Q: MacBook Pro 2011 17" hard freeze

Heidarson wrote:

 

Basically, when I restart the computer, it gets stuck on the white/grey screen and the fans go crazy. I used to freak out and turn the computer off. Now, instead I let the computer continue like this (fans spinning hard) for a few minutes until the computer shuts itself off. The next time I turn on the computer, the computer boots up without a problem. This process has to be repeated every time the computer is restarted. This way, I get my computer up and running 9 cases out of 10. Every now and then the computer puts up a bit more fight, but its rare. It's been working predictably for a month or so now, so much that I even successfully updated my OS the other day.

 

I tried this and let it stay on the grey screen for more than 30 minutes and had to force shutdown.  On my next restart it worked without any problems for more than 4 hours, but awhile ago I had the horizontal lines, flickering split-screen glitch.  Will keep on doing this to see how it goes

Please trust what im trying to say.

After u were succesfully bootup your mac.. Immediately install SMCfancontrol & set minimum fan speed at 4000RPM all the way.. Please dont forget to set the smcfancontrol to open automaticaly when login next time... Dont restart 1st.. Let your mac running with the setting for about 1 hour.... Then only u can restart... The purpose is to let SMC familiar with these fan setting...  Its work.. Please trust me.

I noticed the same thing in my months of being tortured by this problem.  Booting in recovery mode aslo seemed to help.  However, it just prolongs the torture and doesn't fix it.  Here are photos of my torture.  Scroll down this thread.  https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4611636?start=0&tstart=0

At some point, you will find the $310 flat rate repair is lest costly than having the computer rob you of your time.  For me, the months of productivity I lost was worth way more than the repair cost and the cost of buying other computers to secure productivity.  (I like my cool running MacBook Air.)

Send the computer to repair, and spend some time with your mom or another loved one.      

One of the messages asked if anyone had a godd experience after 2 repairs?

May be I have.

My MBP went through

1. a clean install by Apple stating no problems

2. Logic Board replacement - worked for a while

3. Replaced both RAM modules and Logic board

I had AppleCare so I was lucky (paid for applecare though when I bought) - what happens after May 2014 - is a big question.

So far it is working great.

I don't do a lot of heavy jobs (Graphics, or any process that requires all cores and lot of multi threading) on it.

I had problems related to playing video on NetFlix, iMovie, zoomin/zoom out.

The problems were: Complete freeze, complete black out, unable to boot

I am running mountain Lion.

My question is: Is there a guranteed/consistent way to replicate the issue across all problematic machines? Or is it just "any"?

Hey guys,

I've been in contact with some people with much knowledge about 'broken' GPU's/motherboards.

As most people state, sometimes it works, sometimes the hd6750m does the job perfectly but after a while, and mostly it would freeze/crash/whatever.

The good thing is, this means the chip is still in working condition, and thus it can still be fixed. These guys were quite convinced that it could be fixed. They're not 100% sure, but they say the symptoms are a perfect match.

They told me a bit more about reflowing/reballing the GPU. Reflowing is just what you would do when you cook your motherboard.There's a 'ball grid array' between the GPU and your motherboard, basically a bunch of small balls of solder that connect them together.

Now, when exposed to too much heat, and then cold immediately, can cause little cracks in these balls of solder, causing them to malfunction. When you reflow the motherboard, the solder gets really hot and the cracks will fill up, however since there's going to be a little dirt left in the solder, the problem can return after a while.

Reballing means removing the old solder balls and putting in new ones. This makes sure you ahve clean solder, and is more of a long-term solution.

Re-flowing would cost aout 50-70 euros to be done by a company. I'll try to get a price for reballing, and if it's not expensive, I'll do that and let your guys know the outcome.

Same here my macbook pro 2011 it's have been week always freeze when start up, blue screen, vertical lines, ihave try with smcfancontrol and move the ATIRadeonX3000.kext but it's doesn't work either, cab anybody tell me if there ia another way, i don't have authorized service apple in my town m..:(

Boot in safe mode after moving ATIRadeonX3000.kext... It should boot and give you a chance to back up anything you need. Other than that, nothing else you can do. My computer does not boot, except in safe mode after moving the kext. It's useless. I am waiting for apple to initiate a recall until I decide to get it repaired.

