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Q: MacBook Pro 2011 17" hard freeze

Overheat? The fans revved and suddenly I could use nothing but the cursor. Had to hold down the power switch to kill all and then re-power & startup. I wasn't doing anything unusual, but I had 7 apps open and was amid an auto-backup to TimeMachine.

Just a little disillusioned and concerned, wondering if anyone else there has experienced a hard freeze like this.

macbook pro 17" 2011, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Mar 1, 2011 11:15 AM

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Q: MacBook Pro 2011 17" hard freeze

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  • by Ezan,

    Ezan Ezan Aug 11, 2013 11:29 PM in response to Rensoom
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 11, 2013 11:29 PM in response to Rensoom

    I have found the best solution to use your defective macbook pro as usual without voiding the warranty. But this trick may decrease lifespan of your fan.. But the repair cost for the fan is much more cheaper than the Logic Board right?. please dont comment about fan lifespan.

     

    After u are sucessfully boot your mac, quickly select intergrated in gfxCardStatus.. this is for one time only & u can remove this fu***** apps with lot of bugs after below steps.

     

    1) install smcFanControl Quickly.

    2) open preferences in smcFanControl & set to Higher RPM 6200RPM

    3) tick on a checkbok autostart smcFanControl after login & save

    4) set this Higher RPM as your default fan speed all the way. you will hear this annoying fan sound all the way.

     

    done..

    now your mac can be restart,shutdown & boot as usual without the fu**** zebra line, blue screen & etc.

    Discrete Craphic Card can be used now.

     

    After login you can hear the annoying fan spin again..

     

    Disclaimer: tested on my early 2011 17" macbook pro & you will hear the sound for the rest of your life...

  • by Ezan,

    Ezan Ezan Aug 12, 2013 2:29 AM in response to Ezan
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 12, 2013 2:29 AM in response to Ezan

    Now i try to turn down the minimum speed to 4000RPM & my mac still Ok & doesnt freeze.

  • by ProteoMX,

    ProteoMX ProteoMX Aug 12, 2013 6:37 AM in response to Rensoom
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Aug 12, 2013 6:37 AM in response to Rensoom

    I'm really ****** off. Some days ago I posted about the thermal paste "fix" which allowed me to recover the discrete GPU. Scratch that. Yesterday, I opened Time Machine to recover an old file and bam! lines and distortion all over the screen again. The computer was responsive to the mouse and keyboard so I closed Time Machine, my external monitor was connected so I quickly disconnected it, and the screen went back to normal.

     

    I couldn't believe this was happening again so I opened After Effects and started to put the discrete GPU under pressure. Everything seemed OK but a few minutes later the screen was distorting again just like it did before the "fix". It doesn't even need to be a lot of heat to occur. The GPU was well under 60º when it happened.

     

    So, I had about two weeks of grace, but definitively changing the thermal paste cannot recover a damaged chip.

     

    Now, I'm in the search for a new logic board as well. New ones don't worth the hassle, they're around $1300-1500 USD plus taxes and shipping, so I'm after a refurbished/used one. Any advice?

  • by Ezan,

    Ezan Ezan Aug 12, 2013 7:54 AM in response to ProteoMX
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 12, 2013 7:54 AM in response to ProteoMX

    What you need to do is Set your macbook minimum fan speed using smcFanControl to 4000RPM & set it autostart when logon. My problem solved using this trick..

  • by Robk93,

    Robk93 Robk93 Aug 12, 2013 9:39 AM in response to fly away on a bullet
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 12, 2013 9:39 AM in response to fly away on a bullet

    Any chance you could make a tutorial on how to do this with a 2011 macbook pro?

  • by Chris Dolan,

    Chris Dolan Chris Dolan Aug 12, 2013 9:58 AM in response to Rensoom
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 12, 2013 9:58 AM in response to Rensoom

    I don't know if heat is the issue alone, mine will act up while even while cool - upon the graphics switching. Heat could trigger it I suppose, but it seams that heat isn't always the culprite - I wonder if it's something more. If it is heat related I wonder that maybe it's too late and other damage happened before it was caught.

