MBP Logic board failure

have the same problem here. Managed to reboot the system a couple of times in the last 3 weeks, but that's all. I bought my MacBook Pro in June 2008. I went to an APS and they told me €750 for replacing the logic board.
Now, if this is a common problem with mbps, shouldn't they do something about it? or shouldn't we do something about it?
I sent a complain through their website more than a week ago and they have not even replied. The APS guys are as unhelpful as you might find them.

The weird thing is that I removed all RAM and tried to restart the computer, and it still went into a coma rather than giving you the alarm sound.

At this point all I want is to access my data. But also, an acknowledgment from Apple since they've been manufacturing and selling faulty computers for a lot of money.

thanks for letting me vent.

My Macbook Pro 4,1 Early 2008 went to sleep and never woke up. The AASP says it's a logicboard failure and does not qualify for the NVidia extended warranty. It's absolutely outrageous that so many people are having these issues. What exactly is causing the logicboard to fail if not the Nvidia chip?

I take great care of the machine. I'm typing this on a Dell laptop that is 6 years old and still going strong. I really thought when I bought my MBP I was investing in a higher quality piece of technology and justified the more expensive price tag on that basis. Absolutely disgusted

crowem wrote:

......It's absolutely outrageous that so many people are having these issues. What exactly is causing the logicboard to fail if not the Nvidia chip?

I take great care of the machine. I'm typing this on a Dell laptop that is 6 years old and still going strong. I really thought when I bought my MBP I was investing in a higher quality piece of technology and justified the more expensive price tag on that basis. Absolutely disgusted

Welcome to the world of steadily declining MBP quality control and reliability.
Yeah, I've had two logic board failures in my MBP's second year of ownership. My AppleCare extended warranty covered their replacements. Still a painintheass, though.
I'd say that the logic boards are just not robust enough to withstand the internal heat generated in these notebooks.
Apple really dropped the ball on this. Even newer MBPs are experiencing logic board failures.
It does sucketh when a lowly Dell, which sold for maybe a third the price of a MBP can run the distance when a pricey MBP can't.

Hi. I do have exactly the same problem whit my computer. a nvidia card from a computer that I byu in april 2008. They Cannot run the test to see if the card is afected becouse the bard is broken, so they decide that is not going under the extended warrant.
I thing is completly unfair.
also, if the card is afected they are going to change the board equally becous it comes together!, so, shall be justtthe same.
If they cannot perform the test and is one of the ones whit bad chip, thay shall just replace-it.
I assume that NVidia is going to refund them for all the machines, not just for the ones that pases the test.

Hello everyone,

it seems that I am joining a rather crowded club of disgruntled MBP owners. Just yesterday, my MBP gave me the black screen of death after attempting to wake it up from a few hours sleep.

This is the second time that I am having this issue. The first time was before a few months ago when the exact same thing happened. In the exact same manner as it happened then, the screen is black and the computer does not respond to anything. My only way out of this is a forced shutdown (by keeping the power button depressed for a few seconds) and then an attempt to restart it. When I do the latter, I can hear the DVD drive waking up but there are no further signs of life. No startup chime, the keyboard is dead (e.g. the CAPS lock button) and the Mac never starts up.

I have already gone through a repair of this issue the first time it happened. The repair consisted of repairing the NVIDIA chip; I think this has to do with re-soldering it on the logic board.

Obviously, that didn't took the MBP very far, as one and a half month later, it's busted again.

I have recently discovered this topic though and its reference to the issue with the NVIDIA chips installed in MBPs (TS2337 article). How is it possible to check if my MBP is among the ones affected by the issue?

Just to provide some relevant info (from my Macbook's box):

Part #: MA895B/A
Model #: A1226
Name: 15-inch Macbook Pro
Specifications: 2.2Ghz Core 2 Duo/2GB/128MB VRAM/120GB 5400rpm

Factory: China
Production Year: 2007
Production Week: 41 (October)
Production Number: 1185

I intend to check things with the local Apple store as well this time. But before doing so, I'd like to know as much as possible on where I stand on this issue.

Thanks.

Hi all,

I experienced the same issue on may late 2007 MacBook Pro.
Awaking the mac from sleep, the screen remains black. NO boot, no startup chime, too.

I had a check form apple support, and they told me something I was aware about. The logic board does not work. They can't say me what exactly the issue is. Thank you very much...I paid for this information 30 €.
The price for get it fixed: 950 €

This contribution wants only to demonstrate how many people experienes this problem whit their MacBook Pro's

bye

Gian

I have a MacBook Pro A1226 (Santa Rosa mid-late 2007). It had two common defects that Apple repaired promptly and free of charge. Overall I am very happy with Apple's service and the performance of my MacbookPro:

1. Power cord frayed at mag-safe connection - I soldiered that on my own but the Genius Bar exchanged it for a new one free of charge.

