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New (Previous Gen) MBP 15" LED Screen LED's DEAD...HELP!

S-Man

S-Man

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 1, 2009
162
1
Houston
I was using my new (2 days old) Macbook Pro today (2.5GHz 15" pre-unibody) and it was working great, and all of the sudden, the screen gos black. The computer is still working, just no illumination on the screen. Like all of the LED's turned off.

I'm new to macs. I also did a search but turned up nothing.

Please help. I'm planning to take it to the apple store tomorrow.
I purchased it brand new off of Amazon last week. This is really upsetting because I was falling in love with my mac... :(

I can't stress this enough: Please help A.S.A.P.!
 
Can you see a faint image on the screen? If yes: Inverter problem. If NO, plug in an external, do you see an image? If yes, Internal LCD problem. If not, NVIDIA 8600M GT Issue. Recall article TS2377.

Just got my logic board replaced in fact. My 2 yr old MBP has a new logic board, new LCD, new Superdrive, and new top panel assembly. Soon it will also get a free battery replacement from Apple. Might as well be a brand new laptop. AppleCare really paid off this time. :cool:
 
Thanks Ryan, thats very informative. Yes, I forgot to mention that if I use a flashlight I can see screen graphics that are being illuminated by the flashlight.
The computer still works, just no light...
I have a "genius" appointment today at 4. I'll update with results...
 
^LMAO.

Yea, the second half of the old MBP generation has LED backlighting. I say it's a bad inverter board, or you just need a reboot.
 
Ryan1524 said:
Can you see a faint image on the screen? If yes: Inverter problem.
Click to expand...

Inverter??

Excuse me, but LED backlights don't use inverters. :rolleyes:


S-Man said:
I was using my new (2 days old) Macbook Pro today (2.5GHz 15" pre-unibody) and it was working great, and all of the sudden, the screen gos black. The computer is still working, just no illumination on the screen. Like all of the LED's turned off.

I'm new to macs. I also did a search but turned up nothing.

Please help. I'm planning to take it to the apple store tomorrow.
I purchased it brand new off of Amazon last week. This is really upsetting because I was falling in love with my mac...

I can't stress this enough: Please help A.S.A.P.!
Click to expand...

OK, if your machine is under warranty. Please return it to Apple as they will replace the whole lid, giving you a replacement panel, depending on the store, they might even give you the option to choose between glossy or matte. The LED backlight is embedded inside the TFT module, it's not user serviceable by any means. Chances are, if a user does open the unit, they might fix the problem but you'll have a whole new problem, such as dust and hair on the reflective sheet - very visible!!
 
Apple was smart, and instead of lighting up the LEDs the old fashioned LED way, they instead set them up with diodes and pumped a high voltage into the backlight assembly. Lower current, high voltage. I know because I took mine apart when I replaced my LCD. There is a driver board, and I couldn't drive the LED panel at all without cranking up the juice.
 
Alright peeps, thanks a ton for the responses.
Just got back from the Apple store. They're keeping my book while parts ship.
At first they thought it was the Transistor, as someone mentioned here. So they replaced the entire Lid and still no dice. So they came to figure out that it is in fact the "Logic Board" inside the actual computer. They have ordered that part and it should be done like Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Bummer.
What a shame. I was looking forward to spending some quality time with her-I mean it- this weekend...se la ve.
 
That's good to hear. But shouldn't Amazon have just shipped you a brand new machine and taken back the defective one, if within 30 days?
 
That's true! I didn't even think of that! I should have done that...But again, I would have to put all the data back on that I already put on there.
If it gos out again soon or isn't working well, I'll send it back.
The other thing is, I would have to ship it back to amazon, which takes like 5 days, then they would have to take 5 days to ship one back to me after processing, so we're talking 2 or 3 weeks without a mac.
Granted i have my trusty 'ol toshiba (which I'm using right now) but I want my mac back! :(
 
No worries, S-Man. I wouldn't sweat it. I'm sure Apple will do a fine job, and with a whole machine swap, you also risk getting a machine with other issues. It's a lottery either way. I only thought of returning it to Amazon because that's where I bought mine and have kept their return policy in mind when using and testing my machine these past couple of weeks
 
Not really - Amazon would ship you a replacement and have your credit # ready to charge should they not get the defective one back w/i a reasonable time.

NO WAY would I have a two day old product going through major surgery - I would have gone for a replacement.
 
Major surgery is Ok. It means you're getting parts that work.

Getting another one doesn't guarantee that it'll work well, just like buying new doesn't guarantee that the LED won't go out. ;) However, fixing it by replacing parts does.

S-Man said:
Thanks Ryan, thats very informative. Yes, I forgot to mention that if I use a flashlight I can see screen graphics that are being illuminated by the flashlight.
Click to expand...

Yes, I think you'd need to replace the entire screen.
 
Abstract said:
Major surgery is Ok. It means you're getting parts that work.

Getting another one doesn't guarantee that it'll work well, just like buying new doesn't guarantee that the LED won't go out. ;) However, fixing it by replacing parts does.



Yes, I think you'd need to replace the entire screen.
Click to expand...

I also had the same thoughts on the subject of replacing parts instead of a whole new machine. As long as they are assembled correctly and fit like new, I'm ok with getting replacement parts because I know they have to work. If I get a whole new machine, it's a gamble. It could go out, or not.
But that also brings me to another dilemma- what about the screen they replaced? I wonder if they'll put the old one back on since that wasn't the problem, but if they leave the new one on, what if it has a hot/dead pixel or two? Or even worse a yellow area at the bottom?
Apple care better look out, I'm going to rape the hell out of them if something else gos wrong...:cool:
 
S-Man said:
I also had the same thoughts on the subject of replacing parts instead of a whole new machine. As long as they are assembled correctly and fit like new, I'm ok with getting replacement parts because I know they have to work. If I get a whole new machine, it's a gamble. It could go out, or not.
But that also brings me to another dilemma- what about the screen they replaced? I wonder if they'll put the old one back on since that wasn't the problem, but if they leave the new one on, what if it has a hot/dead pixel or two? Or even worse a yellow area at the bottom?
Apple care better look out, I'm going to rape the hell out of them if something else gos wrong...:cool:
Click to expand...

Technically, your MBP 2.5GHz was DOA (Dead On Arrival) you would be authorized by AppleCare Techs to return to the Apple Store or Apple Reseller and receive a NEW MBP (same model).

That's what happened to my purchase when the battery never charged or worked when I bought it. I asked for a new battery and magsafe adapter to be shipped overnight v. getting a new MBP and having to reload my software and iPhone data/music/videos etc.

It's probably still an option, if the work they've done isn't to your satisfaction... Keep us advised :(
 
I'll definitely keep you guys up to date.
I appreciate all the input given I'm so new to the forum and to macs :eek:

I do believe I'm entitled to a new machine, but I, too didn't want to re-load all the stuff I already installed on it. I think I mentioned earlier it took like 6 to 8 hours just for iPhoto to import photos from my external HD. (I'm a part-time photog)
So i didn't want to wait through all that mess again. I just want to use it.
 
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