Q: Lion randomly crashes - black screen

Any idea as to what the part is?

The invoice for work authorization says:

Item Number: 661-6362

Description: MLB 2.66GHZ

Price: $487.50

Of course I don't have to pay for anything because of the extra 2 years mentioned in that KB article.

Master-Logic-Board swap? Price looks about right.

I'm bringing my son's laptop to the Apple Store tomorrow night after he runs a backup of it. He's going to use his backup MacBook Pro (the one with the nVidia 8600) while his current one is at the shop.

The logicboard they're ordering is DIFFERENT from what they ordered last time I did a replacement. If you want a logicboard for the MBP 2.66 you just google this part number, which was on my invoice:

661-5480

You'll find stores selling logicboards, which means this part number is correct.

Whats new in your invoice is that the part number you have on your invoice is different, not available on the internet too and not on any Apple Mac suppliers. Which means it's a new fixed model this time, in which the problem wont come back.

Hope I helped.

Just got off of a ridiculous phone call with Apple support.

Because my "complimentary" phone support has expired and I don't have AppleCare, they are claiming that to even speak with a technician to confirm my issue, I need to pay them $50 for a "one time assistance support" or something like that.

While just yesterday I called them, the woman I spoke to knew exactly why I was calling and transfered me to a technician. However, I never got through to the technician, I just waited on hold for 40 minutes until they finally hung up on me.

Totally unreasonable customer support from Apple concerning this issue. Nobody at Apple is on the same page. I have an appointment at the "genius" bar (my 4th this month concerning this issue) because then at least I'll be able to speak to another human about my computer that is clearly suffering from exactly what is discussed in KB article TS4088.

Maybe I'll try calling back and hope I speak with somebody else.

[quote]Whats new in your invoice is that the part number you have on your invoice is different, not available on the internet too and not on any Apple Mac suppliers. Which means it's a new fixed model this time, in which the problem wont come back.[/quote]

Yeah it is pretty much a hardware issue and I encourage everyone with this problem after this last update to get a hardware fix.

I visited today the Genius Bar in Montreal. The Tech who helped me was aware of the issue, he conducted a Hardware Test after which I was told that the MB needs to be replaced. On my Invoice it does say:

Item Number: 661-6362,  Description: MLB 2.66GHZ

As per TS4088 the Repair is covered by Apple.

Overal the experience was grate. Once they receive the MB I will be contacted so they can replace the faulty one.

I took my MacBook Pro 15" to the genius bar today. Similar story. The tech actually remarked that the logic board he proposed to have replaced was a new revision, and therefore they did not yet have any in stock at the store.

Part Number: 661-6360 MLB 2.4GHZ

He also asked one of his colleages if he was aware that this model was now part of a "quality program". The colleague didn't know that but I gathered it means for us that they will, as stated in the KB article, service affected computers at no cost.

After posting success all Monday, late Tuesday I had a BSOD with the dreaded BSOD. It was only once, and hasn't happened again, and it wasn't through the Photobooth trick (which was fully stable). I think I had Safari and Outlook 2010 on.

Anyway, I decided to take Apple up on their claim that if the fix didn't fully resolve the situation to call them. I talked to tech support last night, referenced the KB article and my complete experience from the beginning, and was escalated to Tier 2. Repeated a shortened version of my story to Tier 2 rep, emailed them my latest kernel panic log while on the phone, and he immediately offered to make an appointment at my local Apple Store for me.

Set it up for 6:15pm today. Was seen by a Genius at 6:30. Copious notes from my tech call were in the system but I recounted some of it for the Genius anyway. Signed me up for a logic board replacement and took my MBP with a 1-3 day turnaround quote. Part number is 661-5480. Turns out I had 3 days left on one-year (the Genius noted it) and I mentioned that I had AppleCare and also the two year extension from the knowledgebase. He said "oh of course, my screen just had your purchase date on it so I noticed it was 3 days from now...this is a free-of-charge fix."

Hopefully the new board will resolve this. It is unfortunate that I am getting the old part number and not the new one. If not, I'll allow them to do up to one more logic board replacement [and mention the new part number that others have been getting] before using the "No Lemon Policy" in California and reuqesting a new laptop.

I have installed the update and haven't had issues since then. Actually I haven't since I installed 10.7.2.

Have also made sure Dynamic Switching is enabled on gfxcardstatus so that the NVidia card is used when appropriate - I use Chrome as main browser, so NVidia is active most of times.

What stress tests can I perform to see if the issue happens again? I don't have Adobe CS5, I've only seen it when waking the laptop up and on some other random occasions, such as browsing on Chrome.

If it happens again I'll ask for a board replacement - not only my laptop is less than a year old, but I also have AppleCare.

Thanks.

I did see the software they run to test the computers. It was clearly special software for the Genius Bar. The first one was a general hardware test. The second was some kind of graphics stress test that took about 10 minutes.

It did not work. I just had my first crash when I mouse over to the hot corners to switch to mission control. Maybe they did something but not good enough to completely removed the problem.

So sad and angry...  i bought an expensive brick!!!

I'm not holding my breath by any means, but I *think* the lastest Video update has fixed my problem.

Previously, I could get the whole thing to black screen without fail just by running iMovie, with my external monitor attached. Since the update, it's not crashed at all.

Still, it's only been 1 hour so far though, despite me thrashing the system a bit to test. Not conclusive, but I'm hopeful, at least in my case, it may be solved...

For me it seems to work so far - but hearing about all of you that still have the problem makes me feel that I am sitting on a "powder keg" ready to go BSOD.

It would just feel better if it worked for all so that we know that these MBPs are OK to use for real work - not just sitting and testing Photo Booth, or "hot corners" in Mission contorl (both works fine for me).

I found that SKYPE uses the Nvida card and I was on a 2 hour call yesterday with normal fan speeds - and that worked too. I was waiting for someting to happen but it did not.

Strange to sit and test to make BSOD - but what to do if not 100% sure all is OK, cant really bring the MBP to use for stuff that is serious unless you trust it.

It would be great if someon knew a way to test the machines so that we know if they are OK or not OK. Not knowing is not the best way.

TheH-Sweden wrote:

Strange to sit and test to make BSOD - but what to do if not 100% sure all is OK, cant really bring the MBP to use for stuff that is serious unless you trust it.

I believe there is no more way for testing positive for BSOD (at least, Photobooth's 2nd effect-page doesn't do it for me anymore) - and there is - of course - no way to prove the BSOD has gone completely but you could try forcing your MBP into discrete graphics using gfxCardStatus and just do "normal things" like surfing the web. I made mine crash that way again (but very irregulary - first time after about 15 minutes, but also stable turns for a couple of hours)....

On the other hand - support for this issue has been extended up to 2 years: You could just try to relax, go on with your work and if it crashes again, get in contact with Apple Support.