Macbook Pro - screen flickering! | FerrariChat

Macbook Pro - screen flickering!

Discussion in 'Technology' started by rob lay, May 30, 2018.

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  1. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    #1 rob lay, May 30, 2018
    My first Macbook Pro has been awesome! I was going through PC laptops every 12-18 months, even the high end Alienware's. I have had my Macbook Pro now 3 years and this is the first problem I've ever had.

    I've tried several things recommended on the web, but no luck so far. appears it might be a hardware issue and unfortunately our local Apple store closed rest of the year for remodeling.

    So far I've done every combinations of reset and reboot. I also reset the SMC.

    Any other advice? Thanks.
     
  2. Gran Drewismo

    Gran Drewismo F1 Rookie

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    #2 Gran Drewismo, May 31, 2018
    How severe is the flickering? Does it only happen when the lid is at certain angles?
     
  3. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    #3 rob lay, May 31, 2018
    so it just did it for about 3 hours, when I took my laptop home a couple times intentionally or not banging it a few times it is now working 100% again! so certainly a hardware connection issue, I'm afraid it will come back at some point though.
     
  4. tomc

    tomc Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #4 tomc, May 31, 2018
    I also see flickering intermittently on my MBP. It just goes and comes. Have not been able to replicate it or figure out any correlation among the times it's started to flicker. Knock on wood, it's not happened in months. Hardware connection would be my guess as well...T
     
  5. Gran Drewismo

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    #5 Gran Drewismo, May 31, 2018
    Last edited: May 31, 2018
    When you guys get the flickering, do you notice any performance hit? I.e does the laptop turn sluggish for a bit? Fans kick on? Or is everything normal aside from a flickering screen?

    Does it flicker if you hook up an external monitor to it?

    If no performance hit during flicker, my gut tells me something with the ribbon cable that goes from the base to the screen. If it was the screen itself or something with graphics card, you should be able to duplicate it by position of screen, certain actions, etc.

    If performance hit during flicker then I'd lean towards graphics card issue (overheat, going bad, etc).
     
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  6. tomc

    tomc Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #6 tomc, May 31, 2018
    Thanks for the questions.

    I have not noticed any performance issues, and I've been running Linux-based simulation software at times that it's occurred. At first, I thought I was inadvertently hitting the screen brightness adjustment (F1,F2). Or the power cord, which is magnetically attached, was loose.

    I have never hooked up an external monitor to my MBP, so can't address that.

    Have not tried screen position tests. Good idea. I tend to use mine as a desktop, so it is usually opened to a constant angle, but I've not tried those tests.

    T
     
  7. Etcetera

    Etcetera Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #7 Etcetera, May 31, 2018
  8. tomc

    tomc Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #8 tomc, May 31, 2018
    Thanks! This is a job for my tech guys!
    T
     
  9. tomc

    tomc Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #9 tomc, Jun 8, 2018
    OK, I think I may have hit on one cause of this flickering on my MBP. I was running a Linux code, and editing a file with the "vi" editor (yes, I am old school!) and I noticed the flickering. BUT. I had the sound turned off, and the flickering coincided with me (a) trying to advance past the end of a line, (b) advance past the end of the file, and (c) go above line 1. When I turned sound on, the flickering stopped, and instead got a "bing"! So, in the absence of a sonic alert, it flashed to the screen to give me a visual cue.

    Rob - perhaps a long shot, but were you running a Linux/UNIX code? Had the sound turned off on your Mac?

    T
     

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