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Unibody Macbook Pro Screen flicker/flash.
- Thread starter jbussiere
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Curious if anyone else has seen this issue lately? I'm seeing something pretty much exactly like the youtube video on my 15" MacBook Pro (Mid 2010)..
Still running OS X 10.6.4 as I'm waiting for the kinks to get ironed out
Still running OS X 10.6.4 as I'm waiting for the kinks to get ironed out
Taking It In Till They Get It Right
Even though I'm only having the split second black screen very occasionally I'm gonna persist until I have what I paid for--a like-new refurbished computer. I've called Apple Care 3x tried 3 things (zap PROM, re-install OS, run extended diagnostic). Now I'm headed to the Genius Bar.
If the Genius tells me s/he can do nothing w/o seeing the problem I'm gonna ask to speak w/ manager. If no joy I will call customer relations.
If I do get a repair done and it comes back with anything not right I'll bring it back again!
And again and again. If necessary. Until what I have is at least as good as it was supposed to be when I got it.
I'm very lucky to have an older, but still functional (fingers crossed) Mac Mini on which I can do almost everything I want/need to be doing.
So I can afford to keep at it until they get it right.
Even though I'm only having the split second black screen very occasionally I'm gonna persist until I have what I paid for--a like-new refurbished computer. I've called Apple Care 3x tried 3 things (zap PROM, re-install OS, run extended diagnostic). Now I'm headed to the Genius Bar.
If the Genius tells me s/he can do nothing w/o seeing the problem I'm gonna ask to speak w/ manager. If no joy I will call customer relations.
If I do get a repair done and it comes back with anything not right I'll bring it back again!
And again and again. If necessary. Until what I have is at least as good as it was supposed to be when I got it.
I'm very lucky to have an older, but still functional (fingers crossed) Mac Mini on which I can do almost everything I want/need to be doing.
So I can afford to keep at it until they get it right.
I was having this other type of screen flicker issue.
I had a 2010 13" MBP and when I had the "automatically adjust brightness as ambient light changes" checked and the "automatically reduce brightness before display goes to sleep" checked in Energy Saver, I'd occasionally have an issue when the screen would dim before going to sleep. As it would dim, within 1/2 second it would go back to normal brightness. It looked basically the same as when your display dims and you touch the trackpad to wake it back up. The problem was, nothing was touching the trackpad. The brightness in the room was constant and there were no other variables.
I took it in to the Apple Store and Apple replaced it with a 15" MBP which seems to have the exact same issue!
I had a 2010 13" MBP and when I had the "automatically adjust brightness as ambient light changes" checked and the "automatically reduce brightness before display goes to sleep" checked in Energy Saver, I'd occasionally have an issue when the screen would dim before going to sleep. As it would dim, within 1/2 second it would go back to normal brightness. It looked basically the same as when your display dims and you touch the trackpad to wake it back up. The problem was, nothing was touching the trackpad. The brightness in the room was constant and there were no other variables.
I took it in to the Apple Store and Apple replaced it with a 15" MBP which seems to have the exact same issue!
Wait. You went in with a 13" MBP and you left with a 15" MBP? You seem just to be complaining about an ambient light sensor issue, not a GPU issue as described in the OP.
I went in with a 13" and two weeks later, Apple Store called me to pick up my computer. I didn't pay much attention to the box as they told me they were going to replace my computer, so I figured it was a new 13". When I got home, I looked at the box and noticed it was a 15". I called Apple support gave them the serial number, and they said "yep" this was indeed my replacement! And yes, it seemed to be an ambient light sensor issue. I read somewhere on the internets that these new MBPs have an issue with the ambient light sensor being in a "not too ideal" location next to the iSight camera instead of on the body like the old ones used to be.
I have a similar problem... it seems more of a light issue though.
the backlight will just dim and go bright in the same manner as the video posted of the screen flash. I took it in for repair and they replaced my display but i still have the same problem.
so is it a logic board issue?
the backlight will just dim and go bright in the same manner as the video posted of the screen flash. I took it in for repair and they replaced my display but i still have the same problem.
so is it a logic board issue?
no not logic board issue, they replaced my logic board recently and i still had the same issue.
if you got the applecare, just get your 3 repairs, call apple and get a new computer.
screen flicker on 09 13"mbp (2.2 model)
looking for advice
basically intermittently my screen flickers, it doesn't happen everyday but about once a week maybe, particularly when using a web browser, the screen goes bezerk. Basically parts go black in like rectangles, sometimes one third of the screen, then the next two thirds of the screen, then the whole screen etc etc. Then the whole laptop usually freezes and i have to reboot it through the power button.
Kinda scares me.
I am wondering if this is a similar problem to the ones mentioned?
Should i take this in to have it looked at?
another wee question we have a mac reseller in my city but there is an applestore in glasgow (where i actually bought the machine) which one would be best to take it to should i need to?