You can try getting the gpu reflowed by someone qualified to do so... It should be cheaper than replacing the logic board however this is not a permanent fix.

This is probably my last Apple product... after 4 iPads, 5 iPhones, 3 MBPs, a few ipods... I am out

That same happen with my MBP, it's only Boot on safe mode after i remove the Kext, it's seem i must swicth to another brand, apple very dispoint me.

The Apple Authorized Service Center in Mexico offered me reballing for $250 or logic board replacement for $1,200 USD.  The guy also told me the reballing doesn't always work permenantly.

The quality of the solder can be an issue.  Reduction of hazardous substances (RoHS) imposed restrictions against lead which increased risk of solder failures throughout the electronics industry.  Lead free solder has been problematic.  I don't know if Apple uses lead-free solder or not, but it may if it is claiming green recyclability. 

http://semiaccurate.com/2010/07/11/investigation-confirms-apple-macbook-pros-hav e-nvidia-bad-bump-material/

http://www.kester.com/kester-content/uploads/2013/06/Lead-free_SMT_Defects_How_t o_Prevent_Them.pdf

Apple use lead free solder, as they should.

Csound, you are so right.According to the report on NVIDIA bad bumps, lead was the problem. 

Once a high current bump connection cracks (from fatigue from thermal expansion and contraction) the resistance goes up.  This would generate heat and cause a voltage drop at the chip.  The chip might work again when thermal expansion or contraction makes a better connection at the cracked solder joint.

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1004378/why-nvidia-chips-defective

I finally took my 2.0 GHz 15" back to the Genius Bar yesterday, since the 90-day warranty on the latest logic board is running out in a couple of weeks.  It's incredibly frustrating that the problem can be hard to replicate - sometimes I can't boot 10 times in a row, sometimes it boots perfectly 10 times in a row!  Fortunately, after booting properly, it had a wonderful display freakout as the tech tried to start up their diagnostic software.  And then it wouldn't boot again.  Whew.  Never thought I'd be happy that my laptop was so obviously broken. 

Because the logic board has already been replaced twice, the tech was reluctant to replace it again - "if it didn't fix the problem those times, why would it fix it now?"  I explained about these threads, and the similarity to the recent iMac recall, and he grudgingly put a logic board replacement quote into the repair.  Hopefully they'll actually go through with that without a fight.  I have little reason to think that logic board #4 is going to solve all of my problems permanently, but it could get me through a few more months of usage while we fight for official recognition of our program!

I asked if the replacement logic boards were typically refurbished or new, and the tech said they don't know and there's no way to tell the difference.  Given how many folks have seen these problems kick in many months (or up to two years) into ownership, it really seems like the chip/solder/whatever degrades over time and a refurb board is more likely to have immediate problems.  Wish I could guarantee I was getting a new one!

I am waiting for my second logic board replacement (the first one crashed 5 months after installed) on my 17'' 2.3  Ghz early 2011 macbook pro, and also hope for a new (and not a refurbished) one.

I have already sent (twice) feedback to apple, and am just posting here (a thread that I am following for almost a year) to add myself to the list. My case is a typical one: hard freezes after 21 months of use, constantly worsening, and had the luck to have the logic board replaced for free, although I don't have applecare, thanks to E.U. 2year-guarantee law. I don't know how much the 2nd replacement will cost, but I don't have many options since I use the computer for work and cannot afford a new one right now...

I hope that apple will finally decide to recognise the problem. It is unnacceptable for an expensive and "pro" machine. I wouldn't even mind paying a moderate price for the 2nd logic board replacement, if Apple confirmed the issue resolved.

I disassembled my MBP 15 '2011. The graphics chip had much thermal paste. Was scattered out of the chip. Ten parts of the amount recommended by intel. Cheap thermal paste.

Now with the new thermal paste properly installed has lowered the temperature 10 º C.

Apple calls this computer "PRO". CHEAP TRASH

Do not buy another Apple computer! They are scammers!

All the professional who has purchased these computers, have been scammed. Our reputation as professionals in the hands of inept.

To be fair, I'm not sure Apple is alone in that, but with so many complaints from people followed by repaired/replaced system boards doing the same thing over a suspiciously short period of time, it is a design flaw that should have been properly tested.  The sheer number of people having the same problem makes this situation impossible to ignore.