Q: MacBook Pro screen blinks

Thanks Matthew for your very detailed response.

Glad you got to swap out your original MBP. I've had my MBP for almost a year, so I don't believe Apple will allow me to swap my machine for a new one.

My concern is that there are a variety of "fixes" offered by Apple right now for this issue, based on the many discussions like this one here and elsewhere on the Web, and not all of them work. LCD screens and logic boards have been replaced and, as you've suggested due to the fact that faulty components are still out there, the "fixes" have not always worked.

How many of you on this thread have replacement logic boards and has that fixed the problem over time? Before I send my MBP to AppleCare, I'd like to have an idea of what a repair on this issue entails and if it will actually fix the problem.

Based on my interaction with AppleCare and those of posters on this thread and others, it seems that Apple is either really scrambling to figure out what is causing this problem, or working really hard to avoid it.

I think Apple avoid problem, 'cause the new ones iMac's have the same problem, and they are moving away from nVidia graphics to Ati(amd).

Apple Lithuania also told, that they will replace my Macbook with new one I hope that they do that.

Hello,

I have just begun to experience this issue on the video setting for better battery performance.
I notice about a 1 second flash of black across the top 3/4" of the screen and a slight flicker of the entire screen when this happens.
It is not constant, it can be fine for hours then happen once then not happen again for awhile.

I looked this up online and it says I am out of warranty...How long is the warranty on a MBP late 2008? Ridiculous!!!!

Thanks

Patrick

I don't see why it would require a hardware replacement. Seems more a firmware or OS software update to me, since this behavior occurs via changes in software preference.

The change in the preferences turns on different hardware, thats why you have to log out, it OS has to disable 1 graphics card and enable another. This is distinct change in hardware, but obviously once you shutdown and the reboot the computer remembers which graphics card you were last using and boot using that card.

Anyway if you read my reply above you will see all software problems have been ruled out.

Weird so in OS 10.5 Leopard it worked fine.

Mine started flashing randomly about 2 months ago. I noticed it after updating to Snow Leopard. I can't figure out anything that reproduces the problem either. I took it to a Genius yesterday, they ran diagnostics for 18 hours and of course it passed everything.. and of course they can't find anything wrong with it. The guys never mentioned anything about it being a common problem, but apparently it is!! They said they'd ship it out to have it looked at, but then I won't have my computer for about a week, and who knows if it will even fix it.
My warranty is up at the end of January. If they haven't found a fix by then, will they still fix it after that date since I reported the problem while it was under warranty?

This is frustrating!!!

Interesting update for me:

My machine has been doing this since I purchased it last April. I have had this issue along with a pulsating backlight which was HIGHLY annoying. However, the Apple store in Rancho Cucamonga, CA refused to do anything about it.

However, as of last week, after installing the latest firmware update for the optical-drive noise reduction, MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.8, my issue with both items seems (knock on wood) to have disappeared.

This definitely makes me believe this is more of a software issue than a hardware issue.

Message was edited by: syncmaster

Syncmaster: I too rant the update hoping it would also, somehow, magically include the graphics update, but after running the update I still have the issue. I'm glad its working for you tho...I hope that continues!

Apple just today released a firmware update for the new 27" iMacs to address display problems they have been having. Nice to know that they hop on updates for NEW machines right away, but machines that are a year old are ignored. http://support.apple.com/kb/DL984

I wonder when Apple will once and for all truly address this? I may have to just take a shot with a logic board replacement and see how it goes, I was just hoping to avoid that particular headache.

End of the day think what you want and dont bother trying to get the laptop fixed. Its not software and I can prove that and Apple has not been forthcoming with any sort of fix.

You need to get a repair / replacement, nothing else will fix your problem. Just because you applied an unrelated firmware fix and have not noticed the flicker doesnt means it was fixed, its a random happening and cant be predicted, but you will see it again.

Buy hey, with my replacement that has had 0 issues over the last few months compared to my old one which did have the issues (on exactly same setup) Im happy, feel free to ignore advice and hope for a software fix to what is definitely a hardware issue.

This isnt to say that every screen issue on everybodys laptop is the same, just for what is described in this topic.

The iMac issue is unrelated to this, completely different hardware (ati compared to nvidia and a whole different board design). Those issues, while similar, seem to be software related, although that too is questionable)

Hello to all,

My Macbook Pro Late 2008 went to repair twice, first time they replace the screen which didn't solve my blinking problems, I had to send it again but this time the video card (all the mother board0 was replaced and solved the problem.

I will suggest to the service department to agree the problem belongs to the mother board a not to the screen.

Ok, so I have it as well. Blinks a few times a day for a split second on the top third of the screen. I haven't switched to the 9600m yet, but its pretty bad that apple does not stand up on this one.
After searching this whole topic, I did not find the "answer".
This reminds me of the quicktime issue apple had and I hope its fixed by either a firmware or software update.
I'm still on 10.5.8

Model Name:MacBook Pro
Model Identifier:MacBookPro5,1
Processor Name:Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed:2.53 GHz
Number Of Processors:1
Total Number Of Cores:2
L2 Cache:6 MB
Memory:4 GB
Bus Speed:1.07 GHz

I'm sad to say that I have the same problem here. When I went to the Apple store earlier today, none of the techs could see the screen problem, when I clearly could. After talking with phone support, I made an appointment at another store for later today. This has been happening since at least the summer.

My problem's a bit different though. The firmware update seemed to fix the problem when I hadn't put the display to sleep (which didn't happen much for me) but the flickering mostly happens after I wake the display up from sleep. The flickering even shows up when I take a video of the screen.

I just hope this can be fixed, as Apple doesn't seem to know about the problem.

450th post to an answered thread because the discussion software stinks… It might be answered but try finding the entry marked as "the answer". You would think you could click on the green "answered" star at the top of the page or something but nooooo.

Same problem. Mine just blinked but only the top half this time. Sometimes the whole screen blinks, sometimes the top half. The external monitor never blinks.

Really regretting getting this Mac as it seems from this thread and others that the problem is really worth a recall yet we have no action on Apple's part. Clearly a design or manufacturing defect somewhere as we are all not causing this as far as I know.

Does everyone on this thread have the buggy Cisco VPN software installed? It is a kernel level extension and could cause this sort of thing in theory. Is very buggy so is my prime suspect beyond Apple's NVidia firmware.

BTW, blinks regardless of using the slow 9400 or the faster energy pig 9600 GT.

The blink throws off my concentration and is a huge distraction.