MacBook Pro screen blinks

I also have the same issue. Top 1/3 of the screen "blinks" every 5-10 minutes. No apparent trigger to replicate the symptom. Blinking only occurs when using the 9400M graphics card. 9600GT works fine.

I called AppleCare. They ran me through a series of diagnostics. Nothing worked. AppleCare made a Genius appointment for me at my local Apple Store. Of course while at the Apple Store, could not get the screen to blink. Genius took my word for it. He ordered a new display and a new logic board. As soon as the parts are in they will call me to bring the computer in to have the display and logic board replaced. Hopefully that will fix the issue.

So the only thing we can do is get it back for replacment?

No, you could just ignore it. But the only thing that makes sense to do is take the MBP in for replacement or repair, depending on whether or not you're still within the 14-day replacement window honored at Apple stores. If you bought the machine elsewhere, that vendor's policies will govern whether it gets replaced or repaired.

replacment it is then...

That's because when you are using Windows you are using the 9600m. It's a problem with the 9400. I took it in to the Apple Store and they said that if I leave it there, they'll watch it for the blinking and if they see it they will proceed to replace the logic board (includes the graphics chipsets). At this point it is blinking every half hour or so, which is worse than before.

does anyone of Apple read these mails?

No, generally not. These are user-to-user forums.

I´ve had the same problem with 2 of my 3 replacements, but let me tell you the whole story.

my first macbookpro had a flickering screen with the 84 displaypanel and a bent batterycap . it flickered when i opened it up from standby and after hours of working with photoshop cs3. that was the reason i sent it back.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z254/kristof_r/verbogenerAKKUdeckel.jpg

the second macbookpro i got had awful backlight with dark/darkgrey backgrounds as you can see on the pic below. which is very annoying if you have to work in ps with darker pics.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z254/kristof_r/zweitesMACBOOKpro.jpg


the third macbookpro had the same problem as the second: AWFUL backlight!!! at the photo below you can see my third macbookpro at the left and by way of comparison at the right my fourth (annoyingly flickering) macbookpro.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z254/kristof_r/drittesUNDviertesMACBOOKpro.jp g

my fourth and actual macbookpro had the same problem as the first had: a flickering screen when i opened the book from standby and after hours of working with ps.


i want to change the fourth macbookpro, but apple said, that i have to send it back and get my money back.

i don´t know where the problem now is...obviously i had real problems with all of my devices and i need the macbookpro for my work as a photographer, but now it looks like i have to deal with a month of mac abstinence.


hopefully they got rid of this teething problems when i make my next macbookpro order!


i am verryverry disappointed/disenchanted/frustrated/gutted....whatever that apple have such problems and the users have to deal with them..."testing" the products for apple...

I suddenly feel so lucky...Not just by reading your post, well that too but yesterday i erased and installed again osx. So far so good. I ve had no blinks,i noticed that my mbp boots alot faster,the battery lasts way longer BUT i ve not installed a thing...nada. No updates,No apps,nothing.I m gonna use it this way for a couple of days and report back.

lekani,

please do report back I think we're ALL interested in what you experience...

Well it seems a software problem after all...
http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20081202225803851
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=641297

Just installed the new nvidia.patch from yesterday....but flickering goes on!

This patch fixes bugs related with the displayport adapter and the 9600 unfortunately...No official word about the 9400 yet.

"This update improves cursor movement when using the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter with the Mini DisplayPort enabled MacBook Air, MacBook and MacBook Pro. It also improves playback of HD video running on systems with NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT or GeForce 9600M graphics."

Message was edited by: lekani

Just to clarify: that ... what you've said ... is only part of the problem.

I and several other users have experienced blinking in exactly the opposite case, i.e. when we switch TO the 9600, the faster option. In fact, if it was only blinking with the onboard chip I'd just wing it. Who cares. Afterall the previous pro's had "just" the dedicated graphic chip. What bothers me is that it flickers like **** as soon as I switch it TO the 9600, the 120..whatever gigaflops of power and speed. Oh well. So frustrated... As much as I hate the ordeal of transferring data, backing up, cleaning up the machine, sending it back, and worrying that it either comes back fixed and scratched or not fixed at all I will have to consider it seriously. 😟

m-y---g-o-s-h-!

Kristof. Poor you! I think I'd just get a heart attack after all that nerve stretching. I'm surprised they haven't just returned your money AND send you a brand new fully functional extra tested model. I mean we ARE talking about premium products at Apple, are we not?

I see your photo descriptions are German. I bought mine from Austria shipped built-to-order from Ireland with an English keyboard... We have it a bit tougher here without real Apple stores.

Anyway, on to trying out the nVidia drivers I just spotted in the other post.

Looks like software related problem after all...As i said before i use my mbp for 3 days now without updating for 10.5.5 to 10.5.6 and the only app i installed was firefox and NO BLINKS! Did anyone else tried to format and see what happens?
Suddenly i feel like having a pc.