Q: display anomalies

I have done all of that already. It was used but new to me so I did a zero-out of the drive. Machine crashed when trying to install from DVD after the 2hr format. I turned it off for an hour then quick-erased followed by a successful install. Crashed booting from the HD. Letting the machine cool down gets things running again for a bit, but this is definitely a heat related issue and when things get hot the machine locks up whether booted from DVD or HD.

Thanks though!

Ongoing testing on my machine suggests high temp is more effect rather than cause.

Latest safebooted temp log shows escalating temps well over 80degC overnight running Safari with a few windows open (and chewing 90%+ CPU at the time). Temp drops rapidly on quitting Safari. Safebooted Safari seems to reliably crash scrolling the www.apple.com/appleTV page. Also tried manually loading ATIRadeonX1000.kext, which didn't stop the Safari:AppleTV crash.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa145/cheongi/Picture71-hightempstable2.png

Did you suck out the dust?

I believe SMCResetPRAMZap+deletingcorrupt_prefsdeleting_corruptkexts is essential after graphics glitches appear.

Latest temp logs starting with system safebooted and ending with glitch free boot. http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa145/cheongi/Picture73corrupttofixedtemps.pn g
- large drop in CPU temp near the start on quitting Safari, which was hogging CPU
- restart after large pause revealed horizontal line glitches on login screen, then rest of that temp log section was also safebooted after SMC reset and PRAM zap - note seriously higher temperatures presumably caused by some system corruption
- next restart revealed clean login screen and horizontal line glitches on login window - temps still high but lower
- last restart after applying latest recipe boots and logs in clean - initial high temps caused by quicklook daemon; then system settled to a low temperature; one transient graphic artefact seen (??temp related)

Latest recipe is the result of experimentation and reading various threads and web sites on X1600, CPU hogs; overheating; etc:

1. shutdown
2. reset SMC (on MBP: remove power and battery then hold power button for 5 seconds)
3. startup
4. zap PRAM
5. single user boot (cmd-S while booting)
6. # applejack AUTO shutdown
7. safeboot (hold shift while booting)
8. delete suspect kexts in /System/Library/Extensions (at least ATIRadeonX1600.kext, AppleGraphicsControl.kext) - presently, I am deleting:
AppleGraphicsControl
AppleGraphicsPowerManagement
AppleNDRV
everything starting with ATI
Caches
IONDRVSupport
9. apply most recent OS combo update to replace deleted kexts
10. delete suspect prefs - presently I am deleting:
/Library/Preferences:
all in /SystemConfiguration
.GlobalPreferences.plist
com.apple.windowserver.plist
com.apple.loginwindow.plist which somehow is sometimes just loginwindow.plist
com.apple.BezelServices.plist

{user}/Library/Preferences:
.GlobalPreferences.plist
com.apple.finder.plist
com.apple.systemuiserver.plist
com.apple.loginwindow.plist.
com.apple.BezelServices.plist
9. shutdown
10. reset SMC
11. zap PRAM
12. boot normally (cross fingers)

Along the way, I have run Pacifist and got rid of all non-Apple kexts and old prefs.

I am left wondering if the problem relates to Intels AE18 erratum bug:
http://www.bresink.com/osx/0TemperatureMonitor/issues.html

I am still left suspecting somehow the problem could still relate to:
* graphics kexts and Safari - since Safari reliably crashes for me on safeboot and appleTV page scrolling
* Quartzextreme/GL
* dust buildup
* bad thermal paste
* solder joint problems

But still, I have had a hard time reproducing problems while safebooted, excepting crashing Safari.

A new MacBook Air looks appealing....

Ian, thank you for spotting my thread and directing me here. I have read through the recent posts and will give the suggestions a go.

My current situation reminds me a lot of what was happening with my old Ti PowerBook - basically, the insulation failed on a ribbon cable running under the trackpad, thus causing a short. Here's the thread: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=228678&start=75&tstart=0

Has anyone explored something similar, where the cause isn't software or a failure related to the GPU? Just curious.

