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 l_e_c,

    l_e_c l_e_c May 25, 2014 8:44 AM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2014 8:44 AM in response to abelliveau

    +1 here

     

    Same problem: 2001 MacBook Pro bought in Spain freezes when auto-switching to AMD 6750M card.

     

    It's absolutely unacceptable that a product like this at this price has a lifespan of less than 3 years. Where the … is this world going to?

     

    Apple has to be made responsible somehow. Anyone working on the mass media or has friends there please report this. It's the only way there are going to do something about it.

     

    Apple: Why be an early adopter of the latest technology –thunderbolt– if you don't even allow the computer to live long enough to really use it?

     

    It's just crazy…

  • by SaintesMaries,

    SaintesMaries SaintesMaries May 25, 2014 9:05 AM in response to Neshill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2014 9:05 AM in response to Neshill

    My is as well a matte high-res. I have split screen, distortion, stripes. Recently, the screen goes immediately black, when trying to use a more challenging graphic thing (watching a movie, trying to use the camera, etc). All these things cause a crash. No camera, no movies, no beamer, no external monitor, no Photoshop. It became just a surf and writing MB. Nothing one could not do with a CHEAPER Air.

     

    I need to restart my MBP sometimes 5 times before it goes back to the login screen, or more often.

    Same thing: Apple logo appears, goes away, grey screen, fans start to run on max. Either I shut it down with the Power button or it shuts itself down.

     

    I can see it is good for Apple if we buy every 2-3 years a MBP for thousands of Euros or Dollars, but that's bad for me.

    It is not environmental friendly (better PR campaign by Appe).

     

    I personnaly will not buy an iPhone before my MBP does not survive 5 or any longer.

     

    Apple, my Powerbook G4 is still running and that is what I call quality. It is from 2004.

  • by SaintesMaries,

    SaintesMaries SaintesMaries May 25, 2014 9:03 AM in response to SaintesMaries
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2014 9:03 AM in response to SaintesMaries

    Just wanted to say as well:


    There is another forum for this whole issue. Just google it.

  • by Pier11,

    Pier11 Pier11 May 25, 2014 9:07 AM in response to degger
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 25, 2014 9:07 AM in response to degger

    some application force a switch to the discrete GPU and gfxCardStatus is not able to prevent it


    Which applications do that?

  • by HalRowser,

    HalRowser HalRowser May 25, 2014 9:12 AM in response to Pier11
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2014 9:12 AM in response to Pier11

    Pier11 wrote:

     

     

    some application force a switch to the discrete GPU and gfxCardStatus is not able to prevent it

     


    Which applications do that?

     

    Aperture, Keynote (sometimes), Premiere CS6 / CC (sometimes), many Quicktime-aware applications,...

    Safari, when I try to open a site with streaming video such as eg. ISS LIVE... etc.

  • by joao.faraco,

    joao.faraco joao.faraco May 25, 2014 9:49 AM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2014 9:49 AM in response to abelliveau

    +1 here. 17" Macbook Pro early 2011 having GPU issues for about 2 weeks. Can't connect to external monitor any more -- screen glitches, vertical lines and eventually system crash.

     

    Installed gfxCardStatus to force using integrated graphics only and the system was more stable, until yesterday when my Mac froze and I can't boot it anymore.

     

    Chime plays, Apple logo appears with spinner, and then blank (light grey) screen.

     

    Tried running applejack functions in single user mode, tried resetting the PRAM, left it to cool for about 10 hours and nothing. Even safe boot gives me the same blank screen.

     

    Any ideas if this is still related to GPU, or what else I can do ?

     

    PS.: I'm writing this on a 2007 white Macbook, which has never had issues remotely like the ones I've seen on my 17" MBP. It is ridiculous to see the amount of frustrated people having the same problems with this line of MBP's and Apple not saying absolutely anything about it.

  • by degger,

    degger degger May 25, 2014 10:28 AM in response to HalRowser
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2014 10:28 AM in response to HalRowser

    Aperture, Keynote (sometimes), Premiere CS6 / CC (sometimes), many Quicktime-aware applications,...

    Safari, when I try to open a site with streaming video such as eg. ISS LIVE... etc.

    Basically all application which have GPU acceleration which are quite a few nowaday, including the infamous flashplayer which easily ends up any application having a web view including (but not limited to) Skype and RSS Readers.

  • by Matt Williamson,

    Matt Williamson Matt Williamson May 25, 2014 12:01 PM in response to Pier11
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2014 12:01 PM in response to Pier11

    I've had VirtualBox (a virtualization application, like VMware fusion or parallels) switch to discrete despite the gfxCardStatus setting. Crashed my Mbp instantly. Oddly, Aperture runs just fine for me on the integrated (forced via gfxCardStatus). If I don't have it forced, yes it'll switch to discrete by default.

