Video/Graphics Glitches/Artifacts After OS X 10.10.3 Update

Question

Level 1

0 points

Video/Graphics Glitches/Artifacts After OS X 10.10.3 Update

Problem description:

Graphic artifacts/glitches after upgrading to OS X 10.10.3 (which also includes the post-10.10.3 “Supplemental Update”).

So far, the issue is noticed only when viewing the desktop or when the desktop is in some way viewable (i.e. a Finder window is open that does not cover the entire desktop) where a small area or sometimes an entire line or a few lines across the screen of garbage graphics are seen after exiting an application (third-party or sometimes after exiting something like Time Machine after restoring a file or directory). The issue “goes away” when opening a maximized application window (or when maximizing/making full screen a current application), and, upon returning to viewing only the desktop itself or in part, the garbage/glitchy graphics have “disappeared” and do not reappear even if when what took place prior to them appearing takes place again. The issue does not occur in a repeatable manner, and, it does not occur consistently when using one application or another - the issue is sporadic, but does occur once every few days or at least once a week.

One thing I have noticed is that when the issue does occur, it occurs when I have automatic graphics switching enabled and after I have quit an application or applications that require use of the “high performance” (discrete) GPU including Adobe Audition, Firefox where hardware acceleration for graphics took place, and so on. During a week of using only the NVIDIA GPU after disabling automatic graphics switching, I never saw the glitchy graphic area(s) or lines when exiting the same applications under the same circumstances. I have read elsewhere that others have noticed this same behavior and did the same thing in an attempt to resolve the issue. However, always using the discrete GPU even when on battery is not ideal.

I have run the AHT several times in normal and extended modes with several passes per test cycle, and it reports no hardware issues whatsoever each time.

For now, I am going to leave automatic graphics switching disabled for several weeks to see if the glitches ever show up.

Has anyone else seen this issue as I have described it? I never noticed the issue prior to OS X 10.10.3 and my current MBP is less than two years old. Also, I applied the 10.10.3 Supplemental Update soon after deciding to update to 10.10.3 (I wait before upgrading/updating OS X), so I do not know if the issue I reported would have popped up pre- or post-Supplemental Update.

My last MBP did have the GPU solder issue, and I saw far worse glitches of the same type I am reporting here, but that was definitely a hardware issue, whereas this issue occurs in what appears to be the absence of any hardware issues.

It would be nice if someone could share a “fix” if one exists, but my intent with the starting of this thread is to see if I am alone in the experiencing of this issue, or if this is an issue experienced by any number of fellow Mac users running OS X 10.10.3. I would like to file a bug report if it’s more than just me, myself and I…

EtreCheck version: 2.2 (132)

Report generated 4/26/15, 2:33 PM

Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.

Hardware Information: ℹ️

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2012) (Technical Specifications)

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro9,1

1 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 4-core

16 GB RAM Upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Battery: Health = Normal - Cycle count = 27 - SN = D863222R0SJDGDLBU

Video Information: ℹ️

Intel HD Graphics 4000

Color LCD 1680 x 1050

NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M - VRAM: 1024 MB

System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.3 (14D136) - Time since boot: 0:41:13

Disk Information: ℹ️

APPLE SSD SM512E disk0 : (500.28 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

bryDrive (disk1) / : 499.06 GB (240.71 GB free)

Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked

Core Storage: disk0s2 499.42 GB Online

HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS41N

USB Information: ℹ️

OWC OWC Elite mini U3FW 750.16 GB

EFI (disk4s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Boot OS X (disk4s3) <not mounted> : 134 MB

Extra Space (disk5) /Volumes/Extra Space : 749.48 GB (323.15 GB free)

Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked

Core Storage: disk4s2 749.81 GB Online

Moshi. iLynx 3 USB 3.0 Hub

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver

Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Moshi. iLynx 3 USB 2.0 Hub

Firewire Information: ℹ️

Seagate FreeAgent FW 800mbit - 800mbit max

EFI (disk2s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Boot OS X (disk2s3) <not mounted> : 134 MB

Time Machine (disk3) /Volumes/Time Machine : 999.52 GB (709.95 GB free)

Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked

Core Storage: disk2s2 999.86 GB Online

Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus

Configuration files: ℹ️

/etc/sysctl.conf - Exists

/etc/hosts - Count: 22

Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/System/Library/Extensions

[loaded] com.nvidia.CUDA (1.1.0) [Click for support]

