WTF is this???

[JustGretchen]

I was just doing some light photoshop work when I expanded a photoshop window I noticed all this digital noise around the outside.

Is this the faulty vid card manifesting itself? I had apple run a video test on the machine in the store about 2 weeks ago when I was in for an appointment because I saw something similar to this and needed my top case replaced anyway (my trackpad was malfunctioning)

They said the test said the video card was fine.

This occurred in photoshop CS4 on 10.5.6 on an early 2008 mbp 2.5ghz w/ 4gb ram. My actual file is open in the center of that mess, it blends in because it's a dark gray.

Suggestions?

 

[Tallest Skil]

I wanna say...

8600M GT.

But I could be wrong. Probably not, though.

 

[mkrishnan]

But I could be wrong. Probably not, though.

Bad video card seems predominantly the likeliest candidate... take some pictures or video so that, if you have to take it in again and it's not doing it right at the moment, you can show them.

 

[jav6454]

I was just doing some light photoshop work when I expanded a photoshop window I noticed all this digital noise around the outside.

Is this the faulty vid card manifesting itself? I had apple run a video test on the machine in the store about 2 weeks ago when I was in for an appointment because I saw something similar to this and needed my top case replaced anyway (my trackpad was malfunctioning)

They said the test said the video card was fine.

This occurred in photoshop CS4 on 10.5.6 on an early 2008 mbp 2.5ghz w/ 4gb ram. My actual file is open in the center of that mess, it blends in because it's a dark gray.

Suggestions?

Seems your nVidia graphics chip crapped out. (Sorry for language) The 8600GT had heat problems that could and cause these types of symptoms. I would do as a previous poster suggested and tape it/take pictures. I would then, go to the nearest Apple Store and explain to them. If you can{t recreate the symptoms show them the pics and vids.

If you have no Apple Store nearby, just call AppleCare. They will handle things like pros.

 

[JustGretchen]

Thanks guys. See I had taken a screenshot of the issue when it manifested itself the first time. That is why I mentioned that I had had it tested at the genius bar when I went in for my faulty trackpad.

They said the graphics chip is fine. They hooked it to some little black external hard drive that they had that had a Dymo label on it that said "MACBOOK PRO VID TEST" on it. It was about a 5-10 minute or so video test that the genius told me was designed by nVidia to test the video cards.

I watched the test take place while sitting at the Genius Bar, and it said it passed all tests. So they didn't want to do anything about it.

I'm really not sure what to do. It seems to only happen when I've been working on my laptop for a long time, so it'd be hotter I guess.

 

[fjk]

Maybe you can call and/or e-mail them the screenshot. I'm guessing your symptoms will deteriorate over time if you're willing to wait.

 

[JustGretchen]

So if I show them that this happened again, what would they even replace the logic board with if all the nvidia chips are bad? Do they keep my machine for a few days to swap it, only to have it show these same symptoms again?

 

[fjk]

So if I show them that this happened again, what would they even replace the logic board with if all the nvidia chips are bad? Do they keep my machine for a few days to swap it, only to have it show these same symptoms again?

Maybe it would fail again. Or maybe they are repairing them with a solution that wont replicate the original problem.

 

[mjerald]

Thanks guys. See I had taken a screenshot of the issue when it manifested itself the first time. That is why I mentioned that I had had it tested at the genius bar when I went in for my faulty trackpad.

They said the graphics chip is fine. They hooked it to some little black external hard drive that they had that had a Dymo label on it that said "MACBOOK PRO VID TEST" on it. It was about a 5-10 minute or so video test that the genius told me was designed by nVidia to test the video cards.

I watched the test take place while sitting at the Genius Bar, and it said it passed all tests. So they didn't want to do anything about it.

I'm really not sure what to do. It seems to only happen when I've been working on my laptop for a long time, so it'd be hotter I guess.

If not already, install SMC Fan Control when using Photoshop. Up the Fan RPM's . Worth a try.