Hi Ian,

I've succesfully used your latest recipe on my old mac, which is sporting the x1600. I mainly use it to play WoW, and it has had very frequent graphical glitches in-game for the past two years, and in a lesser amount out of game, while using Safari. The last half year complete system stalls were added to the glitches. After your fix, I've played for about 3 to 4 hours now, without any of both.

The glitches just returned however, so I'll see if I have any lock ups again, and just repeat the process.

The only thing that seemed odd to me, was that I couldn't find .GlobalPreferences.plist anywhere. Maybe it's due to my system being 10.6.4 and yours some older version. I have found a preferences.plist however, so that might be the same thing.

Anyway, thanks for help in what I always thought of as a hardware problem! It's a pity ATI doesn't make any propietary drivers for this, might have been fixed a long time ago.

Message was edited by: Nick Rutten

To delete the invisible files (leading dot in filename):
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
killall Finder

To revert back, type:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE
killall Finder

There is still something wrong I haven't found yet. Reading another thread on temperature spikes, some have had a hardware error. My machine is perfect on extended Apple Hardware Test.
http://discussions.info.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=10878698
Spotlight indexing certainly causes CPU load.
http://discussions.info.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=12082156

But the temp logs suggest a trail of random temp spikes (presumably caused by software glitch) cause graphics glitches and result in the loginwindon horizontal line and the the system has a bug in temperature control. This log shows a few spikes. I thought it best to get rid of the problem, but forgot to apply part of my last recipe before rebooting. System boots hot. Last boot on the log safeboots hotter running nothing except Console and Temperature Monitor. Later in the day, still unattended, some process must terminate and temps drop, then ramp up with a few random spikes.
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa145/cheongi/Picture1tempspikesthencorruptio n.png
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa145/cheongi/Picture77unattendednoaps.png

I think it is fairly clear GPU temperatures are fairly solid. GPU heatsink is always hotter than GPU, driven by CPU temp. I'd love to be able to reinstall firmware and SMC update but haven't found a way yet. Presently, I am experimenting with deleting/reinstalling all the drivers that load on normal boot that don't load on safeboot. (Output of kextstat.)

It may be there is a smaller list of corrupted kexts to delete and reinstall, as an alternative to the list I have been using. I have just noticed the small number with recent modification dates:
System.kext
IPFirewall.kext
IOPCIFamily.kext
IONDRVSupport.kext
AppleIntegratedFramebuffer.kext
AppleIntelGMAX3100FB.kext

Possilby, one has to touch /System/Library/Extensions to force kextcache rebuild - from Terminal:
$ sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions
(For some reason, running kextcache -e from Terminal fails with "too large" error.)

One can confirm this on single user boot - several lines of progress dots while reloading kexts. It appears corrupt kextcache is what causes the horizontal line problem on login screen, which resolves after this is rebuilt with clean kexts. Still testing....

Another dissatisfied customer here.

Parents bought me a MBP summer of 06 before I headed off to college; our family has used Apple computers since they first hit the market and had been very happy with their products, but it has had no shortage of problems with this Mac Book Pro.

Hard Drive failure in 07,
MagSafe addapter failure in 08
Super Drive failure 08
Logic Board failure in 09
Battery failure in 09

Initially I thought it was just some software bug and I even erased my hard drive in an attempt to stop it. But it seems it is in fact a hardware issue. It's now October 2010 and my logic board is again failing showing all the symptoms people have been experiencing; freezing while audio continues, screen going black, screen going white, gradually brightening screen, horizontal lines, random rebooting, permanently discolored pixels, etc. I've even had the computer freeze at temperatures around 40ºC.

I can't even play a old game like Warcraft 3 or run Parallels without my computer locking up. It is really quite sad. I ended up forgoing any store of game on my MBP and even streaming videos is a delicate situation.

I plan to go into a local Apple Store soon and see what they have to say for themselves.

I have not been able to demonstrate a hardware problem yet.

I have run Apple Hardware Test (on original install CD) in loop mode for an hour with no errors generated.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1509
<cmd-L> sets Apple Hardware Test to loop mode.

