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NVIDIA 9400M Screen Problem with New MBP

cosmokanga2

cosmokanga2

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 7, 2008
662
0
Canada, where we live in igloos.
I got my MBP last week and the last 3-4 days have noticed that when I am running on the NVIDIA 9400M, the integrated graphics card, that the upper half of my screen will flash with a black "box" every couple hours. It happens in the upper halve of the screen but doesn't touch the edges. It's so quick that I really can't catch it and tell you more.

I'll be taking it into the Apple Store in 2 weeks as I have dead pixels but just wondering if I'm the only one or has this happened to others?
 
Hmm I just got my MBP swapped and the new one did this a couple of times. It's pretty quick so I really can't see what it was.

I just brought my computer in from the cold (from outside) so I hope it's that and not a real problem.
 
It's never a good idea to turn on a computer that is really cold from being outside. You could have condensed water on the inside.
But prolly nothing happened.
 
I have been having the same problem. It happens with normal operating temperatures and doesn't seem to be tied to load. It doesn't bother me too much, it just worries me that there might be a bigger problem under the hood. I'm hoping it's just a driver problem that can be updated with software. Also, I use an extrnal monitor, but it only happens on the laptop screen.
 
Oh, the problem just occurred again.

If the problem is something bigger, we should probably switch it out. I don't know for sure but I don't want to take any chances. Plus it is quite distracting when it happens.

I'm on the phone waiting for a rep to pick up as we speak.
 
arjunlall said:
I have been having the same problem. It happens with normal operating temperatures and doesn't seem to be tied to load.
Click to expand...

Mine is exactly the same.

f1400 said:
If the problem is something bigger, we should probably switch it out. I don't know for sure but I don't want to take any chances. Plus it is quite distracting when it happens.

I'm on the phone waiting for a rep to pick up as we speak.
Click to expand...

I'm going to the Apple store on the 12 to get a replacement. I don't want it to lead to larger issues down the road.

What did the Apple rep have to say? I haven't called about mine yet.
 
cosmokanga2 said:
Mine is exactly the same.



I'm going to the Apple store on the 12 to get a replacement. I don't want it to lead to larger issues down the road.

What did the Apple rep have to say? I haven't called about mine yet.
Click to expand...

They told me that they don't know if it's hardware or software, and to take it back to where I got it to swap it. However, I don't feel like doing that as its not the stores fault this occurs (didn't purchase at apple store).

They told me to reformat the computer also, and if it is reproduced they will do something.

Edit:

BY THE WAY: maybe there is a pattern.

Can you guys describe your initial setup of your new computers?

I swapped the hard disk into mine from another with all my stuff already on it. Maybe it's related to something like this?
 
f1400 said:
They told me that they don't know if it's hardware or software, and to take it back to where I got it to swap it. However, I don't feel like doing that as its not the stores fault this occurs (didn't purchase at apple store).

They told me to reformat the computer also, and if it is reproduced they will do something.

Edit:

BY THE WAY: maybe there is a pattern.

Can you guys describe your initial setup of your new computers?

I swapped the hard disk into mine from another with all my stuff already on it. Maybe it's related to something like this?
Click to expand...

Please let us know if this fixes it. I did a time machine restore on mine and am having these problems.
 
Same exact issue here. I've done a fresh install of the OS (just something I wanted to do, not related to the issue) and I've seen the black box multiple times.

Although I have windows installed on a boot camp partition, I thankfully never have had the "pleasure" of running in boot camp for any length of time to see if it happens in windows as well.

I've switched between the integrated and discrete graphics, and as far as I can recall, I've seen the same issue on both. I've tried to smack the display and case around a bit to see if it might be a cable related issue, however it has never occurred "on demand" by doing such.

Temperature wise the system is quite normal, no over heating and the keyboard is quite close to room temp.

Weird, and concerning...
 
