Diagnosing Macbook Pro Screen Problem

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Diagnosing Macbook Pro Screen Problem

I have a late 2007 MBP (A1226 IIRC) running 10.5. The screen's top 1/3 displays correctly, but the bottom 2/3 do not. About two weeks ago, if I slightly bent the screen, applying a bit of force, the display would alter and sometimes become 100% correct. Distortions were common. Now, the top 1/3 is fine and bottom 2/3 is solid black (well, the backlight works for bottom 2/3, but just a nearly-black display).

Thinking it was a bad LVDS cable, I replaced the cable with a new one. The problem persists.

The display is 100% perfect with an external LCD through the DVI port.

What could be the problem? It seems like a cable issue, but I replaced the cable to no avail.

Also, how can I diagnose this? I would try the Apple Hardware Test, but when I put the 10.5 disc into the laptop and reboot, holding down "d" to boot from disc, I can hear the disc spinning up and such, but no matter how long I hold down the "d" key, the second I release the "d" key (even after 2 minutes), 10.5 boots as normal instead of booting from the disc. That being said, the disc is being read perfectly fine.

Thoughts?

Oh, one more thing: I use the built-in camera about once every couple weeks, so I can't be sure, but it seems the iSight camera failed the same time the screen did (at the very worst, merely within a week or two of the screen doing the same). It no longer works. When I fire up Photo Booth, the program displays no received signal from the camera.

I had my logic board replaced for free by Apple about 7 or so months ago due to the infamous NVidia issue, and when I went to the Apple Store yesterday, they told me this problem is not the same thing.

That's all I know; I'd be interested in hearing thoughts.

Thank you!

MBP, Mac OS X (10.5)

Posted on May 23, 2011 10:02 AM

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Answer 1

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T5GP5Ox32

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May 23, 2011 10:11 AM in response to Kyle Goetz

Booting from the disc you hold down "C" and not d. D is for the AHT only, which should also work though, have you tried running a verify and then go to the AHT?

The backlight is working but the picture is black and external displays work fine. It's either a cable issue or the screen. Not much else it could be.

Also, what disc do you have inserted into the machine?

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Answer 2

Kyle Goetz Author

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May 23, 2011 10:13 AM in response to T5GP5Ox32

Thanks. AHT doesn't appear, then, but I think I read somewhere that if you've upgraded your OSX from factory install that AHT no longer will be installed by default. My MBP came with 10.4 and I upgraded to 10.5 a couple yearsr ago.

Also, in my /System/Library/whatever/path/to directory, the .diagnostics folder that is supposedly telltale of AHT existing on the computer does not exist. So AHT is not installed I guess.

I will reboot now and boot from the install disc. I read that AHT exists on the install disc, too. I will try that now.

Thank you for the help thus far.

Final note: If it's a cable issue, is there any cable other than the LVDS that it could be? I know there are two cables that run through the hinge from the logic board to the screen (LVDS and I think an iSight cable). LVDS was replaced, and the iSight cable shouldn't make the screen itself fail, so neither of these?

Thanks!

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Answer 3

T5GP5Ox32

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May 23, 2011 10:15 AM in response to Kyle Goetz

I wouldn't believe it to be a cable issue most likely. Maybe the connection of the LVDS slot could be causing it but unlikely. Normally if the slot or cable has an issue you wont get anything at all. Then again same goes for the screen.

I don't think the AHT will be able to diagnose an issue with the display unless it was GPU related.

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Answer 4

Kyle Goetz Author

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May 23, 2011 10:29 AM in response to T5GP5Ox32

Thanks for the new comments.

So I booted from the install disc, but I couldn't figure out any way to get the main display to be the external, so I was just stuck with the broken monitor struggling to show me what it wanted to show me :/

So that wasn't very productive. Neither F7 nor fn-F7 switched the displays like I assume that key's icon indicated it does.

Update: While trying to hopefully get the built-in panel to display properly for a split second, I applied slight pressure to various places on the screen's back (the apple-logo side of the panel). It seems that very occasionally, for a slight few moments, applying some pressure to the lower left quadrant (this is the side by the escape key, not the F12 key) resulted in the screen looking good for a split second and then becoming distorted again.

So sounds like it's whatever the cable on that side is, or the board that is on that part of the display (inverter board or whatever?) or something.

Any further thoughts? Also comments at any other time by other readers would be appreciated! I didn't expect to get any comments so soon after my initial post!

Thanks!

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Answer 5

May 23, 2011 10:30 AM in response to Kyle Goetz

I will reboot now and boot from the install disc. I read that AHT exists on the install disc, too. I will try that now.

