Q: Strange vertical stripes

I think you mean 10.5.3, NOT 10.5.4.

I had the problem just once (a few weeks ago) and I never had it again. I still googled about it and came to this forum and kept coming regularly. Yesterday I noticed about the photoboot option and tried it, and I saw the stripes again. Today I tried to reproduce it again and I couldn't. Both times tried with battery power, but I remember that the first time it appeared I was running on AC.

Hope this is a software/firmware thing. I can't afford being without the machine and in my country this can take a while. I had to replace the LCD of my iBook just 2/3 months after purchase and it took them 1 and 1/2 months.

If it's faulty hardware, I hope it doesn't degrade with time. So far, so good on that...

Sorry...10.5.3.

Alright so I called Apple Care and got the I don't know speech. I was set up with an appointment at an Apple store and was able to reproduce the stripes with one pic in Photo Booth where I also got the they never saw speech. I made the store display MBPs do the same thing with the stripes. They took it in and replaced the logic board and display. I not only got a better display in terms of viewing angle but have not been able to reproduce the stripes. If it doesn't return I'm sorry to say but it may be a Hardware issue. If Apple does know about it they may have a known manufacturer base that doesn't have the issue MB s/n Display s/n. So here's hoping there is a definite fix in the works for everyone regardless.

I took mine back to the Apple Store. I had no problem demonstrating the issue, and had found a half-dead 9 key (didn't work if you pressed the bottom half) so they swapped the laptop.

The new one doesn't seem to show the issue. I tested one or two shots at 7 and 5 out, and about 10 shots at 6 out and didn't see the issue reproduce. This is an *03 boot rom, same as the last one.

I also couldn't reproduce it on the store computer. I was hoping to wow the Genius, but there was no wow to be had.

The per-system variation there does imply that it's either a (perhaps very common) hardware defect, or it's a firmware defect that somehow is related to something naturally a little variable like system voltage.

Firmware's otherwise fairly deterministic, and shows the same kind of repeatability software does once you figure out the right conditions. A solid 100% scenario on mine should be 100% on any if it were a code issue.

The really weird thing to me is that PhotoBooth shows it. That makes me wonder if it's related to something like a power surge in that circuit or a power deficiency in another circuit. Starting the display from cold might cause some sort of small surge; perhaps PhotoBooth's full-bright "flash" does too.

So, no joy from the software update sadly. I'll be taking my laptop back on Friday - it's also frequently crashing with kernel panics so I've had it with this machine. Fingers crossed that my refurbished (sigh) replacement will be better.

My boot ROM is MBP41.00C1.B00

My 2day old refurbished MPB 2.5Ghz OS10.5.3 started doing it last night.

1. How often does it occur? Does it occur reliably?
just started. but when I turned it on this morning while plugged in it happened

2. Does it resolve if you perform a specific action? What is this action?
closed the lid for 10 seconds, on reopening, it was ok

3. Does it always resolve by performing this action?
too soon to tell

4. Is the machine plugged into AC when the problem occurs?
So far, yes

5. Can you cause the problem to occur by performing an action?
not yet. Putting it to sleep and waking it up didn't make it happen

6. Is your display glossy or matte?
matte

7. What type of video graphics hardware does your machine have? How much VRAM?
GeForce 8600M GT

8. When did you purchase your computer?
May 28, 2008


9. Do you have a photograph of the defect? If so, please post a link.
http://dvkphoto.com/image/155.jpg

1) Do you have any virtualization software installed (VMware, Parallels)?
no

2) What brightness setting do you typically use for the display? (Full, 7/8th, etc.)
I think you may have something there. When I first got the MBP the brightness was flickering. I turned the auto adjust off. The display stopped flickering.

