abelliveau

Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

I have an early 2011 MacBook Pro (2.2 GHz Intel Core i7, 8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 memory) running OS 10.8.2.  It has two graphics components: an AMD Radeon HD 6750M and a built-in Intel HD Graphics 3000. Since I've had the computer, the screen would get a blue tint when the computer switched between them.

 

However, as of two days ago, the problem has become substantially more severe.  The computer was working fine, when all of a suddent the screen when completely blue.  I had to force restart the computer.  Since then, the screen has gone awry on numerous occassions - each time necessitating a hard reset.

 

I installed gfxCardStatus, and have discovered that the computer runs fine using the integrated card, but as soon as I switch to the discrete card - the screen goes .

 

I am just wondering what my options are (any input on any of these would be appreciated!):

 

1) Replace the logic board.  Would this necessarily fix the issue?

 

2) Is there any way to "fix" the graphics card? 

 

3) Keep using gfxCardStatus and only use the integrated graphics card.  This is definitely the easiest/cheapest option, but to have such a computer and not be able to use the graphics card seems like a real shame.

 

4) Is there any other alternative?

 


MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7, 8 GB memory

Posted on Feb 1, 2013 4:45 PM

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Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

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  • by guaranna,

    guaranna guaranna Jan 10, 2014 8:45 AM in response to liam from paradise falls
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    Jan 10, 2014 8:45 AM in response to liam from paradise falls

    <Link Edited By Host>

  • by carver0510,

    carver0510 carver0510 Jan 7, 2014 5:26 AM in response to abelliveau
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    Jan 7, 2014 5:26 AM in response to abelliveau

    Hello Everybody,

     

    short before Chrismas my MBP 17" early 2011 started with graphic Problems. It has very similar graphic problmes, written in this Thread. I also got many bluescreens. During Startup the apple Logo Disapear an the system fan is getting louder until the system turn off automatically. Starting the System again, its working as it should till the next bluescreen.

    Attached you will find my Startupscreen which result in an grey-screen.

  • by Macvivientes,

    Macvivientes Macvivientes Jan 7, 2014 7:31 AM in response to abelliveau
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    Jan 7, 2014 7:31 AM in response to abelliveau

    Hi all

    Unfortunately one more to join the list of early macbook pro 2011 with this same faulty AMD Radeon HD 6490M

    From the 1rst of jan 2014 I have seen sooo many blue screens, black screens, stripes screens and crashes until i found this forum...

    I am desperate to the lack of response from apple so far... i trust them an i hope they will give a solution to this problem we are all having...

    i have installe gfxcardstatus 1.8.1 (im running leopard 1.6.8) and from there i have deducted that the only graphic card i have working is the intel 3000

    whenever i try to switch to amd 6490 it crashes instantly

    when at system preferences/energy saving options/ i change the status for dont automaticly switch between graphic cards it crashes (there it says that will always use the amd) instant crash...

    so another unhappy customer here, out of warranty...

    we need to make our voices heard and get our laptops repaired

    is un aceptable a life time of 2/3 years for a macbook pro isnt it?

  • by odarellmc,

    odarellmc odarellmc Jan 7, 2014 8:07 AM in response to Macvivientes
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    Jan 7, 2014 8:07 AM in response to Macvivientes

    All you new affected user please review the previous post, were attempting to aggregate all the affected users so please post any experience there as well...

  • by geon88,

    geon88 geon88 Jan 7, 2014 8:56 AM in response to abelliveau
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    Jan 7, 2014 8:56 AM in response to abelliveau

    I have the same problem to my MacBook early 2011... And i am really dissapointed for paying that much money..

  • by Comixace00,

    Comixace00 Comixace00 Jan 7, 2014 1:07 PM in response to liam from paradise falls
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    Jan 7, 2014 1:07 PM in response to liam from paradise falls

    Loks like I have the same problem as everyone else as recorded here:

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5760444?tstart=30

     

    Early 2011 MBP with same faulty Radeon processor.

  • by jhaile,

    jhaile jhaile Jan 7, 2014 1:37 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Jan 7, 2014 1:37 PM in response to abelliveau

    Early-2011 15" MacBook Pro

     

     

    My symptoms are that my screen sporadically goes blank. If I hit keys on the keyboard or push the power button, sometimes it will come back on..maybe flicker...and then just go white.  Sometimes it just stays black. As far as I can tell it's frozen and requires a hard reboot.

     

     

    After rebooting the machine, it usually stays frozen on a white screen. Sometimes it came up with a solid blue screen. Sometimes it flickers. PRAM reset would not work (wouldn't make a sound) and couldn't boot to diagnostics mode. Would just hang.

     

     

    I was able to get it to actually boot up by booting up in safe mode. Then afterwards I could boot it into regular mode.  I installed gfxCardStatus and tried switching between integrated and discrete and couldn't reproduce it. I tried stressing out the gfx card using Photo Booth and other graphics software - couldn't reproduce it.  But it still happens sporadically.

     

     

    Does this sound like the same issue, or something else?

     

    I've taken it into an Apple store. None of their diagnostics turned up anything so I've left it for 2-3 days for more intense diagnostics. I'll report back once I hear something.

