MacBook Pro screen goes black at random ... does anyone have this resolved?!?!

Hey Grant, thanks for the link. I'll be sure to use it if I get uphill from the Apple store. They did run the VST by the way and my macbook did show the spectacular Failed banner.

wrt the low signal strength comment: we have arguably one of the most advanced GSM networks in the world and I get excellent signal strength and coverage. I no longer have a landline and I consistently get better than 3Mb/s throughput on my 3G router. The dropped call behaviour is common amongst South African iPhone 4 users regardless of their location. I'm not making this up.

I don't believe that there is a conspiracy here! I have great admiration for Apple as a business. so much so that I gave them my money! Just disillusioned that the marketing is not backed up by the execution [in my experience].

I guess then that I am statistically cursed in that every Apple product I've owned has had issues.

Perhaps the Universe is trying to tell me something. 🙂

Well things get more and more interesting as time goes by....

So about 20 minutes ago my macbook alerted me that there was an EFI firmware update available for download. It downloaded and did its firmware update thing and now the computer is totally messed up.

It boots successfully and It gets to the initial desktop etc. and within 2 minutes shuts down and reboots of its own accord. I log on, and it tells me that I shut the machine down because of a problem and do I want it to reopen the applications that were running (there were none!). I click cancel and it goes to the initial desktop and brings up a problem report.

The report clearly says "GPU Panic" and shows the usual dump etc.

Where this was a random occurrence before is now happening on every reboot. The machine is now totally unusable.

Does anyone know if there is there any way to roll back to the previous firmware version?

Feedback on my situation:

today I got a call from the Apple Service centre to say the relacement Mainboard had arrived.

Took MBP in and 1.5 hours later everything is working correctly!!! and ZERO COST!

Wanted to say thanks to Artevino, Grant, venturakid etc. for your input. I would not have a working machine without your input and suggestions.

you guys are so lucky.... or i'm so unlucky. i'm still trying to get Apple to replace my logic board. One store told me that my unit is not qualified even though it is a 2010 MBP 6,2 with the same NVIDIA issue.

Some individual Geniuses may interpret the timeframes more literally than others. You can also appeal to the store manager, who generally has additional latitude to authorize the repair even if the timeframe has expired.

They still may decide against you.

You will get the best results if you purchased AppleCare (even if it has expired) if your MacBook is not "beat up", and if you are polite, reasonable, and businesslike.

i understand... however is the repair program not based on TS service bulletin and not how polite i am? of course i'm not going to be rude but i also would like to know why mine is not qualified when everyone else is getting theirs repaired. i spoke to the store manager which just backed up her Genuis. I understand that too but i wish they would go a bit deeper and explain why mine is not qualified. i wish the process could be more objective instead of how i'm approaching the issue. my unit is in perfect shape exterior-wise. its been babied.

Just came back from a different Apple store. The lady informed me that my 3 yrs is now over by 2 months. I know many here have had theirs replaced even going over that 3 yrs given. What do I need to do? First AS says it's the board that's not covered due to some reason I haven't been able to get yet. This one says it is the 3 yr time frame. I'm thinking I'm calling the 1.800 Apple support. I wonder if they can do something. I guess it doesn't pay not to complain right away. I've waited too long with this problem. Complain right away. If anyone has any suggestion please post. Not happy with this news.

Update on my machine.....

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5311933

😀

Hi 'fernlo' . . . .

I just wanted to chime in on this because it interested me that you mentioned South Africa where you purchased the Macbook Pro. I too purchased mine in Durban in May 2010 and it seemed only after upgrading to OS X Lion did my graphics issues begin.

I am living in Bahrain and got no joy here from the Apple Service centre. It also 'passed' my machine without problems when clearly a major problem existed.

I eventually resolved to live with it by installing gfxCardStatus and forcing the machine to stay in 'integrated only' mode which helped me to work and avoid crashes when I least needed them.

The insteresting thing is the recent move to Mavericks. I did a clean install and migrated my data back and it would seem that the issue may - 'may' (fingers crossed) have been resolved. Previously where crashes were occuring, they are no longer - particularly on my audio production software. And recall that I mentioned my problems only started after OS X Lion was installed. OS issue??

I'll keep monitoring this, but I am not forcing the graphics to stay in integrated mode only anymore and it seems to be holding out fine.

I'm hoping that somehow the problem has been fixed although I'm not sure how it could have been if there is an inherent hardware fault on the batch of machines.

Time will tell!

I have the Macbook Pro 17" 8gb, 500HD (2010) model 2.66 / Lion and I have been dealing with the black screen issue for months and it has proceeded to get worse over time. Once the screen goes black (keyboard stays lit) the only thing you can do is to turn off and on again...very frustrating....

I think I found the issue, well at least for me! It seams that it was only doing this when I was in full screen mode in Chrome. There is a setting in Chrome that states the following:

Use hardware acceleration when available

Uncheck that and restart. I haven't had an issue in about 3 days now and I am on my computer atleast 10 hours a day.

Hope that helps!

Stick

Hi Stick,

Whereas I was hoping it was (to an extent) software based, not ten minutes after I had posted my comment did my Mac crash out while using Cubase. So I guess it is a hardware issue with the graphics switching.

The interesting thing I find about the release of Mavericks is that so many applications that were not switching the graphics card on launch, now are. I can't imagine why because some of these apps have not been updated since Maverickcs was launched, but suddenly they are now using the discreet GPU when they were previously using the integrated GPU under Lion/Mountain Lion.

The only thing I can do for now is to keep using gfxCardStatus and forcing the apps that I know are problem children to stay in integrated GPU mode.

Frustrating - but it does help stop the crashes.

Brendan.

That's what I thought when one of the local Apple Genuis told me they can't do anything about it except suggesting me to pay 850 usd for a new MLB or just buy a new Retina Macbook Pro!!! ***. This is entirely Apple's manufacturing flaw... days after I sweared at the Apple store, I still keep going back to check out the new Macbook... being as a creative professional, I just can't walk away from Apple...

I had my 15" macbook pro diagnosed as "MLB failure" after running a VST test when I was in Shanghai, they said my warranty expired and my machine was purchased beyond 3 years so they can't repair under the Apple quality program.... this week I'm scheduling an appointment with a Genius in San Francisco store, let see what the US Genuis will have to say/react!

I was rejected "warranty" several times before I called AppleCare's 1800 number as a last resort. it was a long shot but somehow for whatever reason unknown to me, my case was re-considered. Actually when I spoke to them at first she told me there's nothing she could do since my lapsed for 2 months. but somehow i got a call after a few hours informing me that they will fix it. was so happy to hear that message on my answering machine. (thumbs up!) 2 MLB and 2 trackpads later, i'm using my MBP happily once again. i hope i won't need a 3rd.

Wow, very lucky of you!! Glad that your MBP get sorted - was it free of charge?

Do you think calling the 1800 number would be more effective than seeing a Genuis at the retail?

My MBP's screen went black like 3 times yesterday... 😟😟😟😟😟😟😟😟😟😟😟

In some Apple stores in the US, they have a thing called "flat rate Depot Repair". They send your not-too-old MacBook out to a regional repair Depot with a list of complaints, and it is brought back to good working condition -- whatever that takes -- for a flat fee (typically under US$400).

There may be many more restrictions on this program that I simply do not understand, but it may be worth asking about.