MacBook Pro Early 2006 Display Issues

[tensixturtle]

Hello,
This is my first time posting in the MacRumors forums, but I have enjoyed reading especially the Early Intel threads! I have an early 2006 MacBook Pro that I got used. There appeared to be display issues, and when I plugged it into a monitor, there was no issue, so I replaced the display but it looks identical. Please see the picture attached. The issue is the exact same as when I originally acquired it. I was wondering if the display I had bought has an issue, or is there a problem with the on-board graphics, in which case I would have to replace the logic board?
Thank you for your time!

 

[joevt]

I sometimes see something similar on my Apple Cinema 30" Display connected to Nvidia GTX 680 in a Mac Pro 2008. The problem usually goes away if I put the display to sleep and wake it up again (use Screen Saver -> Hot Corners -> Put Display to Sleep). The strange pixels I see are usually green-ish. Yours are red-ish.

 

[840quadra]

Have you attempted to adjust screen resolution to see if the issue follows? Only other issue that I can think of would be either a display cable issue, port issue, or as you stated, the Logic Board.

You can try this fix that resolved a similar issue on one of my machines. Pulled from this post from Long ago.

Here is how you fix the vertical line problem on the macbook
restart by resetting the pram (holding command option p r on restart) until you hear 4 chimes
then when you get into os x. open up system pref.
go to display. change the resolution of your screen to anything but normal. then change back to normal. restart computer normally and problem is solved.

 

[tensixturtle]

@joevt and @840quadra thank you for your replies. I seem to be having even bigger problems today. I added some RAM and tried to boot from my external DVD drive to install SL, but now it has started to take simply forever to boot from the disc. I seem to have an issue where I cannot initiate boot key commands because the keyboard won't power up until the computer finished booting. Today, it suddenly started taking 30+ minutes to decide to boot from the disc, and it will just sit there with a blank light blue screen. (it took only 1 minute yesterday). Currently it is stuck mid-install this way. I had to install on an external FireWire drive I had, because along with all the good luck I have been having with this computer, it can't seem to recognize the brand-new SSD I just installed in it... /s Do you think you (or anyone) might have an idea? I appreciate your time, and thanks in advance.

 

[840quadra]

Can you revert back to your old memory configuration and try again? Also, I would recommend using the stock keyboard (built in) and try resetting the P-Ram as mentioned in the post I quoted.

 

[tensixturtle]

@840quadra unfortunately, I cannot, because 512MB was not enough to install SL. The keyboard I am using is the stock built-in keyboard. After sitting for more than an hour on the blue screen, it finally installed SL, and it is clear that it is unable to show the color black, which is replaced with red. Putting the display to sleep unfortunately does not appear to help

 

[840quadra]

Order of troubleshooting is to fix one problem before introducing change . I was attempting to help resolve the display issue since it is what made you start the thread.

I still suggest resetting the P-Ram via whatever method works. An apple keyboard connected via USB should function for this, that or many 3rd party USB keyboards using a modified keystroke to accommodate for Command key not being on windows keyboards.

The issues you are having appear to relate to you having a logic board, but P-Ram resets can do wonders.

 

[eyoungren]

Just a thought…in Accessibility (System Preferences) you wouldn't have anything turned on that affects the display would you?

Some of that stuff has default keyboard commands and having played around with things in there there are some options that can affect color (invert display colors being one).

 

[tensixturtle]

Thanks for both of your suggestions. I checked my Universal Access settings but everything looked normal. I apologize for putting out so many other issues in my last post; I just found out a bunch of issues today when I was installing Snow Leopard. I also tried using an external keyboard and resetting the PRAM, but unfortunately, it did not seem to respond to (any of) the key commands. Strangely, it powers the external DVD drive on boot but not the keyboard because the Caps Lock key doesn't come on when I push it. I attempted multiple times on both USB ports, and I know the keyboard works. Does this seem to be a logic board issue then? Thank you very much for your time, I appreciate it very much.

