Macbook Pro - Vertical lines / Black screen issues

[noodle12]

I bought a 17' Macbook Pro about 3 years ago from the iStore in Gateway, Durban. The only major issue I've had up until now is having to replace my battery after it started bulging. I had left it plugged in a few too many times

About a year ago I began experiencing greenish vertical lines across my entire screen. After loads of googling and resets etc, I found a firmware update that fixed it. Huge relief…

So a month or so ago, the green lines started up again. No more firmware updates, no amount of resetting and restarting. All in all, pretty ***. I left it because I was too deflated to deal with it, until last week that is, when it completely blacked out on me. I can hear the hard drive starting up fine, and can even see the poor backlight glowing at the edges.

I visited the iStore and mentioned my problem and the dude suggested that it sounds like it could be surge damage and I should claim from my insurance. Yay. Or so I thought.

So I did a little googling and look what I found. A faulty graphics processor! WTF.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377

In fact, there is even litigation in the USA, where NVIDIA are being forced to reimburse those who have already paid for repairs. Check it out, they even let put in your serial number to confirm if you your computer is one of the affected models.

I chatted to Morne at Core, and they are aware of the problem. I've sent my machine in and now await an official response.

I thought this was something worth sharing, as many other people may also have had similar issues and it can be quite frustrating - especially when you consider the price of a Macbook Pro!

 

[Synaesthesia]

Yes that's a known issue. Affected some other manufacturers as well (Dell, Sony etc)

Hope you get a new one!

 

[noodle12]

So I got my quote a few weeks ago and they charged me for a brand new screen, adamant that the graphics processor is fine. So I claimed from insurance, waiting a week for the part and finally got my laptop back yesterday.

I am FUMING. When I booted up my MacBook Pro last night, it started up and then after about 2 minutes it went BLACK. Restarted it a few times, with it generally staying black, only once did the screen reappear only for it to disappear after 30 seconds.

I handed over my laptop on the 6 January, and get it back a MONTH later (after paying an extorbitant amount) only to find that it STILL isn't working. Some one is not doing there job properly… lord knows who was responsible for the diagnostics, repairs and checking of my laptop, because I find this completely unacceptable.

To make matters worse, I made it clear when I handed my laptop in that I was aware that mine came from the batch with the faulty Nvidia processors and I believe this may be what is playing up. After a chat to the Call centre once I received the quote, I was assured that I had a pay for a entire new display screen. Which I have done. And still I have no graphics on my shiny new screen.

I am angry and frustrated and reluctant to send my workstation back to Apple after having it gone for a month, AND paying a HUGE amount for a repair job that has is incomplete.

To add insult to injury, the service at the iStore was shocking in my opinion. I arrived to find a friend waiting to collect his iPhone, a process which he had begun on Saturday and was STILL being finalised. Great.

Anyway, the dude comes down with a tiny laptop which clearly isn't mine. I point out that I handed in a 17 inch, and looking quite shocked off he trundles back up the stairs. Then he returns, pops it onto the counter, asks me to sign that I received it and then says cheers. I then politely ask him if he would like me to pay for the repairs, not out of honesty - more for the fact that because of his ignorance I would be expected to return to the store to make payment once someone figures it out. Sigh. Back upstairs he goes, returning eventually with the receipt, and a comment, 'Its a lot of money!' Thanks dude. When I left my friend was STILL waiting for his iPhone.

I am highly disappointed with the service I have received up until now. I have sent a mail to Core and the iStore and I await a response. Is it just me or is there no one in charge of Apple SA? It feel like a bunch of video store geeks running around having jol at my expense.

 

[Synaesthesia]

Dumbasses. This is absolutely typical of core. The issue with the 8600m is well documented and acknowledged by nVidia , Apple, Sony Dell etc.

 

[ponder]

Why did you accept/pay for a new screen if you knew it was not the problem? The screen has nothing to do with the nVidia issue as you said.

I would ask them to refund the money for the screen and replace the correct faulty component. If they refuse they them to small claims court.

 

[noodle12]

Why did I accept that my screen was broken? Well I'm not a computer technician. I self-diagnosed the problem using the internet. I did phone the call centre to find out how they come to their 'prognosis' and I was told that they know about the Nvidia problem. The computers give them a diagnostic error message and if the Graphics processor was faulty then they would have been given a code to order a new one. How do I argue with that? I could not prove different. My laptop is a few years old, and I have already had to replace the battery. Things get old, they break.

Anyway, I got a response from Nuruneasa Adams - the client liaison officer. She apologised and thinks that they may have received a faulty part from Europe. They will be ordering both a new screen and graphics processor just in case and once they arrive will arrange to have my laptop collected from my offices - no more iStore.

I am still wanting to see the initial diagnostic report - because I am sure my insurance would be interested if they had to pay for repairs that weren't required. I think that's called fraud?

 

[ponder]

I would not pay for a manufacturing defect, Apple has agreed to foot the bill for this problem for 3 yrs.

I would demand the diagnostics report. I doubt there is a software tools out there to test for the issue.

I would fire a mail off to Apple in the USA and complain.

 

[Gecko]

I would not pay for a manufacturing defect, Apple has agreed to foot the bill for this problem for 3 yrs.

I would demand the diagnostics report. I doubt there is a software tools out there to test for the issue.

I would fire a mail off to Apple in the USA and complain.

I agree.