Sudden flickering screen

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Apple MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.26 13" (Uni/Late 09) 8GB RAM 120GB SSD Boot up 500 GB 7200RPM HDD
K so I was just doing some work on my MacBook (unibody) when the screen started to flicker ever so slightly. It's not much, say just a difference of one on the screen brightness setting but it's definitely noticeable. And also interestingly it only happens when the desktop is up. If something else is there it doesn't happen but as soon as I switch to another space it happens if theres nothing there. I have Apple care and am still covered. what should I do??
 

chscag

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2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
I'd keep an eye on it and if it gets worse make an appointment with your local genius bar. Flickering is definitely not normal.

When it flickers do you lose all video (screen goes white, goes dark)? You didn't mention the year of your MacBook so I can't tell if it's LED backlighted or CCFD.
 
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applebanana
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No I don't lose everything, it just dims ever so slightly, as if I changed the brightness by about one and goes back and forth around there.
I turned it off for the night, it was probably about a week since it was lost turned off (usually in sleep) and it seems to be better now. I'll keep an eye on it though. It's late 2009.
Thanks for helping me out so much here as this sure isn't my first post you've helped me on. Are you stalking me? :p
 
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Get that checked ASAP before it's too late. I too had that same problem on my previous macbook. it started with a slight flickering, then it got worse to the point where if I moved the screen it would go all dark.. I'd have to keep it in a certain position for it to stay lit and then.. well, it wouldn't light up at all lol.

When I took it to get it checked out the tech guy there told me it could be two things: The inverter cable which would've been a breeze to replace or it could be the slot soldered to the mother board the cable connects to.

Yup, you guessed it it was the slot and was quoted a new logic board + a bunch of other stuff. I just bought a new macbook.

So don't wait and have it checked. I bet if I had gone sooner my macbook could've been saved.
 
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applebanana
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So it hadn't happened all day today but then this afternoonish it started up again. So I went on the apple site with the intention of setting up an appointment when I saw THIS ariticle wich led me to THIS article and how to set the parameter RAM. Did that, and hasn't happened since. I'll let you know.
 
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I would still be very hesitant not to call Apple. I had a similar problem with my MB Pro, late 2008. It all went faster then with your though, to a point where all went black/blue and flickering. I eventually lost every video but a blue background.
I took it to a Mac Store and the conclusion was: backlights died!
It costed me a new screen: 700€!
I did not have Applecare unfortunately :-(
 

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