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 Seller999,

    Seller999 Seller999 Mar 5, 2014 7:15 AM in response to taz_79
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    Mar 5, 2014 7:15 AM in response to taz_79

    As far, the best option is to use this simple app: gfxCardStatus

    For me, works well, and if You read this thread, there is a lot of people using it.

  • by baleares,

    baleares baleares Mar 5, 2014 7:18 AM in response to Seller999
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    Mar 5, 2014 7:18 AM in response to Seller999

    gfxCardStatus is a band aid that cripples the computer.

     

    It also is not reliable and the system often crashes. I don't want to knock it as it is all we have to be able to continue using the computer but the computer is only working to a fraction of its designed capability.

  • by scumblr,

    scumblr scumblr Mar 5, 2014 7:18 AM in response to Seller999
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 5, 2014 7:18 AM in response to Seller999

    gfxCardStatus "works well" in that the computer "works" when you use it. It doesn't work well insofar as I bought a $3000 dollar computer that is crippled and works like a $500 computer.

  • by @Rohan,

    @Rohan @Rohan Mar 5, 2014 8:32 AM in response to hsmiths
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 5, 2014 8:32 AM in response to hsmiths

    @hsmiths : hey let me know if you get the GPU thing sorted. Even I'm from Mumbai and I'm looking for options.. if the mumbai guy has experience then even I might go for GPU rebal

  • by L.H.,

    L.H. L.H. Mar 5, 2014 8:38 AM in response to scumblr
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 5, 2014 8:38 AM in response to scumblr

    While my $2000 Macbook Pro needs a $337 repair after 24 months, my 5 year $500 computer still works!!!

    Why spend $2K for a 24 months working Macbook when you can have a NEW $500 computer every year?

  • by aldar,

    aldar aldar Mar 5, 2014 12:01 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Mar 5, 2014 12:01 PM in response to abelliveau

    Nothing new to add! Same problem here. It only took a couple of days after the first sympoms appeared, before my macbook pro early 2011 refused to boot. Apple guy on the phone had no idea what it might be and the premium reseller iSquare (there's no apple in Greece) asked me to pre-pay 590 in order to order the logic board and replace it. This is the second time it happens to me. The first was with a macbook pro early 2008. Same problem there (nVidia gpu)! I replaced the logic board twice: The first one I paid for it, the second one was for free!!! I think I' ll switch to DELL and install linux on it...

  • by jokokoko,

    jokokoko jokokoko Mar 5, 2014 1:46 PM in response to QTnewbie2
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    Mar 5, 2014 1:46 PM in response to QTnewbie2

    I just tried the approach with an external HD-TV twice. Sadly no success.

  • by goodwilldrumsfc,

    goodwilldrumsfc goodwilldrumsfc Mar 5, 2014 2:39 PM in response to Seller999
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    Mar 5, 2014 2:39 PM in response to Seller999

    I've been able to stop the crashes by using gfxCardStatus and keeping it on "Discrete Only". I've been told to keep it on "Integrated Only", but I'm always using an external monitor and you can't use Integrated Only with a monitor. So I'll roll with this until there's a fix, or until that stops working. But for now, it seems to run just fine. Thank god for gfxCardStatus, or I'd be S.O.L.

  • by Corny92,

    Corny92 Corny92 Mar 5, 2014 2:45 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Mar 5, 2014 2:45 PM in response to abelliveau

    My Macbook Pro 15 2011 Early died yesterday with the described problems here. :<

  • by RoaringChicken67,

    RoaringChicken67 RoaringChicken67 Mar 5, 2014 3:01 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Mar 5, 2014 3:01 PM in response to abelliveau

    My MacBook Pro 15" 2.2Ghz i7 (early 2011) model just this morning will no longer boot if I have an external monitor connected (ie. if it has to use the discrete card) - it freezes before getting to the log in screen.  My work environment necessitates an external display so there is no acceptable workaround. 

     

    Reading about this issue on the web, I now realise that this moment has been arriving for some time as for the past couple of months, my system has increasingly required rebooting after wake up from sleep as I'd have a black screen, or other similar problem.  Note my memory and hard drive are fine.