Try this: Turn off & unplug your computer, take out the battery, then hold the power button down for 10 seconds. Then put the battery in, plug it in, and turn it back on. The Applecare guy just had me do this, and so far I have not seen the 9400 glitch. Doesn't mean that it's fixed, but I'd be interested to see if this works for anyone else.
 
I have the same hard drive that came with it and don't have a boot camp partition. I only get the box when running on the 9400M and it happens completely randomly although it does seem to happen more often after waking from sleep or shut down.

I'l try the suggestion that superporpoise said and see what happens.
 
superporpoise said:
Try this: Turn off & unplug your computer, take out the battery, then hold the power button down for 10 seconds. Then put the battery in, plug it in, and turn it back on. The Applecare guy just had me do this, and so far I have not seen the 9400 glitch. Doesn't mean that it's fixed, but I'd be interested to see if this works for anyone else.
Click to expand...

Didn't work. :(
 
They made me do that too, and it didn't work for me either.

I went to the Apple store and they ordered a new logic board for me. Hopefully that is what is causing the problem.
 
They "fixed" it, but it was still defective (after changing only the screen). I have no idea why they didn't change the motherboard too, let alone not test it before calling me in to pick it up.

Anyhow, they gave me a new one (which had a dead pixel and a key that stuck), which I got replaced again the following day.
 
cosmokanga2 said:
Do you think it would be possible to walk into the store and get a replacement on the spot? I have the this issue plus dead pixels and can't be without it as I require it for school.
Click to expand...

Where did you buy it and how long ago? I just had to do an exchange and I bought mine from Amazon a week ago and they said I could get it fixed by Apple or try and get it replaced from amazon. Im exchanging it with amazon.

I asked about going to an Apple Store and getting a replacement there and the guy said he tried but that he couldn't do it unless I had bought it at Apple.

First he said it was because amazon wasn't an authorized online reseller which was BS because apple.com has them listed as an authorized reseller. I think what he meant to say was simply that easy replacements is only offered by the apple store. Not sure why he was telling amazon isn't an authorized online reseller.
 
UPDATE: I was able to take it to the Apple Store last week and get a straight swap. So far no problems on the new on, 'knock on wood'.

As a side note it is not possible to swap the hard drives between a return and a new unit at the Apple store as they are linked to the computer in their records.
 
I've tried the integrated GPU like twice, I use the discrete GPU pretty much all the time.

Id like to use them both simultaneously. :)
 
cosmokanga2 said:
UPDATE: I was able to take it to the Apple Store last week and get a straight swap. So far no problems on the new on, 'knock on wood'.

As a side note it is not possible to swap the hard drives between a return and a new unit at the Apple store as they are linked to the computer in their records.
Click to expand...

I seriously doubt that they are actually linked in the records, but either way they allowed me to do it both times they swapped my computer (and once at the original retailer (which was not the apple store), totalling 3 times).
 
oranesonopiuche said:
This is the video about my macbook pro...posted on another topic of this forum....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngurt41PyZo


it's like your problem?!
Click to expand...
Looks like yours is slightly different. Mine happens only on the top half of the screen and only every hour or so.

You should take it to a Apple Store or to a certified service technician as it looks pretty severe.

Best of luck.
 
I received my new MBP 2.53GHz on Halloween and used it three days with my Samsung external DVI monitor. It worked like a champ. Subsequently it would not fire up the external monitor. So I called Applecare and they sent out a new dongle, but no help. We tried reinstalling the software but no difference. So I was instructed to take my computer in for a likely logic board replacement. When I took it to the Applestore we determined that the 9600m *always* drives both DVI and VGA external displays, whereas the 9400m sometimes drives them, sometimes doesn't, and sometimes caused video issues (lower half only shows up on DVI, scrambled video on VGA).
After a lot of trouble I left it with them for full diagnostics and all checks out.

Anyway, the apple store genius phoned back and apparently there are problems with the nvidia 9400m chip that are being worked up at apple and will be fixed in a future software or firmware update. In the meantime, they're suggesting I put up with it and wait for the update because it is not solved by logic board replacements apparently.

Anyone else hear a similar story?
 
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