# Problems with my computer



## coyote_hacker (Mar 27, 2012)

I have a mid-2007 macbook, and it's been nice for me, although it has some problems. First of all, lion wouldn't update, and lines would constantly appear on the screen. I took it to the apple store, and all they did was make the problem WORSE by deleting all my programs, making the power button freeze up my computer, and preventing bootcamp from working. Anybody else having these problems with any good solutions? The lines are REALLY frustrating, and I'm in constant fear that my computer's going to crash while I'm working on something important.


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## Matthew (Mar 27, 2012)

I do know that a lot of Macs from that year begin to have problems with dead pixels after a while. Plug it into a different screen and see if that is the problem. And no there is no known fix for dead pixels as far as I know.


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## Recel (Mar 27, 2012)

You would be better off asking this in Bits and Bytes.


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## CerbrusNL (Mar 27, 2012)

Imma move this to B&B.

Matthew: a Macbook is a laptop. It comes with the screen attached.
"Plug it into a different screen" ain't a viable long-term solution

Now, OP, does the bug look anything like this?
http://simonwoodside.com/weblog/images/2006/graphics_bug.png
In that case, it's your video hard/software messing up, big time. On a PC, I'd reccommend re-installing the video drivers, but I don't know if that's even possible on a mac.


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## Elim Garak (Mar 27, 2012)

> Mac
> Out of warranty
> These issues
You're fucked, OP.
Graphic chip or mobo is dieing, VERY VERY expensive to replace on a regular Laptop, let a lone a mac.


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## CaptainCool (Mar 27, 2012)

yup, it seems to be on its last leg. 
you might be able to sell it though, even broken apple products (and yours is at least still booting up properly) can bring in quite a lot of cash. a co-worker sold his 2007 macbook last year and almost got enough to buy a brand new one.


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## coyote_hacker (Mar 27, 2012)

Okay, I've been thinking about doing that for a while now. It justs pisses me off because I didn't even buy the computer a year ago, and now it's almost dead. Also, the apple store could have tried to fix the problem, not just make it worse.


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## coyote_hacker (Mar 27, 2012)

No, It doesn't show the lines on an external screen.


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## Elim Garak (Mar 28, 2012)

coyote_hacker said:


> Okay, I've been thinking about doing that for a while now. It justs pisses me off because I didn't even buy the computer a year ago, and now it's almost dead. Also, the apple store could have tried to fix the problem, not just make it worse.


A mid 2007 macbook...is it second hand? If it was bought new I believe you Americans have a 1 year warranty(EU has 2 year warranty EU Laws) but apple is known to be a bitch and unkind to get your warranty if you didn't get their apple care while you have right on that warranty.
If it doesn't go it on an external monitor it means your LCD panel or it's controller is broken which means its still pricey just less pricey.
The Apple Store "Geniuses" aren't really tech capable people, they know just enough to show the idiots how to use safari. If you actually let them send it in to their repair center then something might be fixed, however if its not covered by warranty be prepared to pay out of your ass.
Best bet is to bring it to a non-official company that can fix it, it will be a little less pricey.
I actually believe the cost is going to be around the same cost for a new regular "PC" laptop.
I recommend taking that, it's always a matter of balancing putting money in an old broken laptop, you don't know what will break next.


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## ZerX (Mar 28, 2012)

Does your macbook have a 8400M GS, 8600M GS, 8600M GT,etc...card?
Most of these graphic cards died because they had a manufacturing defect. If you have one of these cards you can try fixing it yourself (google: 8600/8800 oven trick, repair your 8600/8800 with a heat gun...) or you can buy a replacement motherboard or graphic card on ebay (I'm not sure if apple solders the graphic card into the motherboard or not).

One more thing apple hardware is a pain when it dies as its expensive to repair. If you can live without OS X I recommend you buy non apple hardware next time.


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## greg-the-fox (Mar 28, 2012)

Caroline Dax said:


> The Apple Store "Geniuses" aren't really tech capable people, they know just enough to show the idiots how to use safari.



Depends on the store I guess, and the management who's hiring.
Every one I've ever talked to at my mall has been extremely helpful and intelligent and they've always solved my problems quickly and without any issues. They do warn you of any possible data loss though, tell you that you NEED to make a backup of your entire hard drive before any repair can be attempted and make you sign a liability waiver. If they loose your data and you don't have a backup, it's your own damn fault for being irresponsible.


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## kayfox (Mar 29, 2012)

greg-the-fox said:


> Every one I've ever talked to at my mall has been extremely helpful and intelligent and they've always solved my problems quickly and without any issues.