  • by rplayer,

    rplayer rplayer May 25, 2014 2:14 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2014 2:14 PM in response to abelliveau

    I said it before and ill say it again. When Steve died apple died.

     

    A quote from a former apple designer about Steve.

     

    Finally, Kawano dished on Steve Jobs, saying the late Apple cofounder's reputation of being passionate to the point of frightening is misunderstood. What Jobs wanted was the "best thing" and expected those working around him to want the same.

     

    "He had trouble understanding people who didn't want that same thing and wondered why they'd be working for him if that was the case," Kawano said. "I think Steve had a very low tolerance for people who didn't care about stuff."

     

     

    Funny that apple dont care about faulty products they released now. If Steve could see this he would be so angry. Screaming "why are you doing this to MY loyal customers"

     

    Miss you Steve

  • by Pier11,

    Pier11 Pier11 May 25, 2014 4:11 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (4 points)
    May 25, 2014 4:11 PM in response to abelliveau

    Somehow gfxCardStatus doesn't always help when the computer is waking up. My computer won't wake from sleep... all I get is a black screen. In 2 days my 3000$ computer has gone from production workhorse to failing chromebook.

     

    Last time this happened to me during the Jobs era (GPU melt of late 2007 macbook pro) I got my laptop repaired at no cost no questions asked, even when I was out of warranty.

     

    Tomorrow I'll be buying a new computer, because I need to keep generating income. Obviously it will not be an Apple computer. Thank you Apple for wasting my hard earned money.

  • by ehard,

    ehard ehard May 25, 2014 7:11 PM in response to Pier11
    Level 1 (5 points)
    May 25, 2014 7:11 PM in response to Pier11

    I'm considering buyin´g a d e l l  m4800, ´cause I´m afraid of the m3800. It´s macbookpro-like slenderness is frightening me!.

  • by clintonfrombirmingham,

    clintonfrombirmingham clintonfrombirmingham May 25, 2014 7:23 PM in response to ehard
    Level 7 (30,009 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 25, 2014 7:23 PM in response to ehard

    ehard wrote:

    I'm considering buyin´g a d e l l  m4800, ´cause I´m afraid of the m3800. It´s macbookpro-like slenderness is frightening me!.

     

    Why not cosider a Sager -> http://www.sagernotebook.com/index.php?page=category_browse&selected_cat=15?

     

    They are ultra-customizable, you can even get Blue-ray with them and you can really max out the SATA and mSATA bays with SSDs plus get dual GPUs.

     

    I bought one and love it!

     

    Clinton

  • by ehard,

    ehard ehard May 25, 2014 7:54 PM in response to clintonfrombirmingham
    Level 1 (5 points)
    May 25, 2014 7:54 PM in response to clintonfrombirmingham

    clintonfrombirmingham wrote:

     

    ehard wrote:

    I'm considering buyin´g a d e l l  m4800, ´cause I´m afraid of the m3800. It´s macbookpro-like slenderness is frightening me!.

     

    Why not cosider a Sager -> http://www.sagernotebook.com/index.php?page=category_browse&selected_cat=15?

     

    They are ultra-customizable, you can even get Blue-ray with them and you can really max out the SATA and mSATA bays with SSDs plus get dual GPUs.

     

    I bought one and love it!

     

    Clinton

    Interesting choice, but I live in Peru. So international warranty is an issue!.

  • by Flora82,

    Flora82 Flora82 May 25, 2014 8:01 PM in response to Manjax23
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2014 8:01 PM in response to Manjax23

    Hey Manjax,

    thanks for listing a place in Bangalore. I'm realizing I have a faulty logic board, as I have an early 2011 macbook pro and all the woes mentioned in this forum popped up last week. I will be contacting the people you recommended to do the job. I'm so happy to have found this! I was wondering if I was going to have to send to Dehli! Cheers and good luck to all. Will update if I have any news.

  • by xashi,

    xashi xashi May 25, 2014 9:42 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 25, 2014 9:42 PM in response to abelliveau

    Hi,

     

    I own 15inch macbook pro early 2011. My laptop was working great few days untill yesterday I realize gpu failed and now when I boot my laptop it will only stay on gray apple logo. I only boot with safe mode and it works but I can't play videos or even use safari browser stable. My laptop condition is like brand new, I never dropped it or abuse it. I am so helpless now my apple care expire few months ago and I can't afford the repair cost for my macbook.

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