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 paigoomein,

    paigoomein paigoomein Apr 18, 2014 9:17 AM in response to ColinXM
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    Apr 18, 2014 9:17 AM in response to ColinXM

    Yet another unfortunate welcome to the not-so-exclusive club.

     

    If you are in the US, you can ask for the $310 flat-rate repair option where they send it out to a depot.  Keep in mind that you are most likely getting repairs with refurb parts.

     

    And yes, it does look like there is a good chance that the fix will fail again.  At the minimum, go through the following steps below to "help" Apple see that there is indeed an issue.

     

    • Send feedback to Apple Macbook Pro Support.
    • Contact Apple Care Support (ask for exception to the $19 fee) and log a case/ticket.

     

    <Edited By Host>

  • by Nishanth92,

    Nishanth92 Nishanth92 Apr 16, 2014 10:57 AM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 16, 2014 10:57 AM in response to abelliveau

    Is it silly to hope for a recall?

  • by mbopho,

    mbopho mbopho Apr 16, 2014 1:54 PM in response to I Pet Cats
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 16, 2014 1:54 PM in response to I Pet Cats

    Is there a list, where we can register the SN of our machines?

    So we can document how many machines are affected !

     

    It is incredible how arrogant apple reacts, when people come up with this case, which is obviously apple´s fault.

  • by paigoomein,

    paigoomein paigoomein Apr 16, 2014 2:06 PM in response to mbopho
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    Apr 16, 2014 2:06 PM in response to mbopho

    Just search for "2011 macbook pro gpu" and start looking through the results.

  • by mbopho,

    mbopho mbopho Apr 16, 2014 2:09 PM in response to paigoomein
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    Apr 16, 2014 2:09 PM in response to paigoomein

    That brings me back to this discussion.

    Is ther any site collecting data on this issue

    except this apple site?

  • by paigoomein,

    paigoomein paigoomein Apr 16, 2014 2:14 PM in response to mbopho
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    Apr 16, 2014 2:14 PM in response to mbopho

    Sorry, let me clarify.  Search for it in Google, not here in the Apple Support Community.  You know, since Apple thinks that people are reading this forum and posting just for fun.

  • by paigoomein,

    paigoomein paigoomein Apr 16, 2014 2:18 PM in response to paigoomein
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 16, 2014 2:18 PM in response to paigoomein

    Also Google the following:  "replace or fix all early 2011 macbook pro"

  • by theflb,

    theflb theflb Apr 16, 2014 7:29 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Apr 16, 2014 7:29 PM in response to abelliveau

    Question: Do you think Apple is waiting until all purchased units are outside of the 3 year extended warranty?

     

    It's obvious that it's a faulty product. It's obvious that it's not an isolated incident. It's obvious what component is responsible.

     

    Having the failing part replaced with what will be the same failing part is not a good enough solution.

     

    My business is suffering by having no computer and because of such I now don't have the funds to fix or replace this expensive purchase

     

    Don't you all think it's time Apple acknowledged the issue

     

    I'm really confused what to do. I've been working on Apple computers since the IIe, so it's all I know but I can't afford to buy products that expire so quickly. I really don't want to have to relearn everything at my age and swap to the PC camp. But I need a reliable computer or at least one cheap enough to replace. Apple isn't providing either for me now

  • by zoftdev,

    zoftdev zoftdev Apr 16, 2014 10:07 PM in response to abelliveau
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    Apr 16, 2014 10:07 PM in response to abelliveau

    Hi , My computer is hang when change gpu card (both manually & automatically ) after upgrade to Maverick.

    In my case ,I cannot select intregrated / Discrete Card at all. System will hang but caps lock key still response.

     

    Today I remove ATI*  from /System/Library/Extensions   and reset PR Ram.

    Now I can change intregrated / Discrete Card without problem.

     

    Hope this help.

