[randyhoop]

If I never got AppleCare for my MacBook will the flickering be an expensive fix or will Apple fix it for free?

[ducatisteve]

Well you get a year of AppleCare w/ your computer....so if you're still under that warranty, then you're good.

[theokandroid]

well you don't really get applecare. You get a one year manufacturers warranty, and 90 days of phone support. AppleCare just extends both services +2 years for a total of 3 since the purchase date.

[randyhoop]

Now to find my receipt!

[theokandroid]

Originally Posted by randyhoop 

Now to find my receipt!

No need, just go to Apple - Support, and type in your Serial number which you can find underneath your battery.

[randyhoop]

Woah cool, thanks. I didn't know you could do that.

[Macola]

Originally Posted by randyhoop 

Woah cool, thanks. I didn't know you could do that.

Even easier, while the computer is on, go to the Apple menu, About This Mac, and click on the version number of OS X. It will rotate through the version number, serial number, and something else which I can't remember

[vsaraf]

I bought my macbook in september 2006 and it had this flicker problem. I first noticed it in December. I did not take it seriously then coz it happened very rarely. But recently the problem aggravated and i shipped it last week after seeing this thread. Do we have a solution to this problem or are we just guessing randomly? I do not have the applecare plan yet. Will it be useful to buy one?

[pete]

I figured out how to solve the problem temporarily, though the fix is probably to replace the inverter since it seems to be an issue of power. If you simply choose best performance under the energy settings panel it will stop flickering. I tested this for a over a week, before which it was flickering all consistently after sleep for a few minutes. It went away completely and as soon as I put it back to normal setting it started flickering again.

It looks like an inverter issue to me...

[alphac]

I got the inverter replaced with no changes, the macbook keeps flickering!!!
I've activated a petition to propote the solution of this problem by apple:
- Macbook flickering petition

[Hi I'm Ben]

Originally Posted by pete 

If you simply choose best performance under the energy settings panel it will stop flickering. I tested this for a over a week,

There was a variety of things I could do at first to stop the flickering, including stopping the screen from auto dimming. Eventually nothing worked and my screen was almost in a constant state of flicker. The one thing we did notice is that CPU processes definitely effected the amount of flickering. The heavier use, the more flickering.

Originally Posted by alphac 

I got the inverter replaced with no changes, the macbook keeps flickering!!!
I've activated a petition to propote the solution of this problem by apple:
- Macbook flickering petition

Online petitions are a waste of time and stupid. I wish online petition sites were forced out of existance.

Also to the other poster... yes brand new unit means all new machine. I've had a new machine since December and it's been completely problem free.

[gemigene]

Originally Posted by ducatisteve 

I've read about this happening to the iBooks quite a bit here, but don't recall seeing a problem with the Macbooks.

I have a week 23 1.8Ghz, and a couple weeks ago I noticed that no matter what setting I have the screen at, the brightness will flicker.

Is this a known problem for the Macbooks like it is the iBooks? Is it time for me to call Apple?

My Imac 17 does that also, very annoying and when I'll have time, I'll have it repaired.

Gene

[Biest]

I have the issue after wake up and maybe a couple minutes later and then it is all normal. Not too much of problem for me, just a bit annoying. i guess i'll have to use my student status to get Applecare and then get the service. Ohh well i bought it refurb, they should have checked that out

[yaroldb]

I had the same problem. Took it to my local Genius bar. I got my MacBook back 3 weeks ago. It looks like it is working with no problems. The tech said it was “Inverter Board”. They replaced it, no questions asked. No more flickering. They did not ask to many questions, they just took it and 5 days later I had it back fixed.

[justsin]

Ok, so I only just got my white macbook just over a week ago (After 4 weeks away, being repaired for case warpage and discolouration) and now I have a flicker problem.

