Macbook Pro gives blank screen

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I have a Macbook Pro3,1 running OSX 10.6.7. A couple of days back, after a software update, the screen stopped working (it is completely blank). The MacBook otherwise boots normally, and I can get into it using ssh. Looking at the kernel log, I can see a message.

Code:
May  1 13:23:51 Macintosh kernel[0]: IG: Invalid firmware max backlight setting
May  1 13:23:51 Macintosh kernel[0]: IntelMemory::init
May  1 13:23:51: --- last message repeated 1 time ---
May  1 13:23:51 Macintosh kernel[0]: InitPool:  offset= 0x08000000 size = 0x08000000
May  1 13:23:53 Macintosh kernel[0]: display: Not usable

Could anyone give any ideas on how to go about dealing with this. I can give more detailed logs if it would help.
 

bobtomay

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15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Try a PRAM reset - link.
 
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Try a PRAM reset - link.

Thanks for the help. I tried the instructions on the link and now it is completely unresponsive. It does turn on (sucks a DVD in if present), though no *ding* at the start. The caps lock light is also unresponsive to keypress. Is there any way to completely reset this.
 
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Now I'm not sure what happened, but I tried to boot using the DVD from the latest MacBook that I recently purchased. While this did not work, I tried to boot it a few times and gave up. Then I found that since the keyboard was unresponsive I could not eject the disk either. I tried to reboot it while pressing the eject key and that did not work either. It started but no disk. Then I rebooted without any key pressed and it just booted up normally, display and everything. It is weird.
 
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Sounds like the curse was lifted. Your Mac is once again in the good graces of the Mac Lord ;)
 
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Sounds like the curse was lifted. Your Mac is once again in the good graces of the Mac Lord ;)

The curse has returned :(. I closed the lid of the mac without shutting it down. Then when I opened it after half an hour or so, it had gone back to the same stage. The previous steps aren't working this time.
 
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Curses! Foiled again. Actually, I'm wondering if it could be your battery - those things only last 2-3 years typically. If your battery is that old, and if the symptoms seem like they could be caused by fluctuating power (entire machine is affected, not just the screen etc), it may be worth a look see.
 
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Curses! Foiled again. Actually, I'm wondering if it could be your battery - those things only last 2-3 years typically. If your battery is that old, and if the symptoms seem like they could be caused by fluctuating power (entire machine is affected, not just the screen etc), it may be worth a look see.

No. The battery is less than 6 months old. I found this model is known to have a flaky nVidia card. Apple service center said it is covered under extended warranty and will be replaced for free.
 
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Why doesnt anyone ever seem to know about this???

Apple extended repair program

I glad you found it on your own but the moderators here should immediately go to this for graphics problem with this year pro. Or put a sticky up.
 

chscag

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The moderators do know about as it has been discussed numerous times. A simple search of these forums would have told you that. No reason to put up a sticky that no one will read anyway. That's why we always place emphasis on using the search function before posting.

Also, the OP never identified the year and model of his MBP. That nVidia extended warranty is selective and not for all MBP machines.

Correction - he did mention it was a MBP 3,1 which identifies it as a June 2007 release.
 
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I did identify the model as MacBook Pro3,1 right in the first sentence. Since it happened closely after a software update I did not think it was a hardware failure though I did search quite a bit for blank screen issues which I also did on support.apple.com. It was there I happened to find about this issue and call up apple.
 

chscag

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I saw that and I wasn't referring to you not searching. Thanks for posting back and I'm happy to hear Apple is going to repair it for free. That will require a logic board swap out which will give you an almost new machine.
 
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I saw that and I wasn't referring to you not searching. Thanks for posting back and I'm happy to hear Apple is going to repair it for free. That will require a logic board swap out which will give you an almost new machine.

Yes, thanks for the help. The thing is a hardware fault never really occurred to me. I thought Apple machines were solid in that respect and that's my reason for going for them since I am a Unix guy for the most part. I have an iBook from 2002 still going strong with just a new battery.
 

chscag

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Macs are tough and usually outlast PCs but Apple can't ride herd on the parts others make for them. It was a bad year for nVidia. :) And by the way, the iBook was one of the best small portable machines ever made by any manufacturer. Lots of them still around and going strong. Take a look on eBay sometime and see how many are still being sold. :)

Have fun with your like new MBP when you get it back.
 

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