Apple Hardware Test

Intel-based Macs: Using Apple Hardware Test

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Answer 6

Kyle Goetz Author

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May 23, 2011 11:54 AM in response to Baby-Boomer-USofA

I don't understand this business about Disc 1 and Disc 2. I purchased 10.5.6 and there is only one disc in the packaging.

Regardless, it seems AHT will not be of use to me. Drat. Now I'm left trying to figure out, as cheaply as possible, what part I need to replace.

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Answer 7

eww

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May 23, 2011 12:46 PM in response to Kyle Goetz

AHT will be of no use at all in diagnosing problems with the LVDS video cable, its connections, or the LCD display itself. If you have replaced the cable and are confident that it's securely connected at both ends, and an external display works properly, then your computer's LCD panel is damaged. Your findings with respect to pressure of various kinds on the display back tend to confirm this diagnosis, because electrical contacts with the panel are made at many points around its edges. When those are disturbed by flexing or racking the panel, contacts can be made and broken improperly, causing all kinds of misbehavior.

For future reference, though it doesn't matter right now: AHT is present only on one of the installer discs that were originally shipped with your computer. No retail OS X installer DVD contains it.

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Answer 8

sveti

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Oct 24, 2011 7:23 PM in response to eww

I have had a similar problem and have replaced both the LCD and the video cable

The problem still persists. The symptoms are a follows

Press star button receive grey screen, next the apple logo appears in a darker grey, next the spinning circle appears and booting commences, when the sign in window should appears, the LCD displays, thin vertical coloured lines .

If an external display is connected via the DVI port, the images and functions are perfect.

The dimming and brighting of the macbook LCD works as normal.

Any help would be appreciated

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Answer 9

sveti

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Oct 24, 2011 10:03 PM in response to sveti

Further to my previous post.

I have booted this MBP, using the "D" key and the original disk "1" which came with this 17" MacBook Pro.

The Apple test hardware program loaded and the LCD performed in what seemed in a perfect way.

The background was a deep Blue and the script was Black, no distortion what so ever.

The test was performed and indicated , All OK.

On re start, the same problem as per previous post.

?????

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Answer 10

eww

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Oct 25, 2011 6:17 AM in response to sveti

sveti: Unlikely as it seems, your testing suggests that your problem may be software-based. I would reinstall the OS and see whether that remedies it.

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Answer 11

sveti

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Oct 25, 2011 2:21 PM in response to Kyle Goetz

Thank you very much,

I will try to reinstall the OS

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Answer 12

sveti

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Oct 25, 2011 6:58 PM in response to Kyle Goetz

Update

Unfortunately I was unable to reinstall the OS because as follows:

Reinstalling OSX leopard from DVD , the "C" during start up, cannot be made to work.

The startup procedure commences in the MBP as should be, however the external display stops at the Apple sunrise screen and the image proceeds no further. The MBP LCD is still on vertical stripe's and of no use. it seems that the external display is not fully functional on a reinstall, not even if the F7 key is toggled.

The same thing happens when the OSX DVD is booted from the desktop as the installation DVD first asks to re starts the MBP.

Additionally I booted the MBR from a 12 month old external HD which had the OSX on it,up to that date (I increased the capacity of the internal HD and this one was the fully functional old one) the MBP LCD with this configuration remained in the same faulty state.

I tried to re-instal the OS via the external disk, however a re start is also mandatory and the same problem as above occurred.(the external display locks on the Apple sunrise image)

I think i will get a new internal hard disk load the OS externally and copy fils across and see what happens.

????

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Answer 13

Oct 26, 2011 3:11 AM in response to Kyle Goetz

Hello,

Have you reinitialized the SMC ?

I have had similar problems with my screen on the same MBP and since the SMC restarted i have no problems !

Have i try at Reseting SMC intel based Mac

Nabil

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Answer 14

sveti

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Oct 27, 2011 5:22 AM in response to Nabil Antoun

Hello Nabil

Thank you for your suggestion however it did not work on my MBP,

I am currently preparing a band new HD and loading a new OSX on it, we can just hope for the best

Thank you

Sveti

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Answer 15

Oct 27, 2011 7:14 AM in response to Kyle Goetz

I also had a screen problem with my early 2008 MacBook Pro. Every other vertical row of pixels quit working. I sent it to Rossman group in New York City for screen replacement. The problem persisted. I send it back. They check it out and said it was a graphics gpu problem and Apple has a recall on this model Mac for graphics problems. I took it to the Apple store. They ran a test on it. They sent the graphics unit passed the test. Then the genius at the Apple store suggested that Apple has a service where you can send your MacBook Pro Computer in to their service depot and for $310, they will do a complete diagnostic and replace any part that's defective. Wish I had known about this before of paper and screen repair. Now the readers of this will know about it.

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