Q: MacBook Pro screen blinks

I took my MBP to mac service (not apple store) and they admitted they had seen this problem many times. They called me the next day to tell me that they had to replace the logic board. I did like someone here suggested - I did a couple of videos which service guys liked, so they could attach it to my file. Anyways, I guess I have to go through logic board replacement and see if the problem gets fixed. According to this thread it won't be fixed. Seems like the way I have to go in order to get my MBP replaced. Well.... let's see...

To Pinsk and everyone who has the issue: I had the blinking issue with 9400 and went to the newly-opened shop in Opera, Paris. They confirmed the issue and want to replace the screen and logic board of my computer for free---Mine is out of warranty. I explained to them that the replacement shouldn't sort the issue out since I saw a good number of cases from here, but they seemed confident, so I let them do it. Now it doesn't blink anymore; although it's been just less then one week so far. Please go to your local Apple store and you should be able to get free service at least.

In Italy they say that we have to pay for the reparation!

I see that now Apple make special program for defected Time Capsule of 2008...now, maybe, the will make one program for us......i hope!

I can't use more my MBP, the screen is totally blinking!!!!!

Same issue. I was to busy to take it in during warranty so I figured that I'd just buy the apple care before my warranty ended but I forgot to do that so here I am with my dying laptop. Funny story, I was with a client recently and she saw my screen flicker and she said "you only have a few months left". I asked her what she meant and she said her unibody macbook pro which she bought about the same time I did had the same thing going on and just recently died. They quoted her around $800 for repairs. This is getting kind of ********. Second MacBook Pro that has had video related issues. I'm getting tired of my Apple equipment dying.

tahitibub wrote:
Hi,

I followed your advice and I created a new thread here :

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2423948&stqc=true

We should now post our messages in this new one, which is "unanswered", rather than here !

Regards

Have you noticed that an unanswered discussion on a similar topic suggesting a class action was deleted not long ago?

I call this blatant Apple censorship.

And yes, I have the same flicker problem as everybode else here.

Just to keep up to date with my complaint to Apple's support 2 weeks ago:

Still didn't get a call back!

Here's a nice quote at the last iPhone 4 conference, does anybody here agree with Steve Jobs?

“We want to make all of our customers happy,” Jobs said. “And if you don’t know that about Apple, you don’t know Apple.”

Well, ain't that the opposite of what we are living here! Exactly what we said before, they only care about new customers especially the ones buying the iPhone 4 and the iPad!

Follow-up from previous posts:

I called back and was told to bring my macbook pro to the Apple Store and they wil replace the Logic Board...

Well, I'm not really happy but it's the first step towards getting it replace since we all know that it won't solve the issue.

Hi Jashby,
Was this done in our out of warranty?

To foxface3000

Well, I went to the Apple Store 10 days before the warranty expired. So because I pointed out the issue before, even though my warranty is over, it's considered under the warranty. And if the issue is still there after the logic board replacement (which I wouldn't be surprised), I'll ask for free repairs.

But honestly, for those of you that aren't under warranty anymore, I would consider checking the consumer protection there is in the country, state or province you live in. I'm in Montreal, Quebec, and we are really well protected. There's no doubt that they wouldn't stand a chance if a complaint was made. Over here "The product as to work properly for a reasonable amount of time" if not it has to be repared (if they can't) or replaced without any fee. For example, a washing machine as to work properly for at least 10 to 12 years, without any issues. So a computer, must be at least 2-3 years at least.

Hope this helps and hope they won't censor it like they did on one of my earlier post. Talk about a free country and a very opened company!

Hello! Adding my name to the list. I have the late 2008 MBP 2.53ghz model, purchased early 2009 with AppleCare. Interesting that it didn't start the blinking thing until a few months after the regular warranty would have expired. On mine, the whole screen goes black for just a moment, then back to normal. This just started about a month ago, well after I updated to 10.6.4, so I don't feel it's a software issue. I am now running in the faster chip set, without incident, so perhaps it is the 9400m bad chip thing. I hope Apple does not give grief, as I have plenty of time remaining on Applecare to send the unit back until it is fixed, though would be bummed if I have to wait forever for its return. Thanks, everyone, for all your hard work in documenting this issue!

