MacBook Pro Display Weirdness

Hello

I have a weird screen issue on my MBP. I get a bizzare multi-shape, muti-coloured screen and I'm unable to use the machine. At start-up the Apple icon has pink dashes on it (see attached pics). If I boot in Safe Boot mode the screen shows strange pink and cyan shapes but the machine can be used.

It is a 15" MacBook Pro 2.33 Ghz, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 Gb RAM, running OSX 10.6.8

I've tried starting up with the Snow Leopard DVD and it gives the same weird screen. I've even tried a different Snow Leopard DVD – same odd screen. I have repaired disk permissions.

Has anyone any ideas?

Many Thanks

Howard

Do you have access to an external monitor or TV that you can temporarily attach to your MBP? If the same weird pattern appears on an external monitor it may be caused by your graphics chipset in the MBP. If an external monitor displays normally we can assume the problem is with the LCD on the MBP.

Hello

What a good idea. I just tried your suggestion and the external monitor also displays the same weird pattern. Does this mean it's the graphics chipset –*and is there a cure?

Thank you for your advice I'm much obliged!

Kind regards

Howard

Unfortunately the cure is expensive. It means the GPU (graphics processor) is defective. And since it's soldered to the logic board it means the entire logic board has to be swapped out. Unless your MBP is still under warranty (Apple care) it may cost more to change the logic board than you would like to spend.

Do you have access to an Apple store? Take it on in and get an estimate.

chscag said:

Unfortunately the cure is expensive. It means the GPU (graphics processor) is defective. And since it's soldered to the logic board it means the entire logic board has to be swapped out. Unless your MBP is still under warranty (Apple care) it may cost more to change the logic board than you would like to spend.

Do you have access to an Apple store? Take it on in and get an estimate.

Click to expand...

A similar thing happened to my older 2.2ghz Santa Rosa MacBook Pro. However, it progressed to the point where my display (or any connected external monitors) would not show anything. There was nothing wrong with my LCD, however the genius bar said that my logic board had to be replaced. I believed the total was ~$600 which I did not think was too bad...

This is actually my first time posting here in a while... I just picked up a retina MacBook Pro yesterday

Similar issue

Just recently on 2 occasions, my mid 2011 MacBook Pro has displayed this weird checkerboard image (see iPhone pic), and the Mac is completely unresponsive.

Tonight the MBP screen went black, and immediately the same image was displayed on my external NEC monitor. Logic board gone bad? Luckily I have AppleCare, but this will be the second time its logic board needs to be replaced within 2 years.

It doesn't matter how many times they replaced the logic board, if your Apple Care is still in effect, take it on in. That's what you paid for. Apple may surprise you and replace the entire machine.

I had this EXACT issue with a 2.4ghz Macbook Pro last year.
Turns out it was a crack in the logic board.

I sent it to the folks at wegenermedia, and they rebuilt it for me. Been running like a top ever since!! which was rather nice, as I didn't have the cash to drop on a replacement Macbook Pro...

I asked them about it at the time - because Apple had diagnosed it as an "NVIDIA chip" problem (but refused to repair it because the 3 year warranty period had passed). They (Wegener) told me the "NVIDIA chipset" failure was a ruse - it's actually 100% a design issue with the logic board, NOT AT ALL related to the NVIDIA chip, and that Apple is just passing the blame off (blaming NVIDIA), when it's actually a stress crack caused by poor design work.

While I love Apple products, this is infuriating, and raises my blood pressure every time I see it.

BUT - if you're still under the warranty from your last repair, BY ALL MEANS call Apple and make them fix it for free.. It's the least they should do.

They (Wegener) told me the "NVIDIA chipset" failure was a ruse - it's actually 100% a design issue with the logic board, NOT AT ALL related to the NVIDIA chip, and that Apple is just passing the blame off (blaming NVIDIA), when it's actually a stress crack caused by poor design work.

Click to expand...

I don't know who Wegener is or how reliable they are but I will accept what you say in that they repaired your machine and it's still working. However, the nVidia folks themselves took responsibility for the defective GPUs that were used in the MacBook Pro models from around 2007 through early 2009. Apple extended the warranty on those machines for an additional 3 years. I honestly do not know if nVidia reimbursed Apple for the replaced logic boards on those models.

From what I've read, this is happening again to early 2011 MacBook Pros. The AMD Radeon 6490M, 6750M, and 6970M GPUs are starting to fail. I'm scared because I have one of those MBPs. No issues yet though.

Stretch said:

From what I've read, this is happening again to early 2011 MacBook Pros. The AMD Radeon 6490M, 6750M, and 6970M GPUs are starting to fail. I'm scared because I have one of those MBPs. No issues yet though.

Click to expand...

Hopefully we're talking a small minority. I have an Early 2011 MBP with one of those chips as well.

- Nick

Those same AMD GPU chipsets you mentioned were also used in the 2011 iMac machines. Haven't heard of any failures with the iMacs.

chscag said:

I don't know who Wegener is or how reliable they are but I will accept what you say in that they repaired your machine and it's still working. However, the nVidia folks themselves took responsibility for the defective GPUs that were used in the MacBook Pro models from around 2007 through early 2009. Apple extended the warranty on those machines for an additional 3 years. I honestly do not know if nVidia reimbursed Apple for the replaced logic boards on those models.

Click to expand...

Wegener advertises on here -that's how I found them -> Wegener Media - Mac Sales and Service. They sell Macs (and fix them too, obviously). I've actually bought a few systems through them over the past 4-5 yrs, and been pleased. When you get a fully functional Mac that faithfully works for 3-5 years at 1/4th the price of a new one, it kinda makes sense.

I don't know much about nvidia beyond this, but Apple diagnosed mine as nVidia failure, and quoted me $500+ to fix it. I spent less than half that much, they fixed the board AND I got a RAM upgrade to boot. Very happy to have my old faithful running well again.

VAMountaineer said:

When you get a fully functional Mac that faithfully works for 3-5 years at 1/4th the price of a new one, it kinda makes sense.

Click to expand...

Just took a look at what these guys are selling. The have a 2008 MacBook just like one I'm about to sell. Their price $579.99...Mac2Sell value $350...I was going to sell mine for about $250-$300.

For the $579.99 these guys are asking...someone could do much better.

From the various used Mac resellers I've seen on the internet...nothing special about these guys (over-priced).

- Nick