Q: Lion randomly crashes - black screen

My logic board was replaced twice and it's still happening. I don't know whether to bother going back again, but if you can help me by doing these while on discrete graphics option.

-Open Skype and do a test video call.

-Photobooth, then full screen. move to page 2 of effects and try them all while in fullscreen mode.

Let me know if it still does it.

well, I am sorry if I misled anybody, but at first 11C48 was working (no photobooth crash) but on day 3 I too can confirm that it has not solved the problem.

I will wait until the official 10.7.2, after that i will bring back my mac to have it serviced.

I used to have the BSOD randomly and also had a ot of difficulty importing large raw files into Aperture...crashes, kernal panics...also BSOD when coming out of sleep. When Lion decided to upgrade my printer drivers, all of this seemed to come to an end...can it really be so simple? I have no idea, but I haven't had a problem for 2 weeks now of normal usage and graphic switching. Another big improvement with graphics handling happened when I downloaded the last update for raw file handling...my camera was not included in the list, but all of a sudden, Aperture is not going nuts anymore. I tried the second page of photobooth in full screen mode, and all is well there too. Although some people do have hardware-related problems, in my situation I think it was a software /driver/ firmware issue, which is SLOWLY being resolved...I have the infamous MBP 15", i7, Nvidia 512MB, 8G or ram configuration...I don't use Skype, so I don't know what's going on there...

iRod_Shuffle wrote:

 

My logic board was replaced twice and it's still happening. I don't know whether to bother going back again, but if you can help me by doing these while on discrete graphics option.

 

-Open Skype and do a test video call.

-Photobooth, then full screen. move to page 2 of effects and try them all while in fullscreen mode.

 

Let me know if it still does it.

Just dropped off my out-of-warranty mbp 2.66 i7 with 330M off at the apple store to replace the logic board.  They agreed to do it for free... after I got approval from a supervisor on the phone.  The first time I was in the store they said I would have to pay.  I'm crossing my fingers it works!

**** MacBook Pro Mid 2010 15inch i7 2.66 8GiG Ram****

--Had a problem with it freezing and the black screen ect...

--Clean install of LION, Updates, STILL FROZE And the Kernel Panic and so on!

--Took it to a Mac Authorized Dealer TRICOM in RI - Great people there and after they took a look at it and went through it the next day same thing.

--Took it back to them one more time and they found that there's a problem with the Intel Graphics Card - With Lion as a power saver it will use the INTEL Video to save on power and only use the Nvidia Video card when needed or plugged in.

--SO!! FIX!!

--UNDER>> Energy Saver >> UNCHECK "Automatic Graphics Switching"

--Since they unchecked that my laptop has been working FLAWLESSLY FOR 3 WEEKS NOW!

--They gave me the option of either going back to Snow Leopard OR just unchecking the video option until Apple comes up with the fix. Since I'm hardly without power i stuck with Lion.

--Everyone with Random freezes and kernel panics-- Give this a shot, I hope it fixes your problem and if so Mac comes up with the fix for this soon. I just switched to Mac about 6months ago as a PC/NETWORKING Tech since the days of the 80-86, Dos 5.x and BBS's with BLAZING 24.4 Baud Modems!! I LOVE MY MACBOOK and this issue almost turned me off from them for good since I spent a pretty penny on this MacBook Pro.

-GoodLuck all!!! LMK If this fixes the issue for you - if so and they replaced all those logic boards and everything else go rub it in their face If your sick of going to the apple store and having them not fix your issue send me PM and I'll give you contact information for my people (They are Authroized Mac Reseller/Repair) so no worries

-Craig

thats great to hear but i dont think this applies to my imac 24" with Lion 10.7.1

been having the very same issues with random black screen crashing.

The energy setting does't fix the problem.

Spent 1 our with AppleCare by phone, finally I got 2 (almost useless) informations:

- to reproduce the problem just open 7-10 apps together (maybe photoboot too)

- in "safe mode" (hold shift during startup) the problem is TOTALLY fixed (but the Mac is terribly slow!!!)

It is not a matter of temperature: opening the 10 apps together crashes a computer just switched on.

Hi irodshuffle afaik quite a few people tried unchecked automatic switching as you mention and it did nothing to help. It's good to hear it helped you. Do you also have the program gfxcardstatus installed though? this when set to integrated will stop the crashing but it is slowing your machines video processing and preventing use of an external monitor. Of course you may just be lucky and Turning off switching fixed it. it didn't help for me however the only thing worked was a mb replacement. Good luck :)

Sorry my last post was to craigjr88 using my phone and apparently I can't edit posts from it??

To all,

I own a Mid-2010, i7, 4gb ram MBP.  I need the screen space for my work flow, but I don't do a great deal of graphics-heavy work. 

If I go to Lion, experience the problem, and fix it with gfxcardstatus (I just installed this), will I experience a noticeable performance hit when using Word, Excel, Thunderbird, and web viewing?  Will iPhoto and iTunes experience performance slowdowns? 

I want to thank all who have posted.  It's stopped me from jumping in too quickly with Lion, and with laying the groundwork for the eventual install that I know I'll do at some point. 

#1 gfxcardstatus is not a stable solution, or a long-term solution. You'll still experience BSOD on rare occasions. (It has only happened once, since I installed it) You will not be able to use your supposed-to-be graphics card. big turn off.

#2 Your performance won't have impact on applications like Word, Excel, TB, iTunes, iPhotos.

#3 You might notice minor performace improvement when using those programs. (purely personal feel)

I am currently using GFxCardStatus, Fan control to reduce BSOD. I did not downgrade to LS.

My experience w/ mac: FCP, Motion, AE, Premiere Pro, LR, Photoshop.

Has someone a good solution to cool a macbook pro?

(cooling pad or something like that).

Does that help?

If this theory is true that it is not a software, but a hardware issue and that this issue was already there but wasn't triggered by snow leopard then I am really ******.

I have no guarantee anymore and this would mean apple sold me a broken laptop ...

Just like the one before, a white macbook where the plastic case cracked like four times.

Apple seems to have real problems with its quality management ...

A real shame considering what you have to pay for this laptops

I've tried two different cooling pads, big & small fan, air-conditioned room, sadly all doesn't work LOL

Cos initially I thought it was due to heat issue, that's why I've tested the above "cooling methods", until I bump onto this discussion page and a logic board replacement saved my agony!

I tried what you mentioned and no problems.

Just an update:

Apple must be starting to recognise this is a pretty widespread problem; my Macbook Pro 15" mid-2010 model is about 4 or 5 months out of warranty, and they are replacing the logic board free of charge, even after the diagnostic test by my local AppleCare Store showed no hardware errors.

We'll see if this fixes the problem - doesn't look hopeful from above, but I can only wait and see.