Q: Lion randomly crashes - black screen

Glad to hear that your issues were resolved with a MLB replacement...I just got back from the Genius Bar to get my computer checked out as well...although I didn't not have graphic switching problems or the BSOD, there was some inherent weirdness going on...kernel panics occasionally with an NMPI signature...Apple ran a regular hardware test as well as the video test specifically meant to test the video issues of TS4088...everything passed and all was OK, but my Magic Mouse was defective and causing these kernel panics...with all the talk about defective video cards and Lion, I never really thought about have a problem with the mouse. Just a word to others who may have some intermittent strangeness on their MBP...I would have never even thought of this.

...and hopefully the last follow up.

Picked up my MBP from the genius yesterday - after 1 1/2 weeks.

Anyway the genius seemed to make quite an effort in solving my problem.

As mentioned in the quoted text, at the beginning, the part number for the replacement was the old one (661-5566) in the final receipt the new part number (661-6360) ist listed. Didn't have much time to test it yet but I'm confident, my problem is solved.

tim_dba wrote:

 

Here's the follow up of my case:

Have seen a genius who has been very friendly. He didn't know about the issue and I pointed to the KB article. He spoke a minute to his colleague and came back to me. He told me, they will run a further test additional to the diagnostics he has run at the genius bar. If my MBP qualifies for the programme related to the KB article (which means, it is not a different fault with similar symptoms), my logic board would be replaced without charge otherwise they would get in touch with me and I would have to pay the new logic board.

So far, I didn't receive an email telling me I had to pay and the repair status you can request online says "repair in progress" - looks pretty good, altough I don't know whether running a test also belongs to "repair in progress".

Anyway, the part number seems to be the old one...

I had hard luck yesterday. The genius called me back and said that he can't reproduce my black screen issue and that my mbp mid-2010 failed the specific TS4088 diagnostic test. They did not put a new logic board even after I debated with them for 1/2 an hour. Basically, I am left with the problem to come back and re-visit them again, I guess. He asked me to do a clean install of Mas OS Lion which I refused to do.

Hard Luck for me, I hope either the problem goes away or the genius bar is more helpful the next time.

Thanks Apple! You rock! Aftervthebupdate issues last week or so I applied it and have had no issues whatsoever again-

Simply Fantastic!!!!  LOVE MY APPLE STUFF!!!! Always Have! Always Will!  

Allyn Martin1 wrote:

 

Thanks Apple! You rock! Aftervthebupdate issues last week or so I applied it and have had no issues whatsoever again-

 

Simply Fantastic!!!!  LOVE MY APPLE STUFF!!!! Always Have! Always Will!  

You mean you love that they released a fixed for a problem caused by a bug they introduced, and that after over four months of total silence and ignoring the customers? I can't image any other company that would get away with that.

I don't know that they caused the problem. This problem is playing out similarly to the nVidia 8600 problem; it would be absolutely no surprise to me if the 330M had similar problems.

On the other hand, it's seems to me that there are software bugs with Lion, perhaps mainly with the 330M.

Indeed. It happened to me with my 2007 MBP too. I upgraded to Leopard>same problem as we are talking about now>logic board swap>problem solved>computer is running perfectly since that day.

My other MBP (2010 model)>upgrade to Lion>same problem>logicboard swapped>no problems anymore.

It seems that NVidea can't keep up with Apple's major system updates.

Yes, that is pretty ridiculous.

But thanks for the new logicboard anyway.

(Signing off after reading this thread for more than three months! Bye everyone and succes with your new LBs. See you all within three years when we upgrade to 10.8)

Finally heard back from the Apple teechnician I'd been talking with on the phone.

I had sent him data from my computer using a capture data app he sent me.

He said that my computer did indeed qualify for the free logic board replacement based on article TS4088.

I was to go into the Apple store, explain the situation to a genius, and leave my computer there for them to send off for repair.

When I got there the genius ran their Video System Diagnostic test, which my computer needed to FAIL in order to truly qualify.

My computer passed the test

However, the genius read my case file further, and saw that the technician I spoke with on the phone said that my comp did qualify for the replacement, and so he said "well, let's just do it". So in 3-5 days, I'll be picking up my MBP with a new logicboard for free.

The fact that my computer passed the test has me really nervous though, I hope the new logic board solves my issues (which are identical to what is described in the article, and in this thread, although I was never able to reproduce the issue using the Photo Booth trick, and my issue had nothing to do with wake/sleep - it was totally random).

I'll report back once I get my computer back with the new LB.

I have been experiencing this exact same issue on my mid-2010 15" MBP and assumed it would be resolved with the Video Update (which it was not). This week I finally decided to suck it up and reformat the entire machine. I installed Snow Leopard and upgraded to Lion which I had already purchased. I then updated all software and again applied the Video Update patch. The first day using this completely rebuilt machine I experienced at least seven crashes over the course of just a few hours.

As has been mentioned LITERALLY HUNDREDS of times in this forum; installing gfxcardstatus and setting to "integrated" mode somewhat alleviates the problem and can hold off a crash for up to a few hours in my case. This, however, is merely a band-aid and I still experience crashes every few hours with gfxcardstatus in "integrated" mode.

