Some users are reporting a variety of issues after applying Snow Leopard Graphics Update 1.0, which (for the majority of users) fixes longstanding issues with several games and provides an OpenGL performance boost.
Slow/laggy system performane. Some users have reported sluggish transitions between applications, slow scrolling and other performance related issues after the update (again, most users experience a performance improvement).
Inability to playback video on websites. Some users have reported an inability to playback video content on websites after the update.
Graphic artifacts/flickering. Graphic artifacts, including odd lines and flickering have occurred for some users after the update.
Startup failure (blue screen). Some users cannot properly startup their systems after applying the update, receiving only a blue screen that never proceeds to the Finder.
Potential Fixes:
Rest SMC. Some users have reported that resetting the SMC resolves some of the aforementioned issues.
smcFanControl. In some cases, overheating may be to blame–users have reported CPU/GPU temperature increases after the update.The utility smcFanControl, which can control fan speed, has worked to alleviate graphic artifacts and some performance issues apparent after the update. Users report success in setting the fan speed to roughly 5,000 RPM when engaging in graphics-intense activities.
Failing the above, try these fixes:
Option #1 — try this first
Download the Mac OS X 10.6.4 combo updater, which weighs in at a hefty 887MB but is a troubleshooting godsend. Quit all open applications and run the installer.
Option #2 — if option #1 fails, try this.
Booting your Mac in Safe Mode then simply restarting normally is one of the most overlooked, most effective procedures for solving a variety of issues after an incremental Mac OS X update. The reason for its efficacy: booting in Safe Mode forces a disk directory check, clears potentially problematic cache files and performs other routines, detailed here.
To boot in Safe Mode, hold the Shift key while your Mac is starting up. After booting in Safe Mode, simply restart normally (without holding the Shift key) and check for persistence of the issue.
Option #3 — if options #1 and #2 fail, try this.
Downgrade to Mac OS X 10.6.3. Although this option eliminates important security fixes included in Mac OS X 10.6.4, along with any other enhancements, it may be the best option if a problem is interrupting your workflow and options #1 and #2 prove ineffective.
Reinstall (if you don’t have a current Time Machine backup). Insert your Snow Leopard installation disc, then restart while holding down the C key. When prompted, choose the normal “Install” option. Make sure to select “Preserve Users and Network Settings.”
After installation, you’ll be left with an earlier iteration of Mac OS X 10.6.x (most current retail discs include Mac OS X 10.6.2), but an otherwise largely intact system. Download the Mac OS X 10.6.3 combo updater and apply it if your disc has an earlier version of Snow Leopard. You may need to restore some saved username/password information, browser information, etc.
Restore from Time Machine Backup. If you have a current Time Machine backup,connect the Time Machine backup disk, then insert your Snow Leopard installation disc, then restart while holding down the C key. After selecting your language, go to the Utilities menu and choose”Restore from Time Machine Backup.” Choose your Time Machine backup disk and choose a backup iteration directly prior to when you installed the Mac OS X 10.6.4, and continue with the process.
sadly the graphics update didnt work for me, entirely. Im an NVIDIA user and the problems still persist, ALTHOUGH there is a tiny increase in some VIDEO applications: some games, after effects, photoshop, etc.
The interface of the 10.6.4 is still slow, with frame rates dropping drastically in just smth small as opening of a pane Grid on the Dock bar.
In Quicktime, the full screen animation renders properly in the first half-a-second then it stutters until it reaches fullscreen.
At least the Flurry screensaver doesnt drop frame rates now and works fluently. (:
PS: I forgot to mention that I already tried steps #1 and #2 of the above fixes and none of’em worked.
After installing the graphics update on my MacBook Pro 3.06ghz, I experienced blue pixel flickering randomly all over my external 23″ Apple Cinema Display.
I was able to resolve this by resetting the SMC as described above. To do this on my model of MacBook Pro you shutdown, then hold shift+control+option+power for a few second, then restart.
Actually I take that back. Just restarted again and the blue flickering has continued : (
Another update on this. I appear to have it fixed now. What seems to work for me is to reboot the machine in Safe mode (holding down shift on restart) and then restarting it again normally.
I did this a few days ago and my screen flickering looks to be permanently gone now. I have done a number of normal restarts since, and everything is working perfectly.
I’ve discovered perhaps another serious problem with the Snow Leopard Graphics update. My MacBook Pro 15 used to drive my Samsung HDTV at full HD Resolution (1080 vertical lines) at a scan rate up to 80Hz (mirrored). The picture quality was excellent. After the graphics update, I have no scan rate options above 60Hz and the picture is blurry and under-scanned. Seems that Apple deliberately sacrificed scan rate for better gaming frame-rate performance. The world is not ruled by 14 year old gamers you know.
I have a MacBookPro3,1 with Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT Chipset. After installing the “Snow Leopard Grafik-Update 1.0” the system slowed down such as it takes over 10 minutes to get access to the finder. I restart into the safe mode did not change anything of that behaviour.
Anyway the installation of the “MacOSXUpdCombo10.6.4” package seems to solve this problem. (for now)
Thought I’d chime in that my Macbook Pro was stuck on a blue screen and wouldn’t boot.
Booting into safe mode (shift) and then restarting normally worked for me, and everything is back to normal.
Finally, ¡It has been solved! The trick is to use the 10.6.2 graphics drivers into the 10.6.6 Snow Leopard. Link: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2384136&start=405&tstart=0