After posting about how my 17″ MacBook Pro has become a paperweight Apple now has a support article about MacBook Pro: Distorted video or no video issues in relation to the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processors. This sounds exactly like the problems I am having and luckily even though I am out of my 1 year warranty, the cover for this issue on the NVIDIA chip has been extended to 2 years.
So my Macbook Pro is now in the shop and I will hopefully find out in the next couple of days if the NVIDIA problem is actually what is wrong with it. And if it is the problem, then they will replace it with another NVIDIA chip for free (which could have the same issues as it will also be a NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT).
But I am hopeful that I can get a few more months work out of it seeing as Apple saw fit to not upgrade (much) the 17″ Macbook Pros at the recent launch of the new Macbooks and Macbook Pros. Yes there technically is a “new” 17 Macbook Pro, but they have not upgraded it enough for me to fork out that much money when it still has the same NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics card and the rumours are for new new 17″ Macbook Pros sometime early next year.
If you have experienced this problem share your story and leave a comment below, you might be able to help out another frustrated Mac user.
November 5th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
[…] or No Display problem with the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics cards (see my previous post: Update to my Macbook Prok blank screen problems for details). Was told that the logic board cost $1800.26 AUD, but thanks to Apple I got it […]
November 12th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Great article, thanks heaps for this!
November 13th, 2008 at 12:00 am
[…] UPDATE: Update to my MacBook Pro blank screen problems […]
January 12th, 2009 at 3:01 am
Hi. I have the same problem with my MBP.The screen went black and out of light. I have read your post about this issue and i wonder if you remember the links for how to delete my “sleep image” or to do other tricks so i can see at least once my screen alive, and of course back up properly.
Thank you in advance, Gabriel
January 12th, 2009 at 9:49 am
Hi Gabriel,
These are the instructions for deleting your sleep image:
1 ) Connect the non-working computer to another working mac with a firewire cable
2 ) Turn the non-working computer on and hold down T - this will let you access the non-working mac as if it is an external hard drive from the other mac
3 ) Access the /private/var/vm/ directory on the non-working computer from the working computer. This is invisible so you will have to press cmd+shift+g in the finder and go to /volumes/YOURHARDDISKNAME/private/var/vm to get there or use an application that lets you view invisible folders like PathFinder.
4 ) Delete the sleepimage file
5 ) Delete the /system/library/extensions.mkext file
6 ) Eject the drive from the working mac (drag to the trash)
7 ) Press the power button to turn off the non-working computer
8 ) Turn the non-working computer back on normally
Then if it works do the following to stop the sleep image from being created again (IMPORTANT):
1 ) Open up the the terminal.app in /applications/utilities
2 ) Type sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 0
3 ) Make sure there is no sleepimage file again
But just a note, I deleted the sleep image and my Macbook Pro worked for about a day, then had the blank screen problems again. I could not fix it again by deleting the sleep image because there was none. It seems that there are 2 problems affecting people, corrupt sleep images and failing graphic cards. So if deleting the sleep image does not work (or work for long), then it will be the know issues with the NVIDIA graphics cards. If it is the graphics card, contact Apple because they are covering this fault for 2 years from purchase date, see apple for more info, I got mine fixed by Apple free of charge (replaced logic board which includes the graphics card).
Good Luck!
March 7th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Last night was the worst night I ‘ve had in years. And ironically my mac, for the first time EVER, was the reason. Presumptuously at first, I allowed myself to slip into “logic-board-replacement-despair” at the thought of having to pay $2000usd to get my mac back. I stumbled upon a nice little public announcement saying that, due to some faulty PC tech in the video processor, some displays fail. To my luck, I just got back from the apple store, and I will have a new mac by monday… Free of charge. Oh yeah… and no apple care either!
September 18th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
My MacBook Pro is now with a blank screen; num lock, chime.The unprofessional ‘Genius’ at auth service center and I was told they tried running some damn GPT test and it didn’t work; which means the nvedia card is not faulty and the actual faulty piece is my MBP’s logic board.
My MBP is jus 1yr and 3months old and I had already changed the HDD 1s. Now this display issue. I paid a huge amount to get the MBP. I paid 1 lac 29K INR for this damn MBP and now this. I am majorly disappointed. I curse myself for choosing this damn MBP.
November 13th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
my macbook pro 17″ is not two years old and I can only get a black screen. Im told by the local techs, where I bought my mac from 22mths ago, that the logic board is stuffed and I need to pay AUD$2,000 for a replacment and labour. I am devastated!!! I expected better from an apple. What to do? Im a student and bought the computer to see me through my study and it has broken down half way there. I have a Tobisha Tekra from 1997 and it still works fine…just slow
November 13th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Hi goddessence, you should contact Apple support and ask about the known NVIDA problem which causes blank screens and quote this support issue if you meet the requirements: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377?locale=en_AU
If the techs you have taken your computer to don’t think that this could be the problem then you should try another authorized mac repairer or take it to an Apple shop - http://www.apple.com/au/retail/storelist/.
This is the problem that I had and I got my logic board replaced for free.
November 14th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Hi thanks for that. My local apple shop guys (they are pretty good)told me to ring apple tech support to get a case number and ask to be transferred to ‘customer relations’ to see what they might do to help and customer relations “declined” to take my call!!!! wtf!!!