The glitches have always disappeared on safeboot, which pretty much defines a software problem.

Temperature logs seem to strongly reflect OS stability rather than the other way around.

I think my 10.5.8 machine is close to fully functional now.

Previous torture test to failure dies at CPU around 87degC:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa145/cheongi/Picture37torturetesttofailure.p ng
Latest torture test starts off cool around 65decC, pushes up to a max 82degC, then at completion rapidly cools down again. (I played a 1920x1024 HD video + simultaneous Xbench CPU/Mem/Graphics benchmarks (without disk test) x 50 iterations, which took nearly 30 mins.) Short-term log shown:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa145/cheongi/Picture24cooltorturecool.png

Last long-term temperature log includes the period of torture test at the end. Most of flat temperature does not demonstrate rising temperatures of previous logs and desktop had horizontal line artefact throughout until last reboot. After last reboot (gap in history), system boots with clean graphics and almost no artefacts to date. I saw a single black line across a scroll box in one window in the beginning and nothing since. Fingers crossed.....
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa145/cheongi/Picture24fixed.png

Presently, I am avoiding Safari, since it still a little unstable. In a recent attempt to cure my machine, I managed to make it unbootable. Archive/install of Leopard onto an external drive and running Safari and the appleTV page scrolling problem caused the usual random graphic glitches instantly. Later I will see if Safari will behave properly.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep system cleaning (unsure if this is essential now, since I left it out for latest attempt):

1. shutdown
2. reset SMC (on MBP: remove power and battery then hold power button for 5 seconds)
3. startup
4. zap PRAM (hold cmd-opt-P-R when booting until the system chimes a second time)
5. single user boot (cmd-S while booting)
6. # applejack AUTO shutdown
7. safeboot (hold shift while booting)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Proposed minimal steps to fix (seemed to work, though after a few failed partial attempts):

1. run Pacifist to install/replace suspected problem resources.
From OS combo update:System/Libary/Extensions
System.kext
IPFirewall.kext
IOPCIFamily.kext
IONDRVSupport.kext
AppleIntegratedFramebuffer.kext
AppleIntelGMAX3100FB.kext
IOGraphicsFamily.kext

From Install discs:
Essentials.mpkg:/System/Library/MonitorPanels/AppleDisplay.monitorPanels
(appears to resolve error: localhost kernel[0]: display: family specific matching fails)

2. Terminal: (recommended manner of rebuilding kext caches)
$sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions/

3. delete suspect prefs - presently I am deleting:
/Library/Preferences:
all in /SystemConfiguration
.GlobalPreferences.plist
com.apple.windowserver.plist
com.apple.loginwindow.plist which somehow is sometimes just loginwindow.plist
com.apple.BezelServices.plist

{user}/Library/Preferences:
.GlobalPreferences.plist
com.apple.finder.plist
com.apple.systemuiserver.plist
com.apple.loginwindow.plist.
com.apple.BezelServices.plist


4. shutdown
5. reset SMC
6. zap PRAM
7. start normally - fingers crossed
8. Enter new Computer Name in SystemPreferences:Sharing
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I figure it is safer to use Pacifist to overwrite suspect system resources, since I messed up my machine trying to guess what kexts to delete and getting a bit impatient deleting something important.

If the minimal steps fail, then suggest running Pacifist to install/replace more kexts:
From computer Install discs:
Essentials.mpkg:/System/Library/Extensions/<select all and install/replace>
Essentials.mpkg:/System/Library/MonitorPanels/AppleDisplay.monitorPanels

From OS combo update:
/System/Libary/Extensions/<select all and install/replace>

Other steps in the minimal recipe are probably still required. Note that along the way, I have eliminated foreign (non-Apple) kexts and startup processes (using Lingon), stopped clamd, minimized the number of files on the desktop. I don't know if these other steps helped or not and over time I will be reinstalling some of the things I stopped.

So far, 4 hours, thermally stable around 67degC CPU, one transient glitch apparently caused by a temperature spike. More later.....