     

    So far all of these "fixes" work then stop, much like the problem when left alone. Mine works now (again) after acting up for days, then stops for a few days. I can run a GPU stress test and no freeze...at least since Saturday - but it'll happen again, I'm just on my good week.

  • by hoosierchick2012,

    hoosierchick2012 hoosierchick2012 Aug 15, 2013 9:30 PM in response to Rensoom
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 15, 2013 9:30 PM in response to Rensoom

    Hi All, I too have this problem.  I've ran tests, reloaded OS -- (didn't think that would fix it) -- it's related to SMC.  I looked at the firmware version of this laptop

     

      Model Name:          MacBook Pro

      Model Identifier:          MacBookPro8,2

      Processor Name:          Intel Core i7

      Processor Speed:          2.4 GHz

      Number of Processors:          1

      Total Number of Cores:          4

      L2 Cache (per Core):          256 KB

      L3 Cache:          6 MB

      Memory:          4 GB

      Boot ROM Version:          MBP81.0047.B27

      SMC Version (system):          1.69f4

     

    According to Apple's website on EFI firmware, the bootrom of this is correct, however, the SMC version is not.  I did not update this firmware.  It either was purchased this way, or came down from the iTunes Store.  The SMC, should be 1.69f3.  Having incorrect SMC would definitely cause these kinds of problems.

     

    If all of you have this firmware update -- then 1 of 2 things -- either the website is incorrect (typo) or we have the wrong SMC version and the firmware needs to be downgraded. 

     

    I'm a tech -- but when it comes to a 2200 laptop and firmware issues, I'm going to go to the apple store.  What I would really hate to happen is if it locks up during this firmware downgrade.  Then I have nothing more than a brick.

     

    I would have bought the APP -- which are good investments with a laptop.  However, I could not afford it at the time.

     

    Let me know if this is the same firmware version you have.  Maybe, we can get apple to respond or send out a firmware update that fixes this issue.

     

    Thanks.

     

    Mary Anderson

    A 23 year veteran tech (windows) -- 3 years on Apple -- and not going back.

  • by saramwrap,

    saramwrap saramwrap Aug 16, 2013 3:01 AM in response to hoosierchick2012
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 16, 2013 3:01 AM in response to hoosierchick2012

    It appears from your specs that you have a Core i7 2.4GHz 15" MacBook Pro, which was a Late 2011 model - which is interesting, because the issues discussed in this thread have almost entirely been surrounding the Early 2011 models. 

     

    I have an 15" early 2011 MacBook Pro, which is exhibiting the same problem.  According to this Apple page with EFI and SMC firmware information, the firmware version for my laptop should be 1.69f4 (from February 2013) ... and yet my System Profiler shows 1.69f3 (from November 2011).  So we have the exact opposite issue - from this information, it seems I should upgrade one version and you should downgrade one version.  I'd be interested to hear from other folks which SMC version they are currently running vs. what Apple Support thinks they should be running. 

     

    You're absolutely right that SMC could be a culprit here, since it controls power, fans, battery, etc.  What's interesting is that some of the early 2011 models had discrete GPU issues when they originally shipped, which was purportedly "fixed" through a firmware update delivered with the 10.6.7 update (some users ceased having display issues, others saw little to no difference).  MacBook Pro SMC updates 1.5, 1.6, and 1.7 (the updates relevant to 2011 MacBook Pros) have all addressed battery/charging issues, though, and that gives me a bit of skepticism that they'd have much effect on our GPU/display issues. 

     

    In addition, in the information I've formally gathered about these issues on about 70 laptops, every early 2011 15" and 17" model has affected users, and those users have experienced GPU-related issues anytime from nearly immediately after purchase to over two years after purchase.  Based on this spectrum of timing, this also suggests that people have been affected regardless of what SMC firmware version they were using -   the one shipped with the machine or any of the updates that Apple has pushed out. 

  • by Nijufa,

    Nijufa Nijufa Aug 16, 2013 4:34 AM in response to saramwrap
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 16, 2013 4:34 AM in response to saramwrap

    Early 2011 15" MBP with 1.69f4 and still have the issues.

