Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Alas, I'm the latest one to be hit by this issue. I own a Macbook Pro 8,2 w/ 8GB ram. Symptoms just began for me yesterday and have been successfully reproducing whenever I have been going into Photoshop to do any graphics work. The application had de-activated high-end graphics automatically once the failure had been induced, and using GfxCardStatus, when I switched it to Discrete Graphics only or let it stay in Auto-Switching mode, it would fail each time I would open any graphics app on my machine.

After multiple SMC/NVRAM resets, I was able to get it back up and running, and since then - I have iStat Menus operating the fans at 5500 RPM on both sides to keep things cool for the time being. The machine is forced to integrated graphics only atm, and is tentatively running.

I have seen this computer already fail at multiple random intervals since the problems began showing yesterday evening. As this is my primary machine, and I'm a poor artist/designer who wasn't smart enough to buy AppleCare for this - I'm also looking at a possible OOW repair on the MLB

Based on the stories heralded thru this monster thread, I'm sure I'm going to have to pay for it, and I'm still wondering how uncanny the timing of all of this is en masse....Here we go, Genius Bar...

Hi, I have been following this thread for a few weeks now. I was wondering if someone would be able to help me out with my scenario...

My 15" Early 2011 MacBook Pro suddenly displayed a glitchey screen, while I was working on it a few weeks ago. After the screen went glitchey it proceeded to go black, however the fans were still running.

I gave the computer a few minutes and nothing happened, it was just a black screen so I held down the power button to cut the power.

I then proceeded to turn the computer back on and was met with a grey screen, with pink vertical lines down it and an Apple logo (normal startup screen). Unlike many people on this thread, my computer never actually moved past this point, it simply froze there and I could not use my computer.

So I gave Apple a call and they got me to reset the PRAM and the SMC, following this, MY COMPUTER WORKED! I used it for a few days without a problem.

After those few days of no problems I was once again met with the glitchy screen, followed by the computer shutting down and then not starting back up.

So I again called Apple and did all of the things that we did the first time and had no luck! The computer would not start up! Apple suggested that I take my (out of warranty) computer to my local Apple repairer (we don't have Apple stores in New Zealand) to have the problem diagnosed.

So I did just that. Here is what the repair had to say...

• The HDD had no bad sectors.
• There was no evidence of water or shock damage.
• They replaced the screen cable(?) which has fixed the problem temporarily.
• They recommend that the screen be replaced at a cost of $900NZD ($770USD) to properly fix the problem.

On a whim I decided to call Apple and see if they could help me out, and they DID! They offered to, for this one time, cover the costs of the repair of my computer free of charge. They emphasised that this was a one off repair and that I should not expect to get this sort of service on all of my older Apple products all of the time.

I have 2 main questions that I was hoping someone here could answer:

1. 1.The repairer said that the screen needs to be replaced to completely fix the problem. Are they right? After looking through this forum and the symptoms that people have posted it seems to me like a GPU/logic board problem. What do you guys think?
2. 2.Second question is, say that they replace the screen and the fix turns out to be only temporary and my computer does stop working again... will this one off repair cover from Apple cover a further repair?

Message was edited by: macdcanham

Denisism wrote:

 

You seem like a shill for Apple.

Not a shill for Apple. I'm jst as frustrated as everyone.

I just got a survey for my call into AppleCare yesterday, I left this for them in the comment box.....

I have a 2011 Early MacBook Pro 17 with a faulty Logic Board. I'm saddened to find out that Apple isn't acknowledging this flaw with their product. My MBP is in for service currently, but from reading the threads about my same issue in the Apple Support Communities I'm worried that I'm going to be stuck with a bandaid and not a solution to fix my $3,000 machine. I'm also mind boggled that being just out of warranty I'm being forced to pay for this repair and not being taken care of by Apple with good faith. I was also told by your Apple Genius at my local store (Fresno, CA) to maybe not use my computer so much and cut down on the high usage design programs (which I use daily). I purchased a premium electronic device from Apple for a premium price.

It's almost like I purchased a Ferrari and was told by the dealer no to take it over 60mph because I might encure internal engine damage.

Will someone please get back to me regarding this matter?

I'm from Brazil and do not speak English very well.

But I solved my problem.

I have a macbook pro 2011 i7 8gb ram + AMD Radeon HD6750M

My macbook started giving blue death screen and white screen and not starting.

After much searching I found that could be some extent.

I tried and tried, but without success.

I decided to format it and still nothing.

So I went back extensions. I downloaded a modified extension AMD6000Controller and AMDRadeonX3000

In the terminal:

rm-rf / System / Library / Extension * AMD6000

rm-rf / System / Library / Extension AMDRadeonX3000 *

replaced the new extensions giving

assigns permissions 755 and root: wheel recursive.

only after:

touch / System / Library / Extestion

restarted my mac and ready!

