Pink Lines on Macbook Pro Display

[matty1551]

I have Pink lines on all white areas on my screen. No matter image, website, video, if it is a certain shade of white, it is covered in pink.

I hooked up to an external display and it gives me issues at anything above 720p. A bit confused as to why that is. I would think I'd have issues at all resolution.

One symptom I've noticed after using it a bit more is that if I apply pressure just above the keyboard and in between where the fans are, the display will go back to normal. As soon as I left up though, its back to the same issue.

Is this a Display or Logic Board issue??

TROUBLESHOOTING I'VE TRIED;

-NVRam Reset
-SMC Reset
-Switching between GPU's

09 Macbook Pro 17" running 10.7.5

 

[yangchewren]

I have Pink lines on all white areas on my screen. No matter image, website, video, if it is a certain shade of white, it is covered in pink.

I hooked up to an external display and it gives me issues at anything above 720p. A bit confused as to why that is. I would think I'd have issues at all resolution.

Is this a Display or Logic Board issue??

TROUBLESHOOTING I'VE TRIED;

-NVRam Reset
-SMC Reset
-Switching between GPU's

09 Macbook Pro 17" running 10.7.5

Image

Actually scratch that (I typed something that doesn't seem to make sense out)... It's likely you have a problem with iGPU (the HD 3k)

I would also assume that you've done an exhaustive troubleshoot:
iGPU to External monitor >720p
dGPU to External monitor >720p

And both have been shown to glitch

 

[matty1551]

Actually scratch that (I typed something that doesn't seem to make sense out)... It's likely you have a problem with iGPU (the HD 3k)

I would also assume that you've done an exhaustive troubleshoot:
iGPU to External monitor >720p
dGPU to External monitor >720p

And both have been shown to glitch

I didn't think about testing the discrepte GPU with the external. When using the discrete, my external functions at any resolution. I still have the same problem with my laptop display however.

Not sure what to make of it all.

EDIT: Scratch that, all resolutions are working with both GPU's on the external and have no Pink lines. Maybe I just didn't have the Minidisplay inserted securely the first time or something.

Leading me to think its the screen itself or related cable like LVDS

 

[yangchewren]

I didn't think about testing the discrepte GPU with the external. When using the discrete, my external functions at any resolution. I still have the same problem with my laptop display however.

Not sure what to make of it all.

EDIT: Scratch that, all resolutions are working with both GPU's on the external and have no Pink lines. Maybe I just didn't have the Minidisplay inserted securely the first time or something.

Leading me to think its the screen itself or related cable like LVDS

Hahaha, I was a little early in deleting my earlier post.

Despite this problem being almost absent on newer laptops/macs, the symptoms you describe match a faulty display cable.

The last time this happened to me was on a 15" TiBook, there were distortions on the internal screen and external screen output fine, a replacement of the display cable lead to proper functioning.

 

[matty1551]

Hahaha, I was a little early in deleting my earlier post.

Despite this problem being almost absent on newer laptops/macs, the symptoms you describe match a faulty display cable.

The last time this happened to me was on a 15" TiBook, there were distortions on the internal screen and external screen output fine, a replacement of the display cable lead to proper functioning.

I discovered an odd fix though. If I apply pressure in certain spots on the case, around the outside of the keyboard, it will go away. As soon as I relieve the pressure, it comes back.

This makes me wonder if it's in fact not a cable but maybe something in the case making contact with the logic board and causing an issue.

I'm currently inspecting both the logic board and the interior of the case to see if there is anything obviously wrong with it. So far nothing, although the LB did have an awful lot of dust, hair, and other things I don't ever want to see again.

 

[yangchewren]

I discovered an odd fix though. If I apply pressure in certain spots on the case, around the outside of the keyboard, it will go away. As soon as I relieve the pressure, it comes back.

This makes me wonder if it's in fact not a cable but maybe something in the case making contact with the logic board and causing an issue.

I'm currently inspecting both the logic board and the interior of the case to see if there is anything obviously wrong with it. So far nothing, although the LB did have an awful lot of dust, hair, and other things I don't ever want to see again.

This was exactly how a 2009 15" MBP behaved - press hard on the palm rests near the KB and the pink patches would disappear. I didn't solve the problem with the 2009 MBP, returned it as it shipped with the defect.

My TiBook had almost identical behaviour - press the portion above the keyboard or shift the screen and the graphical glitching would disappear.

Hope you get it solved soon! Last thing I forgot to ask - it sounds like your applecare is up. If in your shoes, I would definitely further my troubleshooting to include tests done by cheap fixes - ie begin from the cheapest component - the LVDS cable and progress up.

 

[ArisaemaDracont]

Sorry to necropost, but I'm having the same issue here in the far future, 2016, with my mid-2010 17" MBP. I've come the the same solution about pressure on the case relieving the issue.

Did anyone every come up with a fix that lasted for them?

I found this post on iFixIt, where someone tried taping a penny in there. I figured a wad of folded paper wrapped in electric tape would be less conductive. This has reduced, but not entirely eliminated the issue, I may have just not placed my paper wad in the right position for maximum effect.

It just needs to work for 3-4 more months until I get a Skylake model to replace it!