Also if it does get a repair how long do they usually keep it? Just cos my laptop is kind of my life. I don't have a tv or anything (poor student, lol). The thought of it being gone for ages might turn me back to having to read books!!!
any help much appreciated. thanks.
looking for advice
basically intermittently my screen flickers, it doesn't happen everyday but about once a week maybe, particularly when using a web browser, the screen goes bezerk. Basically parts go black in like rectangles, sometimes one third of the screen, then the next two thirds of the screen, then the whole screen etc etc. Then the whole laptop usually freezes and i have to reboot it through the power button.
Kinda scares me.
I am wondering if this is a similar problem to the ones mentioned?
Should i take this in to have it looked at?
another wee question we have a mac reseller in my city but there is an applestore in glasgow (where i actually bought the machine) which one would be best to take it to should i need to?
Also if it does get a repair how long do they usually keep it? Just cos my laptop is kind of my life. I don't have a tv or anything (poor student, lol). The thought of it being gone for ages might turn me back to having to read books!!!
any help much appreciated. thanks.
i just received by 2008 unibody MBP back from the apple store less than an hour ago. this is the second time i brought it in to the apple store and both times it went to the repair depot to have the logic board replaced. the first time, the flickering started within 10 minutes after I got it back. This time, when I got it back, it seems to be working alright. Will keep testing both graphics cards and see if any problems come up, but so far so good
Thoughtful bump!
I'm still using my late 08 15" MBP with expresscard slot.
Early this year flickering started happening with 9400.
1st trip to Apple Store replaced the logic board.
Flickering changed from full screen to bottom screen.
2nd trip to Apple Store replaced the display. Flickering seems very rare now (2 weeks since repair).
I did notice that the main difference with my machine now is that it hardly operates >60degC. That's even when using CPUtest (Max 63degC). Whereas previously it was constantly above 60, sometimes 70degC, and occasionally past 80degC.
I have made 7 trips to the Apple Store in all, including 3 superdrive replacements.
Let's hope the flickering problem, and others are completely solved...
Anyone else with the 1st gen unibody still tackling this issue?
I'm still using my late 08 15" MBP with expresscard slot.
Early this year flickering started happening with 9400.
1st trip to Apple Store replaced the logic board.
Flickering changed from full screen to bottom screen.
2nd trip to Apple Store replaced the display. Flickering seems very rare now (2 weeks since repair).
I did notice that the main difference with my machine now is that it hardly operates >60degC. That's even when using CPUtest (Max 63degC). Whereas previously it was constantly above 60, sometimes 70degC, and occasionally past 80degC.
I have made 7 trips to the Apple Store in all, including 3 superdrive replacements.
Let's hope the flickering problem, and others are completely solved...
Anyone else with the 1st gen unibody still tackling this issue?
I actually got it fixed last year. As far as I know, they only replaced the logic board though. The screen was not replaced.
I'm still tackling this issue.
So far my MBP has had:
I've just picked up from the store following the logic board and top case replacement and i've had the screen flicker once already (on the discrete graphics 9400M).
It's beginning to get extremely frustrating. I just want to be able to use my Mac with out this happening!
Any advice on how to go about getting this resolved with Apple? Do I go back to the store? or Phone Apple care and escalate the problem?
So far my MBP has had:
- 3 optical drive replacements
- Screen Replacement
- Logic board replacement
- Top case replacement
I've just picked up from the store following the logic board and top case replacement and i've had the screen flicker once already (on the discrete graphics 9400M).
It's beginning to get extremely frustrating. I just want to be able to use my Mac with out this happening!
Any advice on how to go about getting this resolved with Apple? Do I go back to the store? or Phone Apple care and escalate the problem?
My late 2008 MBP unibody has this issue as well. After I downloaded Lion I noticed my screen was flickering at random intervals. Well I ended up at an Apple store today and they are sending my girl off to get its screen replaced and possibly the motherboard. So Ill let y'all know what the verdict is when it gets back.
I got my MBP back in the mail today. They replaced the Main Logic Board because of an "ATI X1900 XT-Video Corruption" symptom. Everything seems fine, now I just need to get all of my settings back to normal
Am also getting this problem as well. I have read from different sites that it's the power inverter or the graphic card.
I have the same model as you, and same issue after installing lion. Although, I took mine to Apple store since it was free for 90days. Well they reset everything, tested all, etc. Checked out great. He told me to download the new Adobe flash player when i got home, but i didn't yet, (i didn't think i needed that exactly). It still done the flashes when i got home. I called Apple Care, and they said i shouldn't need to download Adobe flash because youtube and such plays fine.(IDK,I think he told me it was age..lol), So you kinda convinced me to just hound them for new whatever parts i can get, you think so? Did/do you have to pay for anything at all since lion "might have" caused/contributed to the problem? We are on the "Grand daddy" of MBP's though. The Youtube video in the first post of this thread is about how often mine acts up, but not as bad of flashing./////Edited: I read some of your energy saver ideas, and that seemed to work. The top to boxes "were only checked" in "Battery & Power Adapter", I clicked restore defaults, now the first 3 boxes in Battery and the first & third in Power Adapter are checked..(Better battery life checked too). The ole Late 08 MPB is going to keep on going. Great year for MacBooks in my opinion. Thanks for the posts MR members.
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