Q: Strange vertical stripes

I have had this problem on and off since I bought this MacBook Pro in March. Contacted Apple support, had me zap the PRAM, which of course did not help, I sent pictures, they gave me a ID, and I have never heard a thing since. May I remind all of you about the screen problem that happen a couple of years ago with the LCD on the 15" PowerBooks, the bottom third of the screen developed horizontal lines. There were hundreds and hundreds of people complaining on Apple forums. Apple's response was first to say it was software related (sound familiar) then it was the inverter board and finally to ignore the problem and the closed the forum topic. They closed the topic more than once. Apple never did formally address the problem as a LCD hardware problem (thus not covered under AppleCare), even thou it showed up on Dell laptops too (sound familiar). The only way people solved their problem was replacing the screen at their own cost. So if Apple stays true to form they will ignore this problem too and when the is enough responses in this forum they will close the topic. I hate to sound pessimistic but I have lost faith in Apple's customer support lately as well as alot of my high end tech Apple user friends. Apple is only interested in the iPhone right now and pushing Apple TV.

Wow. I just bought at MBP three weeks ago and have wondered what these weird vertical stripes were, thinking I was the only one. This thread is a real eye-opener.

As a web designer, this is no small deal, it's a major pain in the *** to reboot the machine every time this happens so I can design a webpage/colors accurately.

Wow. I just bought my first MBP three weeks ago and have wondered what these weird vertical stripes were, thinking I was the only one. This thread is a real eye-opener.

As a web designer, this is no small deal, it's a major pain in the *** to reboot the machine every time this happens so I can design a webpage/colors accurately.

Hello cutout,

just hit Ctrl-Shift-Eject to make the display sleep and activate it with the famous "any key", so you won't have to go through the hassle of rebooting each time.

Regards,
Jasper.

Dear All,

I have the same problem. I did PRAM zap, SMC reset yesterday and tonight the lines reappeared.
I believe the screens have nothing to do with this. I can only say this because too many people have replaced the screens and it has not solved the problem. The problem, I think, is within the software/firmware. So, all of us should shout as loud as we can for apple to hear all of us and do something about it. Meanwhile we have two choices: keep on replacing those displays and get even more aggravated or do control-shift-eject and wait for the updates.
Good luck to all of us and cheer up!

Even if you are the original author of this thread, please notice that this forum is moderated. Off-topic messages are removed by the staff.

I posted my message about receptio here because, since it appears that many service centres are not aware of the issue and exchange the screen when they see the stripes, it might be useful to know that, with a screen exchange, not only you keep the stripes, but you can get some additional defects.

mac.cardi

With this second Samsung monitor I still have to see the stripes. With the previous one I saw the stripes in my initial tests, by sleeping the notebook at max-6 intensity and awakening it up.

I am now sleeping the notebook with the monitor always at max-6 or max-7 and the stripes did not show up after dozens of attempts. It looks like there are more 'sensitive' screens.

mac.cardi

I would recommend to ask apple support what to do! to wait for a fírmwareupdate or if this is a minor issue which cant get worse,

or returning the MB pro.

I was answered to send it back; no one said that there will be a FW-update.
and i wonder how some people come to the conclusion that there will be a FW-update.

One poster said his logic board was replaced and the issue did NOT return so far. (search for logic board in this thread.

Message was edited by: Alfi

To assume it is not the screens is not a logical conclusion. It may be that this model of screen has an inherent design flaw and they all do this to some degree. It may be that Apple simply has a large stockpile of defective screens. If Apple does not understand which screens are defective, it is certainly possible for many screen replacements to fail, particularly if Apple purchased a large number of screens from a bad production run, or a bad design revision of the screen/backlight.

Some of the compelling cases against this being logic/firmware are:
1) This problem occurs before the operating system even boots
2) This problem has been seen on other manufacturer's systems (Dell) using the same screen/backlight (Dell asserts that it is a manufacturing problem with the screens and replaces them with screens from a different production run)
3) cycling the screen power randomly exhibits this behavior
4) MacBooks in the store without this problem have the same version firmware/OS that we have

There is little evidence that some firmware update is going to fix this problem.

It might be firmware: a different firmware might manage "defective" units in a different way.

I was told that apple is investigating the problem. However, when apple is investigating a problem and thinks that a part can be "responsible", they lock their stock and avoid service centres to exchange suspect parts. At least that is what they have often done in the past.

In this case, they DID NOT lock the screen stock.

In the past, usually, investigations took less time. For this problem they are taking too long, especially if we consider that MBP is NOT a new machine and that in the last revision the screen was not modified.

Why is it so hard for apple? Why did Dell need an instant to recognize the defect?

May be we should simply start considering the possibility that they will forget about this.

mac.cardi

wow... so many people with the same issues... and I thought it was just my MBP. I get sporadic vertical lines alternating light and dark, exactly like previous posters. If I put the machine to sleep, then wake it up, the problem seems to go away. It's annoying but not a show stopper (yet) as it is sporadic and seems to be fixed by the sleep thing. Would really like it though if Apple would release a firmware update for this... LOTS of people here with the same issue...

If this is a hardware problem why hasn't anyone seen it when using Windows or Linux. I haven't seen anyone write about their stripe problem under these two operating systems (or have I missed it somewhere in this long thread?). The use of these operating systems should not alter the ability to see the stripes if it is a hardware problem. I use Windows quite often as we have software that either i). will only run on Windows or ii). we did not purchase the Mac version of the software because the equipment is being run by a Windows box. Throughout this time I have yet to see the stripes while running Windows and have yet to hear of anyone who has encountered this problem. I agree the problem with the Dell machines may have been hardware related but is that necessarily the answer in our case?

You forget that some people saw the stripes at the apple logo screen, before MacOS (or windows or linux) is running.
mac.cardi

Maybe the firmware version for the display is incompatible with a certain batch of displays used for the MBP?

I think one point has be made here.

If you find this problem, go return your mbp for replacement LCD. Don't assume this is a firmware problem.

Why do I suggest this?

What are the possibilities?

1) This truly is a hardware problem, and you will get a permanent fix.

2) This is not a hardware problem and you still have the same problem after a replacement.

3) This truly is a hardware problem but apple doesn't know what type or kind. Therefore, you might get a replacement which has the same problem or get it fixed nonetheless by accident.

I know for a fact some of us (me included) #1 has been true. I have had my replacement LCD for over a month without ever seeing those stripes again.

If number #2 is true then, none of us who got replacement LCD's and in fact tens of thousands of macbook pro users would be having the same problem. Even though based on this discussion group this problem seems widespread, I'm willing to bet it's still a small number of us who are having this problem. If it's a firmware problem shouldn't it affect all mbp?

As long as there is a possibility that #1 outcome is true, then all of you should get your LCD replaced.

Secondary outcome of massive amounts of MBP users requesting returns and exchanges will force apple to fix this problem once and for all.

ALL of you send you MBP back for repair or replacement!!! I did and now it works great (so far for more than a month)