3) Under System Preferences -> Energy Saver -> Options, what is your setting for:
Automatically reduce brightness of the display before display sleep (ON or OFF)
ON

4) Under System Preferences -> Display , what is your setting for:
Automatically adjust brightness as ambient light changes
off

my new replacement MBP did not display the stripes for 2/3 weeks after i received it. my feeling is, it's very much voltage related. possibly battery condition, which might explain why it can take a while to manifest.

never seems to happen after a screen refresh, just on wake when the machine draws more current. maybe a similar thing happening with photo booth?

i don't really see why i should have to worry myself about it too much, apple should get on and fix this issue.

<Edited by Moderator>

"Add me"

After an horrific "repair" experience with my last MBP an Applestore agreed to replace my laptop with a shiny new one.

One happy mac customer.

15 minutes into using my new mac I got the "strange vertical stripes".

Not happy. It's going back tomorrow.

RAZZ

Another 'me too'

Got my MBP in march and been in relatively heavy use ever since. 2.4 base model. matt screen.

Upgraded to 4GB RAM early on.

Only change in usage has been watching DVDs at night whilst away from home for a few days.

Will take it to the store if this persists (I'm in the UK)

Another Me Too?

I've had this iMac iSight for three or four years now.

Just turned it on and now it's got a 2 inch wide vertical stripe, left of center.

Restart does not fix.

The stripe is pale and only really shows up on darker coloured areas.

What the heck is happening?

Is this more evidence of increasingly shoddy Apple production values?

Is there a cure?!

I spent a lot on this Mac when it was new, it's scarey to think it might be all cash down the drain.

Have you a desktop that's got / had the same issue?

Message was edited by: tomb

Count me in on this problem too.. kinda ****** off since this is my 4th replacement after dealing with 3 other Macbook Pro's with the fan buzzing issue and including my second unit coming with scratched keys fresh out of the box... this was suppose to be my final one, has the least buzzing from the fan, crisp screen, mint all around but now the vertical lines issue is happening... i am now over my exchange period so I will have to get it serviced... plus i wouldnt want a replacement anyhow cause everything else is perfect about it and i have applied the invisible shield skin on the computer already..... i have a penryn 2.5 ghz model with glossy 9C81 LG LCD... i can replicate the problem everything using the photobooth method...

my wife has the same computer as me with matte 9C83 Samsung LCD and hers does not exhibit the issues...

I have also tried this test on my computer without the battery and just on AC power and i could not replicate the stripes at all..... everyone else should try this and see... in the mean time, i am going to the local apple dealer and have them look at it.. thanks!

Phil

Another one with the vertical dark stripes on occasion, rarely though, but I have seen it a couple times already since I've owned this MBP (purchased in April 2008). Primarily I use this at my desk with an external display connected (DVI) and the MBP screen serves as a pallet monitor.
But the last time I took it to a friends house it did the vertical stripes thing, put it to sleep and it still was there when I woke it back up. Brought it home and started it up again and the display was fine. It wasn't exposed to any temperature extremes that day so that can be ruled out.
I've yet to see it do that when it's set up here on my desk with the external display. Will post again if I can repeat it with picture(s). Hope Apple has a fix for this at some point, seems it's a fairly common issue.
Art

Fair play to Apple

New MBP, and refunded what I paid for the extra memory and was given free Applecare.

Tech guy said "off the record" it was a screen issue, maybe the layers of the lcd panel weren't aligned properly to "spread the light"???.

New MBP has a 9C82 screen. I'm praying that it's fine. Although my "free" replacement has probably cost me twice as much in lost work

RAZZ

It's been a while since I check on the status of this error and surprised to see we still do not have a fix for this. Also glad to see my little tip of 'Ctrl-Shift-Eject' is helping you all!

I've only had to hit these keys a couple of times in the last 6 weeks so whilst I really want it fixed, I kind of consider it a minor glitch at this time. Reading about scratched keys on replacement models, delayed repairs et al, makes me thing it's best to just sit tight.

Tech guy said "off the record" it was a screen issue, maybe the layers of the lcd panel weren't aligned properly to "spread the light"???.

And the layers are realigned with 'Ctrl-Shift-Eject'. Really a true genius.

Peter