HELP, MY MacBook Pro Problem

[artchick1125]

Lastnight I started up my 2010 macbook pro and I noticed the startup was strange. The gray screen looked different and the apple had a dotted line outline. And when my desktop appeared the image looked like I used a polarized affect in Photoshop.

I tried resetting pram & smc, it didn't work. I am going to try erasing the hard disk and reinstalling the original operating system. I don't have a monitor I could connect to to rule out the video card. I did do a screen cap of the desktop and emailed it to myself interestingly, it looked normal when I opened it in my email on another laptop.

Does anyone have advice for me?

P.S. the macbook pro is working fine I can access files and close them without issue. I just can't read anything because of they way it looks.

Thanks in advance!

 

[pigoo3]

You may have "inverted image colors":

Mac OS X displays inverted image colors (white on black, reverse type) - Apple Support

Try pressing:

control + option + command + 8

- Nick

 

[artchick1125]

Tried it but it's not the problem. Thanks Nick!

 

[pigoo3]

Tried it but it's not the problem. Thanks Nick!

Too bad! I was sort of hoping it was the "invert screen colors" issue…since this happens from time to time to folks (accidentally hitting the key-combo I mentioned above). The culprit (believe it or not)...is usually a cat walking on the computers keyboard!

From the great testing you did so far (emailing the screen capture to yourself, PRAM Reset, SMC Reset)…and that everything else works fine…it certainly sounds like a video issue. It would have been nice if you had an external monitor to due further testing with. But that screen capture idea was a good idea too.

I looked thru the System Preference settings…and I don't see anything else to try. Usually video issues like this (if not a hardware problem)…the setting that may have been accidentally changed is found in the "Universal Access/Accessibility" control panel. This is where the "Inverted Screen Colors" setting is found.

So you could take a look in System Preferences…then Universal Access/Accessibility control panel…and see if there's any settings out of place.

Trying to give you some ideas to try before doing a time consuming hard drive wipe & OS reinstall. But if this is what you end up having to do. It should certainly correct the issue if it's a software thing. If this doesn't fix things…then it may be a hardware problem.

HTH,

- Nick

 

[artchick1125]

Yes, Nick I've been to universal access system preference menu, already. When I used the combination of keys you suggested-- it did nothing but made an error "sound". SO I had to find the correct menu. In any case I enhanced the contrast a bit which is making it easier to read now.

I really don't want to reinstall everything but it looks as though I have no choice.

 

[pigoo3]

When I used the combination of keys you suggested-- it did nothing but made an error "sound".

Thanks for mentioning this! Are you sure you did the 4-key combination correctly? Something visually should definitely happen…and you shouldn't get an error sound.

You should be pressing all 4 keys at the same time (when done). But I would suggest pushing & holding each key one at a time.

- First press & hold the command key
- then press & hold the option key
- then press & hold the control key
- then finally press & hold the 8 key

At this point you should be pressing & holding all 4 keys…something should have definitely changed on the display…AND you should not get an error sound. This still may may not correct your problem…just wanted to be sure you were doing this 4-key idea properly (just in case it does fix things).

- Nick

 

[artchick1125]

nothing changes on the screen and I am getting that error sound.

 

[pigoo3]

Ok. If that's what you're getting…that's what you're getting. I've done it multiple times on my MacBook Pro…and my screen colors invert & I get no error sound.

This display change can also be done within the "Universal Access/Accessibility" control panel. Maybe you could try it just to make sure it works. It's the "black on white" to "white on black" change.

Maybe if you're running a different OS version than I am…maybe the key combo to do this is different (but usually it's the same across OS versions).

- NIck

 

[artchick1125]

already tried it in the universal access it doesn't correct the issue. The only thing it did when I adjusted the contrast was make the text more readable.

 

[pigoo3]

already tried it in the universal access it doesn't correct the issue. The only thing it did when I adjusted the contrast was make the text more readable.

Ok…good deal. I just wanted to be 100% sure this idea was tried & you got some sort of "change" so we knew 100% this wasn't the issue.

