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

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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]

[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