6 ms·

Ghost in the machine: screen contents across reboots in a Macbook Pro Retina

53 points by chei0aiV 11y ago

mdergosits 11y ago
I had this issue with my Mid 2012 retina MacBook Pro 15 in. It was a recognized problem with one of the vendors for the displays. I got it replaced at the Apple Store some time ago.
post_break 11y ago
You must have an LG panel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdhIA8-UIRQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdhIA8-UIRQ
fcoury 11y ago
I have the exact same issue, and my Apple Care just expired a couple months ago. Does anyone know if I am still eligible for a replacement?
- sosborn 11y ago
  Just call - there is a good chance that they will help you out, even if you have to bitch and moan for a little bit.
- Pt_ 11y ago
  There is a repair extension programme for video issues on the macbook pro's https://www.apple.com/uk/support/macbookpro-videoissues/ https://www.apple.com/uk/support/macbookpro-videoissues/
  - mikhailt 11y ago
    Not the same issue, these were for GPU issues. This one is a defect of the display, not GPU. However, for the OP, don't let this stop you. Call and ask, they often are generous enough to replace it for you even out of warranty. If the first time doesn't work out, try again 2-3 more times before giving up.
    - copperx 11y ago
      My serial number is affected, but they want to keep the test running 24h to make sure the GPU is faulty. Also, they refused to replace my 2012 LG screen with obvious ghosting. The AppleCare for my 2012 rMBP has expired, but is it normal for an Apple store to be so stingy about repair extension programs?
      - starquake 11y ago
        The best way to show the problem for me was to set the wallpaper to some grey colour (try which shade works the best). Open a browser (or any other mainly white screen with some text) keep it there for like 3 minutes. Log off and the grey background will be showing the problem more clearly. Maybe that will help. Mine was out of warranty but they fixed mine!
- m3koval 11y ago
  I had this issue fixed on my mid-2012 15" rMBP. It's known issue with some of the early LG panels on that model. The technician at the Apple store ran some standard image persistence diagnostic script to replicate the issue. They replaced the display for free outside of AppleCare. I didn't have to argue with them at all, so I suspect that this is their standard response. YMMV if you have a newer model.
mikhailt 11y ago
It's called Image Persistance, a defect of the display. If you have an Apple Store right next to you, schedule an appointment and show it to them. They should replace it for you. If you don't have one nearby, call Apple Care. I got mine replaced for the same problem.
ghostly_s 11y ago
I have the exact same artefacts on my ThinkPad X220 (on which I only run Debian), in case anyone is tempted to paint this as a Mac-specific issue.
- splitbrain 11y ago
  Can confirm on my X240 running XUbuntu
BillinghamJ 11y ago
Just to be clear - this isn't a software issue, it's a hardware one. Early rMBPs were known to suffer from "ghosting" - where old images persist on the display faintly in the background. Pop to your local Apple Store and demonstrate the issue. They'll replace the top half of the clamshell - it's pretty standard and well known now.
- gr3yh47 11y ago
  suprised that image burn and its variants apparently are not so well known - as soon as i saw the image it was obvious it was a hardware issue
- copperx 11y ago
  > They'll replace the top half of the clamshell I've tried that twice, and they've refused to replace the screen even though my rMBP's serial number falls under a recall for the GPU. They claim that the image retention is normal for a Retina screen. Yes, my screen is an "LP" version (made by LG). Shrug.
  - starquake 11y ago
    Don't stop there. Try it again! Maybe at another shop or something. Mine got replaced a few months ago and it was more than 2 years old. Maybe I got lucky because of EU regulations but I think you might get lucky at another Apple shop.
uptown 11y ago
I've experienced image persistence on my non-retina iMac as well.
jph 11y ago
To diagnose Macs circa 2012 with screen defects due to manufacturing by LG, use the `ioreg` command: https://github.com/SixArm/sixarm_unix_shell_scripts/blob/master/macbook-pro-retina-screen-manufacturer https://github.com/SixArm/sixarm_unix_shell_scripts/blob/mas... ioreg -lw0 | grep \"EDID\" | sed "/[^<]*</s///" | xxd -p -r | strings -6
- profeta 11y ago
  # * "LS" prefix: built by Samsung # # * "LP" prefix: built by LG
mikejmoffitt 11y ago
I got briefly excited that maybe somebody decided to post my computer game called "Ghost in the Machine" on HN, but then naivety died down and I read the rest.
PascLeRasc 11y ago
Is this the same issue that someone was having a few days ago with their GPU ram not being cleared completely after leaving Chrome Incognito mode?
jloughry 11y ago
Might present a security risk. Burn-in persistence on CRT screens was a serious concern in olden times. Once they entered a SCIF, monitors were not allowed to leave, at our site. I participated in experiments using flash UV to try to detect latent images; what worked better, though, was manipulating the electron gun from the back of the CRT to produce a flood beam. Williams tube memory (before my time) and Tektronix 4014 terminals worked by similar physics. Time to update the policies & procedures to include LCDs. OLED, when it arrives, will almost certainly exhibit the same effect.

