MacBook Pro: Black Screen of Death

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MacBook Pro: Black Screen of Death
Posted on: 01.12.2012 by Leighann Tso
Hey all,

I have a MacBook Pro (Version 10.6.8) and sometimes the screen goes black. When this happens, I'm forced to restart my computer. On one occasion, some months ago, just before a gig, I had to restart my computer about five times before I could access the home screen, dock, etc. As far as I can tell, it happens when I'm running or about to run a program/application. Why does this happen and how can I fix it? Should I be looking for a new computer?

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide regarding this issue.
Ara Tima
02.12.2012
Originally Posted by hola amigos
Exactly. The odds of you being able to repair your own computer is slim to zero.
Just make a few phone calls. Try the nearest apple store.
Well that's not true at all. Lots of people are capable of fixing their own computer, I generally can replace most things on a laptop without a technician... and I have no formal training or IT job experience.


Back on topic.

OP - My old house mate had a similar problem with his old MBP.... bizarrely enough it turned out to be faulty RAM.

He only discovered this though after trying replacement logic boards, hard drives etc.
Jolynn Schroyer
02.12.2012
Originally Posted by The Mighty FV
Some months ago? And you haven't thought to take it to a professional and get it fixed? Don't be an idiot...it's worth the cash to get your set-up running smooth man.
Exactly. The odds of you being able to repair your own computer is slim to zero.
Just make a few phone calls. Try the nearest apple store.
Masako Barcalow
02.12.2012
Originally Posted by redcloak
How much was it to change the graphics card? I read on a community that the GPU (I don't know if this is the same thing as a graphics card?) cannot be changed: https://discussions.apple.com/thread...art=0&tstart=0. Is this true? If so, it seems I'm in trouble.

Thanks for your input, everyone.
This sounds like a graphics (GPU) issue as someone mentioned above. Whether it is possible to change out or not ultimately depends on multiple factors, namely what year/model the MBP and whether you have a dedicated graphics unit, or whether it is running off the processor. If you go under your computer specs and you see something along the lines of "NVIDIA GT-number-number-something," it means it has dedicated graphics, and there's a chance it can be replaced, albeit incredibly small (I doubt that Apple will look at it if it's not under AppleCare). If you don't see anything like that, you're probably running graphics off the processor, and this means you more than likely have bigger problems.

Either way, get it looked at, as it is likely to only get worse.
Joesph Kasian
02.12.2012
Originally Posted by redcloak
Hey all,

I have a MacBook Pro (Version 10.6.8) and sometimes the screen goes black. When this happens, I'm forced to restart my computer. On one occasion, some months ago, just before a gig, I had to restart my computer about five times before I could access the home screen, dock, etc. As far as I can tell, it happens when I'm running or about to run a program/application. Why does this happen and how can I fix it? Should I be looking for a new computer?

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide regarding this issue.
Some months ago? And you haven't thought to take it to a professional and get it fixed? Don't be an idiot...it's worth the cash to get your set-up running smooth man.
Leighann Tso
01.12.2012
Originally Posted by beatkind
i had the same problem with my old macbook pro...the graphics card had to be changed by apple service because there was some defective contacts
How much was it to change the graphics card? I read on a community that the GPU (I don't know if this is the same thing as a graphics card?) cannot be changed: https://discussions.apple.com/thread...art=0&tstart=0. Is this true? If so, it seems I'm in trouble.

Thanks for your input, everyone.
Kamala Temple
01.12.2012
Originally Posted by hola amigos
Go pay and have someone look at it.
This. Or maybe try a Mac related community for some additional info before you decide to take it somewhere?
Leighann Tso
01.12.2012		Hey all,

I have a MacBook Pro (Version 10.6.8) and sometimes the screen goes black. When this happens, I'm forced to restart my computer. On one occasion, some months ago, just before a gig, I had to restart my computer about five times before I could access the home screen, dock, etc. As far as I can tell, it happens when I'm running or about to run a program/application. Why does this happen and how can I fix it? Should I be looking for a new computer?

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide regarding this issue.
Corie Murtagh
03.12.2012		hey ill help you out. i used to fix computers as my job. bored today surfing the web i guess.
anyways try the program that ekwipt said and select discrete only. also check if there is a patch on the apple website for switching

then see if your computer immediately turns the screen off.
if it does you have a bad discrete graphics card.

if it doesn't lightly and i mean lightly tap the left side of the computer edge with the screen up. don't tap the screen. tap the side of the computer (don't do it so hard you nock it off the table and break it, use common sense) and see if the screen turns off. if it does you have a bad discrete graphics card that was caused by vibrations.

the problem with these MacBooks is the graphics cards are soldered on to the "logic board"
you'd have to replace the whole logic board cpu and all if you needed to fix it. and thats usually about as much money as the computer is worth. plus they are a pain to pull out and reinstall.

if its still on, well your in luck its a software issue and probably has to do with a bad .kext

so back up every thing on your computer that you want or need. and i mean everything! don't forget anything or it will hurt later. watch out for traktor installs or the like and make sure you make your old purchase codes useable as if you were getting a new computer.

