macbook pro 15' distorted screen

I bought this macbook pro 15' in Oct this year, and recently I got distorted screen. See images attached.

Here's something information about this mac:
2GHz Intel Core i7
4GB 1333 MHz DDR3
AMD Radeon HD 6490M (Intel HD Graphics 3000)
MacOSX10.6.8

I have called apple service and tried option+command+p+r and shift+control+option+power, as apple suggested, but still no luck.

Today I even wipe out my hard driver and reinstall the macosx, with all available updates installed. the problem is still there.

Any advice will be welcome. I'm reluctant to take it to the apple store, 'cause it's heavy...

Thx in advance.

I'd take it to the store, it seems like it is hardware related so commands aren't going to fix it. It should be covered under factory warranty

I have seen this problem on many different laptops before and you should diffidently want to take it to the store or call for support. The problem is either the screen is defective or the video cable is defective.

Also, don't refer to this as distorted video to them, this is not distorted, say something like inverted colors. The earlier version of the macbook pro had distortion issues and if you call them they will begin by thinking it is one of those.

Any advice will be welcome. I'm reluctant to take it to the apple store, 'cause it's heavy...

Click to expand...

You've got to be kidding..... a 27" iMac is heavy. A 15" MBP is portable. Take it on in. It's either the graphics controller or possibly a bad video cable. It's under warranty, let Apple sort it out for you.

well...I took your advices and brought my pretty heavy laptop to the authorized repair center. They detected my machine and said there was something wrong with the video card, so they changed the main-board, and claimed that everything would gonna be fine.

Maybe you've sensed something in my tone, IT'S NOT THE END OF STORY.

When I was enjoying my not quite enjoyable macbook pro, the screen got distorted again! It was very slight. The area was minimal, but it was definitely the same symptom. It disappeared quickly and kind of hard to duplicate. I was and am speechless.

I bought this mbp in August. The defect appeared in Oct. So I repaired it in December. Does it mean I have to wait another two months to wait for the defect appear again?

I am so disappointed at apple and I feel tired to bring it to the repair center (although that's my mother who takes it 'cause I'm doing over-time to earn enough money to buy something that brings me no joy but troubles and regrets.)

Take it on back to Apple and have it repaired or replaced. It's still under warranty. Speak to the store manager and explain to him or her that it has been repaired before and now the same symptom is occurring.

And I edited out your last two remarks. I can understand your frustration but there is no need to include derogatory statements in your post.

Thanks for your editing, but I'm not sorry for that.

I remember when I talked to the guy in blue shirt in apple store, I said sincerely that I had never used an apple product and just wanted to experience what other users had experienced. A company and a man that had been worshiped in vairous ways should bring the world great products. But based on my user expeirence, macbook pro and its leopard is full of itself, with forcible setup, much less flexibility, poor performance. That's what I feel on the first day of usage, and after continuous effort to try adjusting myself to the apple way, I still stand my opinions - it's not that good, which I'm OK with.

However, now it's that bad. It's not a great product, but a product with defects, troubles, endless regrets. Jobs tries to change the world, leading a revolution to improve user experiences. That's OK, 20% of the world shall buy his ticket and I'm not one of them, not my business. But a company which claims to produce perfect products can't even come up with qualified ones? That disgusts me. I bought a book, his autobiography, planned to understand that man, get inspired. But now it's safe to say it'll stay in the corner of my bookcase, getting dusty. It's so easy to ruin a user's faith, I might think.

What can I say, on the 2nd of 2012, I now truly believe apple products is only destined to showing-off, at least in my country. I'll certainly take it to the repair center, and ask them to keep this thing as long as they need to diagnose what's really wrong. I can swear to lucifer that the last thing I will do when Dec.21 comes won't be buying another apple product.

I'm not sure which satements are derogatory, 'cause they're all from the bottom of my heart. So if you please.

Well then I have fantastic news. You can take the laptop in, have them repair it, and sell it for a fantastic amount of money compared to what you would get for a second hand laptop from any other hardware company.

The last moments of owning an Apple product can be the best ones due to how well they hold their value.

