MBP A1278 - Display problem

[Eldoctor62]

Hi all,
I have a macbook pro A1278.
Recently my display does not work ...
It flash / jerk / freeze

It is offset to the left and 2 cm black lines cross the screen from bottom to top.

I disassembled and cleaned my motherboard but nothing happens ...

It should not be serious, but I can't find

 

[justperry]

Run Apple Hardware Test and see if it shows any errors.

Intel-based Macs: Using Apple Hardware Test

You might have GPU Hardware issues.

Edit: You say A1278 but there are more MBP's from 2009 until 2012, so which is it.

 

[Eldoctor62]

ok sorry, so it's a Mid-2009 13" - MB990LL/A - MacBookPro5,5 - A1278 - 2326*

I'll do a hardware test and give back the result

 

[justperry]

ok sorry, so it's a Mid-2009 13" - MB990LL/A - MacBookPro5,5 - A1278 - 2326*

I'll do a hardware test and give back the result

If you have a monitor somewhere and this monitor is capable to connect to the MBP then have a go and try this as well, if the external display is OK then the GPU is most likely OK but then the internal display is having problems, like a bad connector or so.

 

[Eldoctor62]

ok, I have a external monitor. But I have no adapter ...
I'll invest ...
I come back to you when I get results

 

[Eldoctor62]

Ok, so I have a proper display on the second.
I disassembled and cleaned the plug connection to alcohol and everything is back in order.
Thank you ...

 

[justperry]

Ok, so I have a proper display on the second.
I disassembled and cleaned the plug connection to alcohol and everything is back in order.
Thank you ...

Probably some crap inside or just bad connection.

Happy for you it works now.

 

[Brian Y]

For the future - there's a nearly foolproof way of determining the problem with display issues:

1) If it occurs on an external display, it's the graphics card, otherwise:
2) If the pattern or error changes or flickers when moving the lid, it's the LVDS cable/connection
3) Otherwise it's the LCD