On Wednesday 11/09 I took my newly formatted machine into the Fashion Valley Apple store in San Diego, CA and was told by the genius that they had absolutely heard about this issue and she had in fact herself accepted two of these machines the day before (Tuesday) for repair. The genius removed gfxcardstatus from my Applications folder to ensure it would not run during diagnostic testing at my request. After three days, today I received a call from another genius telling me that they had been extensively testing the machine with their "diagnostic software" and have been completely unable to get the machine to crash. I can not understand how it is remotely possible to be unable to crash this machine as it literally crashes within MINUTES of normal use without gfxcardstatus here at home. I have no clue what the Apple diagnostic test actually does but again I can get this computer to crash within minutes of booting up. (I know I sound like a broken record here but this is ridiculous).

The genius then asked me if I would then authorize a $487 motherboard replacement charge since my machine was not crashing during the specific tests that Apple has deemed qualify the machine for the free two year out-of-warranty repair under http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4088. I told her I absolutely do not approve a charge of any kind and it is blatantly obvious that this is an issue that needs to be taken more seriously by Apple. The genius told me they will continue to try additional testing and that it is highly probable that I will be paying out of pocket for a mobo replacement because my MMP is somehow passing the diagnostic tests created by Apple. She also explained that there is "no way they replace the motherboard for free unless my machine fails the tests."

Reading through this forum for even 20 minutes you will also find a handful of individuals whose 15" MBP's also would NOT fail the diagnostic tests but somehow got "lucky" at their genius bar appointment and were given free mobo replacements even without failing the diagnostic tests. Splitting hairs about who you selectively decide to give free motherboard replacements to is completely unfair, regardless of the price of these computers. The fact that all of have spent around $2K (over $2,200 in my case) makes finding that out very hard to swallow.

Apple, you have addressed and provided a sufficient solution to these black screen crashes for SOME BUT NOT ALL of the machines affected by these very similar issues. There are OVER TWO THOUSAND posts on this massive forum, many of which are from customers who have NOT been given adequate resolution for an issue that is highly likely to be related to some kind of defect in either your hardware or software. The fact that so many people's mid-2010 MacBook Pro's are REGULARLY CRASHING under uncannily similar circumstances shows that you need to rethink this "diagnostic test" that you are using as a qualifier for a free repair.

Apple, please step up with a better solution! I really want to buy my girlfriend an iPad for Christmas but will not be able to give Apple another dollar whilst taking myself seriously as a man until this is resolved.

For those who can't reproduce the issue in store, try pressing Command + M while in Mission Control. This adds the motion blur effect to Mission Control when switching spaces and going into Expose and it seems to produce the black screen much more often when using Mission Control (which is the main source of black screens for me).

I have an MBP purchased in April 2010. I installed the video update, and my Macbook Pro still crashes. I went to the genius bar yesterday, and my MBP passed the video test that was meant to test the TS4088 issue. They were telling me that there's nothing they can do for me since I passed that test, and that test came from the engineers. I told them that my MBP still crashes and that their test isn't complete. He again said, there's nothing they can do. So I was playing around with the MBP (hoping that it would crash so he could see it first hand). I didn't know if I could replicate it since it crashes randomly. I started opening graphics intensive applications - iPhoto, Photo Booth, Safari start screen. After a minute or so it crashed, so they were able to see first hand. They said they would take it and do some additional tests. They ordered a new logic board, and if they can see the issue, they will replace it for free. Hopefully they will realize that there is still a problem!! Apple has still not fixed this problem yet!!

I'm still not sure why these "geniuses" don't look at the kernel panic logs after the install date of the video update. That to me would be enough to prove a machine is not working as expected.

Yes, this is truly baffling. I've taken my computer in to the Genius Bar three times, each time saying "Hey, when the computer restarts I get a message saying a report is being sent to Apple. Could you look at those reports and see what the problem is?" I guess it is easier for them to erase the hard drive ...

@Ian Kelleigh

The problem is as the genius explained to me and I have the same exact problem as many of the mid-2010 mbp owners: genius says that the specific TS4088 test has passed for my mbp, so my machine DO NOT qualify for the TS4088 program, however, the black screen can also be caused by other settings (on the software side) or some other hardware (hardware not related to TS4088), in the latter case since my mbp is out of warranty .. will require to be repaired by myself. He wants to do a clean install but i resisted ..... not sure how to convince them around this.

APPLE, STEP UP AND PROVIDE A CONSISTENT RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM RATHER THAN A FRAGMENTED/VARIED SUPPORT FOLKS ARE GETTING FROM GENIUS BAR DESPITE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. FIX IT OR BE READY TO LOOSE BUSINESS.

Thanks.

Hi there,

problem's solved for me!

I had my logic board replaced once, installed the video update and it still didn't work. So I called the Apple Certified Store. They told me, that there were new LogicBoards, specifically for this problem. I told them to get the board and call me when they have it. The next day they called, I brought my MacBook, picked it up after 2 hours and that's it.. No crashes anymore!

These guys didn't even do the hardware test. They just helped me. So, when you have bad experiences in one store.. just go to another one!