Q: MacBook Pro screen blinks

MetaChimp wrote:
wow, this thread does not appear "answered" to me!

I'm having the same issues with my screen blacking out when on the "better battery life" graphics card setting. Sometimes it only flickers for a second, but other times, it will be off for 10-20 seconds before coming back on!!

Apple, please address!

Please submit a bug report to Apple, so that we can get this resolved in 10.6.3.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

LukeD

Everything that I have experienced suggests an incorrectly set refresh rate
thanks to a driver conflict that has been caused by 10.6.2.

Care to explain more? I have had this problem since leopard 1.5.6.

The problem is getting very annoying as I have tried to get my computer repaired few times with no avail. My screen still blinks randomly. You can't reproduce the problem so the repair guys don't know what to do and I can't get my computer change either as they see no wrong with the computer.

This thread is definitely not answered.

wakham wrote:

LukeD

Everything that I have experienced suggests an incorrectly set refresh rate
thanks to a driver conflict that has been caused by 10.6.2.

Care to explain more?

Sure thing, Wakham.

In fact, I have noted a link to my thread on this subject that will provide you all of my findings.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2230728&start=0&tstart=0

Please be sure to bring this problem to Apple's attention as well.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

Chalk me up as another user with the same issue. 10.6.2 didn't seem to make a difference at all. Can't seem to find a pattern with the black flashes... Sometimes it happens more frequently than once per minute, which can be extremely distracting, but at other times, it will go up to an hour without incident! Hoping that eventually I'll be able to make it happen on command, so I can demonstrate it to a technician...

hi there, I just got a refurbished macbook pro 17" (was new, built february 2009), I noticed as soon as it went in power saving, when it dims the screen at minimum brightness, that the backlight rapidly pulses. I can replicate it putting it in stop and reopening the lid, on battery power, but it happens sometimes in any condition (9400, 9600, ac power etc.). I got no black screen flickering as others here. What to do? Give it back before the 14 days? Keep it as is? Have it repaired? (I'm a bit scared of this last option).

I seem to notice that mid 2009 models doesn't exhibit this behaviour, am I right?

Thanks.

thingo wrote:
I seem to notice that mid 2009 models doesn't exhibit this behaviour, am I right?

Mine does not (mid-2009 2.8GHz model).

Sharp-man wrote:

thingo wrote:
I seem to notice that mid 2009 models doesn't exhibit this behaviour, am I right?

Mine does not (mid-2009 2.8GHz model).

thanks

My MBP alu (late '08, 2.53 model) was perfect, no blinking at all...I recently got my logic board replaced for a display unrelated issue and now I have the blinking too, only with the 9400M.

This definitely support the faulty logic boards theory. And now I don't know whether I should try for another logic board replacement or just stand this blinking (sometimes it is very annoying).

This is logic board problem, the only fix - if the Apple will release a fixed logic board and offer free replace at local Apple support.

P.S. 1 from 3 new 27 iMac have the same flickering problem And I thought that I can ask to change my MBP to new iMac

I decided to send it back and get a refund. I'll decide what to do next...

Since my clean install of Snow Leopard, my trackpad has been unresponsive. Now I'm getting this random flicker of black at the top of the screen. There is no rhyme or reason for the behavior. Just random flashes of black. None of these issues occur when using Leopard 10.5.8. Are you all sure its a logic board issue and not just another bug with Snow Leopard? At least for me, all these issues started happening as soon as I started using Snow Leopard on my late 2008 MBP, 2.53GHZ.

I turned off "Better Battery Performance", and the MBP hasn't flashed black since. I had forgotten that I left it on that setting. Seems to have fixed that annoying flashing issue.

Want to add myself to this discussion. I am also experiencing black screen flickers / flashes. As with most others in this discussion, it only happens when I am using the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M card and does not happen with the 9600M GT card.

I have a case with AppleCare pending. The tech had me reset the PRAM and power manager (SMC) to no avail. Now he has sent me Apple's Capture Data application (a bit weary to use it as it captures lots of personal info and because it does not do any testing at all).

I am thinking about a logic board replacement though, as others have suggested, if the logic boards are faulty then perhaps waiting for acknowledgment from Apple and an new logic board design might be a better option.

One more thing: Until I logged in to post this message, there were 32 pages to this discussion. After logging in, there were only 10.

Message was edited by: Alan Klein1

I had nearly 7 months of arguing with Apple about this issue. Thankfully I can now say that my issue has been resolved by Apple - as they have finally replaced my laptop.

I had two replacement screens and a logic board replacement before the replacement - my issue was not linked with snow leopard as it was an issue that started well before I upgraded to snow leopard.

My advice to all of you would be to contact Applecare. They are pretty helpful - and I think the most important thing is if you can borrow a replacement laptop - take yours in for testing and repairs - make them take this issue seriously - and don't wait for them to come to you with a solution...

OK I added my experience before, probably a good few pages back now, but listen up!

I had the same problem on my 17" 2.8, exactly, on the 9400, black bars etc... Nothing on the 9600. I also had a SSd drive I installed with Snow Leopard that was 100% clean install and up to date.

I reset PRAM and the rest to no avail, spoke to Apple Care etc...

Anyway I took mine back and had it swapped for a new one and I put the SSD drive back in, so it was running the exact same install of the OS, the only thing that was different was the actual MacBook. The fact I could move the drive from 1 machine to another of exact same spec (same build day if I remember, check previous posts) and to only experience the issues on one shows its a hardware problem and you need to get a new machine or a repair (depending on when you bought it). The new one I pushed to the max with Modern Warfare 2 and I have never had an issues on either chipset.

So to summarise

1. Is it drivers?
No as the drive showed that using the exact same drivers (as in same files on same hard drive physically moved from 1 machine to the other)

2. Is it Snow Leopard?
Nope, new machine works just fine, using same exact OS (see point 1)

3. Will a reinstall help?
Nope, see 1 & 2

4. Will resetting PRAM help?
Nope, dont know what the hardware issue is and for a short time it may seem like it helps but as the flashes are random you cant say either way. But given my experiences and 1,2 & 3 I would say not.

5. Should I Get A Repair?
YES!!

Obviously not everyone is having these issues, I can vouch, my replacement machine is 100% fine. That says there is a bad batch of chips, resistors, capacitors, whatever is causing the bars. This means you need a repair or replacement to be rid of the problem.

Now previous people have said a repair didn't help, that could be for 2 reasons, the replacement part was also from the bad batch (these batches are not small) or the wrong part was replaced.

But my advice get a replacement / repair ASAP, film it happening if you can to show applecare.

My AppleCare guy was very insistent that it needed a repair, I was trying to discover if it was drivers etc... (there are ways) and he would not have any of it. Tell them you have reset the ram, reinstalled the OS etc... all the usual stuff as it speeds up the process.

Also, to get cheeper calls to AppleCare, ring your local AppleStore and use the option to be put through to AppleCare, that ways its charged at the local rate (UK verified)