I left the computer for about 10 minutes and by the time I got back it had auto dimmed. I noticed that the apple on the back was flickering (the computer was facing away from me at the time) I thought it was odd, but thought nothing of it. I kept on using it, but when I left it again and it went back to auto dim, I could see the screen was flickering too. I thought it might have been a problem with the magsafe not being connected properly, and I didn't see it happen again, so shrugged it off.

Then I was using it and noticed a slight flicker when I was browsing the net, I thought it must have been my imagination, worrying about the flicker earlier on today, and when I put it down to the lowest brightness nothing flickered (I had it like that for about 40 minutes).

Tonight, I definitely noticed the flickering, and when I turned it down if definitiely flickered.

Now, I live in Australia, and Im moving to England (after a month travelling through Europe to see friends and such) should I get it repaired here, or can I take it England and get it done there. My problem is, like I said, the last repair took 4 weeks as the closest Apple Authorised Repairer is three hours away in Melbourne and as it is the only one in the city, they are extremely busy and take forever. The thing is only 2 months old, so I still have my warranty and I'm wondering if my warranty covers travelling to England and getting it repaired/replaced there.

I love my macbook, but this is the second time in the two months I've had it that it has developed a fault.

[zenwhen]

About four months ago, I purchased identical refurbished Macbooks for my wife and I.

Mine has been perfect, but after about a month, we realized her Machine had this same issue. When we sent it in for repair, they replaced the logic board and the battery assembly. We got it back, and within a couple of days she realized the issue was still there.

We called Apple again, and they had us send the machine back to them. This time they replaced the Inverter Board and we have seen no flickering for two days. This may be the actual fix.

Please let apple care know that this issue is not caused by the logic board or by the the battery assembly. If they want to have those things serviced, try to get bumped to second tier support. Getting repairs done through apple was a quick process and their support was great, but I really did not like having my time wasted with the first repair trip. Troubleshoot on your own time, and fix it right the first time. Use your time, not mine.

[debird]

Hi,
i had that annoying problem with my macbook (late 2006) and it seems i fixed the issue.
After I tried all the tricks suggested by Apple (PRAM and SMU reset), i did the Hardware Test in Advanced Mode from the MacOS CD.
Unexpectly, the MacBook screen doesn't flicker anymore..
Hope this will be useful for other users who had this problem ( lot of people i see ).
Cheers.

[CallistoJag]

My Macbook has been flickering for the last 5 months getting worse and worse. It has gone back to apple several times, they denied it was happening each time!?!?!?! What are you to do in such a situation? Anyway a friend of mine has a Macbook PRO (lucky git), I tried his 80w power adapter in my Macbook..... the flickering stopped, after hours of use still no flicker. I add that I have tried numerous 60w Macbook adapters since I had already been told it may have been an adapter fault, but to no avail. It seems, as improbable as it sounds, that the Macbook needs an 80w power supply not 60w!!!!!!

Hope this works for everyone with the screen flicker problem, as I know just how annoying this was getting!!!

[allanctan]

I managed to reduce the flickering by doing a display calibration. System Preferences > Display > Color... Calibrate. It will create new profile for the LCD.

allan
www.ideyatech.com

[nickw311]

Originally Posted by nickw311 

I have that happen on my week 25 2.0ghz MacBook. It isnt too bad but I may take it in anyways. It usually only happens when it is plugged in.

Well I finally sent mine back and have now had it for about 3 weeks. The flickering is gone and it is working very well. I just wish I didn't have to deal with this stuff in the first place. Ohh well, they also replaced my trackpad/palmrests (at my request) and it looks almost like a brand new computer.

[richwig83]

Happens to me too... only started over the last few days!!! It seems to be worse with the power adapter plugged in.... that might be my imagination tho!!!!

[turnedge762]

I've never had problems with a Mac until my Macbook (bought when they first came out). It's got the flickering problem, and has had its palm rest replaced twice and had to get a new battery after it died. But don't get me wrong it has served me well.

I'm just glad to hear I'm not the only one with the flickering problem. (though I wish others could be saved this annoyance) I thought I might just be seeing things. Hopefully eventually they'll find a resolution. But who knows.