_Stormin said:

Well then I have fantastic news. You can take the laptop in, have them repair it, and sell it for a fantastic amount of money compared to what you would get for a second hand laptop from any other hardware company.

The last moments of owning an Apple product can be the best ones due to how well they hold their value.

Click to expand...

That's exactly what an apple nut would say... Fine, I'll take your adivce and check out what value is left in this thing.

No, it's exactly what someone who is frustrated would say. You have the option to take it back to Apple, and under their customer service policies your warrantied computer will be fixed or it will be replaced. They will cover it for a year and if they can't fix the problem they will just give you an new one in exchange.

Apparently your issues with your laptop have frustrated you to the point of not even wanting to read a biography (not an autobiography, he didn't write about himself).

So perhaps you should simply sell it and write off the "Apple Experiment." I can understand frustration, and I know that saving the money to buy an Apple vs other brands may be a challenge that required hard work.
I can not for the life of me understand your adamant claims that Apple and its former CEO produce flawed products while claiming them to be perfect. Especially when the company offers a one year warranty for free with it's product and has already replaced your logic board (one of the most expensive pieces of the computer) under that warranty. Such actions are that company admitting that nothing is perfect, but during the first year that you own it, if you do find problems, they will make it right.

Best of luck with the sale, and good day to you.

It's really a virtue, to focus on the beauty, even other people slap you and you'll appreciate the gentleness. I do it all the time, the focusing stuff.

One thing you're right, I'm frustrated, and I deserve it. But don't worry, I'll find my way out. Thanks anyway.

I should have mentioned my experience with computers before explaining the problem. I until very recently was a laptop technician. I have moved on to a position in a church as an IT technician.

I would tell them that you have heard that this could be a problem with the display itself or the cable, and tell them that you would like them to check that very well the insure that there is no problem with either of them. I really don't think it is the video card, but still is possible. I would also move the screen forward and backwards to see if it is the cable and there is a break in there so you could duplicate it on and off as 100% proof there is a problem with the cable.

Let me also try to somewhat explain the fix it or replace it policy apple has, I have been dealing with multiple repair attempts before with a common issue.

There is really three possible levels of repair/replacement, you start on the bottom. The "Fix it", this really only applies to software problems, they will repair any problems that they find. This is a labor only cost to them. The second level is "Replacing parts", this is a very popular repair on many different brands of computers. Most electronics made today are mad up of many smaller, cheaper, easier to replace parts; this could be anything in the laptop, the logic board, the screen, hard drive, etc. Then the final level of repair is the "Replace it", this is not very common to have done, and they really don't want to do this. Apple's "written" Policy on repaving the system is it would be exchanged for a new system within the first 2 weeks. Apple's "unwritten" policy on replacing the computer is that if during the length of the warranty, if a problem with the hardware arises, and is repaired unsuccessfully 3 times, they will swap it for a brand new current model. What does this really mean, lets say your video card fails, you take it in for repair, once repaired everything works fine for a while, then it happens again, this happens 3 times, then on the 4th time you bring it in this policy can kick in. Note since this is unwritten, it can happen, there is no guaranty it will happen. But what I have heard is if you are nice and understanding to them and express your concern for this repeated issue, they will consider it. On the other hand if you walk in there throwing a fit yelling and screaming, the will not want to help you out. They do take notes on everything that goes on during your appointments and they will look back at them during this time.

I hope this helps you understand their fix it, or replace it policy a little better.

Thanks for your reply. I've taken it to the repair center again. Let it be.

Update~

Yesterday I got back my mac and they said they didn't find anything wrong with it (although they forgot to repair the keyboard light issue which I had to remind them of).

When I got home I turned it on, it seemed all right so I plugged it to charge. After two hours when I was going to turn it down, the screen goes distorted again. This time I'm not panicked but wondering why did it only go crazy in front of me? Maybe I'm destined not to use apple products at all.

Today I'll give them a call and see what I can do next. I really don't have much patience to deal with it. I don't want to spend my Spring Festival in such a bad mood. So let it be, and no bother wish me luck.