 

[eyoungren]

Thanks for both of your suggestions. I checked my Universal Access settings but everything looked normal. I apologize for putting out so many other issues in my last post; I just found out a bunch of issues today when I was installing Snow Leopard. I also tried using an external keyboard and resetting the PRAM, but unfortunately, it did not seem to respond to (any of) the key commands. Strangely, it powers the external DVD drive on boot but not the keyboard because the Caps Lock key doesn't come on when I push it. I attempted multiple times on both USB ports, and I know the keyboard works. Does this seem to be a logic board issue then? Thank you very much for your time, I appreciate it very much.

One more thing to try and that is resetting SMC.

■ Reset SMC
Press and hold down the Control + SHIFT + Option (Alt) + Power (Eject) keys together on your computer’s built-in keyboard for 10 seconds, and then release the keys. This resets the System Management Controller (SMC) on your MacBook Pro. Any issues with the components that require some power to operate are resolved in this step.

^^^ Note, shut the Mac down first, then press these keys.

 

[B S Magnet]

Hello,
This is my first time posting in the MacRumors forums, but I have enjoyed reading especially the Early Intel threads! I have an early 2006 MacBook Pro that I got used. There appeared to be display issues, and when I plugged it into a monitor, there was no issue, so I replaced the display but it looks identical. Please see the picture attached. The issue is the exact same as when I originally acquired it. I was wondering if the display I had bought has an issue, or is there a problem with the on-board graphics, in which case I would have to replace the logic board?
Thank you for your time!


View attachment 1853686

I have experienced this very kind of artifacting with one of my laptops, a late 2005 PowerBook G4. For me, it has occurred after reassembling the system after performing a repair or adding in new thermal paste, and the reason has to do with the LVDS display cable being improperly seated where it plugs into the logic board.

Specifically, it’s because (at least in my case) a tiny bit of the yellow kapton tape applied at the factory to hold the display cable in place got caught between the LVDS plug and the board receptacle when I reassembled everything. With the MacBook Pro, there’s a clear, tape-like covering over the LVDS cable, which more or less does the same task of protecting the wires inside and keeping the cable from moving about over time.

Here’s the iFixit close-up of that cable in the PowerBook on which I’ve had this issue:



And here’s iFixit’s close-up of the same cable in your MacBook Pro:




Each time my display looked like this after putting it back together, it’s freaked me out and made me worry that I ruined a critical component. Taking the “don’t panic!” approach, I’ve gone back to inspect everything and made sure anything which could get in the way is kept out of the way (such as a tiny bit of overlapping kapton tape or plastic).

Given that you recently acquired this, either the previous owner did some tinkering of their own and ran into a problem like this, or the last repair service did a lousy job of making sure everything was seated properly and not obstructed. If you’re feeling up to opening your system and having a look, here’s the guide you’ll want to use (and you can skip steps 11–14, after opening the top case, since you’re only in there to inspect and not remove anything). If you see some of that plastic stuck between plug and socket, gently pull out the cable per step 15 and, upon re-inserting it, take care to assure the plastic isn’t getting stuck in between.

There is also the more remote possibility the LVDS cable’s tiny wires may be damaged, but for now, a thorough inspection of where it plugs into the board (including looking inside the receptacle under good lighting and maybe a magnifying glass) is a good first step.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[tensixturtle]

@eyoungren thank you for your suggestion, I tried resetting the SMC but unfortunately it did not work because the keyboard did not work until the computer finished booting. @B S Magnet, thank you also for your suggestion as well. In the next few weeks I will be opening up the computer and take a look. I will report back when I do.

 

[tensixturtle]

@B S Magnet, I opened it up again but unfortunately, I did not find anything like you described around the display cable. Now when I put it back together, the backlight is not working either! (I must have broken something...) Do you think this is a logic board issue?
Thank you very much in advance.

 

[B S Magnet]

@B S Magnet, I opened it up again but unfortunately, I did not find anything like you described around the display cable. Now when I put it back together, the backlight is not working either! (I must have broken something...) Do you think this is a logic board issue?
Thank you very much in advance.