[turnedge762]

Has anyone noticed that the flickering screen problem on their MacBook has disappeared with the upgrade to Leopard?

I've only been running it for about 5 hours now, but I used to have near constant screen flicker, and now it seems to be gone. We'll see what happens when I use it more.

[Simon]

You've been installing Leopard and playing around. Flickering normally occurs after a fresh start or after waking from sleep, IOW when your MB's cold. Yours definitely wasn't cold. I'd be very surprised to see the flicker (which is basically a hardware problem) disappear due to a new OS version.

[Torpov]

I upgraded to Leopard, and the problem is still there, so the solution (I'm betting) doesn't come from upgrading to Leopard.

[nickw311]

It definitely isn't a software problem, no matter what AppleCare tells you.

[turnedge762]

It must be just a coincidence then because my screen flickering used to happen all the time, and now it only happens occasionally. But my MacBook has other problems as well, so who knows what's going on inside of it.

[JMan09]

My screen has been flickering before but only a little bit when i wake my computer from sleep. but now it is happening more, and now as i type this the flashes are darker. Can I take my MacBook to a local Apple certified repair place or do I need to take to an Apple store? Does anyone know if this is a quick fix or should I wait until the semester is over because i need this everyday for school?

[Simon]

Originally Posted by JMan09 

Can I take my MacBook to a local Apple certified repair place or do I need to take to an Apple store?

Both will take your MB.

Does anyone know if this is a quick fix or should I wait until the semester is over because i need this everyday for school?

Once they have the parts it's done quickly. Some AASPs let you bring it in for diagnosis, then call you once they have the parts and you bring it in again for them to do the actual replacement. That way you'll only have to be w/o your MB for one or two days.

[JMan09]

ok thanks for the response i'll probably take it in this week and hopefully thats what they'll do.

[richwig83]

Took my macbook in to the apple shop on tuesday..... still no sign of it!!!! Their repairs alwaysseem to take for ages!!

[Railroader]

I dropped my MacBook off at an Apple store for repairs today. One of the problems was the screen flickering issue. This will be the second time for that repair.

I am also having other problems fixed as well.
2. Battery not holding charge when not in use.
3. iSight not working (a warning message pops up saying isight is in use by other software, but still occurred even after a clean install)
4. Won't wake from sleep.
5. Sometimes goes into "processor overdrive" when the lid is closed. The unit then heats up very quickly, fans turn on high, battery drains, won't wake from sleep and then takes over five minutes to restart after a forced shutdown.

[Redivy24]

Needing advice...I bought my macbook nearly a year ago (1 week to go before my 1 year warranty is up). I just noticed the problem with the screen flickering and am planning to go to the apple store tomorrow. My concern is that if they decide to go ahead with any necessary repairs and this process exceeds my warranty, am I out of luck and will have to pay for the repairs? I'd rather not dole out $249 to purchase the applecare protection plan but would consider if I thought it was worth it -- any suggestions/comments? Applecare worth it?

[Railroader]

Applecare is worth it to me.

[Block8]

I had the flicker problem with my Macbook and sent it back to Apple to repair.

Three months later and I'm getting the flicker again. It's SO annoying. Plus my Mac is now out of warranty and so unless they give you 12 months warranty on the "repair" that they did the first time, then I'm going to have to pay to get it repaired.

On a side note, my battery has just died as well - it's not taking any charge. I wonder if there is a related problem here?

[nickw311]

AppleCare fixed my flicker back in Sept. and it hasn't come back. I am going to be very upset if it does.

[wernerhickey]

My macbook has been flickering often for about 5 days. Yesterday I removed the accessory plastic case that I had purchased and installed to keep it looking good. It has been 48 hours and no flicker at all. This was one of the clear cases that snaps onto the mac casing - it actually has to expand to go on. I am wondering if others are using this type of case.

