Q: Lion randomly crashes - black screen

If there are some solution to clear the problem and let me continue work?

@James_Tin if you haven't already you should download and install gfxCardStatus (http://codykrieger.com/gfxCardStatus).

Once installed it will appear in the tool bar. click and change to "integrated" this will force your mac to only use the integrated "intel" GPU. This should drastically reduce crashes. But this will prevent using external monitors and because your no longer using the faster GPU (Nvidia) performance of graphic intensive stuff even video will be reduced. Make sure to also go into preferences and set to auto startup on system start.

@i005754 thats interesting about chess causing crashes, i tried playing a few games with a some standard Lion programs open (mail, safari etc) i couldn't force a crash. Enjoyed losing at chess though!

I have crashed 4 times tonight in less than an hour just doing stanard things like web browsing, mail etc.

i005754, can you force a crash by going into photo booth > effects > click the 2nd effects "tab" .. This will always crash for me. I read someone mentioned this online so thought i'd give it a try and bam.

Not sure why, but turning off graphics switching and keeping the MBP on power supply has reduced, if not removed, my blackout issues, at least for now. No crash since yesterday.

Others seem to keep experiencing blackouts after this method, so not sure why it works for me.

Hello it may or may not be the answer to this issue. A French apple technician has explained to me that lion should be installed on a HDd formatted by lion. In fact someone having this issue should transfert the apple lion update on a USB key or a cd-r. Boot the computer with it. Erase the HDd with the lion HDd-software. Make the partition with the lion software and then instal lion. Reboot and test photobooth.

It's hard for me to explain the reason why it may be the answer to this issue but for the French technician lion and snow leopard are different on this point. And it may explain the kernel panic. Because lion needs to put on HDd some informations that SL doesn't need. SL HDd software doesn't realize the job for a great lion installation.

My mbp is being analyzed for a hardware issue. I'll know the result tomorrow and will post here.

Sorry for my English it's a hard job to write but I've spent two weeks on apple forum in order to find answers.

Waiting for your comments. And if someone can try this installation way please share your experience.

A French mbp i7 15" disappointed user.

No Cedric, i did exactly this procedure (booting from a Lion CD and reformating the HD with de Lion disk utility) and the issue is exactly the same.

Thanks all above, I had istalled the gfxCardStatus according @wired00 gived the solution, and I haven't had the crashes - black screen over 5 hours.

Yes, the gfxCardStatus (with integrated mode) is definitely a good workaround, my current uptime (since installation) is:

up 4 days,  4:20, 2 users, load averages: 0.71 0.63 0.66

BUT(!) the fact that Apple has no clear statement on this issue is really lame (as the whole issue itself is, by the way)

I have noticed the same kind of thing here. When not plugged in/attached to an external monitor I get crashes fairly regularly but I haven't *knock on wood* gotten ANY crashes when plugged in and attached to an external monitor.

Yes, so there seems to be a problem with the dynamic switching. When I'm on AC power and integrated mode, I'm stable. When I'm on AC power and in discrete mode, I've been stable. Dynamic usually kills it.

Exact opposite for me. MPB 2.66 i7. Laptop only, with discrete graphics, all is well. Attach external monitor and it will crash within minutes. HD Cinema display 23" (silver bezel), if that matters.

Just an update on my end; started using my external monitor again, and now I couldn't force a blackout even if I tried. It definitely has to do with the graphic card switching - my MBP 2.66 i7 15" has been stable since I turned off automatic switching.

martinfromeugene: I think the problem is that when you connect your Cinema Display, your MBP automatically switches to the big graphics card, and the switch causes the kernel panic. Try shutting off the computer, connecting the display, then start it. It should now be GT330M only, and it should be stable.

With an external monitor, the Mac is automatically in GT330M mode. Even if I set the card status to "Discrete" it will boot up in GT330M mode with an external monitor installed. But... I'll try it...

martinfromeugene: Yes exactly, that's what I'm saying - I have the same Mac as you, and when I force it to only stay on GT330M, I couldn't get a blackout no matter how hard I tried.

It doesn't seem to work for everyone, but give it a go. The blackout issue seems to be connected to the actual switch between cards, not which one of them you use. So if you stick with one, you should have no blackouts.

James_Tin wrote:

 

Thanks all above, I had istalled the gfxCardStatus according @wired00 gived the solution, and I haven't had the crashes - black screen over 5 hours.

Hi James, good to hear its working for you but just remember this is not a "solution" but a "hack" to allow a otherwise broken machine to continue working. Apple still needs to fix this problem. Remember your very expensive piece of hardware now will perform much slower Re video processing, games etc. Also no longer work with an external monitor

Hi Cedricfromorgeres, Yep its interesting because thats exactly what an Aussie Apple support guy told me. Just as Gilson mentioned we have already done this. After a completely fresh install to an HDD i was able to produce the crash within 30seconds by going Photo booth > Effects > 2nd tab. I've also crashed many times in various random points while web browsing, mac mail etc. No extraneous software is installed whatsoever

@Mantralux I understand exactly what your saying (possibly some GPU's are more sensitive to others) but I've crashed multiple times while connected to my external display from boot or not. I agree crashing is reduced when forced to discrete mode so switching plays a part but it will still crash eventually.

Hmm have now noticed that I am also having the same problems when using Windows 7 via boot camp.

Not as frequently as when using Lion but seems to happen in the same (graphics intensive) situations.