Screen flickers on briefly but usually stays dark - hardware or software issue?

screen flickers on briefly when touched but otherwise stays dark.
Still plays music but more or less at random - perhaps since one can't see what one is touching. Volume control works.
Very occasionally works normally for a few seconds
battery well-charged
latest versions of all software
I've tried re-setting and restoring - neither made any difference - and looking for answers in this forum.
Out of warranty. Apple will replace it for £62 but not sure whether its worth anything really.
does this indicate a hardware problem (i.e. screen tapped hard one too many times) or is it conceivable that it may be a software issue? I am fairly brutal with ending the Apple-related processes on my pc - when my ipod is not connected - since they gobble memory, though they sprout back annoyingly.
many thanks for any answers.

Hello egremont russet,
If you have tried resetting and restoring then your iPod has a hardware issue.
Apple does have a battery replacement program that can get you 10% off the cost of a new one if you take into an Apple Retail store.
Hope this helps.
~Julian

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Message was edited by: Erebus_E

3gs LS,
I don't know if it is a hardware problem. My mid-2011 MBP does the same thing when connected to an external display as your iMac. It started the moment I upgraded to Mountain Lion.
An identical MPB running Lion attached to this monitor does fine (no flickering). If I attach mine to another Cinema Display - flickering.
That almost certainly means it's a software issue (or in my case I suppose the MPD external video hardware could be faulted), because the monitor is completely fine. The timing of my update, however, makes the software highly suspect.
And one more thing - I am unable to reproduce this unless Safari is running (it does not have to be the active app). Perhaps it is something in the Automatic Graphics Switching, although I have it disabled, as well as the option to "Automatically adjust screen brightness."
Please let us know how your visit to the Apple Store goes. If they fix it, I'm taking mine back in with a printout of this discussion.

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So, just brought my PB in to an independent, certified Apple tech.
Bottomline from his perspective was that it is neither a hardware or software issue. His opinion was that Apple is putting in cheaper LCDs!!! To his eyes - ane experience - they look like the cheaper one put in many Wintel books.
That said, we can't expect a software or hardware solution EXCEPT total replacement of the LCD - which personally I don't see happening. Now we know why this version of the PB offered more features at a cheaper price. They skimped on the screen!!!
The good news. it is not an issue for the 17"!!
As for all of us "stuck" with one? I'm afraid, not much can be done or expected from Apple at this point. The techs are not lying to you when they say it's "within spec." For these lower quality screens it is.
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Not sure that the LCD screen is so cheap. The lines are not produced by bad packaging of the pixels units, because they fully disappear when using pure colors, and are just apparent in mid tones.
My guess is that this has something to do with an inadequate coupling btw the video board and the screen. This does not mean that this can be repaired in keeping the same hardware configuration. This rather means to me that the screen deserves a more adapted piece of equipment to work with.
I have an exemple of a low price Dell LCD screen at home (and an exemple of very good Sony as well). The Dell displays faint lines, but they do not disappear on the right sausage boy when moving the crankycat safari window. The Sony is just perfect.
Hope is not totally gone..but I did send back my powerbook for a refund just in case there is none.