Steve

[wernerhickey]

It has now been several days since I took the cover the accessory cover of my macbook. It has not flickered once since then. The effect was immediate - could it me heat or pressure from the cover itself on the screen surround. I am wondering how many others use the snap on screens that have had the screen flicker.

Steve

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by wernerhickey 

I am wondering how many others use the snap on screens that have had the screen flicker.

I am not using any extra case/screen of any kind.

[seanc]

OK, so here's my issue with my flickering MacBook.

Late 2007 with GMA X3100. 10.5.2 & XP SP2.

Under normal use with no accessories, it seems fine.
If I have an external monitor hooked up via the mini-dvi adaptor and reboot into windows and then out, the screen flickers like crazy, it's worse than a 60hz monitor or 50hz tv flicker.
No amount of PMU resetting or PRAM resetting will fix it. Once it fixed itself when I disconnected the external screen & rebooted and today it was only fixed after I got annoyed with it, left the battery out and went and did something else.

Anyone had this?

[bathat]

Wow, I sure am glad I discovered this thread!

I recently bought a 2.0GHz MacBook Black off eBay for an excellent price (250GB HDD and loads of commercial software). Anyway, my Book is plagued by the annoying flicker as well. However, there is no chance I'd sell this laptop. The warranty has expired, so service is far too expensive and would cancel out the excellent price. Therefore, I'm pretty much on my own.

There are some very helpful hints here. I've carefully read all posts and am going to post a compilation of the best pointers. I hope this helps.

I've read on other forums suggestions such as faulty logic board, partially disconnected hard drive cable (???), problem with graphics card and to rest PRAM. I tried resetting the PRAM with no effect. I've read that display settings are not stored in the PRAM in Leopard, so I guess its no surprise this attempt ended in failure.


Best suggestions (in order... well, sort of):
1) Replacement of power/backlight inverter.
2) Replacement of battery.
3) Upgrade to latest firmware (some have theorized that this only intensified the problem...).
4) System Preferences > Energy Saver > [ Optimization: Better Performance ]
5) Hardware Test in Advanced Mode of MacOS CD (I do not have Leopard CD).
6) System Preferences > Display > [ Color: Calibrate... ]

One user suggested that maybe the MacBook needed 80W power instead of 60W... I certainly hope that's not the case. I tend to think it is not since some users have reported success of power/backlight inverter.

Some users believe that heavy load on the processor makes screen flicker more dramatic. I can attest to this. It does seem to be more pronounced during periods of heavy load.

One thing I've found to help is a reduction of screen brightness. Half brightness seems to work quite well.

Currently, I'm experiencing no screen flicker (at full brightness), even after cycling through Optimizations. This could simply be coincidence...

The greatest number of users reported absence of flickering after replacement of power/backlight inverter. This is most likely what I will attempt to replace.

The battery or logic board does not seem to be the fix. I've heard this is a catch-all.

Sorry I did not give credit to the original posters. I did make note of their usernames.


Maybe a mod could point to this post at the thread's start as it may help a lot of people who would rather not read through all the posts.

[bathat]

I'm posting again instead of editing my previous message to make this STAND OUT.

I believe I may have found the definitive fix!

Download SwitchResXControl. View this thread for settings information. I've tested it at full brightness for about 10 minutes. I will report back with any further details. I sure hope this continues to work. Out of 14 replies, it is rather mixed results. However, they are predominantly positive.

I've read some people say that they first noticed the screen flicker after upgrading to Leopard.


EDIT: I noticed a slight flicker. I tried disabling System Preferences > Energy Saver > [ Options: Automatically reduce the brightness of the display before display sleep ]. Unfortunately, neither of these things have helped for me. It definitely seems hardware-related.

[Simon]

Originally Posted by bathat 

One user suggested that maybe the MacBook needed 80W power instead of 60W....

This is certainly wrong. The MB will not draw more power just because you use a MBP adapter. It's the MB's circuitry that determines what the power draw is, not the charger.

[bathat]

I recently replaced the backlight inverter and in the process mangled the hinge cover. Flickering still persists... most irritating!