  • by jernic,

    jernic jernic Jan 7, 2014 2:29 PM in response to jhaile
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    Jan 7, 2014 2:29 PM in response to jhaile

    Yes, this sounds the same as ours. Stuck on white (light grey) screen, and then solid blue screen. Overheating near F3 and F4 keys. Hardware test runs clear.

  • by kent187,

    kent187 kent187 Jan 7, 2014 2:38 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Jan 7, 2014 2:38 PM in response to abelliveau

    Early 2011 Macbook Pro with the problems starting about a month ago. Lockups, screen shifting, and vertical green bars at reboot. For me, letting it cool and resetting the PRAM gets me back in.

     

    The gfxCardStatus has helped but I found another utility that keeps it working for me, Temperature Gauge Pro. It monitors temps and allows fan control. With the temp utility I've found my temps skyrocketing occasionally without the fans boosting. When that happens, it locked up and I get the green/grey bars at startup. With the temp utility I set it to boost my fans when the the avg CPU temp is above 50C.


    I've only been using it a few days but so far so good. I can head off high temps which shuts down the system. I'm hoping to keep it limping along this way until Apple comes to grips with this problem or I bite the bullet and get a new logic board. I wonder if the problems will get worse when summer weather comes around and the ambient temperature is higher. Now I'm going to take the back off and blow the fans out.

  • by Bit Wrangler,

    Bit Wrangler Bit Wrangler Jan 7, 2014 5:13 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Jan 7, 2014 5:13 PM in response to abelliveau

    I am another victim of this problem. Three trips to the Genius Bar and I finally found an employee who told me exactly what the problem was. No secret backroom testing, no "bring it in and we'll send it off" bs.

     

    I bought another computer. A mac mini. Because I NEED to work and my malfunctioning, POS 17" LATE 2011 MBP can't handle even Firefox graphics. I've wasted over a week on upgrades and struggling with getting my programs to work again on a new computer because, naturally, the back up from my laptop is not reliable due to this problem.

     

    I was told to not use any programs that control the fan. So I stopped using them. The only thing so far that is working is not using the computer for anything other than email. Which *****.

     

    After reading about how board replacement doesn't even matter, what is the solution? I refuse to pay $1000 and then get it back only to have it blow up again.

     

    If there is a lawsuit in the works, let me know.

     

    Oh and my graphics card is an ATI if that makes any difference. But all the symptoms described in this thread are exactly what I have been experiencing. I am using OS 10.7, not mavericks.

  • by Macvivientes,

    Macvivientes Macvivientes Jan 7, 2014 5:34 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Jan 7, 2014 5:34 PM in response to abelliveau

    I have now installed gfxcardstatus 2.1 as per neolancer07 suggestion after uninstalling the 1.8 version

    Going to gfxCardStatus v2.1 menu i find Integrated Only/discrete Only and Dynamic Switching. The one selected by defaut is Dynamic Switching (under Card displays Intel HD Graphic 3000} AND HERE IT IS THAT EVERY TIME I try to switch to either Integrate Only or Discrete Only I get the crash.

     

    Could this be an issue about switching the cards?

     

    Looks like in Intel HD Graphics 3000 is working....until of course I open firefox...then I get a crash (It coud switch automaticaly to Discretre in that action)

     

    Im trying to understand whats happening with my macbook pro here

    Its really STRANGE that everyone is having this issue about 2 years of using the computer isnt it?

     

    Im very disapointed that after paying top dollar for the state of art Macbook Pro is unusable/unreliable to work with.

  • by funkboat,

    funkboat funkboat Jan 7, 2014 6:00 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Jan 7, 2014 6:00 PM in response to abelliveau

    I am another victim of this problem. I was using my 15" MBP (Early 2011) and it just crashed on me, with a blue screen and black vertical lines. Now it won't even boot up. This is really incovenient to me as a college student and the new semester starts in just a few days. The fact that Apple isn't doing anything to address this is really concerning. There needs to be justice. It is a flaw in the design of the product.

  • by moosedad97,

    moosedad97 moosedad97 Jan 7, 2014 6:01 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Jan 7, 2014 6:01 PM in response to abelliveau

    Add me to the list: Early 2011 15" MBP with the Radeon 6750M GPU.  Just started getting the blue screen/blasting fan thing today.  Luckily its still under AppleCare for another month.

     

     

  • by darwinp5101,

    darwinp5101 darwinp5101 Jan 7, 2014 6:16 PM in response to darwinp5101
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 7, 2014 6:16 PM in response to darwinp5101

    Update.

    Took it in to the local service center here in Penang, malaysia.

    They took one look and said "7-9 business days. We have to order a logic board."

     

    waiting...

  • by Macvivientes,

    Macvivientes Macvivientes Jan 7, 2014 6:45 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Jan 7, 2014 6:45 PM in response to abelliveau

    'If you can boot you macbook pro DO THIS.

     

    Install gfxCardStatus 2.1 (if you have leopard) and then go to preferences/advanced and choose Use power source-based switching and the select On battery INTEGRATED and on Pluged in INTEGRATED and restart.

     

    You wont run any program that need a Power graphic card...but it wont crash anymore

    So I guess is the AMD discrete the problem.

     

    Apple find a solution for all of us please!

    Honour your reputation and stand up from the crowd as you always do!

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