     

    My system is under 3 years old so I find this situation very troubling given that it seems a widespread failure unrelated to abnormal usage patterns.  It was an expensive machine when purchased (here in Australia) and I'd expect it to give good service similar to my many other (cheaper) Macs which have all lived much longer than 3 years.

  • by baleares,

    baleares baleares Mar 5, 2014 3:05 PM in response to RoaringChicken67
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    Mar 5, 2014 3:05 PM in response to RoaringChicken67

    please fill in the provided apple feedback form to let them know. The more people that complain the more likely it is that they will offer a replacement program. I am confident that they will with enough pressure.

     

    http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

     

    also, if you google you will find alternative solutions to this problem

  • by geddescol,

    geddescol geddescol Mar 5, 2014 3:31 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Mar 5, 2014 3:31 PM in response to abelliveau

    So I had posted on here before that my MBP 2011 had died with the graphics card issue about 2 weeks ago. Since then I've taken it into the local Apple store here in QLD, Australia. Fortunately, even though my MBP was 10 months past the original 12 month warranty, the guy at the store organised a free replacement - saving me a potential $960 bill.

     

    I was happy but also nervous after reading the reports that the logic board replacement doesn't fix the issue. I figured that I had gotten about 22 months out of my original machine. If I can get another 22 out of this one, I'll be happy and accept it's fate and buy a new non-apple laptop.

     

    I picked up the laptop Monday afteroon around 5pm.

     

    Today (Thursday), around 8am, with the new board in place, the machine started showing the graphics problems again.... I have GFXStatus running and when the descrete card is in use, the machine goes haywire, when it's on integrated, seems to be running OK - for now...

     

    I was hoping for 20months, I got 2 and a half days.

     

    What a joke.

  • by taz_79,

    taz_79 taz_79 Mar 5, 2014 4:04 PM in response to geddescol
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 5, 2014 4:04 PM in response to geddescol

    Does your machine have Maverick OSX? It seems a lot of people get this problem lately...my problem started to appear in Mavericks OSX... First my mbp cannot hook to hdmi external display... The  when doing presentation using vga adapter, i cannot open apps such as photoshop and illustrator... When doing some editting in Illustrator the screen does not refresh it, and it becames buggy and slow...not in Mountain Lion...

     

    Does Mavericks OSX trigger this problem more? Should I reinstall Mountain Lion?

    What suck is that some of my files and format for pages, keynote, iphoto cannot be converted back to previous version... Apple nowadays always try to kill the old machine by doing this... Not giving a chance to the old machine with old osx to try the new apps...force Apple user to buy a new product...

     

    This is my oldest macbook, although die in 2.5 years... Before that i always change my apple stuff every 1.5 years... But stopping that since not much innovation in the latest leadership...

  • by spaguada,

    spaguada spaguada Mar 5, 2014 4:07 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Mar 5, 2014 4:07 PM in response to abelliveau

    I am using gfxCardStatus too, that is good solution for a little while but soon the computer work bad again. I am very dissapointed because expected that my macbook would work maybe about 4 years or more, but surprise! and you know its very sad when you need to work in your thesis grade. I have read a lot comments in internet and there are many people with this problem.

     

    God, what a luck.

  • by TJayG,

    TJayG TJayG Mar 5, 2014 4:20 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Mar 5, 2014 4:20 PM in response to abelliveau

    Early Macbook Pro 2011 w' matte screen. Original OS, only updates have been RAM to 16GB.

    Replaced Ram back to original 4GB, ran all trials - same problem.

     

    Daily Photoshop & After Effects work.

     

    Same Kernalling Issues varying levels of broken displays (a few attached).

     

    IMG_20140303_192225.jpgIMG_20140303_222609.jpgIMG_20140306_064512.jpg

     

    Out of Warranty.

     

    This has happened to three of my machines now, 2 Tower G5's (2005 & 2008), each 1-4 months out of old apple care warranty, each one's HD or boot disk failed, the second Tower, apple technician couldn't even diagonose what the problem was, each one had to be recycled due to the expense of the parts to replace and not be guaranteed a fully working machine)

     

     

    I've already switched to an Android Phone, but the actual work machine isn't quite as easy to do with Software etc.

     

     

    Purchased: Bondi Apple Store, 2011.

     

     

    Another Failed Apple Product...!

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