I followed this disussion for quite a while, then following jtrotmans´s advice.
Though not really expecting an answer some nice guy from Apple called, and tried "to make me happy"!
Actually he couldn´t. I am about half a year over warranty and the problem is not a " known problem"!

I personally think, that everybody, really everybody should follow jtrotman´s advice and get these people to know our problem!
It costs an E-Mail and some time on the phone, but maybe we´ll win some free-out-of warranty- support and most important: a durable solution!
Remember: always be nice!

I've had this problem ever since I bought my MBP in November 2008.
However, it wasn't really a problem back in 2008 because the flicker didn't happen very often.

After the problem got more frequent, I took my MBP into an Apple store Jan 2010 and nothing was resolved.
I was told to make a log of everytime it happens, of:
-Amount of RAM used
-Applications open
-How long the laptop has been on for
-Etc, Etc, Etc

Needless to say, I didn't make notes of this.

So I took my MBP into the store again on 18th July. The problem was now very frequent. I showed the Genius that website linked, and also the YouTube video.

They said they'd replace the Logic board. I'm still waiting for them to actually do this (it's been 10 days).

So once I receive the laptop back, I'll post again on whether the problem still exists (most likely)

I am having similar issues, specifically every so often while I am actively using the computer the screen will go black and after mashing a few buttons it comes back on and this has happened multiple times. After taking it to the Apple store they said they could not recreate the problem, so we had to go pick it up. However, I did not stop there I questioned what work they had done on it (they checked the settings, ran tests, etc.). Then after I say I want it rechecked they have the balls to tell me the machine does not even have a nvidia chip, which I bluntly replied yes it does "I'm not a computer idiot," but obviously they are when they have the computer specs in their hands.

Then they took it back and came back and said they could try to wipe it clean and reinstall the OS, I took this as an insult, because I have been building and fixing computers since I was 10 year old, I know a software fix will not solve a hardware problem let alone let them do something I can easily do myself. On top of this I showed them this forum and another similar one to further explain this issue, however, their response was this is not a reliable source and they do not trust third parties, I responded with how can you not believe 52 pages of complaints and I myself am a first person experiencing this problem.

So I told them to send it off to have more tests done, just received word yesterday they could not recreate the problem, but they did reconnect the display connections. I really hate sending my computer off, not because I feel lost without it (I have another), but because they ship everything FedEx Priority Overnight. Just imagine all the emissions Apple creates by using this method of transportation, definitely outweighs the headway they have made by removing many of the toxic chemicals in their products. So let's see what happens now, but I have a suspicious feeling this problem will not go away until Apple acknowledges these display problems originate from the nvidia 9400m embedded on the logic board, not all the other bs reasons they give.

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I read the thread and I must get in line for finding a solution.

I have a late 2008 15" MBP Unibody that also have this flicker (upper third of the screen goes black for a millisecond now and then) when using the 9400M. I often have KeyNote-presentations and I haven't seen it on the projector display, nor on my 24" LED Display. There is no flicker no flicker running the 9600M GT.

I have found no logical connection between software usage, CPU load or even brightness settings. The flicker comes and goes, randomly it seems. But, during the last two-three months I also have experiencet that the system freezes totally and becomes unresponsibel (happend maybe 5-8 times, never before). It often happens a few minutes after awaking it from sleep mode. This goes for both 9400 and 9600 and has probably nothing to do with the flicker issue.

Here is my data:
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
Boot ROM Version: MBP51.007E.B05
SMC Version (system): 1.33f8
Serial Number (system): W88xxxxxxxxxxx
Hardware UUID: 04C15454-C3A2-5367-9983-6E1B075A46D0
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled

And I have a 9C84 display.