Flickering intermittent lines on my display (Macbook Pro 15in Unibody mid-2009)

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 (which i have reseated to the connector), 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.
Hoping this can be resolved by some minimal DIY fix...
Thanks in advance for any help!

Hi,
Not really a suggestion as such, but I have just installed a WD Scorpio Blue 500gb HDD myself. Unfortunately I've been having some issues with it and started a topic on this site to find an answer:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2518783&tstart=0
I thought you might be interested as it could affect your decision.
Rh

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Airport not available on MacBook Pro 15 unibody mid 2009, PLEASE HELP!!!!

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I also deleted the "SystemConfiguration" Folder and found something interesting. The "com.apple.airport.preferences.plist" was never there and when I reboot, the "com.apple.network.identification.plist" also disappeared. I had to drag it back into the folder from the desktop where I put a copy just in case something weird happened, which it did.
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From Mac Basics: AirDrop lets you send files from your Mac to nearby Macs and iOS devices
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MELODIC SQUEALING - MacBook Pro 17" Unibody (Mid-2009)

Hi,
I bought my MBP 17" directly from Apple shortly after the Unibody laptops came out.
I have a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 4 GB of memory.
I have been hearing this noise for quite some time, and I have searched for answers for quite some time, but now I am finally fed up and tired of hearing this god-awful noise even when I am running nothing processor intensive. My computer gets very HOT when I hear this sound, too.
I have locked my graphics card using gfxCardStatus. It does nothing for this problem.
I hear this sound with or without the power plug.
The sound is a melodic series of beeps, which will play, sometimes pause, play again, and then "stick" in a high-pitched squeal at the end.
You can hear the sound here: http://mrkrbrts.com/mbp_squeal.aiff
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JonnyAlpha,
a miniature screw extractor would probably be your best bet. One manufacturer of them is Moody Tools.

Upgrading internal HDD on Macbook Pro 13(Unibody)-Mid 2009

Hi All,
I have a 160GB internal hdd on my MBP 13 which i am finding to be pretty low on space. So I am planning to upgrade the internal HDD. I did a lot of reading on the web and looks like there are 3 contenders:
1. WD scorpio blue 500/640/750 GB, 5400rpm
2. Seagate Momentus 500/640 GB, 5400rpm
3. WD scorpio black -- 500GB, 7200rpm
My space requirements are not too high. Even 500 would suffice, but since the 640 and 750 give a better bang for the buck(GB/$), i am still contemplating.
Would 640/750 be an overkill resulting in slow performance, reduced battery life and noise ? If so which one would be the best choice considering performance is more important for me once we cross the 500GB limit.
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- Battery life should not reduce.
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Hi,
Not really a suggestion as such, but I have just installed a WD Scorpio Blue 500gb HDD myself. Unfortunately I've been having some issues with it and started a topic on this site to find an answer:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2518783&tstart=0
I thought you might be interested as it could affect your decision.
Rh

Since Yosemite upgrade, high pitch noise creating case vibration on MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009) (on watching the keynote online)

Hi,
Great work on Yosemite, great new design as well.
Several problems since the Yosemite upgrade though :
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System :
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009)
Model Identifier: MacBookPro5,3
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
Memory: 8 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP53.00AC.B03
SMC Version (system): 1.48f2

Thanks for your lengthy reminder dude, I have a similar Mac with yours. I suspect its a software fault because it happens after I upgraded to Lion, 10.7.2.

HT201938 connecting MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009) to Hisense TV with audio?!?!!?

hello everyone.
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im not familar AT ALL with any of this so i hope me giving you my MacBook Pros make and model and my TV's model number will be enough information for someone to help me.
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thank you so much,

These are user to user forums, your describing a serious hardware issue that needs to be serviced by Apple.
Good luck and I hope your issue gets resolved.

My MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2009) question mark on startup

My MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2009) has a question mark on startup.
I brought it to my local apple service centre and they told me that after a few tests it was the hardrive, so they changed it under-warranty. Back home I started re-installing my system and got again a question mark on startup.
I decided to put the hardrive in a FW800 external enclosure and boot my system this way and the computer started without any problem. I reinstalled the hardrive in the MacBook Pro and again got a question mark on startup.
I decided to buy another drive, Seagate momentus XT 500Go, transfered all my files in this new drive and I installed it inside the MacBook Pro, still the same question mark on startup. I installed it again in my FW800 external enclosure and everything worked fine.
I decided to installed it again in the MacBook Pro, load the computer via the original Mac OSX install DVD, load the system and try to install a new fresh one on the hardrive... no hardrive were found....
So I decided again to bring it back to the same local service centre, and they told me again it was the hardrive the problem... but they don't want to listen to me when I told them that all my hardrives can startup the computer via an external enclosure....
So I would like your help, I think the problem come from the cable that linked the HD to the motherboard or the SATA chip inside the motherboard, but they don't want to test it !!!!
Thanks in advance for you help, I have been without my computer since 2 weeks now and I can't afford working without it any more !!!
Sincerely
bosa30

You need to take this computer to a real Apple Store. Or call AppleCare. Obviously this "local serve centre" doesn't have the skills to deal with your issue.
I'd also check your RAM, as an easy first step. But I think the HD controller in your Mac is bad, since you can boot from an external drive.

