Such a nightmare.

It is clear that the geniuses are generally not aware of the issue since it has happened to a relatively small number of customers considering the size of apples base.

Since receiving the laptop, I have not had a single crash. Reinstalled lion to make sure there wasn’t any software patch I would lose if I had to do a fresh install again. Good luck diagnosing your machine Jim. Make sure they are fully aware of the replacement program and get the genius to talk with a manager.

I can make my machine crash somewhat consistently by running Reeder under 10.7.2 — but that’s pretty much the only app I have regular trouble with (it’s a shame too, I like the app). Otherwise, if I baby the machine, it’s pretty stable.

I may take my MacBook Pro to an authorized repair shop to have them run the tests. Supposedly, other people have had luck taking that route. If that doesn’t do it, I’ll shell out the money (and time) it takes to “fix” the problem. It may be a few months before I do though. With the holidays, I don’t have the “play” money to do it.

They proposed a fresh install, which I had already done but wanted to let them see the problems persist as I had. They claimed to run tests “all night long with as many applications open as possible.” The Genius Bar claimed it didn’t crash at all. I opened my computer, launched PhotoBooth and it crashed within 30 seconds of them handing it back to me.

I purchased in May of 2010, and am out of warranty with no AppleCare. Despite the video update, they would not admit to a manufacturing defect in the product, and wanted me to pay $350 to replace the logic board at a service center, or $500+ to service it at the store. I would consider doing so if I hadn’t read several places that replacement logic boards haven’t solved the problem.

Is there any way to prove it is a manufacturing defect? Jim, how was your black screen issue different from the one they are admitting to as a manufacturing defect?

Is it even worth paying to fix the logic board if others are seeing no success? Jim, please let me know if you end up replacing your logic board and it fixes your problem.

Apple has enough cash on their books to fix this. Hoping they do the right thing…

The one thing I’ve found that seems to help is from this unlikely source: the World of Warcraft tech support forum. (Am not a gamer; found the link in a Google search.) It details a simple installer hack for the updated Nvidia drivers for OS 10.7 that enable their installation under 10.6.x. Too early to say the problem has completely gone away, but my system seems to be more stable since doing this. Here is the URL for the procedure:

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2721563837

But as my dumb luck would have it, my MBP has another issue that makes it crash in the exact same manner (black screen) that’s not covered by the program. It’s going to cost me ~$350 to replace the mother board, and leave me without a machine for at least a week.

That makes 3 portables in a row that have been lemon fresh for me. Thinking of moving to a desktop machine for my next purchase.

To test if your machine is affected, in Lion – launch Photo Booth, select “effects” and click right to the second page of effects. If you’ve got the issue, your screen will go black every time. Mine does, and it’s infuriating.

I really hope Apple comes up with a solution soon. It makes my machine unusable in Lion, and totally breaks the whole iCloud workflow for me, since contacts can’t be set up to sync in Snow Leopard.

In this circumstance, that is not the case it is a driver incompatibility with 10.7-10.7.1 and the GPU in the 15″ pros. and it has nothing to do with the hardware of the computer itself.

10.7.2 seems to have fixed the problem, though i am a little leery that it has been totally resolved

Tyler Crocker ACMT