I'm trying to suggest easy & inexpensive ideas at this point (software based ideas or settings based ideas)…before we get "more serious"…like the idea you mentioned of wiping the HD & reinstalling the OS.

Keep in the back of your mind…this could be a hardware issue. And if it is…it would be a graphics hardware problem on the logic board. And if it is…you would need a replacement logic board to correct things. And you don't want this to be the solution. A replacement logic board is expensive…and on a 2010 MacBook Pro…it would probably be too expensive to be a financially good idea. Thus new computer shopping time.

Maybe someone else will come up with a "bright idea".

- Nick

 

[artchick1125]

thanks I'm reinstalling as I type this but I suspected the same issue.... UGH!

Thanks again.

 

[pigoo3]

thanks I'm reinstalling as I type this but I suspected the same issue.... UGH!

Thanks again.

I hope that it's not a hardware problem! But I would say..if the OS reinstall doesn't fix things…that should eliminate the problem as being software based.

Personally when doing this…I usually like to completely wipe the HD of everything…then do a fresh install of the OS. This will eliminate ANY interference from other apps that may be installed on the HD (other than the OS) from causing problems.

I wasn't sure this is what you were doing or not.

Good luck!

- Nick

 

[artchick1125]

yep, that's exactly what I am doing. Wiped everything and installing the original OS.

 

[pigoo3]

yep, that's exactly what I am doing. Wiped everything and installing the original OS.

Great! I know doing it this way does involve more work. Since (at some point after the OS reinstall)…any installed apps need to be reinstalled too. But this method is definitely more definitive.

I'm hoping we get good news after the OS reinstall!

- Nick

 

[techiesteve]

Based upon your comment "I did do a screen cap of the desktop and emailed it to myself interestingly, it looked normal when I opened it in my email on another laptop." it's highly likely you have a display clamshell fault. The logic behind this is that if there was a software or gpu / logic board issue your screen capture would have shown the fault, but it doesn't.

 

[artchick1125]

Are clamshell errors fixable?

 

[pigoo3]

Are clamshell errors fixable?

Are you going to update us on what happened with the OS reinstall?

- Nick

 

[artchick1125]

An update: Made a genius bar appointment for this am. The tech reset the PRAM and it worked in the store. I was so excited. He did warn me that it doesn't usually work and that most likely it would happen again. I restarted a few times while I was there and everything was fine. Brought it home booted up and the problem is back! He did tell me it's probably the logic board-- costing me $660 in store/$300+ 3-5 day turn around. Soon they will discontinue making parts for this particular model-- April 2015.

An interesting detail about this laptop when I first bought it within two weeks it died on me and they replaced the inside which I am guessing was the logic board then as well. (???) Not feeling great about my confidence in MACs/Apple.

 

[pigoo3]

An interesting detail about this laptop when I first bought it within two weeks it died on me and they replaced the inside which I am guessing was the logic board then as well. (???) Not feeling great about my confidence in MACs/Apple.

Sorry to hear about things not turning out so well.

As far as not feeling good about Mac's/Apple. This is a 2010 MacBook Pro we are talking about…so almost 5 years old. We (Mac-Forums members) have no idea what this specific MacBook Pro has been thru over the past 5 years. But as a very portable computer (laptop)…it could have been exposed to all sorts of things over 5 years…that may not be good for a computer.

I'm betting over the past 5 years you weren't feeling this way about Mac's/Apple. Now that there's a problem…all of a sudden Apple is no good. I'm not sure this is a fair assessment. I'm not saying this sort of thing "should happen" at 5 years. But stuff does happen. Maybe something Apple related…and maybe something user related.

Another way of looking at things. This computer is 5 years old. It's worth about $350-$400 bucks…so it's not exactly a "gold mine" at current used computer prices (my wife has & uses the exact same computer).

If you're not very happy with Apple…try switching to a Windows computer…and see how happy you will be. Everything is relative (which can sometimes be forgotten).

Again…sorry to hear that the Apple visit & trip back home didn't go so well. Stuff does happen unfortunately.

- Nick