  • by Gannett,

    Gannett Gannett Apr 17, 2014 1:08 AM in response to ColinXM
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Apr 17, 2014 1:08 AM in response to ColinXM

    ColinXM The other solution is to get the Graphic chip replaced or "Reballed" IE: fix a new chip on the existing logic board.  This needs to be done by a competent laptop repair person with special equipment.  Search this discussion for more info about reballing in your area.

     

    Gannett

  • by mr.recordman,

    mr.recordman mr.recordman Apr 17, 2014 2:41 AM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2014 2:41 AM in response to abelliveau

    Hello everyone, mine compouter just died the last weekend. Chrome stopped working, force close optiond did not worked, tried to restart did not respond. Forced turn off then turn on again, Macbook just showed the grey screen with Apple logo.

     

    Tried to restart in recovery, tried clean instalation, tried safe mode, etc nothing passed the the white/grey screen with Apple logo, eventually I got the blue screen with black lines. 2 years old Mac seems to be screwed.

     

    Hope Apple will do something about it.

  • by mbopho,

    mbopho mbopho Apr 17, 2014 2:45 AM in response to mr.recordman
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2014 2:45 AM in response to mr.recordman

    Sure they will do something:

    replace your logic board = Costs 700 bucks

     

    congratulations

     

    The thing is the same, you already got in now.

     

    Guess what happens in two years . . . . .

  • by Thiago Parizi,

    Thiago Parizi Thiago Parizi Apr 17, 2014 5:00 AM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2014 5:00 AM in response to abelliveau

    You guys are probably tired of hearing this but, because I think there are strength in numbers, I'll join the topic.

     

    Until a week ago I was the proud owner of a Mac Book Pro 15' (early 2011). A month ago the same symptoms that everybody described here started happening to my computer. The second time it happened I looked up on the web, found this thread and basically braced for impact. Of course the impact came like a nuke, on the likes of € 750.

     

    First I had the horizontal red lines showing up and the computer would turn off, taking its time to restart again. And then, a week ago, it simply wouldn't start again. All of that accompanied by an extreme overheating of the computer. All symptoms previously describe by many of you and others.

     

    Result: I took it to a authorized apple service, they told me my GPU literally burned up (literally! Because of the overheating) and that I needed to replace the whole logic board, given that the GPU is soldered to the Logic board. Then, as a Hail Mary pass, I called the Apple support to see if a deal was possible, quoting all of you guys, telling them that this is a systematic problem with this specific model. And the result was an actually very nice guy that had nothing to do with the problem telling me: "Only outside assistance, sir". I thanked him and that was it.

     

    So now I have the carcass of this one lying on front of me. I think is not wroth spending that much money on a problem that have immense chances of reoccurring, as many of you stated. So I'll have to buy a new computer...

     

    One thing though, I feel scammed. It is a fact that this is a systematic problem of this model, none of us throw the machine on a bathtub full of warm Coca-Cola and then danced the Macarena on top of it. And worse then that! Remember the White Mac Book from 2006, I sold that one to my friend so that I could buy this one and guess what!? It is up and running!

  • by misterbuster,

    misterbuster misterbuster Apr 17, 2014 7:49 AM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2014 7:49 AM in response to abelliveau

    Another one here: Late 2011 Macbook Pro with Discreet graphics.  Hard crashing after "prickly" horizontal lines leading to a black or blue screen of death.  The crashes came when watching web videos using flash, and when using Pixelmator for graphics editing.

     

    Sometimes I could prevent a full crash by immediately hitting Command + Q to quit the current application.  Resetting PRAM also seemed to help a bit.

     

    To test the problem I used gfxCardStatus to switch to Discreet only which immediately caused a crash.  Now I have it set to Integrated only to avoid any more issues.  I can deal with the unavailable GPU temporarily but I think this deserves free replacement like they did on iMac GPUs.

  • by 8InaD8,

    8InaD8 8InaD8 Apr 17, 2014 4:17 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2014 4:17 PM in response to abelliveau

    Another one here with a Macbook Pro of 2011. In waranty apple changed my logic board 2 times in two years, now i dont have waranty and i have to pay for another logic board.

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