There is a common fault on the MacBook Pros where the discrete GPU fails. This typically shows up when you plug in an external monitor or do any high performance graphics. I have this problem on my current MacBook Pro (2010 model). For some models there is an extended repair program but it seems there are other models which are not covered by this but which can still develop the fault.
For the repair program take a look at TS4088: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS4088?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US As a workaround download and install gfxCardStatus from http://codykrieger.com/gfxCardStatus and set it to only use the "integrated" GPU. (This is my current solution as I can't afford to be without my main work machine for however long it takes Apple to replace the logic board). Paul On 28 Jul 2012, at 08:52, Darren Morgan wrote: > Hello SMUGgers, > > The screen on my MBP (A1286, 15", NVIDIA 9600/9400, bought in early 2009, > running latest Snow Leopard) seems to have developed a serious fault and I > was wondering if anyone here could offer some advice. > > I started it up on Thursday night and the screen didn't light up. So I forced > it to shutdown and rebooted. It was fine. > > Yesterday I booted it and the same thing happened. I rebooted a few more > times and still got nothing. The screen is dead. The apple on the lid didn't > light up either. > > This morning I reset the SMC (battery out, hold power, reassemble, boot) and > got nothing. So I zapped the PRAM and in the third zap the screen sort of > came to life, and it started booting from my Windows partition (?). But the > screen still fizzed with red lines and other wrongness and the Windows log in > screen was all distorted and stretched (like when you mess with a TV's aspect > ratio). So I shut it down and restarted and now it's dead again. > > So, my question is, does anyone know what's wrong? > > Thanks in advance, > Darren -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Sussex Mac User Group" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/smug?hl=en-GB.