2. Nvidia problem - The aluminum strip above the esc-f4 keys seemed to be getting very hotter over time, especially during flash videos. So I took the Mac to the Genius Bar for the mystery test, which it failed. The MacStore sent my laptop to their Texas repair facility and it was back in my hands in 3 days.

The new logic board runs much cooler. Perhaps Apple has further underclocked the Nvidia card or there was a redesign or I am just lucky. Regardless, I am very happy with the service.

For the record, I fully blame Nvidia for the lousy quality control on these chips; their massive financial settlement to cover several PC brands and their customers via a 9-digit reserve is strong enough evidence for me. Apple and other PC brands got duped.

However. . . I am a bit miffed that Apple has a downclocked graphics card. The screen could be better. It also irritates me Apple crippled the Santa Rosa 3.0 GB/s SATA bus to 1.5 GB/s making the installation of a super-fast SDD pointless. Regardless, my Macbook Pro is lightening fast so while irritating these issues matter very little.

FAST. . . my computer is now very speedy with:
*4GB ram
*Newly installed WD Scorpio 7200rpm 500gb HDD
*Fresh install of Snow Leopard
*Some quick cleanup with Onyx free software

After pressing the start button, this A1226 boots and I am online with Safari in less than 35 seconds. All applications, including Flash and VmWare Fusion 2.0.6, run very quickly and without any issues. I see no reason to upgrade for several years.

I received my MBP back from Apple Mail-in repair. The logic board was replaced according to the receipt but I question that the work was actually done because the ports (USB, FW, etc.) seem to be worn. I thought these ports were soldered onto the MLB. Am I wrong?

Hello everyone
I am surprised and disappointed to hear of everyone else's problems with the MBP... I TOO have recieved the kiss of death; right in the middle of finishing writing my Masters thesis. THANK YOU APPLE!

...I opened my MBP after a few hours of sleep and was welcomed by a black screen, no startup chime, dim but present sleep light, and nothing other than a short whirring sound that I assume was the CD/DVD drive. I brought it to the Apple store in Paris and after a 5 minute diagnostic at the Genius Bar, I was informed that the mother/logic board was shot - a repair of 900euros - and given the helpful advice to just chuck it. I was able to get my hard drive removed and salvage all data, but the computer was toast.

I was not satisfied that such a major issue be diagnosed by such a simple test (he held down a few keys and held his ear to the computer) so I went to another Apple store (also in Paris) to get a second opinion. They gave me the same result. I asked then to have it more rigorously tested (i.e. to open it up and test the logic board directly - which they did). The diagnosis was the same - full replacement of the logic board at 900e.

I declined the repair and, to Apple's credit, they did not charge me anything for the assessment (there was a minimum 50 euro charge for just opening it up).

Since then I have been reflecting on what to do... buy a second-hand logic board, or buy a new computer, or ?? It burns me to buy a new computer since the one I have is not old (Oct 2007) and it otherwise was great! Moreover, the new Macs do not seem to be different enough from my MBP to justify the purchase of a new one, so I am not that keen on buying one.

And then I found this thread. It is disappointing that so many of you are also having this problem, and that Apple is not responding to it. Well I am going to call Apple Customer Service and see what they say, following some of your advice. It sounds like the logic board is faulty and should be addressed in this model.

You might want to check if you have the NVIDIA graphics chip that is giving problems to us all that have a merom MBP: i.e. the GeForce 8600M GT. If you do have that chip inside your MBP and this chip has failed, then you are entitled to a full repair no questions asked and no matter what. I actually took my MBP to the Apple Store's Genius Bar and they immediately diagnosed the problem and offered the free repair (and I was prepared for a haggle). If you haven't done already, check this thread for the link to Apple's article TS2337 for details.

I should also add that I have been given the 1000€ repair quote by an AASP in another country... Things are far from consistent with Apple's support in different countries and I get the feeling that some AASPs in smaller countries are taking unfair advantages from Apple's customers.

Thankfully, this forum is a ver good information source that can shield us against these issues.

Same here in Stuttgart.
MacBookPro 2,2GHZ late 2007.
Machine does not wake up from sleepmode. Hardrive spins, stops, and goes to sleep again. No booting from external devices, no videosignal, no target mode, no startup sound, just a dimmed power led.
Best thing is: "If we can not run the nvidia test we can not diagnose an nvidia problem."
Never thought of that! :P
C'mon, this is the **** of a big problem with the logic boards! Everyone at any repair center knows the problem. At first the repair center even didn't ask for replacement at the TSPS Chat. It's clear that Apple does not want to replace bad boards with bad boards. It's a shame. My pismo is still "running" perfect.