Airdrop not working on MacBook Pro 15-inch, Mid 2009

i recently updated the Yosemite OS on my MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009), but i could use the Airdrop anymore even from computer to computer and computer to iPhone. May i know is there a reason and how shall i rectify this problem ? I had try to redownload the Yosemite OS but it appear the same issue after the troubleshoot.

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Macbook pro 13 inch mid 2009 S.O.S morce code 9 beeps

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Yes it is and here is more infromation about it.
2GB (two 1GB SO-DIMMs) of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM; supports up to 8GB
2.26GHz MacBook Pro
(MB990LL/A)
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory3
it came with 160gb hard drive but the seller took it becouse he had his own files in it, so u did put new 500GB hard drive in it.

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009) - Maximum internal hard drive size and speed?

What is the maximum size of hard drive and speed for an internal hard drive to my Macbook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009), please?
I bought myself a Technics 1TB, 7200 rpm internal hardrive. Made a clone successfully in Super Duper.
It fits, but It is not available for starting up my Macbook Pro. Not available in System Prefs, but visible and grey in Disc Utility.
Although it starts up my Mac Pro just fine.. but not my Macbook Pro.
Is there a limit of hard drive specifics?
What is the maximum size of hard drive and speed for an internal hard drive to my Macbook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2009), please?

Thanks for the reply
I cloned the Technics HDD ( 2,5" HGST Travelstar 7K1000 - 1 TB : HTS721010A9E630) from the MBP.
I tried to boot it up with my Technincs ( 2,5" HGST Travelstar 7K1000 - 1 TB : HTS721010A9E630) installed in my MBP (as my internal hard drive).

Can anyone point me to the correct type of RAM to purchase for a MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009)?

I have a MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009) that recently had some problems and I was forced to reinstall OSX and ended up upgrading to Yosemite (I was previously using Mavericks). Unfortunately I did not realize how much OSX 10.10 would slow down my computer, so I'm looking to upgrade my RAM from 4GB to 8GB to help resolve this. However, I don't really have a good idea what type of RAM I need aside from the fact that it needs to be 1066 MHz. I was hoping someone might be able to point me in the right direction as to what the exact type of RAM I need to purchase or possibly link me to a site where I could buy what I require. I know some people claim third party RAM doesn't work as well as memory that is made and/or sold by apple but I would prefer to go with whatever is cheapest.

A 15" mid-2009 MBP RAM specifications are: 204-pin PC3-8500 (1066 MHz) DDR3 SO-DIMM.
As has been pointed out, OWC is an excellent source for Mac compatible RAM. Crucial is another first rate source for Mac RAM. RAM from either vendor will work just as well as any purchased from Apple with the bonus of being less expensive and having a lifetime guarantee.
Ciao.

I am working on a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009) with boot camp running Windows 7 pro 64-bit. Windows crashes quite often now-a-days and I need to get this fixed. I heard that updating boot camp can help. Currently I am running Version 3.0.4 (322).

I need to know which update(s) I can apply to help stabalize the system.

Typing the body of the thread message in the title, huh? -)
I am working on a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009) with boot camp running Windows 7 pro 64-bit. Windows crashes quite often now-a-days and I need to get this fixed. I heard that updating boot camp can help. Currently I am running Version 3.0.4 (322).
Only Apple could hamstring and tie Mac OS to Windows. There isn't any other than whether you can download the drivers into Windows (you can) but Apple puts a block on the installer setup even if your mac does not support it.
Windows 7 needs at least Boot Camp 3.1 and 3.3 is what you should already have. And you are not getting security updates if you don't have at least 10.6.8 as was pointed out. --- you arent using Software Update as you should. And you should backup and clone Mac (and Windows) as well.
You need Mountain Lion to use Boot Camp 5.x which supports Windows 7 & 8 and 64-bit.
I would upgrade to Lion if you can realizing that Rosetta and PowerPC are no longer supported though.
Mac 101: Using Windows on your Mac via Boot Camp
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT1461
http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/
Helpful Apple Support Resources (Forum Overview)
Boot Camp Support
Boot Camp Manuals
Boot Camp 5.0 Drivers
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1638
Frequently asked question
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4818
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/boot_camp_install-setup_10.7.pdf
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Boot_Camp_Install-Setup_10.6.pdf
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Boot_Camp_Install-Setup_10.6.pdfcreate a Windows support software (drivers) CD or USB storage media
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4407
The Boot Camp Assistant can burn Boot Camp software (drivers) to a DVD or copy it to a USB storage device, such as a flash drive or hard drive. These are the only media you can use to install Boot Camp software.
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT4569
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/boot_camp_install-setup_10.8.pdf
Instructions for all features and settings.
Boot Camp 4.0 FAQ Get answers to commonly asked Boot Camp questions.
Windows 7 FAQ Answers to commonly asked Windows 7 questions.
http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/
Is there a download of the Boot Camp 5 Support Software if I'm not using OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.3?
Yes, you can download the Boot Camp 5 Support Software here.
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1638
How do I use the Boot Camp 5 Support Software I downloaded from the web page?
The download file is a .zip file. Double click it to uncompress it.
Double-click the Boot Camp disk image.
Copy the Boot Camp and "$WinPEDriver$" folders to the root level of a USB flash drive or hard drive that is formatted with the FAT file system (see question below for steps on how to format).
Install Windows, leaving the flash or hard drive attached to the USB port of your Mac.
Installation of the drivers can take a few minutes. Don't interrupt the installation process. A completion dialog box will appear when everything is installed. Click Finish when the dialog appears.
When your system restarts your Windows 8 installation is done.
Note: If the flash drive or hard drive was not attached when you installed Windows and was inserted after restarting into Windows 8, double-click the Boot Camp folder, then locate and double click the "setup.exe" file to start the installation of the Boot Camp 5 Support Software.
How do I format USB media to the FAT file system?
Use Disk Utility to format a disk to use with a Windows computer. Here's how:
Important: Formatting a disk erases all the files on it. Copy any files you want to save to another disk before formatting the disk.
Open Disk Utility.
Select the disk you want to format for use with Windows computers.
Click Erase, and choose one of the following from the Format pop-up menu:
If the size of the disk is 32 GB or less, choose MS-DOS (FAT).
If the size of the disk is over 32 GB, choose ExFAT.
Type a name for the disk. The maximum length is 11 characters.
Click the Erase button and then click Erase again.
Which versions of Windows are supported with Boot Camp 5?
64-bit versions of Windows 8 and Windows 7 are supported using the Boot Camp 5 Support Software. If you need to use a 32-bit version, you need to use Boot Camp 4 Support Software, and you must use Windows 7. 32-bit versions of Windows 8 are not supported via Boot Camp. For a complete list of Windows OS support, click here.