The company I work for, which ironically counts Apple as a customer, hired one of these Geniuses a while back. He rose through the ranks of leading the customers through HTTP headers and SYN-ACKs, spent a year doing the white glove service thing, and now is an exceptionally brilliant trainer.  So, yeah, sometimes the people at the Genius bar really are geniuses.


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## coyote_hacker (Mar 30, 2012)

My computer has an intel GMA 950 graphics card, with 64 MB of video processing.


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## Elim Garak (Mar 30, 2012)

coyote_hacker said:


> My computer has an intel GMA 950 graphics card, with 64 MB of video processing.


If it was the GFX card you'd be fucked because it's an IGP. I doubt Macbooks allow you to switch gfx card anyways. Especially seeing they make it hard as fuck to replace the battery.
Like I said I think its the LCD panel or the Display controller.
Just bring it in to a repair shop and ask them for a quote, keep in mind you'll have to pay the cost of them looking into.
It's not something you can figure out by yourself if you have don't the parts to replace and test to see what's broken.
Generally if the VGA/DVI/HDMI port still works it's not the gpu.


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## Runefox (Mar 30, 2012)

I'd like to point out that NO laptop lets you (easily) replace the GPU. There are few exceptions, and fewer options for replacements.

Given the overall state of chaos on the computer, though, I'd say it's probably either the GPU or the RAM. Either could cause the problems you've been having. The LCD ribbon wouldn't cause problems like freezing. Considering the lines are only present on the internal LCD, though, it's probably a few issues combined.


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## Elim Garak (Mar 30, 2012)

Runefox said:


> I'd like to point out that NO laptop lets you (easily) replace the GPU. There are few exceptions, and fewer options for replacements.
> 
> Given the overall state of chaos on the computer, though, I'd say it's probably either the GPU or the RAM. Either could cause the problems you've been having. The LCD ribbon wouldn't cause problems like freezing. Considering the lines are only present on the internal LCD, though, it's probably a few issues combined.


I came across quite a few, literally just popping it out and another back in like it was ram/wifimodule. 
Well yeah it could be the GPU/RAM but it would be odd that only the internal LCD because normally it would be on both ports. Never seen it like that. I kinda think the Apple "geniuses" fucked it up software wise, I have seen so called "computer experts" mucking around with the software and causing unrelated issues. That or a botched BIOS/firmware whatever update, not sure if Apple provides these.
Anyways the point is, OP is not going to find out by himself unless he has the tools to do so.


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## Runefox (Mar 30, 2012)

Yeah, there are exceptions; Higher-end Alienware and others like it are more likely to have a removable graphics card, but the format is proprietary to each system, and not at all standard. Usually the only replacements are manufacturer-specific, and only available in one or two different varieties. Commodity machines (and Apple machines) use non-replaceable GPU's.

I'm still waiting on a standard for that, but by the time we hit that point given the current trend towards miniaturization (Ultrabooks and tablets), we'll be doing ray tracing on the CPU instead and it won't matter.


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## AshleyAshes (Mar 30, 2012)

I don't see why the Mac bashing is necessary in this thread.  *All* laptops are a pain in the ass when they start to die.  There sure as hell isn't anything special about a MacBook being a pain, cause it's universal.  And by the time the things start to give in (Assuming you didn't drop it, leading to premature death) the cost of the repair parts is often higher than the cost of a new laptop with comparable specs to the old laptop.


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## Elim Garak (Mar 30, 2012)

AshleyAshes said:


> I don't see why the Mac bashing is necessary in this thread.  *All* laptops are a pain in the ass when they start to die.  There sure as hell isn't anything special about a MacBook being a pain, cause it's universal.  And by the time the things start to give in (Assuming you didn't drop it, leading to premature death) the cost of the repair parts is often higher than the cost of a new laptop with comparable specs to the old laptop.


Well, if you drop 1k on a laptop with specs that don't live up to the price you'd expect it to function correctly for a long while. 
Also, We are mainly stating the fact that Mac hardware for repairs is WAAAAY more pricey then say HP. With the exception of HDD and RAM. Also the fact that the Apple store made the problem worse instead of fixing it or giving useful advice.
We are also suggesting to get a regular laptop because its more bang for your buck and less steep then a new macbook.
Apple hardware is also built to be a pain in the ass to repair, ranging from the new screws that require nonstandard screw drivers, to non easily removable batteries.
As someone who fixed laptops(and even smartphones like replacing screens) for a living for a long time before my current job I know that Apple hardware is more of a bitch then the rest.


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## ZerX (Mar 31, 2012)

replacement notebook GPUs can be ordered from ( www.mxm-upgrade.com ) if the notebooks GPU isn't integrated/soldered and the manufacturer made them swappable then you can replace it by yourself.for a macbook that has an integrated GPU you need to change the whole macbook motherboard


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