I honestly cannot say. At this point, it’s one of those things I would literally need to inspect myself to rule out possible culprits. It could be the logic board, but the only way to test that is to get a second logic board and try it in the original logic board’s stead.

 

[tensixturtle]

Hello,
Sorry for an unimportant post, I just thought I would mention that the MacBook Pro asked about in this thread finally works. The logic board replacement seemed to fix all the problems except the backlight issue, which was fixed with the display replacement. Thank you to those who helped answer my questions and point me in the right direction with this!

 

[B S Magnet]

Hello,
Sorry for an unimportant post, I just thought I would mention that the MacBook Pro asked about in this thread finally works. The logic board replacement seemed to fix all the problems except the backlight issue, which was fixed with the display replacement. Thank you to those who helped answer my questions and point me in the right direction with this!
View attachment 1935755

Congratulations on getting it fixed and running once more, giving it new life for many years to come. It looks like in its earlier lifetime it got a lot of use! (It almost looks like it was a gaming computer given the heavy use on A, S, E, and the space bar.)

I’m guessing the GPU could have been on its way out, but I’m not sure how often this happened with the Radeon X1600. The one way it could have been tested would have been to open System Profiler > Graphics/Displays, and check whether the PCIe lane width was anything less than “x16”. Anything less than x16 would indicate a GPU was probably on its way out (h/t @Amethyst1 and @dosdude1 ):

 

[tensixturtle]

@B S Magnet thanks, I’m glad it is running. I will definitely keep this GPU thing in mind in the future. That is interesting you noted a connection with the A, S, E, and space keys and gaming. I am always curious about the previous life of these computers; I would still like to know why the previous owner thought it was a good idea to cut a (not straight) line all the way across the top case using a carpenter’s knife as well as etching their initial on the bottom case… Thank you for all of your insights and help!

 

[Amethyst1]

etching their initial on the bottom case…

I can see the point of that, but not the straight line across the top case. One of my teachers had written his PowerBook's admin password onto the palmrest using a ballpoint pen...

 

[tensixturtle]

It is not just initials, but a quite large and not very pretty design etched in around it. I covered it up with a sticker with computer specifications that was sent along with the MacBook Pro.

 

[B S Magnet]

It is not just initials, but a quite large and not very pretty design etched in around it. I covered it up with a sticker with computer specifications that was sent along with the MacBook Pro.

Starting to think you might be the third owner, in that the second owner was a disaffected teenage boy who spent all day after school just gaming and etching on things out of boredom (or strife).

 

[Amethyst1]

Starting to think you might be the third owner, in that the second owner was a disaffected teenage boy who spent all day after school just gaming and etching on things out of boredom (or strife).

Well, at least they were different in that they didn't totally plaster their laptop with stickers.

 

[B S Magnet]

Well, at least they were different in that they didn't totally plaster their laptop with stickers.

You should see a late ’06 MacBook I brought back to life: the top case was peppered with stickers which covered where old stickers were (and then removed with some kind of solvent which ate into the plastic, leaving behind the outline of the original sticker).

 

[tensixturtle]

Well, at least they were different in that they didn't totally plaster their laptop with stickers.

Actually, they did. But the stickers were gone along with the display I replaced

You should see a late ’06 MacBook I brought back to life: the top case was peppered with stickers which covered where old stickers were (and then removed with some kind of solvent which ate into the plastic, leaving behind the outline of the original sticker).

Wow, that sounds worse!

 

[Amethyst1]

the top case was peppered with stickers which covered where old stickers were

They should have left the old stickers in place. Patina adds to the value.

 

[B S Magnet]

They should have left the old stickers in place. Patina adds to the value.

Oh, the chemical traces of whatever compound they used to remove the first round of stickers is all the patina that computer will ever need.

But hey, it runs Lion and Snow Leopard just fine, and that’s what matters, right?