MacBook Pro screen blinks

I've got a MBP purchsed in 2010 which started flickering over the past two weeks. I noticed it most when I use Safari and just recently, mail.

The flickering, so I've read, may be caused by an overheating problem (widely spoken about since 2008) I've just installed this piece of software (free) to control my fan so as to stop overheating (which is liable to cause flickering) You can get it here:

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/23049/smcfancontrol

Once uploaded to my MBP I set the control at 3500rpm and my temp is at 100F, currently. No flickering at the moment (fingers crossed)

Well, I just sold my flickering MBP. Best Buy trade in program gave me $700 for it in Store credit, which is probably close to what I would get on ebay for it with the flickering.

Good luck to you all! Always buy Applecare!

I get the flickering on my 2009 MacBook Pro, 5,1 and my fans are never running much over 2000 rpm.

Try the software it may help! At the moment I have no flickering at all.

I had the same flickering on my MBP (mid 2009) 17" antiglare Processor 2.8Ghz -

NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT and

NVIDIA GeForce 9400M

I always notice a bad performance using an external monitor, cause i work with projections, though it never blinked on the second screen, the blinking was random, but the computer wasnt able to reconize a second screen as the g4 used to do. The fact is that i just got the bilnking few months ago, after my apple care expired as few days after it starts... one day i put it to sleep, next day i got the awful mesage:

" YOU MUST TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER"

Then i turned it off wait 20min and turned it on it sound a bip tree times and that was it, never turned on again...

I went to the apple assistence, as it is out of waranty, they just said it was a logical board without even to open it and test. Now the cust to fix it is more than a half of a new one...

I look every day for an apple issue for a recall, searching on web you can find hundreds of the same complains... Definitly a bed combination of nvidia cards!

Nobody buys a 4000,00 topline laptop to last only 2 years!!!

You're right, I reapplied the thermal paste using Arctic Silver 5 and the flickering still exist in 9400M.

On the side note, it was worth the try. Because the machine is running much much cooler now with the new paste. Even on 9600M GT, after cold boot it will just require the fan to spin in 2000-3000rpm (it was 5000rpm at least), and 3400rpm while I'm working.

The original paste from factory was sloppy and too much.

Would be great if Apple could listen and release firmware/solution for our problem 😟

Yes, I still have a little faith on that hope. They could 'fix' my random shutdown syndrome –first generation MacBook by releasing a patch back in 2006, and I still think they could do it again now.

I am having the same issue. My late 2008 15" MBP has screen flickers. Apple replaced the logic board since I am still under Apple Care. I just noticed the screen flicker again on the repaired MBP.

I had the same issue at My late 2008 15" MBP. It has screen flicker or blink every few minutes.

Apple replaced the logic board 2 times and replaced LCD 1 times, but the screen still flicker or blink.

Okay, I feel slightly like an idiot here, but I don't know anything at all about hardware- what is the 9400/9600 stuff? If I understand correctly that it's graphics card settings, how can I see what my current settings are?

(Of course, my entire question might be moot, since I'm using a MacBook, not MBP, but I'm having the same screen flickering issue raised here.)

My late 2008 15" MBP has had the flickering problem for a long time now. They have replaced the logic board twice now, but the prblem remains. On the last day of my Apple Care I took it in again, for one last try, and the Genius said that it was a software problem and there was nothing they could do about it.

I filled in the survey saying the problem was not resolved and submitted another feedback report aith Apple and a few days later got a call from the Genius Admin at the store asking me to bring it in again so they could run some tests. So, I made the 1 hour+ round trip back to the store to drop it off.

A couple of days later they called back to say they were going to replace the display (didn't make much sense to me, since it seems to only affect the 9400M, but what the heck) but that the part was on back order so I could come and pick up the machine while they waited for the part. I picked up the machine, and the very next day they called to say that the part had arrived, so today I made the trip again.

The Genuis this time spent some time in the back room and then came back out and said that there wasn't any point in changing the display since it won't fix the problem and gave some BS about this being normal for this chipset, blah, blah. Needless to day I wasn't very happy, so I left the store without picking up the iPhone 4S I had reserved - not like I'm going to give them more money if this is how they are going to jerk me around.

So, now my Apple Care has expired I'm not expecting them to be particularly helpful, but I suppose I'll be going back in tomorrow when things are hopefully quieter and a manager is around to discuss this latest round of "support". It a shame, because generally they have been pretty helpful, even if they haven't been able to resolve the issue.

UPDATE:

Almost 2 months without my mac, still waiting for the parts (second logic board and second display)

I can't believe this nightmare

I must have been a squeaky enough wheel - Apple called me back and said they would replace my MacBook, so I now have a brand-new Late-2011 MacBook Pro. 😀 So, if you are having this issue - keep showing up at the Genius Bar until they get sick of seeing you!

Excellent! Unfortunately for those of us who can't part with their machines for the time it takes to have parts replaced, this underscores the belief that there isn't much to be done to fix this problem.

charlie

replacing the logic board worked for me (until now at least, it's been a month without issues)

so I'd definitely recommend trying that.

regarding those who can't solve the issue even after changing it many times, it would seem to me that 80% (?) of the existing nvidia 9400m and 9600m chips are faulty crap anyway, so you have to be very lucky with the replacement…

I have a late 2008 15" MBP with 2.8Ghz.

I bought it when they came out.

The chipset was replaced by the local Genius Bar when it was out of warranty and I don't have Apple Care.

The original problem was a memory error.

The replacement chipset is showing the black blinking when running with the 9400 graphics.

Besides the battery being so weak, this is very annoying.

Has anyone got a replacement chipset that actually doesn't have this problem?