  • by hoosierchick2012,

    hoosierchick2012 hoosierchick2012 Aug 16, 2013 5:22 AM in response to Nijufa
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 16, 2013 5:22 AM in response to Nijufa

    I'm not sure if my incorrect SMC came this way, or was downloaded from the Apps Store on an update.  I vaguely remember having a firmware update come down automatically.  I have read where others had the correct version (according to the website) and it wanted to install the version I have -- they wouldn't allow it to come down -- Smart person.

     

    I want to do a firmware restore.  But from what I read, you can't go back.

     

    Now, for work I have an early 2011 -- and it does get warm.  but, I don't think the motherboard is impacted yet.

     

    There is an obvious problem with either 2011 model  What we need to do is get this in the hands of engineering at Apple. (I'll try)

     

    If anyone else has any suggestions, I'd be glad to hear them.

  • by saramwrap,

    saramwrap saramwrap Aug 16, 2013 7:32 AM in response to hoosierchick2012
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 16, 2013 7:32 AM in response to hoosierchick2012

    Well, it looks like 1.69f3 has update SMC 1.5, which was released November 10, 2011 - just a few weeks after your model was originally released.  If you purchased during the first few months, I'd suspect that it didn't have that version and got it through an update.  But it's possible for later purchased models to have the update, they do that sometimes.

     

    As for suggestions - there are at least three threads and 2,000 posts discussing this!  We've been contacting Apple relentlessly through every means possible, taking our computers into Genius Bars and authorized repair centers for service, trying hacks and tricks and software workarounds, even doing a little home surgery.  No single solution has worked for everyone who has tried it.

  • by ProteoMX,

    ProteoMX ProteoMX Aug 16, 2013 8:43 AM in response to saramwrap
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Aug 16, 2013 8:43 AM in response to saramwrap

    I'm not sure that's the problem. My 15" Early 2011 MBP does have the correct versions, according to the reference page. From System information:

     

    Model Name: MacBook Pro

    Model Identifier: MacBookPro8,2

    Processor Name: Intel Core i7

    Processor Speed: 2.2 GHz

    Number of Processors: 1

    Total Number of Cores: 4

    L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB

    L3 Cache: 6 MB

    Memory: 16 GB

    Boot ROM Version: MBP81.0047.B27

    SMC Version (system): 1.69f4

     

    And still, has the same issue. I recall that there were at least two firmware updates popping up since I have the computer, and both were successfully installed.

  • by Chris Dolan,

    Chris Dolan Chris Dolan Aug 16, 2013 9:39 AM in response to Rensoom
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 16, 2013 9:39 AM in response to Rensoom

    It's so frustrating! I made an appointment at the genius bar to address the graphics going crazy/locking up and why my AHT/Applications test DVD wouldn't work in this computer. I reformatted it and reinstall 10.6, then tried to stress it and it worked like a champ, so I updated to ML again and stressed it over and over and over and works like a champ.

     

    I now learned my DVD drive is selective about it's DVD's - some work, some eject. No rhyme or reason. Why my Install DVD works but the Applications doesn't is beyond me. I was able to use it with an external DVD reader with no problem and succesfully ran the AHT for extended testing with no issues. So now I have to wait and see if my computer will go back to freezing so I can address both issues. Defintently not driving all that way when the main issue isn't showing itself.

     

    I just don't understand why the graphics is broke one week, then not for a day or so. It froze with the ATI in Windows, Mac OS, and Recovery (when trying to to backups) so I don't think it's software - so the restore shouldn't have fixed it. I'll see.

  • by hoosierchick2012,

    hoosierchick2012 hoosierchick2012 Aug 16, 2013 10:03 AM in response to Chris Dolan
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 16, 2013 10:03 AM in response to Chris Dolan

    so you went back to 10.6?  I thought that you couldn't put an older version on a newer laptop?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Aug 16, 2013 10:05 AM in response to hoosierchick2012
    Level 9 (50,861 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 16, 2013 10:05 AM in response to hoosierchick2012

    hoosierchick2012 wrote:

     

    so you went back to 10.6?  I thought that you couldn't put an older version on a newer laptop?

    As long as it is not older than the version that came with the Machine, you can.

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