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Released June 2009 / 2.66, 2.8, or 3.06 GHz Core 2 Duo Processor

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Intermittent flickering lines across display (+more weird behavior)

HI all,

My MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Mid 2009 is suddenly displaying strange artifacts across the display - flickering lines of color (seems like red is most common). When this happens if i flex the machine body i can usually get it to disappear. Running an external display works totally fine, even while lines are appearing on the built in display. Another strange symptom - while this is happening sometimes, when i am dragging a file in Finder, it refuses to release from 'dragging' - ie... the OS believes i still have the mouse button pressed down (whether using a trackpad or external mouse) and continues to do so until a restart or sometimes a force quit.

I suspect the display cable, though the most effective quick fix while this is happening is pressure on the bottom, middle of the case (which of course worries me).

I should add, tho it seems strange and might be circumstantial - this all started after installing mountain lion (from snow leopard) and the artifacts dont seem to happen when i am running in boot camp.

Anyone seen anything like this?

Thanks in advance!

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This model has the GeForce 8600M GT GPU problem. Here is a short news bit on it

Sorry to say the program has now ended but Apple is still replacing boards if you go to an Apple Store and press them hard.

They will plug in a special tester if it fails they can tell if the logic board is one that needs replacing. You may be asked to pay the labor fee (not the part). The trick here is have as clean a system as possible and offer them a very sad face and pick a mid week morning when they aren't worn out or when it's busy.

If the Genius Tech tells you the full price of the repair ask to see the manager and see if you can bend his ear.

Last November I had another system die, I service over 100 MBP's under a fixed contract, so if I can I try not to get stung on replacing a logic board if I don't have to because of GPU defect. This last time I had to pay the labor.

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Thanks but this model sports an NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT. Not say these werent without their problems but as far as i can tell there is no replacement program for these machines.

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Yup - no replacement program for them, sorry ;-{ This must be a hi-res display model - custom built (silver frame around LCD and matte finish).

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darrick will be eternally grateful.
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