Macbook Pro Unibody 17" Backlight Issue

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I have searched and searched google, this forum, and other forums for a problem like mine and while I can find people with similiar symptoms, none seem to match up to mine exactly.

A few days ago I was on my Macbook doing daily activities, nothing out of the ordinary. I closed a program (I'm sorry to say I forgot which one) and suddenly the screen got very dark. I tried to turn the brightness back up, but it was already maxed out. When I turned it all the way down, it did the same thing: nothing. Even turned all the way down, I can still see the display.

Now at first I thought the backlight had gone out. I did a quick google search and that seemed to fit the general consensus, so I called up apple care, told them what I thought the problem was, and they directed me to my local apple store, which I am going to tommorow. I know this issue more than likely won't get resolved until then, but I have nothing else to do.

As I combed through all these forums and help sites and search results looking for more information, I started to second guess my original diagnosis. From what I have read, people who's backlight went out describe their screen as "unuseable" and how they almost have to hold a flashlight to it just to see it. Mine is not exactly like this. In a very dark room I can see the screen just fine. I would like it brighter, but it's perfectly useable. I can read and see everything, and the screen gives off a light, albeit a very faint one.

Also if I look really closely I can kind of see the backlight flickering, as though it wants to come on but can't. Maybe it already is on, just at a very low setting. Not sure yet.

So to make things easier for you guys, here's a list of symptoms and things I've tried to do/things I've noticed.

Symtoms:

- Backlight is very dim. It looks like someone turned the brightness down to one, just above the "off" setting.

- The brightness controls "work," but the screen is not affected. When I press the brightness keys the HUD comes up and the bars adjust, but nothing happens. Full brightness is the same as 0%, which if I remember correctly should turn the display off. It does not. I have also tried adjusting it through system settings.

- The screen is readable. In a dark room it is borderline normal and in a well lit room I can still see the screen but I have to look very closely and strain my eyes. Not "unuseable," but not practical either.

- From what I can tell, the backlight is still on. There is a faint flicker on the screen and it gives off a trace amount of light. I wouldn't call it dead but it definitely isn't doing its job.

- This is a constant issue. When I restart, the white screen with the apple logo is noticeably dimmer than it used to be. The login screen is dim as well.

- For what it's worth, I have turned off all power saving options (after this happened). The display is set to never go off, not to dim itself in ambient light (I ruled out the light sensor), not to dim before going to sleep and whether or not it's charging makes no difference.

The best I can come up with is loose inverter cables, but I have this nagging voice in the back of my head telling me it's a software issue or something easily fixeable. Probably not but I might as well try. Thanks in advance for any help.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
MBP 2.33 4GB: MacPro 8 Core 2.8, 16GB: MacMini 2.26 4GB: MacMin 2.53 4GB: iPhone3GS 32GB
I had a similar issue about 4 months ago. Like you, it simply seemed to start out of the blue for no apparent reason. I reset the PRAM on my machine and the issue was resolved.

Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM

You didn't mention that you had already tried this, or that Apple Support had you do this either. I would try this first and and see if it corrects what you are seeing. Fortunately, your issue is constant and not random, that makes it much easier to diagnose for the Apple specialists if it has to come to that.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
MBP 2.33 4GB: MacPro 8 Core 2.8, 16GB: MacMini 2.26 4GB: MacMin 2.53 4GB: iPhone3GS 32GB
Note, make sure to hold down that key combination until you hear the second chime. I mistakenly didn't do this the first time I tried and thought it was a more serious issue.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
MBP 2.33 4GB: MacPro 8 Core 2.8, 16GB: MacMini 2.26 4GB: MacMin 2.53 4GB: iPhone3GS 32GB
Also, you can run the Hardware System Test that came with your OSX install disks. This may identify the issue if it is indeed hardware related.
 
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Thank you. I tried doing both of your suggestions, and still nothing. I had half-tried resetting the PRAM but I hadn't done it correctly. Not that it matters either way :Smirk:
 

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