Black screen. NVIDIA 8600M graphics card failure?

VoiceOver with the help of another Mac running Leopard has enabled me to create another backup (i think). Thanks!

Screen Sharing seems to be "dim" according to VoiceOver - guess that must be because of the graphics card issue, so no VNC.

Thanks for the tip.

Hi Kev

It it almost a given that the number of macbookpro laptops made from May 2007-September 2008 will fail. Mine failed, the logic board was replaced no question. The number of posts on this forum would indicate that there is a serious problem, Apple should recall all macbookpro laptops in this age range and replace with the new version for a small exchange fee.

I have had the keyboard and logic board replaced, and upgraded the harddrive and the RAM so it is almost not the same laptop I bought, it would be a good PR exercise and then make Nvidia buy back the faulty laptops!!

That is my $0.02 worth!!
Justin
Durban

Those are my thoughts exactly, I think the reason why Apple have to keep using the same cards is an OSX issue, same reason its not advisable to use OSX on a non-mac machine. Its not made to be as maleable as Windows, when it works its much better though.

Any chance a few of those on this board would be interested in co-aurhoring a proposal to Apple? Where would you even send such a thing?

I would be willing to knock up a draft.....

Message was edited by: ivanmcc

I think my macbook pro has begun with nvidia problems...but I wonder, what is Apple fixing this with?...do they put in some other kind of processor?

yesterday morning I put my computer and attached monitor in screen saver mode...it went to sleep...when i tried to wake it both monitors were frozen...the macbook pro screen had one of the screen saver images on it frozen with one band across it near the top...the external monitor had this kinda big graphic on it, like a giant pixelized portion of one of the photos i use as a screen saver...

i was able to shut the computer down, waited a minute or two and it started up fine...been using it since with no problems...

is this just going to get progressively worse? I bought this laptop in April 2008...this is the first time I've seen this happen...

thanks for any advice...

M

Message was edited by: Morris Taub

MBP is back, Mactivate did a quick job,

Leopard now installed, was unbelievably slow and choppy on screen untill a few restarts after a software update.

Still a bit slower, typing this after a forced shutdown because of a frozen screen/keyboard


MMMmmm mac?

I´ve got last week the same problem in my MBP 2,2 SR, the tech said: it was one problem with the logic board and the solution: replace it.
I have no more guarantie, and I decided to reinstall the system, to see if it was a driver conflict. After restore the system from another MBP, and now it´s working and fine. After 10 reboots the screen is working. I don´t unterstand it!

Sorry for my poor english

I´m having the same problem, every time I start my computer I get a black screen. I took it to repair and they told me that the motherboard has the video internal and external out port damaged. Do I need to replace it? or should I ask if they can replace the NVIDIA card? My warranty expired and I don´t know what else to do. I bought my macbook pro on july 2007 😟

My computer is being repair this up coming week. Though I never really researched the problems with this 2007/2008 model I have noticed issues since I purchased it. It wouldn't wake from sleep, the external monitors would not work from time to time, the temp is outrageous and just recently after playing a few games on it the video just died. I really wish I could get a new more reliable laptop. I would be willing to pay a little more money, if they would just credit me most of the cost. The fact of the matter is that I feel I can never rely on this computer. I am just going to wait for it to crap out again. If they actually gave me a refund I would just purchase an HP. My hp and my compaq are both over 4 years and are still running smoothly. And at a fraction of the cost. When I thank about how much I paid for this equipment it is just sad to see that I just paid for nothing. They need to give us some options!!!

I would like to know how many people have had the logic board repair for this same issue and have it happen again and again?
It seems like the plan is to just replace the logic boards until you are out of your two year extended warranty.
If that is the case, they could have just paid someone to stick me up at gun point!!!

I also get a black screen when I start up but it doesn't affect my remote screen so I'm able to fix it in system preferences - where the brightness has changed itself to 0.
Is this the same problem?

Hi Oliver,

It doesn't sound like the same problem, this problem culminates in the graphics card failing resulting in no video, anywhere.

I have had this same problem, and my computer is out of warranty, but when I took my computer to the Apple Store they told me that my serial number is not within the series being replaced at no charge. If I have this graphics card, and it is a known fact that this graphics card WILL fail in these computers, shouldn't Apple be forced to replace it for me?
Can anyone think of any sort of action I could take to get this resolved? It is extremely frustrating.

Well the first post sums up precisely what happened to me so no need to elaborate on that.

AND NOW THE GOOD NEWS!!!!

I called the local apple store and within 1 hour I was standing there as the tech ran diagnostics. And then the good news, it WAS the NVIDIA problem, they had parts in stock, and WITHIN 1.5 HOURS I PICKED UP MY MAC WITH A NEW LOGIC BOARD INSTALLED.....FOR FREE!!!!

I hope nobody takes this sort of thing for granted. I bought my Mac in Jul 07 and had no extended warranty so Apple didn't "owe me" anything. Or the tech could have lied and said it was something else, etc.

As a thank you I purchased iWork, a hard drive, and Airport Extreme right on the spot.

THANK YOU APPLE!!! YOU HAVE PROVED TO ME YOU ARE A CLASS COMPANY!!!

I posted about my black/blank screen in the wrong macbook pro forum area (sorry about that). My warranty expires in October 2010....

I took my laptop to the Apple Geniuses today and they ran diagnostics on it and declared the video card was faulty and they would replace the logic board free.

I think the geniuses (and applecare) are awesome. They have never failed me yet!

Over a month ago I updated from 10.5.5 to 10.5.7 on my MBP 17" from 2007. Upon rebooting as part of the update, the screen failed to work!

I was mortified that my Mac no longer worked, was it the update? After researching the symptom, "black screen of death, keyboard works" I discovered that Apple had extended a warranty on the 8600M Nvidia card, the same as in my machine.
I took it to a Genius and inquired about the warranty.
However, the Genius told me that there was likely a hidden condition within my machine that may have been brought out by the update, causing the symptom to occur suddenly. This stuck in my mind because I was encouraged to update by this on Apple's site:
"The 10.5.7 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5 to 10.5.6, and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac."

According to the Genius who was looking at my laptop, the 8600M Nvidia chip of my MacBook Pro which falls into the time frame of affected chips does not however fall into the specific range Nvidia is covering. Next he contradicted himself by first telling me the logic board needed to be replaced, and that the Nvidia card was fine... and then after asking why i can take screenshots of working software if the logic board failed, he said it may be the GPU. Without opening and inspecting the hardware he quoted a price to replace the logic board at only $330... if i understand correctly others have spent $1000 plus and $300 is a standard service fee. Still, if it is defective, and there is no way of predicting which chips are most affected, and my laptop is exhibiting the exact symptoms analogous with affected chips, I fail to see why I was denied coverage under the extended warranty for a free repair, as many others have received.
BEWARE ALL FUTURE MAC CUSTOMERS... APPLE DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THE QUALITY OF THEIR PRODUCTS AND A MAC GENIUS WILL WORK HARD TO DENY ANY WARRANTY YOU DESERVE.