jack282282
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Q: Display flickering and crashing while gaming

When running any game on my MacBook Air the screen flickers and pixilates parts of the screen. This gets progressively worse until the screen goes intermittently black and eventually crashes. Is this a graphics card issue? This has only started happening over the last couple of days and i haven't been doing anything different? Please help!

Posted on Aug 19, 2014 4:15 PM

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jack282282

Q: Display flickering and crashing while gaming

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  • by mario49,

    mario49 mario49 Aug 21, 2014 8:08 AM in response to jack282282
    Community Specialists
    Aug 21, 2014 8:08 AM in response to jack282282

    Hey jack282282,

     

    Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.

     

    After reviewing your post, is it only happening in 1 program or even when on the desktop? This section of this article address the flicker you mentioned.

     

    Apple computers: Troubleshooting issues with video on internal or external displays

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1573#1

    No video or no signal, image distortion, "snow," or flickering

    Check connections

    When using an external display be sure to check the following:

    1. If you're using an Apple notebook, confirm the AC power cable or adapter is securely connected to the computer and the cable providing power to the display is also secure. It is always good to have your notebook connected to AC power when an external display is in use.
    2. Confirm display adapters are fully seated in their respective connections and that they are supported models and for the computer and display. Refer to these articles to assist you with adapter compatibility and further configuration information:
    3. Remove all display cable extenders, KVM switches, or other like devices and retest to determine if the issue is resolved.
    4. Try unplugging the video adapter or cable and then plug it back in.
    5. If more than one video adapter is in use (or "daisy-chained"), troubleshoot by using only one adapter.
      • Example: A mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter connected to a DVI to HDMI adapter is an unsupported configuration because there is a series of adapters in use.
    6. If available, try using a different display and or adapter (or use a different connector by using DVI instead of VGA, for instance).

     

    Reset the system

    You can reset the Mac's parameter RAM and SMC.

     

    Reset the resolution

    Start by resetting the Mac's parameter RAM. If the display does not come up, was previously set to an unsupported resolution, and still results in no video:

    1. Start up in Safe Mode.
    2. From the Apple () menu, choose System Preferences.
    3. Choose Displays from the View menu to open the preferences pane.
    4. Select any resolution and refresh rate that your display supports.
    5. Restart your computer.

     

     

    Have a nice day,

    Mario