MacBook Pro: light blue screen while closing programs

Just got another blue screen quiting Firefox 8.0.1. I guess the blue screen can return. Apple never said there was a fix. Once you trigger one, something must stay in a cache that increases the chances of it re-occuring.

I have all Apple updates, latest MBP, and just got blue screen on closing latest Chrome (15.0.874.121). Had the problem befor on Firefox. Safari seems to work fine. Not a big fan of safari, however.

I thought that the Thunderbolt update 1.1 had fixed the problem, but I had the blue screen again when shutting down last night. This time it was the new Camino 2.1 (which has the Gecko 1.9.2 rendering engine like Firefox) which triggered it. The problem only happens for me when I quit an application which uses the graphics card at the same time as the system is working on something else (in this case quitting a number of other apps.)

Turned off Automatic Graphics Switching again!

I turned off graphic switching awhile ago myself because the problem returned for me. I think most people who have the ocassional blue screen problem when quiting applications have done the same thing. I don't think Apple knows how to fix the problem other than getting 10.6.8 users to upgade to Lion. Lion appears to have more problems than it's worth. Our blue screen problem only started when Apple put out updates in preparation for the Lion release. I've used Mac's for years with liitle to no problems until recently. Apple appears to be up in the iClouds. Feedbacks to Apple don't seem to be working.

I also have been experiencing this blue screen problem when quitting Firefox 8.0.1 and other programs that I can't remember now. I also have OS X 10.6.8 with all upgrades applied. This problem started about 4 months ago. I have a 2011 17" MBP with 2.2GHz Core i7 quad bought in June, 2011. When I close the lid and put the MBP in sleep mode for a few seconds, then re-open the lid, all is well again. I have not seen this problem when I boot into OS X 10.7.2 Lion, but I prefer Snow Leopard over Lion because I don't like Lion's GUI and Apple's attempt to make my $3400 MBP look like an iPod. I would hope some of Apple's engineers can find a fix for this OS X software bug. I've used Apple computers since I bought my first Apple IIe. Please Apple- put this on your priority list.

Hey.....

I went to an apple store yesterday trying to figure this out (have been having the same issue at random). It's possible (not sure) that deleting the preference files for the applications that were open (right before the blue screen occurs) - provides a temporary or maybe a final fix (did anyone mention/try unsucessfully? :/ ). I deleted the preference files in [Macintosh HD]/users/[username]/Library/Preferences/ for:

-Final Cut Pro 7

-Logic Pro 9

-Firefox

-Atomix Virtual DJ

-iPhoto

Tried to reproduce the blue screen freeze doing almost the exact same thing in an application (i.e. Final Cut, Firefox, iPhoto), and can't get it to freeze at all. :]

This issue kinda bites, because :/:

-An Apple Authorized Service Provider decided the blue screens were caused by a hardware issue ---graphics card voltages not right/logic board might have general issues. Store ordered a new logic board and replaced. The blue screens eventually re-occured at random (~2.5 weeks after new logic board installed/tested)

-At Apple Store yesterday, all hardware validated O.K. via ethernet diagnostic software at Genius Bar (Logic Board, Graphics card, Power, Hdd, etc.)

-I zeroed the hdd today (single-pass), reinstalled Snow Leopard using a 10.6.6 DVD (provided by Apple Store), and then chose to import only "Applications" using the Migration assistant

-Chose to copy content (documents/photo/video/music/etc.) manually, copied some preference files -- but only for applications which weren't having any problems aside from a possible blue screen freeze (didn't copy any crucial/important pref. files or apple/OSX app. preferences)

????

have spent like, 20 hours on this altogether!

I think we've all....anyway hope it works. Report back if you get that dreaded blue screen again.

By the way I believe our problem is software related since it doesn't occur in Lion, which has the same firmware or does it?

Well, for some reason my MacBook Pro had been fine since the Thunderbolt Update, but finally today I've had a recurrence of the blue screen freeze... Back to Apple Care I guess...

I wonder if this problem is happening for Lion users with MacBook Pro's. See the link below to another discussion. It doesn't seem to manifest in exactly the same way, but sounds very similar...

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3307997?start=0&tstart=0

Your wasting your time with AppleCare unless your warranty is almost up so that you'll be on record for the problem. I don't think Apple has a fix yet. You got a blue screen because you either use a program that uses Rosetta or the program is out dated and caused the switch from the AMD graphic card to the HD3000 card to not complete. Something may be left running in the backgroud that contributes to the problem. Our problem could be hardware, firmware or software related. The problem may not be user fixable. Apple should have left Snow Leopard 10.6.7 alone and not changed it for the transition to Lion. I no longer have any PowerPC programs and all my applications are up to date. Re-built startup cache (safe mode startup followed by re-start). Two weeks and waiting to see if I get a blue screen. Early 2011 15" MacBook Pro 10.6.8.

Got a blue screen today on quiting Firefox after doing everthing possible to prevent it. No powerpc applications. Graphic card switching causes the problem. Apple either needs to fix the problem or provide compensation $ to those who are having the problem soon.

Still getting this issue when closing Firefox. I've updating everything and nothing seems to work. Is there any permanent fix for this issue, because this is ridiculous. If it happens one more time I'm going to call tech support and go from there...

hey,

deleting the preferences (plist) files has seemed to help a lot. haven't seen the error yet - aside from unplugging the minidisplayport to dvi connector (stuck once/~10 connect/reconnects).

the preference files are located in [username]/Library/Preferences/

-rpg2288

The only permanent solutions seem to be:

• Turn off Automatic Graphics Switching in the Energy Saver tab of System Preferences
• Upgrade to Lion

The degradation in energy consumption from turning off Graphics Switching is likely to be very small if you use apps which use the graphics card (like the latest version of Firefox) and don't keep quitting them to save battery power.

If we have to upgrade to Lion to fix an Apple problem, Apple should give us a free upgrade.

I have this problem as well. So far, it has occured only when quitting Chrome. This is my first Mac, and I am generally very satisfied. However, I want to take care of the problem before the warranty expires and I am not comfortable with the Mac Utilities yet. Will they do some of the suggested fixes for me at the Mac store?