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Model A1297 Unibody: Early 2009, Mid 2009, Mid 2010, Early 2011 & Late 2011

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Screen goes black intermittently

My MacBook Pro 17" Unibody is flashing solid black either very fast or it will last 5-7 seconds and I will hear the hard drive restart and I'm back where I was at. At times it can be set off by simply moving the laptop. Applying pressure above the top set of buttons. (Pressing down makes it go black and when I lift fingers off the screen comes back on) Lifting the laptop up also makes it go off for 5-7 seconds. And more rarely tilting the lid open and shut can make the screen flash black quickly. One thing I noticed with the laptop is that it doesn't go to sleep when I close the lid. But it snaps shut as if to say a magnet has closed it. Sometimes it won't do it at all when I'm moving the laptop. But it always does it when I apply pressure above top set of buttons along the silver aluminium line. Very sad as I just purchased this. I have tried turning the sudden motion sensor off as I believed this may have caused it. I'm thinking it's either the magnet loose or something making the laptop think the lid is closing.. but would it flash quickly? I would assume it would go to sleep properly if it thought it was being closed from a loose magnet. Or maybe it's something else. I checked the LCD data cable and seems to be in fine. I havent emoved the LCD to check the other end. I purchased this computer this week for a good price. So I am assuming the worst right now.

https://vid.me/VJnC

Video of the issue.

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https://vid.me/VJnC

Here is a short video of the issue. When pressure is applied. Also does it when I pick the laptop up and move it. But thy goes sometimes and it's fine for a while. But realised it always does it when I put pressure there.

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Here is another clearer video

https://vid.me/NrQQ

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It may be worth adding that the keyboard lights also go out when the screen goes out. It's like they are in sync. They go off and come back exactly the same time

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I suggest reseating the display cable.

MacBook Pro 17" Unibody Display Replacement

Do step 1 2 and 3 then skip down and do step 11.

Once you remove the display cable, put it back in and see if it helps. If it doesn't there could be an actual issue with the cable, which seems likely in your case.

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That is the one and only thing I have attempted when opening it. I pulled it out and back in. No difference. It does it when moving it suddenly. Or pressing down in certain areas like the keys etc. It just acts like it's going to sleep. Keyboard lights go out. 5 seconds later it's back on and wifi reconnects. If it flashes the. Wifi is still connected. It's so all over the place the symptoms. The fact it doesn't turn off when I close the lid could mean it's a sensor issue maybe? Maybe the magnet is dislodged and picking something up in the laptop magnetic nearby. Just the slightest pressure in these areas makes it do it. The longer I hold down the longer it goes out for. I do not know which to attempt to replace first. The sensor or the lVDS LCD Data cable. Can a failing hard drive make it do this?

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When this happens, do you see the white light on the front light up?

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jessewithmachinegun will be eternally grateful.
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