Apple Issues Fix for MacBook Pro Vertical Line Problem

Apple has issued a firmware update for its 17-inch MacBook Pro notebooks that - supposedly - fixes unsightly vertical lines on the display.

Apple has issued a firmware update for its new 17-inch MacBook Pro which, supposedly, addresses a problem of vertical lines appearing on the display. The problem is apparently being experienced by a portion of owners of Apple’s new 17-inch unibody MacBook Pros: some displays show green vertical lines and other display anomalies when using the integrated Nvidia 9600GT discrete graphics processor.

Apple’s svelte (770K) update appears to fix the problem; however, it is not the first time Apple has had issued with the Nvidia graphics controllers used in its MacBook Pro systems. Some users reported the vertical lines problem only happened when the laptop was running hot; others reported the problem even when the 17-inch system was running cool.

Apple introduced the new unibody 17-inch MacBook Pro in February, rolling out design features from its unibody 15-inch models to the high end of its notebook product line. Among the 17-incher’s controversial features is a new battery technology that claims to offer up to 8 hours of use: however, the battery cannot be removed by the user, making swapping or replacing impossible.

Owners can download the firmware update from Apple directly, or pick it up automatically via Mac OS X’s built-in Software Update feature.