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What to do about dust under screen (glass overlay)? (With a pic!)

AlphaDogg

AlphaDogg

macrumors 68040
Original poster
May 20, 2010
3,417
7
Ypsilanti, MI
I have been noticing dust accumulating under the screen of my 2010 13" MBP. What should I do? Is there anything that can be done without having to send it in to apple? I just cleaned the glass panel on the outside, so I could take a picture to prove the dust below the surface. It is in the top section of the screen...

IMG_0407.jpg


Edit: Here is a video proving that it is under the glass overlay (click on it to see it):
 
Last edited:
should be covered by apple warranty. Nothing you can do unless you feel like taking the computer apart
 
While the real question is how it got under the sealed glass, that cannot be fixed by an average user unless you are a ninja with a heat gun.
 
Dalton63841 said:
While the real question is how it got under the sealed glass, that cannot be fixed by an average user unless you are a ninja with a heat gun.
Click to expand...

I may be a ninja, but I certainly do not own a heat gun :p. The reason I don't want to send it in/take it to the genius bar is because I just got it back from week-long repairs. They replaced the topcase, HDD, HDD cable, MagSafe board, internal speakers and battery.
 
AlphaDogg said:
I may be a ninja, but I certainly do not own a heat gun :p. The reason I don't want to send it in/take it to the genius bar is because I just got it back from week-long repairs. They replaced the topcase, HDD, HDD cable, MagSafe board, internal speakers and battery.
Click to expand...

YIKES! A heat gun is required to remove the glass, so you can clean under it. There are multiple tutorials for doing so on Google, but it is VERY easy to shatter that glass, even if you do it right.
 
AlphaDogg said:
I may be a ninja, but I certainly do not own a heat gun :p. The reason I don't want to send it in/take it to the genius bar is because I just got it back from week-long repairs. They replaced the topcase, HDD, HDD cable, MagSafe board, internal speakers and battery.
Click to expand...

I have a heat gun, meet me out back in 10.
 
jessica. said:
I have a heat gun, meet me out back in 10.
Click to expand...

By the blue pickup truck? ;)

Edit: Also, I do not plan on taking it apart; it is covered under 3yrs of AppleCare... I just wanted to know if there was anything I could do from the outside of the screen... I think I remember someone on this forum saying (a long time ago) that you can take an electric toothbrush to the glass, and the dust may or may not fall... He may have been talking about an ACD, though...
 
AlphaDogg said:
By the blue pickup truck? ;)

Edit: Also, I do not plan on taking it apart; it is covered under 3yrs of AppleCare... I just wanted to know if there was anything I could do from the outside of the screen... I think I remember someone on this forum saying (a long time ago) that you can take an electric toothbrush to the glass, and the dust may or may not fall... He may have been talking about an ACD, though...
Click to expand...

I would never take an electric toothbrush to my MBP :eek:
I would just take it in. Good thing you have a bunch of spare Macs you could throw your HDD in.
 
I just got off the phone with AppleCare. They said that I will have to take it in the my local Apple Store so that a technician can verify that the issue (read: dust) is really there. I plan on taking it there, and asking for a replacement, because I have already had 2 major repairs (among other minor ones): HDD and topcase. And all of the other things I have said earlier in this thread...
 
AlphaDogg said:
I just got off the phone with AppleCare. They said that I will have to take it in the my local Apple Store so that a technician can verify that the issue (read: dust) is really there. I plan on taking it there, and asking for a replacement, because I have already had 2 major repairs (among other minor ones): HDD and topcase. And all of the other things I have said earlier in this thread...
Click to expand...

I would have gave them hell, telling them I didn't buy AppleCare and *not* get phone support. At least, I would do that because my Apple Store is hard to get to.
 
I am hoping for a straight-up replacement of the entire MBP. I am also on good terms with my local Apple Store manager, so he may cut me some slack and allow for a straight-up replacement :)
 
croooow said:
I am curious about this too. I just read in another thread that the glass was sealed. Was that poster wrong?
Click to expand...

