Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Add me to the list. Early 2011 MBP. System crashed today while moving a browser window between displays. On reboot I've got horizontal lines across the screen/apple logo followed by a grey screen with the fan running at full speed. System will not boot and I am unable to get into recovery mode (black screen). I get an "all okay" message in single user when I run fsck -fy but the machine still will not boot.

I made a Genius Bar appointment for this evening but I'm not hopeful as the machine is out of warranty.

I paid in the neighborhood of $2500 for this laptop just over 3 years ago. I maxed everything out when I bought it because I hoped it would last. I can't even begin to say how incredibly disappointed I am right now.

It seems like it is a complete lottery as to what the result of any Apple Genius appointment maybe. Looking at this forum thread most get a flat out denial that is is an apple fault and have to pay the price for a logic board. Some get a free logic board even out of warranty. A lucky few get a new computer.

People need to be treated the same regardless of where they and how sweetly they smile at the Genius.

I think you guys need to buy new models. If you get 3 years then they have fulfilled their design requirements, if not, Apple will replace them for free. The new ones are better anyway. Remember, Apple never designed them to last longer in the first place, and they did not test the GPUs for this...

I strongly disagree.

First the computer didn't last 3 years but only 2,5 years.

Second, we are not talking about a cheap 500$ Chinese copy but of what should be a high end quality computer which cost about 4 times the price of it's competitor for almost the same hardware.

And last but not least, it's about the brand. I, as the many other user that posted here, accepted to pay that price because we trust in Apple quality and services. If at the time I brought the computer Apple had said "well, it's going to work only 3 years and after you will have to gave us more money for another short life product", I would have brought another cheap toshiba as mine is still working after almost 7 years for 1/4th of the price.

I was being a bit harsh, but if I got one day less than 3 years I would keep ringing and ringing apple until I got a full replacement . In my experience you will eventually get someone on the line who will give in and help[ you, although if they offer you another replacement motherboard instead of a new computer you would have to accept that i suppose...

It depends on where you purchased the MBP- in the UK we are fortunate to have a six year consumer law on defective goods.  Other places aren't so lucky by a long way...

I doubt they would honour that 6 years on a computer anyway, its too long

macguru9999 wrote:

 

I think you guys need to buy new models. If you get 3 years then they have fulfilled their design requirements, if not, Apple will replace them for free. The new ones are better anyway. Remember, Apple never designed them to last longer in the first place, and they did not test the GPUs for this...

I guess I'd better throw my Mac Pro 3,1 2008 in the bin even though it will support OS X Yosemite next month.   A Mac with a pro in its name should last the service life of its supported operating system,and there are plenty out there that do.  This model is the excaption to the rule I've found as to these GPU failures, which are not the users fault but in a lot of cases are being saddled with the bill for fixing them.

I can't comment on my clients cases in specifics but the UK sale of goods act has a very good piece of legislation for them indeed!

lol  I have the same mac pro with an ssd, 20g ram etc.   Great machine. If you are throwing it out can I have it ?

macguru9999 wrote:

 

lol  I have the same mac pro with an ssd, 20g ram etc.   Great machine. If you are throwing it out can I have it ?

8 Core 3.2, 32gb, GTX 680, SSD, USB 3.0. Not a chance and only when I get a dual socket 5,1 for a good price will it ever leave my mitts as my primary workstation.

I have redone my thermal paste and heatpipe contrary to Apple's guidelines on my 2011 and I'm very confident it will last a heck of a lot longer than one pasted by Apple.

You're going to need a new GPU on your logic board, either with a depot repair refurb board or get it replaced by a fresh GPU from a reballing service.  The Kepler GPU you have in the 640 is a 26 watt part so generates far less heat than our 40w AMD models in the 2011, and the CPU also is 10 watts less hungry with a smaller die size area to cool at 35 watts.

You are absolutely correct.  Gav, and others, have the fervent belief that anybody in the UK only needs to whisper the secret phrase "the sale of goods act", and they'll get six years of free repair service.  Reading through this tome, or reading the Act - it's online - it's obvious that's not the case.

carl wolf wrote:

 

You are absolutely correct.  Gav, and others, have the fervent belief that anybody in the UK only needs to whisper the secret phrase "the sale of goods act", and they'll get six years of free repair service.  Reading through this tome, or reading the Act - it's online - it's obvious that's not the case.

I said for my clients it's been an excellent bit of UK legislation for goods that are and are suspected of being inherently defective. My GPU hasn't broken yet and if they want to comment on how this legislation benefited them that is up to them to comment and not I.  I have elaborated more about in parts further back in this thread but I much prefer staying out of a legal minefield living where I do and what I do for a living.

The only fervent beliefs I have is that Apple need to change retrospective engineering guidelines and that users worldwide should have similar consumer protections to us Brits when being treat by Apple.  We're lucky and many aren't.

Hi.

Same problem here with a MacBook Pro early 2011 since 3 days. :-)

(2.2 GHz Intel Core i7, 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 memory) running on Maverick. 

It has two graphics components: an AMD Radeon HD 6750M and a built-in Intel HD Graphics 3000.

hello sadness

byvince