Q: display anomalies

Update:

Since installing Lobotomo Fan Control and setting the lower limit to 42C, the upper limit to 70C and the base fan speed to 2250 rpm, my Macbook Pro has been operating like a brand new machine! I'm stunned. No artefacts or locks up yet, and that's considering that I've been doing projects in Logic Pro that are very CPU intensive. The bottom of the unit feels much cooler than usual also. I've had kernel panics, but that's been an issue to do with the bad timing of removing firewire devices. Snow Leopard runs brilliantly now; solid, snappy, efficient and overall much better than Leopard. I'm going to get a cooling pad to make sure things stay this way since I've identified that heat was definitely the problem. Either a Thermaltake Massive23 or a Zalman NC2000 should do it. I might still get a new logic board to be on the safe side, I'm not sure. I'll post an update in a month or so after running things this way about how it's going.

I have noticed that if the system begins to lock up and freeze over and over even if I restart the machine, I can reset the PRAM (OptionCommand+PR) and it will not do so for about a day before it start to do it again.

I have temporarily fixed my problem, however, it is a hack and I shouldn't have to rely on outside resources when I paid good money for this machine. I downloaded the fan control (http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/23137), and purchased the Belkin Cooling Lounge (http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=459930), and everything is working beautifully. My only expense was for the cooling lounge, which I picked up at Staples on sale for $24.95.

It is not the fix I would like from Apple, but I have a business to run and cannot wait around for them.

Regards,
Bryan

Just wanted to put in my $.02 as well.

Been having the same issues people describe here on and off for the last 2 years, but in the last 2 days it has gotten to the point where the machine will not run for more than a few minutes before it completely freezes.

This machine has been an absolute nightmare for me, I wouldn't wish these issues on anyone.

(MacbookPro 2ghz, 2G RAM, ATI x1600)

Hi again guys. Just wanted to update you with some good info. I've been testing that Macally Bamboo cooling stand you probably stumbled upon somewhere in the past already (if you're into macs) and boy is it great. I borrowed it from a friend and now consider buying.

I've probably exceeded all limits in my quest to make my Macbook Pro run as cool as possible waaay ago, but this thing still managed to give my temps a great decrease.

It's just great, I didn't see that coming, to be honest.

In a nutshell, I had 54*C CPU and 49*C GPU today, working with two displays doing various stuff.
Now when I have my MBP on this Macally Bamboo thing it's 48.5*C CPU and 45*C GPU.

4*C decrease for GPU and around 5-6*C for CPU is just great. For most laptops in regard to this thread it's a matter of life or death I guess.

So, give that (or any other) cooling stand a try. *Definitely do so*. Even if you can't always keep your MBP on such stand, a few hours daily might prolong the dying laptop's life quite significantly.

Cheers.

I have just discovered this disscussion. I have just had to get my logic board replaced because of this graphics card failing completly. It failed after I had ram upgrade and new battery and snow leopard with iLife set loaded. I had this all done at apple approved retailer repairer.
It's thanks to them that I am able to get this new logic board fitted. They are doing the labour for nothing and letting me pay cost for the logic board -£350. they just don't want me to feel bad about the fact the logic board went after my upgrade there. The customer sevices at apple were most unhelpful and will not pay for the logic board. I will be writing to apple in the hope they will pay for the board.
This is the second time I have posted this comaint (it was in another disscussion on this site) it was swiftly removed by apple before!

Well said! I agree !

I am very glad I discovered this thread before it was too late. I have all the symptoms described in this tread and they were progressively getting worse. It started with frequent crashes, then the random lines followed, then the colored triangles. At first I assumed it was software, but now I know it's not.

The first thing I did was download Fan Control. Following the advice of others here I have the following settings:

Base Speed: 2200 RPM
Lower Threshold: 48 C
Upper Threshold: 70 C

This really helped keep my machine a bit cooler, but it's a little jarring at first to hear the fans running.

I next installed iStat so I could keep track of the temps.

I have used both the Belkin cooling stand and the Macally Bamboo stand. Both work wonders on keeping the temp down. In my opinion, the Belkin keeps my laptop a bit cooler but it is also noisier. The Macally is very attractive and very quiet.

Right now, I am not doing much but my temps are as follows:

CPU 41C
GPU 39C

Since doing all these things my laptop has not crashed or done anything strange once. It's running much better.

Thanks to everyone for posting here! It saved my laptop!

Does any one know how many people have had this problem with the graphics card?
An interesting thing happened today, my MacBook had had a new motherboard fitted At the apple approved repair shop and has been tested since his week. Today that new motherboard showed a failure! So the chap that's fixing it has to get another one! I told him about this disscussion, re the overheating issue and the software you can download to control the heat of the mackbook, he's going to check it out here.

I've just started to have this problem with my MacBook Pro. It started with strange corrupt lines across particular applications like Safari or when playing video in iTunes. It has since start to freeze up and crash. I have installed FanControl and it seems to keep the problem at bay if I run the fans at max speed but I'm guessing this will only postpone the problem. I'm not very happy since this does seem to be a chip failure which has just taken time to surface and now everyone is obviously no longer covered by a warrenty.

Hi there, where do I sign up to get ati to replace my motherboard please?

Just adding another machine that is having the same problems. It has certainly gotten much worse with Snow Leopard.

Russell

Would you mind sharing a screenshot of your CoolBook settings? I tried to tinker with this but ended up getting kernal panics as I couldn't quite nail the right settings.

Thanks.

No problem. Just remember that these settings are *NOT UNIVERSAL*. Work for me, but might not work for you at all. You can have a glimpse of course but please, try not to replicate them without any testing or it may cause more panics or even make your system not bootable.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/1223/psuz.png

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/154/batjc.png

Kernel panics mean with 99,9% probability that the voltage you've set is simply too low. Try setting it higher.

Here's a universal setting…

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/8440/13556f.jpg

:c)