(malicious) screen alteration can't be restored or erased. Searching deeper solution.

[HopefullSisyfus]

Hello all readers,


I am new here to MacRumours forum. I have been a faithfull mac-user for years. I am posting this thread here, in hope to find a solution to a persisting problem i can't seem to get rid of.
I have been with a screen "problem" on my new Macbook pro 2019 (catlina) and on my old macbook 2007 (snow leopard) for some time now.
Both have a similar problem of pulsations and shiverings over the whole screen, and there seems to be a "filter/layer", that makes text and images blurry and kind of move/dance. Because of this, working on my laptops is almost a torture.

I Think these alterations of my displays is due to opening "bad" torrent files downloaded years ago ,and wich caused this problem on my old macbook and now got back on the new one by connecting an old external drive to the macbookpro, as it started directly after opening.
I am not shure it is a hardware problem as it runs on both my laptops and Hardware checks haven't shown anything.


I have searched on apple support community and the internet, and have tried a lot of usual solutions (like different erases of SSD and clean installs, resseting of NVRAM and SMC, etc.). and had several repairs by apple repair center (Hardware check ,replacing screen keyboard and logicboard) , and scans by different anti-virus softwares, all with no result or not completely solving the problem.

I maybe should say That the problem is present whilest in recovery mode, but the shivering stops, but the filter is there, while running in Safemode.
The problem stays . after several clean installs of the osx, with booting from usb and internet and erasing the complete SSD.


I am searching for a deeper way to tackle this screen problem. And i am turning to Macrumours to hopefully find some assistance in doing so. a bow and smiley


I have made a video of the screen pulsations/shiverings in attachement. (its on a slower speed to make it extra visible)
and tried to film the blurry moving of the text (when zooming in most visible)


If anybody should now where i could start to look to where this alteration comes from?( like boot system, systemlog, ...) or what to do?
I would be very gratefull for it !

Every help is much appreciated,

many thanks !

with kind regards ,

 

[Taz Mangus]

Hi and welcome to the forums. You mentioned that you had already done a clean install. If you did a clean install followed by migration assistant then it is possible that you brought the issue back from your backup.

My suggestion is to do another clean install but this time don't migrate from your backup right away. Perform the clean install and setup the computer as new. Don't initially install any third party software, leave the system clean. Using the system as a clean install, do you notice the issue? Next I would manually migrate your user data from the backup:

• Manually copy over the Desktop folder files, Documents folder files, Downloads folder files, Movies folder files, Music folder files, and Pictures folder files. Use the system after this and notice if the issue has happened again.
• Don't copy over any applications from your backup, instead install each application from scratch. Manually copy over from the backup <your user account>/Library/Application Support folders. Some third party developers use Application Support to store the data for an application.
• Manually copy over <your user account>/Library/Safari folder files from your backup.
• Manually copy over <your user account>/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist from backup.

 

[HopefullSisyfus]

Hi Taz Mangus ,

thanks for your quick reply and help!

The last clean install i performed on my macbookpro catalina 10.15.6 was with a bootable usb of catalina made on another "clean" macbookpro of a friend, and completely erasing and formating my SSD . I haven't migrated or downloaded anything even not from icloud. a have a clean system at the moment.
The problems are always there.


I have also deleted everything in my icloud before the clean install and changing of logicboard by apple repair center.



I do not know if i am always missing something with the clean installs? I always follow the instructions on apple support.


It seems it start at boot of my mac and runs fairly all the time.

 

[Taz Mangus]

If the issue is still happening with your 2019 MacBookPro then I would suggest calling AppleCare and have them look into again. That is what I would do.

 

[HopefullSisyfus]

yes ,sadly I do not have apple care but I have contacted apple support again, and wil try to get it looked after again. but with the ongoing pandemie it is not possible to go to the apple genius bar (quiet far). I could sent it but then i can't explain the problem or show them the video's.
As I already had it send back twice and the problem was still there.

I hoped to find maybe where this program/code/virus rezides in my system via systemlogs, bootlog or checking-programs like etrecheck.

I have found already in my systemlog of the macbook pro this message that possibly something screwy is going on. But i dont know if this is related to the screen problem. maybe that's not to worrie about?

Aug 22 21:08:27 MacBook-Pro-van-Jonas Installer Progress[115]: The first sampled color of the image isn&#39;t solid, this isn&#39;t an Apple logo boot image
Aug 22 21:08:27 MacBook-Pro-van-Jonas Installer Progress[115]: isAppleLogoBootImage = NO

 

[cobra521]

Hopeful,

Still seems to me as if it may be a hardware problem. You said Apple had replaced the screen and logic board. Perhaps it is only a cable or a connector that has a problem. Did they replace all the connections and cables from the screen to the GPU?

Don't see how it could be software if it is still there after a clean install from a non-problematic Apple, unless there is some sort of firmware problem or a corrupted restore partition on your SSD.

Just a guess...

Tom

 

[HopefullSisyfus]

Hello Tom,
I presume they checked. as they did a complete check of my hardware system.
It is checked already twice via apple support .The firsttime they have replaced the display and keyboard. and second time the have put in a new logic board. so they would have checked the cables?


If they did bypass my firmware IS there still hope? could i restore the restore partition?
It would be some older corruption of my system that gets in the newer system to . as the problem started already 8 years ago on the old macbook and apple did use install dvd to install your system at that time .

