NIGHTMARE! Even Mac Store can't find the problem.

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My MBP seems to be really ill, and yet the Mac Store genius bar team don't know what's wrong with it.

They've tested the hardware for hours and hours, they've had it for three weeks (last December) and today the same problem arose. When I use FCP or Motion or leave it on for a while (up to 48 hours before full shut down - is that OK? It's sleeping) the screen crashes, flickering white and purple, with no image at all on the bottom half. It needs a hard restart and doesn't save anything. It looks horrific. What is this??

I'm absolutely mortified. This laptop is my life!!

I found last April a small dent in the top left corner below the power socket. I took it into the Mac Store and they repaired the body and said they couldn't find anything wrong with the hardware!! I took it back and tried FCP and everything. It was fine for a month, and has now (today) gone back to its original fault.

Another thing I did just before it did the flickering crash was to switch the graphics card from energy save to full use.

If anyone can provide some insight into this I'd be amazingly grateful. I'm having a NIGHTMARE with this machine!!!

Hortz.
 
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Year and specs of machine?

- Simon
 
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I don't have any ideas as to what is wrong with your MBP, but I would say that the Apple Store should feel obligated to simply replace your logic board (the motherboard of the computer) just because that is probably the most likely explanation. I would go there and not "politely ask" them but "forcefully instruct" them to do so.
 
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I don't have any ideas as to what is wrong with your MBP, but I would say that the Apple Store should feel obligated to simply replace your logic board (the motherboard of the computer) just because that is probably the most likely explanation. I would go there and not "politely ask" them but "forcefully instruct" them to do so.

Why should they? It probably is not a manufacturing problem, as I can't see them sending a MBP with a dent in it out.



The dent has probably knocked something about, on the logic board near the dent (about an inch in) is the inverter board/ cable, this has probably been damaged somehow.
Problem is it almost never comes up on a Hardware Test.

- Simon
 
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Don't you think they would be smart enough to recognize that fact then? I simply feel that the Apple Store isn't doing all they can to diagnose the MBP.
 
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I'm sure they are, usually something will come back or a replacement unit will come back within 1-2 weeks, I don't think they hung on to the MBP for funzies for 3 weeks.

- Simon
 
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Thanks. Specs are MacBookPro5,3
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 3.06 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 4 GB

But, I agree it's not likely to be a shipping issue. Interesting to read that it doesn't show up in hardware tests.

Many thanks. I'll go back and ask again.

Andrew.
 
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Back to my old 2.2GHz C2D MB after selling my MBP and wondering what my next Mac will be :)
I don't have any ideas as to what is wrong with your MBP, but I would say that the Apple Store should feel obligated to simply replace your logic board (the motherboard of the computer) just because that is probably the most likely explanation. I would go there and not "politely ask" them but "forcefully instruct" them to do so.

I would totally disregard this advise, and with a pleasant manner call Apple and book it in for another appointment.
It may be a faulty graphics chip, or the logic board itself, which either way would mean a new logic board.
It doesn't sound like the inverter.
If possible, when this happens next, you could plug in an external display, and if it doesn't effect the external than it rules out the graphics chip.
I would also take a screen shot when it happens holding shift + command + 3
Also, does your Mac fall into this category?
MacBook Pro: Distorted video or no video issues
 
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Thanks 6string. I did take a video of the flickering screen and it was the same on my external monitor too.

My MBP doesn't fall into this category. It's a 9400m Nvidia, not 8400. But thanks.

I still have one outstanding question, though. If it isn't the inverter, then what is it that the Mac Store missed? Aren't they 'Geniuses' in the Genius bars??! Should kind people like yourselves, on forums, know more than them? - and it seems you do! How can something be hidden from the people who made the darn things?!!

OK. I've booked a genius bar reservation for next Tues. Thanks.

Andrew.
 
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Back to my old 2.2GHz C2D MB after selling my MBP and wondering what my next Mac will be :)
I still have one outstanding question, though. If it isn't the inverter, then what is it that the Mac Store missed? Aren't they 'Geniuses' in the Genius bars??! Should kind people like yourselves, on forums, know more than them? - and it seems you do! How can something be hidden from the people who made the darn things?!!

OK. I've booked a genius bar reservation for next Tues. Thanks.

Andrew.

People aren't infallible, and even then, when testing electrical, electronic and mechanical equipment, the problem isn't always going to show itself.

Hopefully you are still under warranty, but even if not, being only 1 1/2 yrs old, hopefully Apple sorts this out for you without issue.
 

pigoo3

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If it isn't the inverter, then what is it that the Mac Store missed? Aren't they 'Geniuses' in the Genius bars??! Should kind people like yourselves, on forums, know more than them? - and it seems you do! How can something be hidden from the people who made the darn things?!!

Consider that not all "Genius's" at the Apple Store...are really Genius's. The term "Apple Genius" is something Apple dreamed up to call folks at the Apple Store. I'm not saying some of the repair folks at the Apple Stores aren't "Genius's"...I'm just saying that not a Apple Genius's are created equal.;)

Think of Apple Genius's sort of like auto mechanics. There are REALLY good auto mechanics out there...and there are some really bad one's!:(

Also consider that some Apple Genius's aren't really that good at knowing what's wrong or diagnosing a busted computer....what they are good at is replacing parts. They use Apple's custom written troubleshooting software to diagnose a problem (assuming the computer is working well enough to run the software)...then the software says "XYZ part" is bad...so that's the part they replace.

As far as members on Mac-Forums possibly knowing more than Apple Genius's. Apple Genius's can have varying levels of experience. Some folks here on Mac-Forums can have 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or more years of computer/Macintosh use & repair experience. :)

- Nick

p.s. Like "6string" said. Sometimes computer/electronic problems are very complex...or some problems are very very rare or "weird"...so sometimes it's tough to get it right on the first try.
 

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