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MBP display keeps fading...
#14385 02/26/11 01:28 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
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Hi, all.

I have a 2008 MacBook Pro 2.4 GHz with 2GB's of RAM running 10.5.8 & recently the display keeps dimming if I stop typing even momentarily.

I've checked Sys Prefs & all's o.k. there so I'm baffled as to why.

Any help appreciated,

Cheers, Phil...


2008 15" MacBook Pro 2.4GHz 2GB RAM 200GB HD
OS 10.5.8
1TB Time Capsule
1TB Iomega FW 800/400/USB 2.0 external HD
500 GB Iomega USB 2.0 external HD
SmartDisk CrossFire FW 400/USB 2.0 160 GB external HD
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Re: MBP display keeps fading...
phildobbin #14386 02/26/11 01:31 PM
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Look at the Keyboard & Mouse preference pane and go to Keyboard Shortcuts. See if the shortcut for dimming the display is checked (you can deactivate it if necessary). You may be accidentally pressing it.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: MBP display keeps fading...
jchuzi #14387 02/26/11 01:43 PM
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Hi, Jon.

Thanks for that. I've disabled that option following your advice (incidentally after doing it the brightness went down in the Display Prefs). I've disabled all third-party Screensavers & that's made no difference so I guess I'll have to dig out Apple's Hardware Test disk (if I have one) & see if that comes up with anything.

Cheers, Phil...


2008 15" MacBook Pro 2.4GHz 2GB RAM 200GB HD
OS 10.5.8
1TB Time Capsule
1TB Iomega FW 800/400/USB 2.0 external HD
500 GB Iomega USB 2.0 external HD
SmartDisk CrossFire FW 400/USB 2.0 160 GB external HD
Canon Pixma MP600R all-in-one
Software: Logic, Ableton Live, Photoshop, Flash, Lightroom & BBEdit
Re: MBP display keeps fading...
phildobbin #14388 02/26/11 02:03 PM
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Just a thought: Is there anything in the Energy Saver preference pane that might be dimming the display? I ask because a friend has an iMac that automatically dims the display after a preset period of inactivity. My system doesn't have that option so I can't experiment.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: MBP display keeps fading...
jchuzi #14389 02/26/11 02:41 PM
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There is an option to automatically dim display before sleep which I use when on battery power but not when I'm using the power supply as I am at present.

The other odd anomaly is that it only happens in all applications. If I hide everything, it doesn't occur on the Desktop. It also kind of pulses in & out albeit very subtly.

I have extended Apple Care so it may need to go back before that expires in July this year (I ran TechTool Deluxe on the Video RAM & it gave it a clean bill of health)...


2008 15" MacBook Pro 2.4GHz 2GB RAM 200GB HD
OS 10.5.8
1TB Time Capsule
1TB Iomega FW 800/400/USB 2.0 external HD
500 GB Iomega USB 2.0 external HD
SmartDisk CrossFire FW 400/USB 2.0 160 GB external HD
Canon Pixma MP600R all-in-one
Software: Logic, Ableton Live, Photoshop, Flash, Lightroom & BBEdit
Re: MBP display keeps fading...
phildobbin #14390 02/26/11 04:11 PM
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Before taking AppleCare of your Mac, it may be helpful (and easier) to look into another possibility. Your problem may be a settings issue, and restricted to a particular user. If so, things should be fine when tested under a new or known clean user account. In that case, the problem likely lies in a corrupted prefs file or cache. Given the nature of your problem, the relevant Display and Energy Saver prefs are then first in line for temporary removal to test their involvement.


alternaut moderator
Re: MBP display keeps fading...
phildobbin #14391 02/26/11 04:38 PM
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Originally Posted By: phildobbin
There is an option to automatically dim display before sleep which I use when on battery power...

Just a thought but, when you assigned your settings in the Energy Saver panel, did you "Click the lock to make changes"? I only ask because I made that mistake myself.

I was experiencing dimming every couple of minutes. When I checked my settings I found I had set Computer and Display Sleep to 10 minutes and checked off three options, including "Automatically reduce brightness before computer goes to sleep".

However, I hadn't clicked the lock, and doing so solved the problem.

ryck


ryck

"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers

iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2020), 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 2667 MHz DDR4
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Re: MBP display keeps fading...
ryck #14393 02/26/11 05:12 PM
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Hi, Ryck.

On my system (10.5.8) it automatically saves your changes & locks itself when you quit Sys Prefs.

I was just about to consider zapping the PRAM when the problem disappeared as mysteriously as it arrived. Very odd...

I looked at the Console logs & there was nothing suspicious so hopefully it's sorted itself.

Cheers, Phil...


2008 15" MacBook Pro 2.4GHz 2GB RAM 200GB HD
OS 10.5.8
1TB Time Capsule
1TB Iomega FW 800/400/USB 2.0 external HD
500 GB Iomega USB 2.0 external HD
SmartDisk CrossFire FW 400/USB 2.0 160 GB external HD
Canon Pixma MP600R all-in-one
Software: Logic, Ableton Live, Photoshop, Flash, Lightroom & BBEdit
Re: MBP display keeps fading...
alternaut #14395 02/26/11 05:18 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
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Joined: Feb 2011
Hi, alternaut.

I did log in to the Guest Account & it was the same deal. If it returns (see previous post) I'll take a look at the relevant prefs/cache files.

Cheers, Phil...


2008 15" MacBook Pro 2.4GHz 2GB RAM 200GB HD
OS 10.5.8
1TB Time Capsule
1TB Iomega FW 800/400/USB 2.0 external HD
500 GB Iomega USB 2.0 external HD
SmartDisk CrossFire FW 400/USB 2.0 160 GB external HD
Canon Pixma MP600R all-in-one
Software: Logic, Ableton Live, Photoshop, Flash, Lightroom & BBEdit
Re: MBP display keeps fading...
phildobbin #14483 03/01/11 10:42 PM
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sounds like a corrupt energysaver'ish plist?


I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
Re: MBP display keeps fading...
phildobbin #14501 03/02/11 04:23 PM
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Admittedly this is a shot in the dark, but how long has it been since you calibrated the battery? The screen may be dimming because the battery is sending erroneous data to the MacBook Pro.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein

Moderated by  alternaut, dianne, MacManiac 

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