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 kayazuki,

    kayazuki kayazuki Feb 6, 2015 9:44 AM in response to kayazuki
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 6, 2015 9:44 AM in response to kayazuki

    Shoot, smth went wrong with that link.. When you navigate between the pages, in the address u should just change the start value to: start=10125.

    Then the post count should be correct and lead you to the info of Mr G. in Berlin!

     

    <Edited By Host>

  • by jimoase,

    jimoase jimoase Jan 26, 2015 11:16 AM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 26, 2015 11:16 AM in response to abelliveau

    This problem is spiking again after 2 years of relative calm between the spike of failures right after production release.

     

    The first reports were many.  Then Apple released a firmware upgrade and the problems slowed.  Now over 3 years after the production release the problem is spiking again.  The key maybe in the firmware upgrade if it slowed the processor and diminished the number of times the discrete graphic processor was accessed.

     

    If the original problem was heat related than slowing and minimizing the heat source, AMD Radeon HD 6750M, would have the effect of delaying the eventual failure.  My system begin showing signs of problems a few weeks ago.  Those problems are becoming more frequent.  Today I got my first blue screen.  The bottom rear left and left center were nearly untouchable.

     

    I uses an ice pack to cool the machine, then unplugged the MagSafe connector reasoning that to reboot I wanted the machine to go into its lowest power mode which is using the integrated Intel HD Graphic 3000 processor system.   Took a lot of tries but it finally rebooted.  Using iStatPro widget I read GPU and GPU diode temps in the 140 range.  Normally, like now I see 90s and 40s respectively.

     

    The Apple cure, from all reports, seems to be replace the mother board.  Unless these board came from a later production run, these boards more than likely represent more of the same problem, mass failure in three years.

     

    There is a class action suite pertaining to this problem making its way through the courts.  Maybe the suit will succeed.  Good for those in the suite.  For the rest of us...  For you and I ethics would demand we say what we mean and mean what we say.  The problem was not created intentionally, the "cure" is a different story.  It would be nice if Apple would deal directly with this problem rather than taking the bottom feeder route, within the law.  Laws describe minimum acceptable performance.  Not something I aspire to accomplish.

  • by r100,

    r100 r100 Jan 26, 2015 11:21 AM in response to deka303bis
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Jan 26, 2015 11:21 AM in response to deka303bis

     

    please please please do not make apple replace your logic board....it will be not a new one but a refurbished (is it the right term?) and you will have to go back again! best solution invest a hundred of buck and go to a reballer they will last more. me and my father have this same computer mine broke first (hard gaming brought to that i think) and without knowing the issue i got the logic board replaced, after it broke again (over the 90 days period ) i decide to go to a rebiller who told me that my logic board was a ****** one and that i should have never let them change it. but anyway i rebelled and it lasted for an half a year more. my father went directly to a rebiller without changing the logic board and the computer still works and now is past half year...so do not make them change your logic board for a refurbished one...there are no new logic boards for this model around...what they change to you are just pieces of broken ones put togheter!

     

    The more I read about this problem the more I'm convinced that the chips are failing because they overheat. An that is because of substandard heat transfer  from the chips to the heat sink due to bad or badly applied thermal paste.

     

    This is is why I wonder if the replacement boards have new and better applied paste on them. Once the board is out of the machine, it would take about 5 minutes to apply a clean film of paste. So, why wouldn't they do it ?

     

    Anyways, I cannot get my machine with a new logic board to crash not matter how hard I push it. The hottest I can get the chip is around 91-92°C. Again, is that a safe temperature for the chips to survive over a long period ?

     

    Thx

  • by ThiagoBOliveira,

    ThiagoBOliveira ThiagoBOliveira Jan 26, 2015 12:01 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 26, 2015 12:01 PM in response to abelliveau

    I'm having this problem with my macbook pro late 2011. I bought the applecare plan and one month before my warranty expires the problem started. I took it to a Apple assistance and they exchanged the logic board. Now, six months after the exchange the problem returned. They told me i need to pay for it because the waranty gone and the price is $ 600.00!!!! LOL.

  • by jimoase,

    jimoase jimoase Jan 26, 2015 12:17 PM in response to ThiagoBOliveira
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 26, 2015 12:17 PM in response to ThiagoBOliveira

    If the replacement mother board was made at the same time as the original production then there is no reason to believe it will perform any more reliably than the original production board.  Same components, same manufacturing process, nothing improved because of experiences learned between then and now.  The replacement boards need to be corrected and then tested before releasing to the public.  That apparently is not happening.

     

    We can go to other small conscientious companies and get our boards fixed.  Yet if Apple gets away with this, they will do it again and your next purchase maybe the next example of lack of interest in fixing the problem and growing on.

     

    In the pop up toast model days Jobs would often call a buddy of mine to determine if he needed more computers.  His word was good.  We need some of that kind of ethics for this problem.