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If so how do I rescue important files (like my wife's novel)!!! Strip the computer down and pull the hard drive? It was running Panther so there is no Time Machine backup.
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Have you tried starting up in Safe Mode? (This probably won't work, but it's worth a try.)
After leaving it sit overnight, does squeezing the case to the left of the trackpad allow you to start up and work for a bit as long as you keep the pressure on it there? If so, you may want to consider trying the shim fix suggested by John Sawyer in the Apple Discussions iBook G3 (Dual USB) Displays Forum:
[Y]ou can often fix this yourself by removing the iBook's bottom housing, and placing a shim of any sort, about 1mm to 1.5mm thick, onto the raised square on the bottom shield. I use a Scotch mounting square--you can get them in hardware stores and many grocery stores. When you reinstall the bottom case, it will press against this shim, which will press against the graphics chip, and may allow the chip to come into better contact with the logic board.
John Sawyer
CJS Macintosh Repair
Instructions for removing the lower case:
iFixit.com
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Mac doesn't boot
Can you hear the fans and hard drive and see the white boot screen? Flashing question mark? The circle just runs and nothing happens? Only black screen and nothing else? These can be very helpful to diagnose the source of the problem. [1]
Flashing question mark [2]: This is usually a sign of a failed hard drive. This indicates that boot up volume can not be found.
Black screen: This is usually a sign of a failed logic board. There is no single reason for this and this may be caused by failed GPU, screen, CPU or RAM.
Circle of death/no circle/blue screen: This is usually a sign of a hard drive failure. This may NOT be a dead hard drive, just broken permissions or something
Gray screen/Apple logo/spinning gear or globe/prohibitory sign/folder with flashing question mark [3]: This could be a sign of faulty hardware but more likely a software issue, i.e. broken permissions, failed software update, etc.
[edit]
What to do
First, hold down the option key (also known as the alt key) just after you've pressed the power button. This should show all the available options to boot from, so if you have Windows installed through Bootcamp or a disk in your SuperDrive, you should be able to see them along with your OS X drive/partition. Select the OS X partition with arrow keys and press enter. Startup key combinations
If that doesn't help continue doing the steps from below:
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2. PRAM reset [5]. Hold down option, command, P and R while booting. Start it when you hear the sound and don't let go before it reboots.
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6. Boot from another Mac (Firewire target disk mode). Connect the machines with a Firewire cable. Power on your Mac and press T. Select the other Mac's hard drive. Download the current OS X combo update. Run the combo update installer and select the drive that won't boot as the destination.
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7.1. Install OS X into an external hard drive and then boot from it [8] and try to copy your data from the hard drive before proceeding. If you have done a backup recently, you don't have to do this.
8. Restore OS X from Time Machine backup. Boot from the disk that came with your Mac and choose the Time Machine restore option. This step will lose any changes made since your last backup but the system and your data will be put back to exactly as it was on that date.
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I restarted holding Command-R.
I opened Disk Utility.
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2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
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Reinstalling OS X Without Erasing the Drive
Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
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When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
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Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.
Also see:
Reinstall OS X Without Erasing the Drive
OS X Yosemite- Reinstall OS X
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet
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Hey everyone...
My two week old MBP is running Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit using Boot Camp 3.1 and the screen with occasionally flicker to black and back. Sometimes, it'll stay black until I tap the laptop. I can even make it flicker by tapping right above the Play/Pause/F8 key. However, everything is perfect in MacOS. I'm thinking there's a software issue with the Sudden Motion Sensor but I'm really not sure. Anyone know how to disable it? Any other ideas?
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Actually, I've just noticed that it also flickers if I tap the right spot during the BIOS bootup (gray screen when laptop first turns on). Disabling the SMS in MacOS didn't make a difference, so I'm going to assume it's hardware and get that logic board that's troubling everyone else replaced...
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Screen flickering then goes dark.. :(

When I open my laptop, the screen flickers for less than a second and then goes dark. If I open and close it quite a few times, occasionally the screen will work, for hours at a time. If you shine a flashlight on it, you can see the dim desktop, so I know the computer is running. It is a mid 2010 macbook pro.
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Have already had my logicboard replaced few months back... and now this....
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For a fault that i have read is very common with many people who bought their laptop during this year....
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See suggestions on this discussion: Screen flickers and goes dark when opening macbook
Make a Genius appointment. Troubleshooting and analysis are a free service at the Genius Bar. If don't have Apple Care and you need repair, then you would have to pay.
http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/
Before you do costly repairs on an old Mac compare it to the cost of a new MacBook Air. Apple recently dropped the prices on the MacBook Airs by $100. Best Buy has been offering additional discounts on the Air. Prices start around $850.
http://store.apple.com/us/buy-mac/macbook-air
If you do purchase a new computer, get 8GB RAM. RAM is soldered in and you can't upgrade later.
Check out Apple's Special Financing link.
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/finance/instant_credit

Screen flickers then gets darker on top.

I have an early 2008 20"Imac, and I also have the 10.8. Hmm, I wonder if that is the problem, I thought it was my invertor board. No warranty on this either.
My screen flickers then the top stays a litter darker.

Have you read for possible solutions over in the "More Like This" thread over here?----------------------->

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Hello to all on here.
I have a problem with my laptop. My laptop is a Satellite Pro M40.
When I turn on my laptop I have found the back light will not come on... the screen will stay dark untill it has fully loaded into Windows. I have checked all of my power options and there all fine. Even if I can get to the Bios screen its impossible to read the txt due to no backlight. I have tried holding the Fn & F7.. noy joy.
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Hello Richard
I didnt see something like that before and I am little bit confused why you can not see BIOS settings but running OS. Usage of FN+F7 key combination will not help because this option works just under Windows and not under DOS level.
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Screen flickers on briefly but usually stays dark - hardware or software issue?

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