Last minor glitch after several hours grew into the usual horizontal line across desktop and then login screen. So have now done a deeper clean/repair. Now glitch free 16 hours and CPU temps seem quite stable and low. Note the CPU temperature pattern is quite different when graphics anomalies are present. (These two logs join up.)
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa145/cheongi/Picture27minorproblems.png
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa145/cheongi/Picture27stable16hours.png

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DEEP CLEAN
1. shutdown
2. reset SMC (on MBP: remove power and battery then hold power button for 5 seconds)
3. startup
4. zap PRAM (hold cmd-opt-P-R when booting until the system chimes a second time)
5. single user boot (cmd-S while booting)
6. # applejack AUTO shutdown
7. safeboot (hold shift while booting)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REPLACE SUSPECT RESOURCES
1. Install/replace suspected problem resources.

Run Pacifist
File:OpenAppleInstallDiscs:<OS Install Disc>
ContentsOfOSInstall.mpkg:ContentsOfEssentialSystemSoftware:ContentsOfEssentialSy stemSoftwareGroup:ContentsOfEssentials.pkg:/System/Library/MonitorPanels/AppleDi splay.monitorPanels <install/replace> OR <File:InstallFilesToOtherDisk if booted from another drive>

ContentsOfOSInstall.mpkg:ContentsOfEssentialSystemSoftware:ContentsOfEssentialSy stemSoftwareGroup:ContentsOfBaseSystem.pkg:/System/Library/Extensions/<select all and install/replace> OR <File:InstallFilesToOtherDisk if booted from another drive>

Run latest OSComboUpater and SecurityUpdate.

2. run DiskUtility and repair permissions, as Pacifist leaves some errors.

3. Terminal:
$sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions/

4. To show hidden files to delete, in the Terminal copy/paste:
$ defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
$ killall Finder
To revert back if desired:
$ defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE
$ killall Finder

5. delete suspect prefs - presently I am deleting:
/Library/Preferences:
all in /SystemConfiguration
.GlobalPreferences.plist
com.apple.windowserver.plist
com.apple.loginwindow.plist which somehow is sometimes just loginwindow.plist
com.apple.BezelServices.plist

{user}/Library/Preferences:
.GlobalPreferences.plist
com.apple.finder.plist
com.apple.systemuiserver.plist
com.apple.loginwindow.plist.
com.apple.BezelServices.plist


6. shutdown
7. reset SMC
8. zap PRAM
9. start normally - fingers crossed
10. Enter new Computer Name in SystemPreferences:Sharing
END
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The core of the problem appears to be corruption in kextcaches and kexts which spreads through other system resources and if left long enough causes lockups/freezes. Several times a less than thorough fix has resulted in a system freeze after a few minutes. Horizontal line glitch on login screen appears to be due to kext cache corruption. The hard part is getting this to rebuild from clean resources. According to kextcache documentation, touching /System/Library/Extensions should be enough to trigger cache rebuilds. Perhaps corruption in SMC/PRAM interferes. When clean resources are ready to be loaded into new cache, I have seen the horizontal line on login screen disappear on a simple restart. If problems recur, there may be other corrupt resources to fix.

Still to be determined what chain of events causes the initial corruption. Suspects:
ATIRadeonX1000.kext
AppleIntegratedFramebuffer.kext
AppleIntelGMAX3100FB.kext
Safari 5.0.2

Hi all,

Having the same problem as most people in this thread without being able to solve it, I suggest that we all, every day, send a complaint to Apple. In all their different addresses, in our respective countries, on:
http://www.apple.com/support/feedback/
http://developer.apple.com/contact/
http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html
Our local one, in my case Denmark:
http://www.apple.com/dk/contact/feedback.html

A copy-pasted complain that goes something like this should be enough:

It is time you repair the MacBook Pros with the ATI Radeon x1600 card free of charge, like you did with the NVIDIA model! How do you expect us to feel safe buying anything from you again when you don't repair the mistakes you've made? We thought we would let you know.

It should only take about five minutes a day. Of course you maybe won't remember or care enough to do it every day. But if you do it sometimes, and tell your friends on FaceBook, YouTube etc to do the same, maybe we could at leat be an annoying bug for them, that maybe could make them think again, about not fixing their mistakes. Please forward this to whom you think could be interested!