Launch Agents: ℹ️

[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.github.dnscrypt-osxclient.DNSCryptMenuBar.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.nvidia.CUDASoftwareUpdate.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.github.dnscrypt-osxclient.DNSCryptAfterboot.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.github.dnscrypt-osxclient.DNSCryptConsoleChange.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.github.dnscrypt-osxclient.DNSCryptControlChange.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.github.dnscrypt-osxclient.DNSCryptNetworkChange.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.nvidia.cuda.launcher.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.tunnelbear.mac.tbeard.plist [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Click for support]

[running] com.amazon.music.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

iTunesHelper Application Hidden (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)

OpenDNS Updater Application (/Applications/Utilities/OpenDNS/OpenDNS Updater.app)

AdobeResourceSynchronizer Application Hidden (/Applications/Adobe Acrobat X Pro/Adobe Acrobat Pro.app/Contents/Support/AdobeResourceSynchronizer.app)

Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

DirectorShockwave: Version: 11.5.1r601 [Click for support]

AmazonMP3DownloaderPlugin1017287: Version: AmazonMP3DownloaderPlugin 1.0.17 - SDK 10.4 [Click for support]

Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 6.0 [Click for support]

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

AdobeExManDetect: Version: AdobeExManDetect 1.1.0.0 - SDK 10.7 [Click for support]

VLC Plugin: Version: 1.0.5 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 10.1.13 [Click for support]

AmazonMP3DownloaderPlugin101736: Version: AmazonMP3DownloaderPlugin 1.0.17 - SDK 10.4 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 17.0.0.169 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Flash Player: Version: 17.0.0.169 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.8

PepperFlashPlayer: Version: 17.0.0.169 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 10.1.13 [Click for support]

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.9 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 7 Update 72 Check version

User internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 [Click for support]

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

CUDA Preferences [Click for support]

DNSCrypt [Click for support]

Flash Player [Click for support]

Java [Click for support]

Perian [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: ON

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

bryDrive: Disk size: 499.06 GB Disk used: 258.35 GB

Destinations:

Time Machine [Local]

Total size: 999.52 GB

Total number of backups: 37

Oldest backup: 2015-03-31 04:31:35 +0000

Last backup: 2015-04-26 20:23:33 +0000

Size of backup disk: Adequate

Backup size 999.52 GB > (Disk used 258.35 GB X 3)

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

4% WindowServer

2% fontd

0% taskgated

0% notifyd

0% cloudpaird

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

939 MB kernel_task

344 MB Finder

279 MB mds_stores

213 MB NotificationCenter

197 MB Dock

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

11.00 GB Free RAM

5.47 GB Used RAM

0 B Swap Used

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

Apr 26, 2015, 01:51:52 PM Self test - passed

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), Core i7 2.6 GHz, 16 GB RAM, SSD

Posted on Apr 26, 2015 1:53 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Apr 26, 2015 3:02 PM in response to superjones

MacBook Pro Repair Extension Program for Video Issues

Reply

Answer 2

superjones Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 26, 2015 4:26 PM in response to Linc Davis

Thank you, Linc. I am aware of that program.

My model of Mid 2012 15-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro (MacBookPro9,1 as seen above in my EtreCheck output along with the plain English description) does not qualify for that recall.

Based on conversations with AppleCare and a "genius" at my local Apple Store, I am left understanding that Apple will not even consider honoring such a repair of my model without some hardware issue that might justify it as a one-off, technically unqualified but still free recall repair. And, even then, that would (probably) be because my MBP is still under warranty for hardware defects by virtue of my AppleCare coverage still being active.

Still, I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I know you're a super smart person, and I have read a lot of your replies to people seeking assistance, so if you have any other information or tips to share I would certainly appreciate and love to read them.

If anyone else reads this and is in the same boat as I am per the detailed information I provided above, please do chime in.

Reply

Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Apr 26, 2015 4:29 PM in response to superjones

Was the unit tested for a hardware fault at the Apple Store?

Reply

Answer 4

etresoft

Level 8

46,318 points

Apr 26, 2015 7:29 PM in response to superjones

Hello superjones,

Do you get the same graphics problem if you uninstall the CUDA software and anything that depends on it?