Macbook Pro 15in Unibody Wi-Fi Drop and Stay Off / Total System Freeze

Hi.
Up until about two weeks ago I had no issues with my mac. Then I installed Lion and about two days later the following occurred:
Macbook Pro 15in Unibody - drops wifi connection with numerous routers and different locations. I turn Airport Utility off and it won't ever turn back on. Restart is the only option... Alternatively the mac will sometimes just freeze and I can't move the cursor or type at all. Booted into BOOTCAMP partition and that freezes as well.
So, now I have bought a new Solid State Drive and done a fresh install of Snow Leopard. About 5 seconds in and it froze again - so I restarted - and about 20 mins later the Airport Utility did the same issue, dropped the wifi and wouldn't turn back on after I turn it off.
Reset PRAM, Airport Utility did the same again. So far, touch wood, only the one freeze since the new HHD and PRAM reset...
ANY IDEAS AT ALL WHAT THE HECK THIS CAN BE? It is SO annoying I have been scouting the net but can't see an obvious solution. I have however been shocked at sooooo many cases similar to this with the Macbooks...
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Yes it will work just fine. I sell and set them up quite a bit with both PC's and Macs.
All N routers at the moment are all based on draft N protocol, even Apple's own Airport routers. So the Belkin N+ will work at N speeds if you set it to N mode only. Ofcourse for broad compatibility with all sorts of WiFi devices it is best to leave it in mixed mode.
For some background, i have used all sorts of makes of routers from Compaq/TrendNet (favourite)/Microsoft/Netgear (current favourite)/Dlink...and so on over the years, NOT any issues.
Apple's Airport extreme base stations (which are still draft N) aren't any more compatible than a Netgear or Belkin N router.

I have a MacBook Pro, 15-inch, Mid 2009. I would love to upgrade to a Solid State Drive. What is the best possible upgrade I can buy. I need the specs and even brand name. Thank you to anyone who can help.

I have a MacBook Pro, 15-inch, Mid 2009. I would love to upgrade to a Solid State Drive. What is the best possible upgrade I can buy. I need the specs and even brand name. Thank you to anyone who can help.

A 15" mid-2009 MBP RAM specifications are: 204-pin PC3-8500 (1066 MHz) DDR3 SO-DIMM.
As has been pointed out, OWC is an excellent source for Mac compatible RAM. Crucial is another first rate source for Mac RAM. RAM from either vendor will work just as well as any purchased from Apple with the bonus of being less expensive and having a lifetime guarantee.
Ciao.

Power Adapter for 17" MacBook Pro 2.8GHz (Mid 2009)

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Thanks

i would like to say, power adapters are of no tricks. They just provide voltage, current, and also the quality of them. When i say quality, it means how stable they can provide. All good functioning power adaptors should have an acceptable quality. So this is not a concern.
Then, what is going on with the "power"? No matter how many watts, there are _*no differences*_. What you have to consider is: unless it cant boot up your system, or it is not capable to charge while you are working (lower watt will just charge slower), or it has some serious problems when you are doing some high energy consuming tasks (like playing 3D games, video converting). Otherwise, the power adaptor is said to be providing enough power, and nothing to be worried about =]

Flickering intermittent lines on my display (Macbook Pro 15in Unibody mid-2009)

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