Best regards,

Johanne Lund
Copenhagen, Denmark

After trying to get some temperature readings I noticed that my left fan is not running. So in this case I believe the machine has been running over temp for a long time and the result is the now failing GPU.

I'm guessing, of course, but a bad fan in a laptop can't be helping things.

I am all for complaining. But I do believe a very specific complaint is far more likely to be effective. A complaint without a specific problem will probably be ignored. To date, many owners have had logic boards replaced. I+f Apple deems normal wear and tear+ caused by fan failure or overheating due to dust buildup are the cause, +they will have no reason for action+, since they are not liable for "normal wear and tear".

If hardware is faulty in manufacture, then the manufacturers are liable and will accept that. But we need to be closer to proving that. Specifically, if anyone can demonstrate a failure on AppleHardwareTest, that is proof of a hardware problem which Apple will investigate. +*Suggest running AppleHardwareTest in loop mode overnight.+* See:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=12479360#12479360

Hardware suspects:
1. ATIRadeonX1600 GPU
2. Intels Core Duo AE18 erratum bug (see http://www.bresink.com/osx/0TemperatureMonitor/issues.html)
3. Dust buildup
4. Fan failure
5. Bad thermal paste

On my machine, a flawless Apple Hardware Test and disappearance of the problem on safeboot strongly suggest a software problem. My latest software fix recipe has seen my machine running flawlessly and cool for 42 hours.
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=12487516#12487516

I have no proof of any hardware problem and much evidence to corroborate a software problem. But what is the cause of the problem?

I note that even on a clean install of Leopard on an external drive, the following kexts have modification dates of present day, rather than manufacture date. (After graphics glitch appeared anyway.)
System.kext
IPFirewall.kext
IOPCIFamily.kext
IONDRVSupport.kext
AppleIntegratedFramebuffer.kext (thought to be to for Intel GMA950 GPU)
AppleIntelGMAX3100FB.kext (for Intel GMA X3100 GPU)

Since my machine like everyone else's here has ATIRadeonX1600, one wonders why the other framebuffer code should be accessed at all. I am considering deleting them.

I have reliably been able to cause graphics corruption and crash Safari 5.02 when safebooted and scrolling the www.apple.com/appleTV page.

If others can demonstrate bugs in Safari and report them regularly, Apple will be looking into the cause of the software problem affecting our machines.

Other software suspects:
Safari
Quartz/QuartzExtreme
Flash

I do strongly recommend everyone to be systematic about trying to diagnose their problem:
1. +*Run AppleHardwareTest in loop mode overnight.+* See:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=12479360#12479360
2. Suck dust out of machine
3. Safeboot. Scroll AppleTV page (http://www.apple.com/appleTV) in Safari to see if it gitches and crashes. The large image then stretches to cover the menu items and then safari crashes.
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa145/cheongi/Picture1Safariglitchcrash.png
4. Run TemperatureMonitor (http://www.bresink.com/osx/TemperatureMonitor.html) and setup Preferences:History to log the temperature sensors you are interested in.
5. Apply my latest software fix recipe and see if what happens to temperature logs.
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=12487516#12487516

Please report back success or failure. (42 hours glitch free, CPU temp 63-73degC, rare spikes to 78degC max...)

It looks like ATIRadeonX1900 GPUs have the same problem. Same problematic ATIRadeonX1000.kext.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1865318&start=15&tstart=0

Post by bvac here:
http://macfidelity.de/2009/05/10/mac-how-to-stress-test-your-cpu-in-mac-os-x/com ment-page-1/#comment-14924

Found a really simple CPU stress test:
http://macfidelity.de/2009/05/10/mac-how-to-stress-test-your-cpu-in-mac-os-x

In short, open a couple of terminal windows and run in each:
$ yes > /dev/null

My machine still wont go over 82degC, 51 hours no glitches....

Apple has an exchange program for ATIX1900XT...
http://db.tidbits.com/article/11663