display anomalies

I was talking to myself about this issue over in this thread: http://discussions.apple.com/messageview.jspa?messageID=9270545

I think the only thing I mentioned there that I didn't see mentioned here is that on my machine, after a freeze, the kernel_task process 0 seems to always be stuck at slightly over 100% CPU usage.

Glad I finally found this thread, which seems to be the "authoritative thread" on the topic 🙂

I'm in a slightly better situation than most folks here, since although I did not opt for Apple Care, I did get an alternative 3 year "PowerCarePlan", a warranty extension offered by the dealer here in Switzerland.

Cheers, Chris

I assume that your dealer has replaced your Logic Board? I believe most of the users with these problems have MacBook Pro's older than one year and have not bought Apple Care.

Apple has not announced an "Extended Warranty Repair Program" and therefore Apple is not willing to repair these faulty MBP's at no cost. The key question now is if Apple needs to help effected users at no cost based on at least european law. I'm pretty sure that for example in The Netherlands it will be clear what Apple should do.

May be you know in case you bought "Apple Care" a recommend test tool that can be downloaded for free from Apple's support page is "Techtool DeLuxe".

TechTool Deluxe from Micromat is a powerful diagnostic utility that allows you to test your computer's critical system components, such as the processor, RAM (random-access memory), VRAM (video random-access memory), the hard disk, and more. TechTool Deluxe can also repair your computer's disk structure and rebuild its directories as necessary.

TechTool Deluxe is only available with an AppleCare Protection Plan. If your Mac is currently covered under the Apple One-Year Limited warranty and you would like to extend your world-class telephone technical support and hardware repair coverage to three years from your computer’s date of purchase and get TechTool Deluxe, purchase an AppleCare Protection Plan today.

If you purchased AppleCare Protection Plan for your Mac and need to download the latest version of TechTool Deluxe, please enter your serial number below so that we can validate your coverage.

I have not bought "Apple Care" and therefore I'am using TechTool Pro 5, version 5.0.4 (build 4200M) and this is the newest version and includes all the functions of TechTool Deluxe,

I was very interested to know what the test results were using this recommended tool. I have spent half a day on this tool and used "Check Computer" what is a set of computer tests:

- Memory Test
- Surface Scan
- Smart Check
- Video Memory
- Volume Structures
- File Structures

All test results were OK, only during the "Surface Scan" and "File Structure" my MBP completely hanged. There is definitely something fundamentally wrong with my MBP and again I conclude that Apple should fix this at no cost.

I can imagine, frustrated by these problems, that you have tried to repair your MBP yourself instead of Apple. I hope for you that these problems wil not return.

Personally I'am not in favour to try to do the same because I still believe that Apple should fix this.

My 3 year warranty extension period is still running for a few months. I haven't contacted my dealer yet. I'll likely do so in the next days - and will find out if under their warranty extension plan, they will replace the logic board as Apple would under Apple Care.

Thanks for writing about this - I've been having the same trouble on and off for a year or so, starting with the visual distortion and then recently the pixel lines and color gradients. Even worse, like many of yours, my computer is crashing all the time when hot, and DVD burns are nearly impossible.

I went to an Apple store and they'd never heard of it, and all their recommendations would have been time-consuming and apparently useless!

My question is this: I'm not clear how replacing the logic board helps. Does it get rid of the visual anomalies alone, or the crashing, or both?

Thanks!

Jonathan

With so many experiencing the same combination of screen artifacts and random freezes, the assumption is that the GPU keeps overheating, which eventually gets to the point where the thermal paste gets damaged and the GPU overheats even more, gets damaged itself, causing both the display anomalies and the crashes, and requiring a logic board replacement in order to fix both.

I did everything from beginning to get the machine cooled. My head-conductive paste has been replaced already and he system was professional maintained in every way. I got only 5 degree better but my system wasn't as hotter than 65 °C average before, it's now at 55°C average, by the way both temperatures should be ok.

As you can read in this thread its nothing which can be fixed only due to temperature reduction, you can only make it less worse with it. Next he problem isn't static it becomes worse over time everywhere.

and Yes, Board replacement is the only working solution for now. I thought about under clocking the GPU but I don't want do risk a non working state of the machine for now, maybe later when its sure that there is really no solution provided by apple.

regards

It appears that everyone here apart from Apple have come to the same conclusion in how how the fault with the ATi Radeon x1600 GPU is being created.

I find it insulting now (if i didnt already) that Apple refuse to correct this issue with little or no cost to the consumer. I believe we all feel the same way.

I agree with the fact that applying only new thermal paste and giving the machine a clean, although an inexpensive way to prolong the life, is not the solution as you say neither underclocking the GPU is in any way a method to get your MBP back to its original working condition.
We can all see that the only real solution is a logic board replacement, that much is obvious. But why, when the way this problem occurs in the first place and is a result of poor manufacturing procedure and /or product research in the first place by Apple, should we as consumers have to pay??? Fair enough you break the machine, spill coffee over it, without AppleCare you would expect to pay to have it fixed, but the problem we are all experiencing is a known fault in this particular generation of Apple machines.

I think this has been stated not only here, and it would be nice if Apple could make a statement about this, and what they are doing now to address the heating issues in MBP's, as its also to be found in new MBP's?!?!?!?


But yea we is going around in circles i feel now.:§

Count me in with all of these issues. Called Apple Tech today and they seemed to know what I was talking about. Their solution was for me to go to an Apple Authorized dealer since I'm 5 hours from and Apple Store. I also asked about a Flat Fee Repair program and the guy had no clue what I was talking about.

Hi All

It seems to be that if there is an inherent fault, then using the Sale of Goods Act legislation might be an option - the relevant paragraph is this:

• For up to six years after purchase (five years from discovery in Scotland) purchasers can demand damages (which a court would equate to the cost of a repair or replacement).

The link is here: http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/consumers/fact-sheets/page38311.html

Edit

Now my MBP freeze when i'm watching any flash video (like youtube)..

I must increase the fan speed at 6000rpm to prevent freeze.. but it occurs..

My MBP has started screwing up when the GPU is below 50 celsius. I don't know what i will do when it starts doing it at 45, 40, 35, etc.... piece of Sh**. i'm so frustrated. I did find something interesting called efix tho, u guys should check it out.

I don't think this is just a hardware issue. My 15" Macbook Pro with the ATI x1600 video card has had ZERO crashes using Windows 7 on the Boot Camp partition with all visual effects enabled. It is now 8:51 PM, and since 7 PM when I started using the machine today, it has crashed 12 times. This is on a brand new installation of Leopard. I never had these problems running under Tiger.

I get the random yellow or blue boxes, the single lines of pixels either running along the background or across an application, and the oh-so-fun crash when I try to access a program in the dock right after startup.

I've spent a lot of money on Mac apps, but I can't see purchasing another one if what I'm reading in this thread is true. I can buy a PC and slap Ubuntu on it and do virtually everything I need to without worrying if my machine is going to suddenly lock up.