He returned to work perfectly

I have been a long time lurker of this thread, I have a Macbook Pro 8,2:

I sent my computer into Applecare in January and got the logic board replaced, and am now having the same symptoms. I called Applecare and got them to repair it for free again, even though I am now out of Applecare. I just happened upon a possible solution: when I was exchanging the HD from this dead computer to another old Macbook I had, I put its hard drive into my Macbook Pro, which made the Macbook Pro go from SSD to HD, and now the computer booted and I am using it. Who knows how long it will last, but I thought I would share and hopefully it can help someone else at least get the computer booted. I also now wonder if using an SSD has anything to do with these problems, but I highly doubt it.

UPDATE: Just plugged it into my external monitor, and then it turned on and quickly failed, so it is definitely the graphics card as we know. But the Macbook that I took the HD from only has integrated graphics, so I think by booting up using its HD it forced my computer to boot only using integrated graphics, which could be a help to someone.

I also now wonder if using an SSD has anything to do with these problems, but I highly doubt it.

No, SSDs use less energy and don't get as hot as HDDs.

So my work has been brought to a halt at 2 am, as my Macbook has once again seized to operate, displaying graphical glitches during light Photoshop work, turns to frozen system and not being able to boot. This would be the third time bringing it in for repairs. Never have I've been so frustrated and irritated with a machine that forms part of a supposedly top-of-the-line "pro" range of laptops manufacturers by the premium marketed brand that is Apple.

I'm not saying Windows machines are perfect, but they don't cost an arm and a leg to buy, to repair or maintain. And usually, if something goes wrong, so far I've always been able to repair it at reasonable costs.

So what really are my options here? Ive gone for a reball (which im pretty sure by now was a reflow). Ive spoken to Apple support here in SA and will make another appointment this week. But spending about R9 000 on a logic board replacement that, hold your breath, only has 3 months of warranty, where it is KNOWN that this is not a 100% sure bet fix, it just doensn't make sense.

No, SSDs use less energy and don't get as hot as HDDs.

Not true. Quite a few SSDs use more energy than a HDD and also they can get quite warm. The keywords here are race-to-sleep and getting things done quicker which means a considerable energy savings for all the other components.

degger wrote:

Not true. Quite a few SSDs use more energy than a HDD and also they can get quite warm. The keywords here are race-to-sleep and getting things done quicker which means a considerable energy savings for all the other components.

Sorry for going off topic, but you really have to refresh your info on SSDs.

http://adrianotto.com/2013/01/ssd-power-savings-pays-for-itself/

That link is more than a year old, I'm sure today the energy efficiency is even higher.

 

 

 

So I went back extensions. I downloaded a modified extension AMD6000Controller and AMDRadeonX3000

 

 

 

Where did you download AMD6000Controller and AMDRadeonX3000 from?

I would like to try this but have no idea where to find these two files...

Thanks

Just got bit by the same bug.  I brought mine to the apple store and they are insisting it is a Ram issue and are telling me I need to replace my ram. They ran a ram test and my ram came back normal, but still said my ram was bad and causing this issue.  I am glad I found this thread.

<Edited By Host>

From what others have written I don't have much faith that this is more than temporary so I am planning my "return to Bill" strategy. That's will be the family and business laptops, desktops, phones and tablets - Apple will lose a lot as a result of the appalling way they have handled this issue.

<Edited by Host>

wyattroa ..a ram issue

Yeah - they tried that on on me even in the Trafford Centre store during my 5 hour odyssey to try to get it fixed - and that was though I had just seen the test result saying OK - what are they like? Geniuses not.

And then they tried to blame it on the fact hat I had - SHOCK -  installed non Apple software! Imagine doing THAT?

A LB replacement has my machine running fine again - for now

Sorry for going off topic, but you really have to refresh your info on SSDs.

 

http://adrianotto.com/2013/01/ssd-power-savings-pays-for-itself/

 

That link is more than a year old, I'm sure today the energy efficiency is even higher.

That does not have anything to do with my point apart from the fact that it agrees with the general power savings.

What needs to be considered here is the power/heat envelope and the maximum consumption/output.

There're cases where HDD use less energy than SSD, for instance a WD Scorpio Blue 1TB uses 3.02W during sequential write while any modern SSD uses more than that, eg. Crucial M500 480GB 3.3W, Samsung SSD 840 Pro 512 GB 3.33W or even a Corsair Neutron 240GB at 4.98W. The same WD in idle uses 0.9W while said Crucial M500 uses 1.12W or an Intel SSD 730 480GB even 1.34W.

SSDs typically also run hotter.

Carelessly replacing the harddrive might actually worsen any temperature problems rather than help improving it!