then download or obtain your original copy of mac osx and format your hard drive and then reinstall the operating system.

anyways if the card is bad you probably want to do a fresh osx install anyways. it just might fix your problem if it was bad in the first place. and if its still bad when your done well now your ready to go sell your computer on the evilbay as a broken laptop with only integrated graphics. haha the cycle continues!!!

unless you can manage to get that logic board replaced for cheep. but stay away from craigs list for this brain surgery. they will break it.

good luck
Ara Tima
02.12.2012
Originally Posted by hola amigos
Exactly. The odds of you being able to repair your own computer is slim to zero.
Just make a few phone calls. Try the nearest apple store.
Well that's not true at all. Lots of people are capable of fixing their own computer, I generally can replace most things on a laptop without a technician... and I have no formal training or IT job experience.


Back on topic.

OP - My old house mate had a similar problem with his old MBP.... bizarrely enough it turned out to be faulty RAM.

He only discovered this though after trying replacement logic boards, hard drives etc.
Rochel Gleese
02.12.2012		It's GFX card switching, I've had the same problem in the past 2010 MacBook Pro.

There might be updates you can patch directly from Apple, not through the software updater


And you can try this app and force it to only use the nvidia card

http://screenshot-mac.com/gfx-card-status-tool/
Jolynn Schroyer
02.12.2012
Originally Posted by The Mighty FV
Some months ago? And you haven't thought to take it to a professional and get it fixed? Don't be an idiot...it's worth the cash to get your set-up running smooth man.
Exactly. The odds of you being able to repair your own computer is slim to zero.
Just make a few phone calls. Try the nearest apple store.
Masako Barcalow
02.12.2012
Originally Posted by redcloak
How much was it to change the graphics card? I read on a community that the GPU (I don't know if this is the same thing as a graphics card?) cannot be changed: https://discussions.apple.com/thread...art=0&tstart=0. Is this true? If so, it seems I'm in trouble.

Thanks for your input, everyone.
This sounds like a graphics (GPU) issue as someone mentioned above. Whether it is possible to change out or not ultimately depends on multiple factors, namely what year/model the MBP and whether you have a dedicated graphics unit, or whether it is running off the processor. If you go under your computer specs and you see something along the lines of "NVIDIA GT-number-number-something," it means it has dedicated graphics, and there's a chance it can be replaced, albeit incredibly small (I doubt that Apple will look at it if it's not under AppleCare). If you don't see anything like that, you're probably running graphics off the processor, and this means you more than likely have bigger problems.

Either way, get it looked at, as it is likely to only get worse.
Joesph Kasian
02.12.2012
Originally Posted by redcloak
Hey all,

I have a MacBook Pro (Version 10.6.8) and sometimes the screen goes black. When this happens, I'm forced to restart my computer. On one occasion, some months ago, just before a gig, I had to restart my computer about five times before I could access the home screen, dock, etc. As far as I can tell, it happens when I'm running or about to run a program/application. Why does this happen and how can I fix it? Should I be looking for a new computer?

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide regarding this issue.
Some months ago? And you haven't thought to take it to a professional and get it fixed? Don't be an idiot...it's worth the cash to get your set-up running smooth man.
Mimi Mahaffee
01.12.2012		My macbook which im writing on now, almost 2 years old.

(bought it around the same time as i bought kontrol s4 to have a tight, strong setup. However my macbook crashed alot, especially when using traktor or multitasking. It went so far that i sold my S4 and picked up cdjs instead.
After that i returned it for service and they changed the "logic board" which i believe is like the mother board on a pc.
Since then it has been the workhorse i expected it to be, real stable, perhaps 1-2 crashes in last 1,5 years.
Used it with kontrol s2 + traktor for a while without hassle however atm i dont use it for djing.
Leighann Tso
01.12.2012
Originally Posted by beatkind
i had the same problem with my old macbook pro...the graphics card had to be changed by apple service because there was some defective contacts
How much was it to change the graphics card? I read on a community that the GPU (I don't know if this is the same thing as a graphics card?) cannot be changed: https://discussions.apple.com/thread...art=0&tstart=0. Is this true? If so, it seems I'm in trouble.

Thanks for your input, everyone.
Sagi Ohayon
01.12.2012		i had the same problem with my old macbook pro...the graphics card had to be changed by apple service because there was some defective contacts
Kamala Temple
01.12.2012
Originally Posted by hola amigos
Go pay and have someone look at it.
This. Or maybe try a Mac related community for some additional info before you decide to take it somewhere?
Jolynn Schroyer
01.12.2012		Go pay and have someone look at it.
Erich Fearday
01.12.2012		I am really no expert on computers but i can tell you that i have a Macbook pro and as far as using Traktor and controlers hooked up to it goes its only crashed once in 3 years. When it did im pretty sure it was a power spike that caused it. Try a really good surge protector. You must be a nervous wreck if it crashes that often Im sure somebody can help more but its not normal to crash that often.

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