Also here in Holland the "Master of the MBP Disaster struck"...... A few days ago my MBP 2,4 (aug 2008) went to sleep after a good day of working, surfing and mailing.... she never woke up....
At the Apple repair centre she was diagnosed a death Logic Board... no warranty and though it has the infamous NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT inside, it wasn't covered for that either....

I was always very satisfied with the gorgeous products Apple made and I've owned quite a few. But this has set my enthousiasm for Apple products way back. Buying a expensive laptop like the Macbook Pro in those days, brings certain expectations..... Apple failed in that... BIG TIME....

I purchased my MBP in Oct 2007 and it too has failed showing the same symptoms as many here have state. I took it to Apple today and they are denying that it is the video chip, giving me the same story that I need to pay $1200 for a new board. I am furious!!! A couple of question for other to respond to:
1. They said that the logic board is bad not the video chip because they can not test the video chip since the computer will not fully come on. So what "test" are they running?
2. Does the failed video chip cause the logic board to go bad?

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Ad me to the list of problems with the late 2007 MacBook pro now. I will never ever buy another laptop from apple, they have treated me terrible with this junk, I thought Dell was bad to deal with long ago, boy was I wrong. My apple care just ran out and I send it in before warranty expires and they won't fix anything on it saying the two dings on the plastic voids fixing their junky computer. I may buy another iPad, but unless I get this fixed and some respect my 3 grand spent on this junk will go to a company that hasn't lost their sense. I remember in the 90's when it was super cool to own Dell products and they sold people junk, and honey they fell fast, I see them rise and fall, apple ought to be getting in touch with all these unhappy customers that have spent thousands upon thousands upon thousands of dollars on Junk they know is wrong and make it right or there sure will be a lot of grass-roots discussion amongst peoples circles not to eat their fruit. Windows may crack, but I can repair those cracks, rotten fruit can only be thrown out.
I normally am not this harsh publicly on apple, but enough is enough, they know these batches (and a lot more) are junk and sit on all that cash they saved up and not do the right thing and spend a fraction fixing their junk, or may I offer some wisdom, that fat cash they're holding onto may dwindle when a mass exodus arrives!
After 4 macs in 5 years and the hot and cold reception I have received and all the research I have done on faulty hardware from apple(I spend all day analyzing technology) I see a company built on sand and not rock. I know some will call me a hater, not true, but with what I have dealt with and money spent I expect honest answers that yes we(apple) have had a lot of bad hardware and we're making it right, instead I get a run a round and blame game when mailing in my computers for service. By the way, I have sold many iPads for apple so I am pro apple, but like a friend said 3 years ago when I was raving on apple 'I don't do fruit and you'll why soon enough'. I doubt anyone will read this long post within the apple universe but I have got this off my chest. Final thought, maybe they ought to open up some manufacturing plants here in the USA and let this Nations skilled workers show what they're made of and from what I can tell it could only get better, given the chance. Peace and Love

I am back up and running with my MBP. The Apple Store checked the serial number and immediately offered the repair (NB: My MBP has the ****** NVIDIA chip).

With a new logic board, the MBP sprung back to life and since then it is running ok. I can now say that the old MBP was running way too hot. The underside of the laptop was too hot to touch while now it is a bit warm. Not sure if this is because this logic board is less overclocked than the previous one or whether the previous was just toasted and as a result of that, the heat output had increased. I think the latter is actually true, as at the beginning it wasn't getting hot.

Here are a few things I observed as soon as I got my MBP back:

(1) The first time I powered on the MBP, the clock was set at a date in 2001. That was an easy fix.

(2) The keyboard was (for some reason) reset to US only. I changed it back to UK.

(3) I also got a message about configd allowing incoming connections through the firewall. I OK'd this. Network connectivity worked initially (including internet) but the following day it stopped. Was not able to access the internet through Safari and was not able to check e-mails. All that both with WiFi and Ethernet.

I actually had to go back to the Apple Store for this. They recommended allowing incoming connections in System Preferences > FireWall (which was already like this for Safari...). Anyway, I allowed incoming connections for all applications and the problem was gone. Connectivity was restored and is working ever since. All in all, it wasn't a hardware issue. In all cases, I intend to re-install the OS from scratch (to Snow Leopard) so I suspect that any issues like this will probably go away.

All in all, I am pretty happy for the moment, even though my confidence in Apple's laptops has taken a small hit. I still love the design and the features of this laptop but at the same time, I expect a highly reliable machine. Yes, support has been excellent in my case but I'd rather have a reliable, working machine on my lap rather than one that I know will fail at some point.