If this machine is still under warranty and you can demonstrate it in the Apple Store, there should be no issue with getting it fixed there. Of course, the first thing they will do is wipe the drive and reinstall the OS. It might be worth your time to go ahead and remove the CUDA extension first.

Reply

Answer 5

superjones Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 26, 2015 6:03 PM in response to Linc Davis

I asked if I should when I was in the Apple store, but the "genius" guy I spoke with told me that my multiple passes of AHT should have turned up something if there was an issue with the hardware (three extended tests in a row before booting the computer normally after the first two occurrences - today was the third time it happened).

If it were to be a hardware issue, I would expect more problems more often. I went through another infamous GPU issue with my 2008 MBP and that left me with an understanding of hardware-based video issues for Macs...

I suppose I could take it in anyway and request that they test it. But, with logical thinking in the driver's seat, everything points to OS X 10.10.3 for me, especially when I factor in the Supplemental Update for video issues that came very soon after its release. (Maybe the Supplemental Update addressed some but not all graphics issue introduced or that spontaneously starting popping up with the release of 10.10.3?) The first time the issue occurred was after I had left my MBP running and used it off and on (including some heavy audio production work using Adobe Audition and Virtual DJ Pro, both of which require the discrete GPU when running) for an entire weekend after installing the 10.10.3 update and the Supplemental Update right after (both were available when I decided to update to 10.10.3). I see the OS X updates and the graphics issue being related by causation rather than correlation.

Setting up another appointment, spending an hour driving to and fro, and going in to spend however long it takes to wait for them to test as I would insist is an option I will take if the issue gets worse or if something like 10.10.4 is released and the issue persists after enabling automatic graphics switching again (assuming my current test where it is disabled for however long it takes to maybe see the issue again is successful).

My experience and and understanding of myriad aspects of the issue tells me it's a software issue.

Your question and implied suggestion are logical to be sure, but I do not think they apply to the issue I have described when all things are considered. Obviously, if everything goes to **** GPU style, and I can't read what's on the screen and I'm enjoying one kernel panic after the other, I will certainly take my MBP in for a test 🙂

Thank you again, Linc.

Reply

Answer 6

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Apr 26, 2015 6:10 PM in response to superjones

The description is typical for a hardware fault, and not typical for anything else.

Reply

Answer 7

etresoft

Level 8

46,318 points

Apr 26, 2015 6:10 PM in response to superjones

superjones wrote:

My experience and and understanding of myriad aspects of the issue tells me it's a software issue.

There are definitely some graphics issues with 10.10.3. While my 2014 MacBook Pro does not kernel panic with loading large images with Preview, they do get corrupted and then "undraw" themselves in front of my eyes. My 2011 MacBook Pro has no problem with the same image. I do not know if any future update will fix the problem.

Reply

Answer 8

distefi1

Level 1

0 points

Apr 26, 2015 7:08 PM in response to superjones

I have a late 2011 MBP and I'm having similar problems that are described here. When I wake the computer from sleep it blackscreens, processes for a bit, and then the entire display gets garbled and ruined. This was only happening for the login screen, and as soon as I actually logged in everything would resolve itself, save for the menu bar (which is not displayed until I click around the area that it should be).

Now I'm having the lines of glitches, similar to what you were seeing, show up while I'm working in preview, which is pretty concerning...

The punchline? I had the logic board replaced 3 weeks ago after having the entire system fail. I'm at my wit's end here 😐

Edit: I'm actually still on 10.10.1.. and at this point I'm scared to update

Reply

Answer 9

superjones Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 26, 2015 7:26 PM in response to distefi1

Well... I still do not think it is a hardware issue for me, and the latest CUDA update was supposed to fix issues with the driver and API for 10.10.3, and CUDA is something that I would rather have installed than not. However, hearing someone else mention removing CUDA is something that I will give a try since removing other video/graphics kernel extensions from other software (namely screen capture software) has helped others that upgraded to 10.10.3 and had graphics issues after even with the Supplemental update installed. It's just too coincidental for me when I see 10.10.3 released and then a fix for video issues in the form of the Supplemental Update come right after it (if there was no problem with 10.10.3 and video, why the Supplemental Update, and why not at least consider the possibility that the Supplemental Update was not the end all be all for video issues and 10.10.3?).

