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Screen turns off randomly

Hi there,

Thanks in advance for the input.

This is my MBP specifications:


15 Inch mid 2010

Processor 2.66 GHz Intel Core i7

Memory 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3

Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M 512 MB

Software Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2 (11C74) (Installed it yesterday, problem keept happening with Snow Leopard)

500 GB SATA HDD

4 GB RAM


It's been happening for quite a while, at first it was just while I was browsing the internet. Then it just happened randomly. The sreen is completely OFF, and if I'm playing music or anything with sound it starts looping, the only way to stop it id by pushing the ON/OFF button until it shuts off, and turn it ON again. When I turn it on it prompts me to file a report and it says the computer had to be shut down because of a problem. I send the report every time, but have no idea if it is a problem with software or hardware. I don't think it is overheating, it just does it randomly, and a few times right away again after restarting.


Please help? I'm afraid this would happen in the middle of my work.


Does anyone else have this problem? How do I know what the real problem is, and how do I solve it?


Thanks a bunch in advance.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.2), Using Lion Now

Posted on Dec 1, 2011 12:18 PM

Reply
20 replies

Dec 1, 2011 3:24 PM in response to SorayaTwo2two

This may be a simple problem, and I do appreciate the extra information you gave me.


1. First, go to System Preferences/Energy Saver; in "Computer Sleep," toggle the tab all the way to the right. This should stop the unpredictable shutdowns in most cases.

2. If that doesn't work, you may need to do some extra homework. Make s notebook on what happens with your MBP, every session. If everything's fine, write this down; if not, describe what happened, and under what conditions. This way, you'll be able to determine if's a Power Supply issue, or simply a software conflict.


Post here with your results. If you decide to visit your Apple Store, you'll always have the personal logs to investigate the problem.

Dec 3, 2011 8:37 AM in response to SorayaTwo2two

I think I have a better solution, albeit a short term one until your sleep issue is solved.


Download a free app called Deep Sleep. This puts your MBP into hybernate mode, like normal computer sleep, though the wake up period will be around 15-20 seconds. The advantage is that, if normal sleep doesn't work, Deep Sleep will.


It's looking like the Apple Store/Genius Bar is going to be your savior.

Dec 5, 2011 2:13 PM in response to Poikkeus

Welp, that didn't work out either... I put it on deep sleep a couple times, yet the screen goes out while I'm working actively on the computer, no matter what. Just last night, I put it on deep sleep, and it did it again, I woke up in the morning with the ligths of the keyboard on and there was no way of waking it up I even waited the 15-30 secs. for it to do, and didn't come back to life. Shut it down with the power button, turned it on again, prompted me to file the report, once again I did, and the creen went off two other times already since then. One of them while I was switching between chat conversations on skype (not on video calls or anything). This is getting scary.


I found a couple threads here that were close to my problem, although my MBP has a different video card, I'll give this a try, just in case. I already contacted a technician that'll take a look at it, since I'm not in the US and access to an apple store here is nearly impossible, that and the 1 year warranty is gone already.


This seems to help in other cases:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377


This seemed to be the issue for other MBP's manufactured in 2007-8

http://www.pjentrepreneur.com/2009/01/21/update-mac-book-pro-blank-screen-proble m/


Wish me luck and other options please?!

Jan 23, 2012 10:54 PM in response to greyskiesblack

Nope, haven't taken it to an apple store or anything, I'm out of the country now, so no chance.


The "never sleep" thing never worked for mine, although after wiping the HD, reinstalling lion and starting from scratch helped a bit, at least it doesn't happen that often. I also got rid of firefox, I suppose that and skype had some sort of conflict because the comp always crashed while on those two. Still, every time I use skype and switch chat windows the screen just dies and I have to make a hard restart...


So please if someone out there has the same problem, keep spreading the word, I am clueless with this and need help!

Apr 20, 2012 8:59 PM in response to Tim Pope

Hello there Tim,


The problem persisted, I tried wiping out the hard drive and use lion instead of snow leopard, it didn't work. I cannot use firefox, Skype and now it randomly shuts down at will at least once a day. Now it restarts itself, I don't have to hard restart it. The worse thing for me is not being able to take it to a mac store because I'm out of the country. After your comment, I'm afraid this would cost an arm and a leg to get fixed. At least I'm not the only one...

Jun 8, 2012 9:37 AM in response to SorayaTwo2two

I've been experiencing the same problem with my mid 2010 MacBook Pro since Lion installed. When Apple released a fix update to this, the problem dissapeared but only for some days.


This describes the problem: MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010): Intermittent black screen or loss of video.

Since you kept updated your mac and the symptoms persists you should call apple.

Contacting apple for support and service.


Apple support told me by telephone to do some workaround to see if the situation changes, and then, at last, format the disc and clean install of Lion.

Here I am. Yesterday, I made the clean install and I'd got 3 crashes since then. Now, I'm gonna schedule a service appointment so I fix this, because it is really frustrating and disappointing to deal with these kind of problems for a long period of time, especially when you're using the machine to do your work properly.

Jun 14, 2012 1:17 PM in response to SorayaTwo2two

me. tomorrow. i can feel you. hold on and good luck.


and have this in mind.


"Apple will service affected 15-inch MacBook Pro computers free of charge until two years from date of purchase. Apple will provide further extensions to this program as needed. This worldwide Apple program does not extend the standard warranty coverage of the affected MacBook Pro."

Jun 23, 2012 12:17 AM in response to massiverisingson

Well, I finally made it to the US. Yesterday I went straight to an apple store and talked to a genius. He said it's my hard drive. As my computer's warranty was out, I guess I'll just buy a hard drive, install it, take it back to the genius bar afterwards, and I'll post whatever the outcome was. I am wondering what happened to massiverisingson...?

Wish me luck you guys. I hope it's just the hard drive. It'll be around $100 USD to get this fixed. Hopefully.

Screen turns off randomly

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