MacBook Pro 3,1 intermittent black screen after initial startup.

[Denarius]

Hi folks,

I'm running Leopard 10.5.8 on my MacBook Pro 3,1 and recently I've started to have issues where, after the initial screen on startup with the circle loading image, the screen goes completely black at the point where the desktop normally starts to load. The computer continues to load though, it's just you can't see it: I press the sound buttons and the volume changes.

If I then start from DVD the screen will reappear, but if I go back again to restart from the Hard Drive I have the same problem again. I have found that if I disconnect from mains and remove the battery this will often resolve the problem for a time. I usually find that it starts doing this when the computer has been left off for a time. I haven't had the problem when it's been an immediate restart when it's already on.

In a nutshell, do you think it's software or is my Graphics Card on the way out?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[cluthz]

Run the hardware test CD and see what it says.

The Santa Rosas are known to have dying graphics cards tho.
I've changed mine once.

 

[Denarius]

Sounds like a sensible option. Off it jolly well goes.

 

[magnat2]

Same Stuff

Hi folks,

I'm running Leopard 10.5.8 on my MacBook Pro 3,1 and recently I've started to have issues where, after the initial screen on startup with the circle loading image, the screen goes completely black at the point where the desktop normally starts to load. The computer continues to load though, it's just you can't see it: I press the sound buttons and the volume changes.

If I then start from DVD the screen will reappear, but if I go back again to restart from the Hard Drive I have the same problem again. I have found that if I disconnect from mains and remove the battery this will often resolve the problem for a time. I usually find that it starts doing this when the computer has been left off for a time. I haven't had the problem when it's been an immediate restart when it's already on.

In a nutshell, do you think it's software or is my Graphics Card on the way out?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Did you solve that? I have exactly the same issue as you on a Macbook Pro 3.1 with nVidia GeForce 8600M GT, thank you!

 

[Denarius]

Did you solve that? I have exactly the same issue as you on a Macbook Pro 3.1 with nVidia GeForce 8600M GT, thank you!

Sorry about the late reply! Yes it went off and had the motherboard was changed free of charge. She's been perfect ever since.

Two days later I caught the headphone cable around my leg and she tumbled off the desk. Big dent on the corner, but she still worked and a hammer and a bit of wood soon sorted out the dent.

 

[magnat2]

Sorry about the late reply! Yes it went off and had the motherboard was changed free of charge. She's been perfect ever since.

Two days later I caught the headphone cable around my leg and she tumbled off the desk. Big dent on the corner, but she still worked and a hammer and a bit of wood soon sorted out the dent.

Ok, thank you for your help, i never restarted my macbook ever since, so, i guess ill take it to a apple store for the logic board replacement, thanks!!

 

[magnat2]

Sorry about the late reply! Yes it went off and had the motherboard was changed free of charge. She's been perfect ever since.

Two days later I caught the headphone cable around my leg and she tumbled off the desk. Big dent on the corner, but she still worked and a hammer and a bit of wood soon sorted out the dent.

I went to the Apple Store today, they told me that probably the problem is in the screen, wich i dont think so cause is exactly the same problem as you did, did you try to connect an external monitor? They connected mine to a external monitor and with the external the computer works, only the built in doesnt, anyway, they told me that i have to leave it there almost 2 weeks :S If the problem is the graphics card it will be the 2nd MotherBoard in 1 year and a half... :S

 

[A.W.E.S.O.M.-0]

I went to the Apple Store today, they told me that probably the problem is in the screen, wich i dont think so cause is exactly the same problem as you did, did you try to connect an external monitor? They connected mine to a external monitor and with the external the computer works, only the built in doesnt, anyway, they told me that i have to leave it there almost 2 weeks :S If the problem is the graphics card it will be the 2nd MotherBoard in 1 year and a half... :S

It can be both, unfortunatly. At first when I had screen issues (black screen, distorted images, dots etc.) I was convinced that it was the 8600 since it had all the symptoms but it turned out to be the screen. Fortunatly, under the leniency program I got a new one (saves a healthy € 550,-).

5 weeks later though my 8600 chip gave in to me for which there was the recall progam. Goodluck with the Apple store, don't give in too soon. I don't know where you live but in The Netherlands they are more or less obliged by law to repair your laptop within the first 3 years. I have the strong feeling that's what Apple calls the leniency program

 

[Denarius]

I went to the Apple Store today, they told me that probably the problem is in the screen, wich i dont think so cause is exactly the same problem as you did, did you try to connect an external monitor? They connected mine to a external monitor and with the external the computer works, only the built in doesnt, anyway, they told me that i have to leave it there almost 2 weeks :S If the problem is the graphics card it will be the 2nd MotherBoard in 1 year and a half... :S

Mine wouldn't drive an external either. The graphics card does the grunt work whether it's an internal or external monitor so if you're getting a result with an external monitor then the graphics card is doing its job and something else is awry. Hope it's sorted okay!

 

[snogroove]

fix for intermittent blackouts

I have a macbook 2.4 ghz with a 8600m and had intermittent blackouts on the external HP monitor over DVI.

Here is what is so far working for a day:

1) get cronnix to trigger cscreen
2) get csreen
3) up cronnix to do the following every ten minutes. forever: Alter the resolutions, scan rates and monitor numbers to match your rig. one execution for the internal, one for the external.


cscreen -x 1440 -y 900 -r 60 -s 1

cscreen -x 1600 -y 900 -r 60 -s 2