MacBook display screws up (occasionally)

[ramparts]

For the second time in a few days now (I think it may have happened once before, I forget) my MacBook, pretty new (bought it new early June), seemingly randomly (I was just opening a WMV in Quicktime), the display completely screwed up. I used Grab to take a screenshot of a sample of my screen and attached it - for some reason, part of the window (which was covered by Finder when the problem happened) stayed normal. I'm not sure what's going on but I'm guessing it's OS-related (or otherwise software) and not a problem with the display itself, since Grab notices it, too. Why does this happen, how do I prevent it, and what can I do - save restarting - if it happens again? Thanks!

 

[toolbox]

Does this problem happen with VLC? If you haven't got it download it from here. See if you have the same effect with WMV files.

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/


Failing that, remove the FLip 4 Mac software and reinstall or you can repair the disk permissions using disk utility.

Worst case run a SMC reset and a PRAM reset

SMC Reset (Macbook MacbookPRO)

MacBook, MacBook Pro
If the computer is on, turn it off.
Disconnect the AC Adapter and remove the computer's battery.
Press and hold down the power button for 5 seconds and then release the button.
Reconnect the battery and AC Adapter.
Press the Power button to restart the computer.

Reset PRAM

Resetting PRAM

1. Shut down the computer.
2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
3. Turn on the computer.
4. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
5. Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
6. Release the keys

.

 

[ramparts]

I happened to be opening a WMV file in QT the last time it happened (tonight), I forget if I was using QT the time it happened before. I do have VLC and if this happens again I'll see if QuickTime is the cause of the problem - thanks.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

Yea, this happened to me, but this didn't occur with just VLC, it also occurred with Photo Booth, and when I open a file containing a quartz file. Will resetting the SMC damage anything or lose any of my personal data? like settings, preferences. I look at the support page on apple for SMC reset and they werent very clear. Sorry, I don't mean to be hijacking this thread...

 

[merl1n]

Yea, this happened to me, but this didn't occur with just VLC, it also occurred with Photo Booth, and when I open a file containing a quartz file. Will resetting the SMC damage anything or lose any of my personal data? like settings, preferences. I look at the support page on apple for SMC reset and they werent very clear. Sorry, I don't mean to be hijacking this thread...

No, the SMC reset does not affect any software or your settings. It is basically a hardware reset.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

thanks merl1n, really helped. I did the SMC reset first, boot up, shut down, and then the PRAM reset. Once I got it up and running, works about 2x the efficiency than before. I don't know why or how that works out, but just my feeling..

 

[toolbox]

I did that with my macbook too, reset the smc and PRAM i noticed a little bit of extra grunt as it booted up, i also ran YASU too that tidied the hard drive up a bit

 

[DavieBoy]

This happens to me a couple times a week. It is always when I am trying to load a page in safari. Isn't there a reset you can do on the fly for the screen. Someone told me it once but I can't find it.