53 points by chei0aiV 11y ago

I had this issue with my Mid 2012 retina MacBook Pro 15 in. It was a recognized problem with one of the vendors for the displays. I got it replaced at the Apple Store some time ago.

post_break 11y ago

You must have an LG panel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdhIA8-UIRQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdhIA8-UIRQ

fcoury 11y ago

I have the exact same issue, and my Apple Care just expired a couple months ago. Does anyone know if I am still eligible for a replacement?

sosborn 11y ago
Just call - there is a good chance that they will help you out, even if you have to bitch and moan for a little bit.
Pt_ 11y ago
There is a repair extension programme for video issues on the macbook pro's https://www.apple.com/uk/support/macbookpro-videoissues/ https://www.apple.com/uk/support/macbookpro-videoissues/
- mikhailt 11y ago
  Not the same issue, these were for GPU issues. This one is a defect of the display, not GPU. However, for the OP, don't let this stop you. Call and ask, they often are generous enough to replace it for you even out of warranty. If the first time doesn't work out, try again 2-3 more times before giving up.
  - copperx 11y ago
    My serial number is affected, but they want to keep the test running 24h to make sure the GPU is faulty. Also, they refused to replace my 2012 LG screen with obvious ghosting. The AppleCare for my 2012 rMBP has expired, but is it normal for an Apple store to be so stingy about repair extension programs?
    - starquake 11y ago
      The best way to show the problem for me was to set the wallpaper to some grey colour (try which shade works the best). Open a browser (or any other mainly white screen with some text) keep it there for like 3 minutes. Log off and the grey background will be showing the problem more clearly. Maybe that will help. Mine was out of warranty but they fixed mine!
m3koval 11y ago
I had this issue fixed on my mid-2012 15" rMBP. It's known issue with some of the early LG panels on that model. The technician at the Apple store ran some standard image persistence diagnostic script to replicate the issue. They replaced the display for free outside of AppleCare. I didn't have to argue with them at all, so I suspect that this is their standard response. YMMV if you have a newer model.

mikhailt 11y ago

It's called Image Persistance, a defect of the display. If you have an Apple Store right next to you, schedule an appointment and show it to them. They should replace it for you. If you don't have one nearby, call Apple Care. I got mine replaced for the same problem.

ghostly_s 11y ago

I have the exact same artefacts on my ThinkPad X220 (on which I only run Debian), in case anyone is tempted to paint this as a Mac-specific issue.

splitbrain 11y ago
Can confirm on my X240 running XUbuntu

BillinghamJ 11y ago

Just to be clear - this isn't a software issue, it's a hardware one. Early rMBPs were known to suffer from "ghosting" - where old images persist on the display faintly in the background. Pop to your local Apple Store and demonstrate the issue. They'll replace the top half of the clamshell - it's pretty standard and well known now.

gr3yh47 11y ago
suprised that image burn and its variants apparently are not so well known - as soon as i saw the image it was obvious it was a hardware issue
copperx 11y ago
> They'll replace the top half of the clamshell I've tried that twice, and they've refused to replace the screen even though my rMBP's serial number falls under a recall for the GPU. They claim that the image retention is normal for a Retina screen. Yes, my screen is an "LP" version (made by LG). Shrug.
- starquake 11y ago
  Don't stop there. Try it again! Maybe at another shop or something. Mine got replaced a few months ago and it was more than 2 years old. Maybe I got lucky because of EU regulations but I think you might get lucky at another Apple shop.

uptown 11y ago

I've experienced image persistence on my non-retina iMac as well.

jph 11y ago

To diagnose Macs circa 2012 with screen defects due to manufacturing by LG, use the `ioreg` command: https://github.com/SixArm/sixarm_unix_shell_scripts/blob/master/macbook-pro-retina-screen-manufacturer https://github.com/SixArm/sixarm_unix_shell_scripts/blob/mas... ioreg -lw0 | grep \"EDID\" | sed "/[^<]*</s///" | xxd -p -r | strings -6

profeta 11y ago
# * "LS" prefix: built by Samsung # # * "LP" prefix: built by LG

mikejmoffitt 11y ago

I got briefly excited that maybe somebody decided to post my computer game called "Ghost in the Machine" on HN, but then naivety died down and I read the rest.

PascLeRasc 11y ago

Is this the same issue that someone was having a few days ago with their GPU ram not being cleared completely after leaving Chrome Incognito mode?

jloughry 11y ago

Might present a security risk. Burn-in persistence on CRT screens was a serious concern in olden times. Once they entered a SCIF, monitors were not allowed to leave, at our site. I participated in experiments using flash UV to try to detect latent images; what worked better, though, was manipulating the electron gun from the back of the CRT to produce a flood beam. Williams tube memory (before my time) and Tektronix 4014 terminals worked by similar physics. Time to update the policies & procedures to include LCDs. OLED, when it arrives, will almost certainly exhibit the same effect.