Q: MacBook Pro screen blinks

Hard to believe but if you don't see a blink in the next few weeks, let us know because it is good to know. For me as for a lot of people the problem was already there on Leopard on kept going on SL and maybe Lion (haven't tried it yet...) no matter what update we do. Good for you if it works.

It's been a fews days now, and no more screen blinks. It used to be one blink every 5 minutes or so before…

I suspect the problem happened after too many "bad" updates ; I had never done any full "clean install" since purchase.

You can also note that my battery shows "to be replaced", maybe there's a link with that as well…

Do people have the same problem when booting on windows ? If not, that would look like a proof that it's software-related…

No felix, it is no proof because Windows on a MBP use by default (and it can't be changed) the 9600M GPU which is not concerned by the blinking screen. So we can't observe blinks on a Windows session but it doesn't prove anything.

You don't want to know how many times I've installed Leopard, Snow Leopard and Lion over the last three years.

At best it would give a few days reprieve, at worst it would blink during the installer.

I hope that yours stays happy, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.

My 24" ACD is working great!  there is a firmware update for the display, and a thunderbolt update too!

bring your stuff to an apple place

  good luck

@Squinoogle

you were right, screen blink crap is comig back… after a few days…

seriously thinking about going PC for the first time of my life and never buying an apple product ever again.

I'm a fellow customer who has purchased a 2008 Macbook Pro with the screen blinking problem. Actually, the trackpad started "sticking" as well after sometime. Reading this thread, I am surprised that Apple hasn't been able to resolve this problem in a consistent manner (some people get the fix, some don't, some have to spend weeks waiting for repairs.)

Later, I purchased two other Macs (a 2009 Mac Mini and a 2011 Macbook Air.) I just wanted to say that both of them haven't had problems such as this one and have been nothing but reliable. I drag my Air with me everywhere. So this particular blinking issue seems like a horrible fluke and is very unlike Apple. I'm just sorry for everyone who has to deal with it and hope Apple figures out the solution soon, since the reason to buy Apple (vs. a generic PC) is basically for better customer support and quality product that lasts many years.

(I have AppleCare but actually haven't tried bringing in the 2008 MBP for diagnosis yet. I use MBP with an external monitor and always plugged in, so the 9600 graphics card hasn't affected me too much.)

@denrk  i had the same problem with my mbp 2008  apple replaced the whole top case keyboard and trackpad no problem NO CHARGE!!!  also there is a fix for the acd 24"issue  firmware update...   but yes apple is not being as strong support wise as they should...  start calling apple care be relentless they will take notice and help.

@PioneerTown, was your computer under warranty when they did the work?

The short version: they didn't fix the problem with my MBP

The long version: they didn't need to

After having the logic board replaced, I was left with a still blinking machine that now didn't have BT, WiFi or iSight. Back to the Apple Store it goes to have the screen replaced and the bits they broke seen to.

I got a call from the Apple Store a couple of days later basically saying that, because of the cost involved in replacing the screen/clamshell and the bits that they broke when they replaced the logic board, they wanted to just replace the whole machine for me - and that because it was originally a CTO they'd have to order it in.

Awesome.

Yesterday I got a call saying that my replacement MBP was ready to be collected.

So, today, I go in expecting them to have found me a 2008 MBP as replacement, and what do they plonk down on the table? A brand spanking new 2011 15" MBP!

I was still in shock as a walked out with it, I really didn't expect a current model as replacement.

Thank you AppleCare.

Lets just hope it doesn't blink

denrk, mate, if you can do without the machine for a few weeks, get it into an Apple Store before AppleCare runs out.

If you're lucky they'll fix the problem (and your trackpad, too)

If you're very lucky you'll walk away with a new machine

Honestly, anyone who has this problem, has AppleCare, and can do without the machine while they're fiddling with it... do it!

My AppleCare runs out on the 23rd, so I'm really chuffed that I had it seen to when I did.

I +1 the experience of Squinoogle. For the 4th time, I brought back my MBP to an Apple Store/APR, after 2 motherboard and 1 whole screen replacement. The nice Genius expert proposed me to replace the machine with a brand new MBP 2011. I must confess I didn't hesitate that long. It should take 2 to 3 weeks so now I waiting for the call telling me my computer is ready to get picked up.

Of course you need to have the AppleCare AND to show a nice but dissapointed face instead of an angry one, screaming about the lack of professionalism of Apple.

Show your "good faith" and if possible shoot a movie of your screen blinking (on battery, without it, every configuration that do it) so that you don't have to wait for ten minutes with the Apple guy expecting a blink and unfortunately is looking at your girlfriend when it finally blinks.

Well it's worth it.

Finally I found someone cool on the phone and apple is going to send a transporter to take my MBP and send it to a maintenance center. My applecare runs out in less than a month, so I don't have much hopes about the whole thing… I just hope that : 1/ they'll do something at all about it, and 2/ that I don't end up with a machine that is even worse than it is now…

The "trackpad sticking" is probably your battery expanding. Take it out and lay it on a flat surface -- it should lay flat, but I could make mine wobble. I took it to the apple store and got it replaced without hassle, even after 600 cycles.

After nearly 3 years of blinking, I finally got my fix. 

Lived with it for over 2 and a half years.  When I realized AppleCare was going to expire in 5 months I started my pain staking process of trying to get it fixed. Took 4 trips to the apple store, 2 logic boards, 1 display, 1 unable to reproduce problem.  Still blinking,  went in today with a video recording of the the blinking, genius recommended replacing the hard drive, logic board again, and display again.  He disappeared for awhile, came back and said we are just going to replace the whole darn thing.  Went in to the back grabbed a brand new 2011 MBP 15".

Persistence pays off.  The guys at the genius bar were awesome everytime.  Go to love Applecare.