, guys. This just happened again. External display also produces the glitches (after waiting for quite some time for the laptop to start sending a signal out).

OK this says it's NOT the notebook's LCD panel.

So now it's either software or the GPU hardware.

Next step: Restore OS to last known-to-be-good image, or reload OS from scratch.

 

[T5BRICK]

Have you run AHT? You don't even need the disc to do this on newer models.

 

[DoubleVision19]

I agree with T5BRICK with running with AHT on your unit...as long you still have Snow Leopard installed; when powering on the unit, hold down on the "D" key to enter AHT mode to run the tests.

Are you able to boot to an external drive with a pristine imaged copy of OSX? If you are getting the same issues, it will be leading towards a "intermittent" problem with the logic board.