The LCD is not sealed to the glass, like in the iPhone 4. But there is a strip of adhesive running between the black border and the aluminum lid. It isn't actually touching the aluminum; there is a structural support around the LCD (which is screwed into the aluminum lid). The glass is adhered to that support... Maybe I had a bad application of that adhesive strip when it was in the factory. Maybe I got it in this condition. I don't remember.
 
AlphaDogg said:
The LCD is not sealed to the glass, like in the iPhone 4. But there is a strip of adhesive running between the black border and the aluminum lid. It isn't actually touching the aluminum; there is a structural support around the LCD (which is screwed into the aluminum lid). The glass is adhered to that support... Maybe I had a bad application of that adhesive strip when it was in the factory. Maybe I got it in this condition. I don't remember.
Click to expand...

LOL If thats the case I'd drive to the factory and B****slap somebody. 3 months ago I cracked the glass on my Macbook Pro. I ordered the replacement glass for $75, and replaced it myself (scariest thing I have ever done btw...) There isn't a single spec of dust under my glass. If I can do it, surely they can.
 
Anyone have any ideas on how I could try to force the dust to drop to the bottom of the screen (preferably below the black border)? If not, please just post something amusing here (kinda like what jessica. did). :D
 
Well I'm betting the electric toothbrush idea works because of the vibrations...If you could find some kind of tool or toy that vibrates, and just put it against the screen or on the aluminum at the top of the screen if it vibrates enough, maybe you'll get lucky...doubt it though.
 
Dalton63841 said:
Well I'm betting the electric toothbrush idea works because of the vibrations...If you could find some kind of tool or toy that vibrates, and just put it against the screen or on the aluminum at the top of the screen if it vibrates enough, maybe you'll get lucky...doubt it though.
Click to expand...

Lol I don't own a "vibrating toy" nor do I plan on owning one. I am a 14 year old male. I could try downloading the vibrator app on my 3gs and stick in on the glass of my mbp and see if it does anything...
 
AlphaDogg said:
Lol I don't own a "vibrating toy" nor do I plan on owning one. I am a 14 year old male. I could try downloading the vibrator app on my 3gs and stick in on the glass of my mbp and see if it does anything...
Click to expand...

LMAO! I was going for comical and useful at the same time. I'd say give it a shot. Worst case scenario it doesn't work.
 
Ok. So I took it to the Apple store yesterday and they said that they would replace the display. They had to send it off to the repair depot for repair. I will update as I get more info. :)
 
Update: I got it back today. They replaced the entire display assembly.

Positives: No more dust under the screen!
No dents on the aluminum lid!

Negatives: I lost the skin that I had on the aluminum lid. Whatever. I had a spare anyway... :)
They misaligned the display assembly with the base of the computer. I got out my trusty screwdriver set, and unscrewed the bottom panel, unscrewed the hinges from the body of the MBP, and realigned. Then I screwed everything back together!


:) :) :) I am so happy that my MBP looks so good again!!!
 
AlphaDogg said:
Update: I got it back today. They replaced the entire display assembly.

Positives: No more dust under the screen!
No dents on the aluminum lid!

Negatives: I lost the skin that I had on the aluminum lid. Whatever. I had a spare anyway... :)
They misaligned the display assembly with the base of the computer. I got out my trusty screwdriver set, and unscrewed the bottom panel, unscrewed the hinges from the body of the MBP, and realigned. Then I screwed everything back together!


:) :) :) I am so happy that my MBP looks so good again!!!
Click to expand...

Glad it worked out Alpha Dog! I figured they would do that over giving you a straight up replacement for dust. How long have you had the computer?
 
AlphaDogg said:
Since April 24, 2010 (according to the Genius Bar work authorization form) :p
Click to expand...

Ahh then I think that was wishful thinking :p

From my past experience as a laptop repair technician, I have found is that companies would rather put money towards parts and labor than give out new machines...no matter what needed to be fixed. I even ended up replacing EVERYTHING but a bottom case, or EVERYTHING but a LCD - how the computer remained still that customer's computer, was beyond me when parts where being replaced everywhere.
 
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