Q: MacBook Pro Blank Screen (Built - in & External) - continued

[Adashi]
Did you make any progress on your issue?
I have the exact same symptoms: blank screen, even on secondary display but system works fine since upgrade to 10.5.8. Graphics car is detected as GMA_X3100 and no display connector is associated. I can ssh and vnc to it without problems.

I tried pram reset, 10.5.8 bundle reinstall, ... nothing seems to bring it back.
Wonder if this can be related to TS2377.

Seb.

Message was edited by: s.barbereau

hey all
Ive got the same problem as all of you. i recently took it in to a genius who did the nvida test and told me my logic board needed to be replace. So 3 days later its fixed free of charge awesome. After i got home i booted my MBP and after about 1 min my computer froze and after reboot i got the blank screen of death. Now i have to go back to the apple store and most likley get another faulty logicboard. This just ****** me off why replace a faulty board with an even faultier board

I can't tell if I'm affected by this issue or not. Basically, my screen on my 2007 MBP has gone completely blank. If I play with the brightness control it slightly changes shades... but its just different shades of black. I can't see a thing. So it certainly seems as if I've experienced the dreaded MBP/NVIDIA bug. However...

1) System Profiler still reports the graphics card as the NVIDIA 8600GM, not as the Intel chipset.

2) I was able to plug in an external monitor and use it in mirrored mode. Should the external monitor work if the GPU was hosed?

I fixed my screen problem by buying a new 90W power supply. The old one made very faint clicking sounds if I put my ear to it.

just got back from the apple store, i had my faith restored in apple, the genius i dealt with was phenomenal, he was very apologetic, friendly, and explained everything really well. he initially quoted me a free repair and a time frame of 1-2 days due to a "looping problem," about 20 mins later while we were still in the mall the genius called me and told me my mbp was ready. he said the problem was most likely just a faulty board and not a nvida problem but was unable to test or prove this. regardless apple gained a life long customer due to their great service.

Just to echo your mail, my MBP 2.2 SR went black Monday after waking from sleep following some intensive fan-for no reason- action. I jumped on this forum, read the posts, saw that I probably had the same NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT issue, booked an appointment at the local Apple Genius Bar for the next day using my iPhone, went in Tuesday, they confirmed the NVIDIA problem and offered to fix her there and then. Good work Apple and forum posters. Pity the graphics card had the common defect in the first place.

Hi,
I'm sorry to say that my logic card is now broken for the third time! Fortunately I bought an apple care warranty when I first bought the computer, so I'm safe until next august (even tho carrying it again to an apple center is not really funny).
I'm quite disappointed about this problem because I personally love Apple's products aswell as mac os x, but there's no permanent solution from apple for this problem!

regards, gios

Well today got my macbook pro back


All is good and running

Got say I am so happy they replace logic board and no charge to me.
Ran out on apple care and all was so happy when they called and said its ready for pickup and it was covered.

I gotta applaud my Apple Care experience. Took my MBP to the Pentagon City Apple store on Monday evening and I just got it back a few minutes ago.

My fixed list..

Item: Description: Symptom:
607-3963 Hinge Assembly Enclosure - Defective Latch/Hinges
607-3962 Hinge Assembly Enclosure - Defective Latch/Hinges
605-1794 Logic Board NVIDIA Video Issue REP (Multiple Issues)
605-1154 Display Housing Enclosure - Mechanical/Cosmetic Damage

I didn't even know I had hinge problems and I guess the display housing might have had to be replaced due to troubleshooting or some cause of the NVIDIA issue.

I'm probably a year into my Apple Care service and it's definitely worth it.

Although it's great that Apple fixed all your problems and every time someone gets Apple to fix their NVIDIA issue they're always praising Apple.. but you have to remember that if the laptop was up to scratch in the beginning (as such a premium priced laptop should be) then you shouldn't be getting all these problems in the first place and shouldn't have to take time out of your day to take your laptop to Apple. They're not doing anything special. They're only doing their duty patching up a product that often breaks down well before it should.

Yes Yes...i also had the same problem...But I want to ask anyone who has this problem, although the screen remains blank, CAN YOU HEAR THE CHIME ON STARTUP?

I m worried because the service center is telling me that it is not a problem with graphic card as their diagnostic for the same is failing and has asked me to replace the logic board at a cost.

tannujyot !!!!!

Dont accept that!!!! You may have to take it to another place like i did but i got mine fixed for free after the apple store said that the diagnostics failed..

Mine would NOT chime on startup and would not boot so they could not run the diagostics but i persevered and got it fixed for free.

Dont give up!

thank you tant23... for your encouragement!!!

I will do that, and hope to get it fixed.

Hi Tannujyot,

All the best and I hope you get Apple to fix it. Just thought I'd share my experience. I also had a macbook pro 17" that didn't chime. Was exactly like a lot of other computers here but it didn't chime on start up.

I took it to two AASP in Prague and England. Both said they couldn't run the NVIDIA test and so it was unrelated and I would have to pay for the repair. Price ranged from £875-£920. I decided against this and had to pay £20 diagnostic fee in Prague and £50 ex VAT in England.

Pursued the matter with Apple UK support all the way to Executive Relations (top level of support), they still refused to fix it. I've now shipping it off to a guy in america to do a board level repair for $250. Hopefully it's legit! It's with him at the moment.

Bought a replacement Windows laptop, which I think will remain my standard from now on!

Hello TZac,

I am going to try out going to 2 or 3 AASP, but then if it doent happen i am going to sift to dell. I hope windows 7 becomes a ground breaking os as i might have to use it from next month or so...Being a student cannot afford another MBP now.

With the ill health of Steve Jobs, i think all the products of Apple are also going weak.

Would like to add one more thing: After keeping the MBP turned on for 3 to 5 hrs and pressing the ON/OFF button a number of times, it does start rarely. And when it starts it works perfectly fine. I was even able to format it once just to make sure it is not a problem with OS.