The PITA is that NVIDIA's documentation for uninstalling CUDA is not valid for what I have going on with the install on my computer, so I'll need to sort that out.

If getting rid of CUDA ends helping, then it kind of ***** that things were working swell through multiple OS X names and updates with CUDA on this computer, and 10.10.3 comes along with its subsequent and almost immediate Supplemental Update for video issues, and now I cannot fully leverage the power of my GPU sans CUDA. Since that very well may not be the fix for the issue I reported, I will not complain too much now...

And, I am really not in the mood for wiping, reinstalling and choosing to restore from Time Machine or start anew (or try both) right now. I do that with each major OS X "named" version upgrade, and I am not at the point where I think that a Windows style "reinstall the OS" attempted fix is worth the effort.

I'll share what I find after CUDA is gone and I enable automatic graphics switching again and let my computer run for a good while.

Thanks to all that have shared their time and help. I do appreciate it.

@distefi1: I definitely think you have a hardware issue going on. If you have not already done so, do a few extended AHTs in a row and see what you find (one pass is usually not enough for inconsistent and sporadic glitch issues, but sometimes you find the problem with the first one...). What you are sharing is exactly what I was dealing with when I had the GPU issue with my previous 2008 MBP up until the video only worked in Safe Mode and even then that was only long enough for me to manually transfer important data before I had the recall repair done and eventually ended up replacing the computer. If you just had the logic board replaced, there should be no issue getting that done again - computer techs no matter how well trained or experienced can make mistakes.

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Answer 10

May 27, 2015 8:12 AM in response to superjones

So my issue is similar but different. I have a MBP Mid 2012 with Intel 4000 card. Updated to Yosem 10.10.3 some months ago.

My regularly use for this machine is in the office driving a Dell U2515H (2560 X 1440) in extended desktop mode.

Issues I am now just noticing:

1) Graphic artifacts usually small rectangular artifacts, approx 1/4" high by 2" long. They aren't noise but more a flashing of the desktop patten.

They appear on both the big monitor and the MPB screen.

2) I have had a few "automatic restarts" with chime in the last few months, where I haven't been doing anything, maybe working on my other computer, and I'm like ***?

3) Also I have noticed that now my full menu bar appears on BOTH displays even though I'm in the non-mirrored mode. Maybe that's a new software improvement and I just never noticed it before?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Steve

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Answer 11

aj_james

Level 1

0 points

Jun 1, 2015 12:18 PM in response to superjones

I have been experiencing an issue which sounds like the same thing you described. I have the most recently released Macbook Pro 13' retina (2015).

Here are screenshots I was able to take. Some screenshot can be captured, but others cannot. The screenshot often looks fine and does not capture what I see on screen.

I will have my Macbook Pro examined by Genius bar, but in the meantime, here are some example of what I see. Let me explain. I was using GitHub in Safari, I saw some corruption on a tooltip, so I grabbed a screenshot of it (before and after). Then while looking at those images in the preview app, I got more visual artifacts that look more like the usual ones I'm not able to screen grab. So these two screenshot demonstrate the two main types of visual corruption I see.

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Answer 12

Jun 3, 2015 3:25 PM in response to superjones

Does it look like this?

http://youtu.be/yxiRa9V0rpc

i didn't make the video, but I do have the same issue.

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Answer 13

AJ@Trōv

Level 1

0 points

Jun 3, 2015 3:43 PM in response to Jann Hansen

That is very different from what I'm seeing. Yours looks like a hardware problem? If this is what supervenes is seeing, I should create a separate thread.

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Answer 14

aj_james

Level 1

0 points

Jun 3, 2015 3:44 PM in response to Jann Hansen

(sorry! I posted that from the wrong account!)

That is very different from what I'm seeing. Yours looks like a hardware problem? If this is what supervenes is seeing, I should create a separate thread.

Reply

Answer 15

SoGood

Level 2

208 points

Jun 14, 2015 5:08 AM in response to superjones

Yep, seeing the same on my MacBook Pro 9,2 13" after the 10.10.3 update. A horizontal artifact band would appear in the Finder at various times. Quitting Safari may resolve the issue at times but not all. I was worried about a HW issue but glad to hear that it may be a SW issue. Waiting for 10.10.4.

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