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macbook lcd screen blue line

I have an older13" blk macbook which has a screen artifact/defect that comes and goes. It is a vertical blue line about twice the width of a human hair on the far right side of the screen stating from the bottom and reaching nearly 3/4's of the way to the top of the screen. It has stayed on the screen for months at a time and then just as suddenly vanished for weeks/months. I am stymied. I can find no rhyme or reason for this to happen. Any ideas out there?

black macbook, Mac OS X (10.4.1), 1.25gb ram

Posted on Jul 5, 2009 2:10 PM

Reply
8 replies

Jul 5, 2009 4:27 PM in response to datnoid

Hi datnoid,

Has it come back at all?

With the vertical line you've described, it definitely doesn't sound like anything the software would cause. When the line was on your screen, did it appear in the forefront of every window? Did you see it during the boot process (on the gray screen)?

Typically lines on the display like that are caused by one of a few things:

1.) The LCD panel
2.) The LVDS cable that connects between the main logic board and LCD panel
3.) The MLB / GPU (which is a component of the MLB)

I've also seen a few scenarios, in cases where the lines appeared on an external display (only) that the adapter was the issue or the port (Mini-DVI) was the issue.

Regardless, typically it's a hardware issue and as such would require a hardware repair for a resolution. Is the unit still covered by Applecare?

Jul 6, 2009 6:42 AM in response to Soft Reset

Thanks for your insight. The blue line appears at at start up and in every window such as when playing a dvd movie/eyetv/etc. Sadly my Mac is out of Apple support and would have to be repaired by the local Apple retailer whos repair dept leaves much to be desired. I can live with it the way it is for now.
thanks again

Jul 8, 2009 11:59 PM in response to batmac2k

Hi batmac2k,

Do you have access to an external monitor? The easiest way to tell if the issue is LCD panel or LVDS cable related is to connect an external monitor to the machine. If the lines appear on the external monitor, then it's neither and most likely the MLB. If the lines don't appear then it's typically a safe bet that it's LVDS/LCD related.

Again.. typically, there's always exceptions and that's where having the unit diagnosed and triaged by an Authorized Service Provider or Apple Retail Store (Genius Bar) comes into the equation.

Jul 23, 2009 8:48 AM in response to datnoid

I have a white 13 inch macbook with a blue and sometimes black line running the entire height of the screen. I just appeared 2 days ago. Its really annoying. Tried looking at those dead or stuck pixel fixes and that does nothing. I really wish this would go away. Its a 2007 macbook so im pretty sure i don't have applecare any more.

Jul 23, 2009 6:21 PM in response to datnoid

my black macbook yesterday acquired a thin green line that runs the entire height of the display on the far right side. i have to check whether my macbook is still under warranty as it is approximately a year old. although the line so negligible that i can live with it, i still worry that it might be a symptom of a far more serious problem, and that it might be prudent to have my machine looked at, especially if the warranty still holds. is this a common problem for macbooks?

Aug 6, 2009 10:40 AM in response to fcortes

My black MacBook from 2007 just got this 1.5" purple line at the very bottom of the screen by the dock. It's more a cosmetic annoyance than anything else. But is it worth getting it checked out (I have AppleCare)? I hate living without my machine for a week (I believe repairs are 7-9 days) and I've heard AppleCare doesn't cover screens.

I just want to know if this is easily fixable without going through the hassle of taking the thing into an AppleStore and being without it for 7-9 days. If not, I'd rather live with it and start looking into getting a new machine.

Aug 8, 2009 9:07 AM in response to datnoid

For about half an hour this morning, my display showed a half screen of blue and green vertical lines running right across the screen. I could still operate the computer in the top half of the screen. Then, all of a sudden they were gone and right now everything looks okay.

What does this mean? Please explain in extremely simple language as I am a newbie and not at all versed in Apple technical terminology or names of parts.

Is this just a one time glitch? Is it indicative of something that will continue and maybe get worse in the future? Is it easily repairable, or does it mean something is seriously wrong?

Many thanks for your help

macbook lcd screen blue line

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