I have tried to reinstall the osx on theold one to but also there the problem stays


kind greets

 

[Taz Mangus]

If you had the logic board replaced, the new logic baord would have a completely new firmware on it. So unless you downloaded the torrent files again after you received the logic board, I would not consider the firmware to be an issue. From all that you have explained I think this is a hardware issue, maybe an issue the display cable that Tom has mentioned. Even if you don't AppleCare, replaced hardware does have its own warranty. If the computer has been repaired multiple times, call Apple Support and speak with a Senior Level Advisor and explain what is still going on with the computer.

 

[HopefullSisyfus]

So maybe the fault may have slipped back in, when they installed the software back after placing the new logicboard? by the company that fixed it at that time. As i did not put anything back from before nor connected anything , and have deleted everything in my icloud.
They said that placing a new logic board would empty the ssd anyway. is this true? or could the problem never have left the ssd?

Or i does resides somwhere else

I ran apple support yesterday and they again advised a hardware check and if replacement of hardware. I do not know if we have senior level advisors in my country thats Belgium in europe. I'll check that tomorow .

many thanks again for your help!

 

[Taz Mangus]

When you received the computer back and turned it on the first time what did you see? Did it ask you to create a user account? If it did then it was a completely clean install, which means that your previous software does not exist on the computer that came back from repair. Which also means that the firmware was new as well. This leads me to think it is a hardware issue that you are experiencing.

 

[HopefullSisyfus]

I do recall (it's Two months ago :s ) when recieving my macbook back , at first opening catalina was installed and i only had to link my apple id. and it was working . i do think, but not 100%shure, that when starting i could give the same password as i used to. and it was actualy already up and running which surprised me. but thats not realy shure
Also on the hard drive there was double amount of data normale used by the osx occupied , like the old one was still on it . Iwrote themabout that but they didn't repley on that email.

I have written an email now to that repair center and will contact them again to here what they have done.

If this is the case then i would have to put a new logicboard again $$$ and the isue would be gone.


Thanks again!

 

[cobra521]

Hopeful,

On the small chance you haven't, did you try something like MalwareBytes on your Mac? If your Mac has a virus or malware that kind of software could possibly find it. If it is really eight years old, the antivirus folks should be well aware of it.

Just grabbing at straws...

Tom

 

[HopefullSisyfus]

I did a scan with a full version of malwarebytes and before with bitdefender and clamxav. the last one i ran also on the macbook2007 at that time. all with no result. I have written malwarebytesforum and someone was going to check my system (but it's now weekend)

 

[jabba18]

I don't see anything strange, do your friends or family see it?
It's extremely unlikely to be a virus.
Could be a magnetic disturbance, the only thing I can think of, try testing it away form where you're at.

 

[HopefullSisyfus]

Hello Jabba ,

thanks for your reply!
It is defenitly there as other people see it to and there is realy a difference using a clean, the same, laptop and working on mine.

i think it is best viewable on the video of the catalina desktop. on left side of the rocks.
best watch it on a larger screen! it is maybe not the best quality.
The letters moving is harder to spot. seems the caracter is split into squares and some squares move around in a patern.so it seems the letter changes place.

I am not shure it is virus. as it is not detected by an antivirus. after Opening the files from the torrent site my screen started doing these shiverings and ghosting immediatly . maybe it a setting or a program that cause just this screen alteration or a strange acting second layer?? i realy don't know .
I do not think it is after information or passwords, but rather making work on your computer a torture.

I have tested my laptop at different places/houses but that doesn't help.


thanks

kind regards

 

[HopefullSisyfus]

hello all,

I am still clueless what is causing this problem and where i should look.
I have checked with the apple repair center and they clearly say it is not hardware, and changing the logicboard comes with an empty SSD as it is attached. so it is not the Osx .


have contacted a senior advisor of apple. And he too now says it can be something else then hardware. But he couldn't solve it directly .

are ther ways to look in system.log or such to find more details?


if anybody has an idea where to look or what to do , any help is very welcomel!?

 

[Taz Mangus]

Are you using an external monitor on the 2019 MacbookPro computer?

 

[HopefullSisyfus]

No its just the macbookpro display . nothing connected but powercord.
i have checked with anexternal mac cinemadisplay (10year old) and it stays quiet the same.

 

[Taz Mangus]

No its just the macbookpro display . nothing connected but powercord.
i have checked with anexternal mac cinemadisplay (10year old) and it stays quiet the same.

You currently have a clean install of 10.15.6, on your 2019 MacbookPro, and you have not installed any third party software?

With the Cinema Display attached you don’t see the issue?

 

[jabba18]

Tried without power cord? Electricity can have electromagnetical noise, it is rare but possible.

 

[HopefullSisyfus]

last thing i tried was a clean install with a bootable usb of latest catalina made on a similar macbookpro. with erasing the ssd completely.

With the display attached it is almost the same . but more detailed visible on the macbookpro. cause of resolution i guess.


I have checked now without power cord but it stays the same .

 

[Taz Mangus]

@jabba18 brings up a good point. Have you noticed the issue in places outside of where you live?

 

[HopefullSisyfus]

it stays continuesly . in appartement, at my parents house , in garden, .... with or without the powercord attached.

 

[HopefullSisyfus]

would there maybe be another group or thread or forum where i should post this topic to have more succeding chance???quiet a newbie on macrumours :s

many thanks for your helping again!

 

[Taz Mangus]

would there maybe be another group or thread or forum where i should post this topic to have more succeding chance???quiet a newbie on macrumours :s

many thanks for your helping again!

The only thing I can think of is maybe posting to the MacBook Pro forum: https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/macbook-pro.90/.