Weird Scrambled images when using Intel HD Graphics

I am getting the exact same problem. Sometimes it happens after sleep and there is so much video garbage that I can't even restart, which seems to be the only solution. I'll try the 1Password trick next time and see if that works.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/39048/Screen%20shot%202010-06-22%20at%203.57.24%20PM.png

I really hope this can be fixed with a software update so I don't have to go to an Apple store and drop off my computer which is 45 minutes away.... ug. Also, my 7200 drive sometimes vibrates to the point of feeling like an electric current in my wrists! What happened to Apple's quality? To many flashy mobile products to keep track of?

Message was edited by: clintbounds

I am having the exact same issue with Safari. Though what I've noticed with mine is it will also begin to affect the desktop after some time. I'm fairly new to Macs so I've never done that graphics card switching like you guys have said, but the only thing I have found as a temporary fix was simply to restart the system. Sometimes it may take just a few hours, and other times it could be a day or two before the glitches begin to return.

I have the exact same problem with my 15 inch MBP i7. It could be probably because of automatich graphic switching or Intel HD. No scrambled images if I use only NVIDIA.

However this case could become VERY serious in the near future. Here is an example from the past:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377
That official Apple statement confirms that scrambled images could mean very serious hardware failure. I hope it's software related. I'm calling every user with same symptoms to report the problem to Apple Support.

It just happened again coming out of sleep and the screen was only 'garbaged' in an open Safari 5.0 (6533.16) Window. I closed Safari and everything else was fine again. So I'm thinking it is just a Safari issue, not hardware or OS related.

I have the same problem. I have a macbook pro 2.53 i5

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!! Apple, where is the quality?

I also have the same problem, only different circumstances. I've noticed there are several websites that I can go to that yield this issue, and for me the fix was to go into the Energy Saver system preferences and uncheck the Automatic Graphics Switching box. An example of an issue I'm currently experiencing is:
Visit http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/applepatents_hint_at_final_pro_changes_and_or_new_media_presentationsoftw/

then click on the Reader button and the Safari window background gets all mangled. Click on the reader button again and it all goes away. Now repeat with that system preference turned off and it won't do it anymore.

Please advise if you can reproduce this. (Oh, this obviously is only for 2010 MacBook Pros that have that system preference option in the first place).

I am having the same issue on my 2 week old 15" Core i7 MBP Anti-Glare. Dynamic Switching works fine when using any software but Safari 5, not sure about older versions. If I force it to Intel only, using gfxCardStatus, Safari works normally. When Dynamic Switching uses the Intel card the screen is scrambled, with the exception of the dock and taskbar. If set to nvidia only everything works properly. I will be calling AppleCare shortly.

Did anybody have any resolution to this? We have an i7 MBP here that occasionally seems to show this.

It's nothing we can reproduce, but it seems to show up when the user:

1) Launches/runs a bunch of apps at work while on the Power Adaptor

2) User puts laptop to sleep and takes it home (apps left running)

3) User goes home and runs laptop on battery -- then sometimes these screen artifacts will show.


First saw this in 10.6.3, but 10.6.4 did not address the problem.


We've been discussing this with our local Apple Repair Center, but if they can't reproduce the problem (and I've tried and can't consistently do it), we'll be out $30 for a diagnostic test (which we'd rather not be...)

I was having similar problems. I managed to take a screen shot of it once, but several attempts to do so afterwards just produced a blank image that was either all black or white. The only reliable way I had to reproduce the scramble was to open bookmarks in Safari, where the top sites would become scrambled just for a second before readjusting. Since my 15" MacBook Pro i7 is only a couple of months old, I just took it into the Genius Bar, and they said it was likely a problem with the logic board, which they are going to replace.

Same exact problem here. Like clock work when switching between intel hd and nvidia gt330m, the artifacts appear with intel. I have an appointment tomorrow to meet with a "genius" at the store. I'll post the results. As the owner of a previous macbook pro 2007 with video card issues, I fear this may be a redux....

can someone please get back to me on this? is there a solution or should i take it to apple. its really frustrating how poorly my macbook switches the graphics card

Having exactly the same issue with 3 month old MBP. It occurs quite frequently in Safari with scrambled parts of the screen.

It happens also that the entire screen get scrambled. When this happens only forced (i.e., power button) shut-down will hand back control.

Using MBP daily and the full screen scramble happens approx. once or twice per week. Terribly annoying. To my knowledge this is a Intel HD graphics issue - as the couple of times I checked the which graphics was running it was Intel HD (only possible with Safari issue - with full screen scramble I loose control of system).

Is this a repair job or is a software fix in the works?