  • by tormirez,

    tormirez tormirez Jan 26, 2015 12:50 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 26, 2015 12:50 PM in response to abelliveau

    Hi. I don't know if my problem is anything like yours or not but can you please help me and answer my question in this topic: Graphics Corruption in Some Apps - Problem with Geforce GT750

    You may have some experiences with problems of discrete graphics cards and maybe you can help me figure out what my problem is.

     

    Thanks

  • by jimoase,

    jimoase jimoase Jan 26, 2015 1:54 PM in response to ThiagoBOliveira
    Level 1 (13 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 26, 2015 1:54 PM in response to ThiagoBOliveira

    I just a call back from our closest Apple repair shop.  They said the mother board was $603 plus labor.

     

    She mentioned something curious, both the 2.2. and 2.3ghz boards cost the same.  I have not heard of big issues with the 2.3ghz machines.

     

    We can be pretty sure that any replacement boards have the same issues the original production boards had because Apple didn't go back and do a run of 2011 mother boards in 2012 or 2014, they had other production to do.  So a competent repair house will not be replacing the problem with the same problem.

  • by skunkwerks,

    skunkwerks skunkwerks Jan 26, 2015 2:05 PM in response to jimoase
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 26, 2015 2:05 PM in response to jimoase

    FWIW I just had my 7th failure in a year of the GPU board. So I'm pretty fed up with this. Tomorrow I'm organising getting this replaced ... permanently. It's time to step away from Apple products as their warranty doesn't live up to the hype.

  • by r100,

    r100 r100 Jan 26, 2015 2:23 PM in response to Ryan Griffin
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Jan 26, 2015 2:23 PM in response to Ryan Griffin

    At the Apple Store the expert told me that #1 the graphics problem was most likely due to the thermal paste. He said that even if I send my MBP out to Apple for a logic board replacement, I would be getting a "new" Logic Board that could also have the same thermal paste problem   He recommended I had an authorized service provider redo the past  (Elan Technologies in Columbus, OH).  They did the paste replacement for $40 for me.  It only lasted 4 days before my Macbook Pro failed again

    ok, thank's. That pretty much answers my question about the new boards.

  • by amaroksaudience,

    amaroksaudience amaroksaudience Jan 27, 2015 2:42 AM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 2:42 AM in response to abelliveau

    I have the same problem with a late 2011 MacBook Pro 15" 2,2Ghz . I did not had any problem since 2015. So it worked for more than three years without any problems. But since one week I have massive problems and the radeon chip is not usable anymore - the MacBook crashs after a few minutes with enabled radeon chip. I have disabled the chip with gfxcardstatus. But this is not a solution to me.

    The most fatal thing is, that I cannot use an external display anymore - which I need for color adjustment at photos in lightroom or for a video projector.

     

    Actually I cannot believe Apple does not care about all the people affected by this manufacturing error.

  • by eezacque,

    eezacque eezacque Jan 27, 2015 4:20 AM in response to r100
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 4:20 AM in response to r100

    r100 wrote:

     

    At the Apple Store the expert told me that #1 the graphics problem was most likely due to the thermal paste. He said that even if I send my MBP out to Apple for a logic board replacement, I would be getting a "new" Logic Board that could also have the same thermal paste problem   He recommended I had an authorized service provider redo the past  (Elan Technologies in Columbus, OH).  They did the paste replacement for $40 for me.  It only lasted 4 days before my Macbook Pro failed again.

    ok, thank's. That pretty much answers my question about the new boards.

    Apple is currently recycling boards really fast, so these 'new boards' are likely to be old boards that had a quick reflow...

  • by r100,

    r100 r100 Jan 27, 2015 8:51 AM in response to eezacque
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 8:51 AM in response to eezacque

    if they did a reflow, even a quick one, then they must have put on new paste... how do you know that Apple is recycling old boards ?

  • by Haggiss,

    Haggiss Haggiss Jan 27, 2015 3:08 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 3:08 PM in response to abelliveau

    Currently waiting for my 2nd replacement logic board replacement to go in and MBP returned to me.  While I was examining the Work Authorization, I noticed the 2nd replacement logic board has a different part number than the first - with a 0.1GHz speed increase!  Is it wishful thinking that the 2nd logic board is going to be different from the first and actually work for more than 3 months?

     

    First Replacement: 661-6161: Board, Logic, 2.4 GHz

    Second Replacement: 661-6162: Board, Logic, 2.5 GHz

  • by Hitman4000,

    Hitman4000 Hitman4000 Jan 27, 2015 5:49 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 27, 2015 5:49 PM in response to abelliveau

    So I took my laptop to an Apple store and paid the $300.  They basically replaced the display ($600) the logic board ($300) memory sticks ($50) battery ($100) and the bottom case entirely ($50).  And all I paid was $300.

     

    Now I have been using GPUTest and I have been trying to force it to wear down.  At one point, I had it running for 5 days straight, but this thing is showing NO signs of failing whatsoever.  I am now 1 month into my 90 day warranty and I don't know what to do.  Should I keep stress testing it day and night for 2 more months?  I am just worried that it was a legitimate reball and this thing will really last and I'm just killing the entire computer by running it hot 24/7

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