Q: MacBook Pro screen blinks

Okay. I guess this will be a weekend project. If only Apple would fix 10.6, I can't even go to Lion because their dropping Rosetta for that release. Really crappy of Apple not to fix this with 10.6.

Just so you guys know I have the 10.5.8 and it's blinking like crazy!

People, do not forgot to sign the petition: http://ambiguus.com/applescreens/
Report the problem as a bug with a link to this forum at: http://bugreport.apple.com or http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Unfortunately apple do not participate in this forum.

Already done.

I've only had my MacBook Pro for a week, and already I'm experiencing screen blinks on the far right hand side of the screen, and it's slowly getting worse. This is my first time owning a Mac, and I'm surprised that this has happened to me so quickly. Is it worth having someone look at it seeing as I've got my warranty?

If you can try to install a 10.5.4 or a 10.6 on a different partition (or even on an external drive) and check if you still have the blinking issues. If you still have them, try to use then the warranty, it might be a different issue.

After reading this I installed Lion with hopes that Lion would be the solution to this flickering. Unfortunately, after installing a Lion and switching to Better Battery Life, within seconds, there was flickering! The flickering was much worse than ever. A tear ran down my eye...
To everyone speculating that going back to Leopard would remedy the solution, from my experiences, don't bother. At least Leopard 10.5.6 onward. I got my MacBook Pro back in 2009, the one with the 2.66 GHz, and it came stock with 10.5.6. From the day one, running the 9400M, there has always been flickering. So far, I wouldn't be posting this if there has been a solution, none of the updates, both Leopard and Snow Leopard, has fixed or even eased the flickering while running the 9400M.
I do not think anyone pointed this out, but there is even flickering during the grey boot screen after turning on or restarting the Mac, before the OS loads. From that I think that this problem, this defect or bug, extends beyond the software and OS. It could be either the firmware or hardware.
Apple so far is either failing to respond or ignoring this problem. I bought Apple Care for my MacBook Pro, optimistic that they will be able to fix this problem within the three years after buying it. However, so far, they seemingly have done nothing, they could at least respond that they are working on the problem. Over the summer, on break from school, I plan to go to a Apple store and work this out. With the knowledge that sending it in for replacement of the logic board or screen doesn't fix the problem, I will keep doing that, just to show those seemingly ignorant "Geniuses" that won't fix the problem. After some number of "repairs" I will either demand a full refund or a replacement with a newer generation MacBook Pro.

Good luck, very interested to see how that will end. They might keep 'repairing' it until your Apple Care time has ended, although that doesn't seem likely.

I have sent my computer in twice, both times they replaced the logic board and various other parts including ram etc. Both times when the computer has been returned to me, nothing has been solved. I contacted apple again, the same day my computer was returned to me, and the response was "We will ship you a box and attempt to repair the problem". When I asked what the next step was, he said, we will cross that bridge when we get there. He also mentioned that the Genius bar was unable to replicate the problem. It seems to me that I am going to be forced to send this computer in for repairs until my applecare expires and then I am stuck with it.

Well now I am really concerned. My whole screen just flashed white instead of black. This is freaking me out considering I need this computer for school.

Also.... has anyone ever thought to have the graphics card replaced? Just wondering.

Message was edited by: egyptlang

I've been trying to tell everyone that the Magicpad drivers cause the screen to blink or dim briefly. When they released the Magicpad drivers my screen started having it's problems. So I wiped my hard drive and re-installed Snow Leopard. When I got to the Magicpad driver update I declined to install it and hid that update so I wouldn't accidentally run it. Then stupid Apple released the 10.6.5 update which has the Magicpad drivers included. I ran that update and guess what? As soon as it was done my screen started acting up again. Since the Magicpad was designed for use with most desktop Macs, it probably conflicts with the trackpad drivers on MacBook Pros. Maybe the Macbbook Pro can;t distinguish whether you have a Magicpad or a trackpad. I dunno. All I know is that my system was PERFECT! before I installed that update for the Magicpad.

Yes, I confirm that I started to have flickering with Lion also, but in my case is less frequently than with 10.6.6 (one each 30-40 minutes with Lion, one each 5-10 min with 10.6.6 and 10.5.8).

Maybe... I remember I did an update of the trackpad's firmware some time ago but I'm not sure that my problems started after that update.

Well I just confirmed that my problems are software related. I installed Lion and my screen hasn't flickered once. It dims properly. In fact the screen dimming is more responsive now. That tells me that Apple is indeed ignoring that problem, most likely because they are focusing on the Lion release and probably assume many users will upgrade and have the problem resolved.

This is in regards to the screen flickering just before it dims. Apparently many people are having similar problem with slightly different symptoms which must be why Lion isn't fixing it for some.

Where is everyone getting Lion From,didn't think it was released yet?
Cheers