MBP Logic board failure

I too have this problem, and am about to go down the road of return and repair.

What would we say is folks' success rate when it comes to getting this logic board fix out of Apple for free?

Also, on other forums, some users have suggested the problem could be related to the RAM. They suggest systematically taking out individual sticks of RAM before restarting. Has anyone here had any joy with that approach, or is black screen, no chime, dim light always a logic board fail?

please scroll up and read my posts...i have put the apple page link that tells you which machines and for how long after purchase they will fix it (or refund) for free.

it's not really the logic board, it's the nvidia chip which is soldered to the logic board that fails. read my posts...I believe i am the only one that totally told the whole story.

your computer has this problem for sure...but check the ram first so you can say you did when you get to the apple store.

Update on my situation:

After my MacBook Pro fell in coma, and took it to the Service Center to have the Nvidia test come out negative, and called Apple Care to have a case number opened as it was clearly an Envidia issue despite the test result, made an appointment with the Genius Bar.

So Tuesday (a week ago) at the Genius Bar it got tested again and they took it in for a fix, free of charge.

Now waiting to get my precious back.

So when you tested again at the Genius bar did it pass??

Do you mind if I ask for your case number as I have an Issue where it doesn't pass but it is clearly an nVidia issue. Would be good to have a reference when talking to them again.

Hi Alex,

What they said at the Genius Bar is that they couldn't get a proper diagnosis but that they were taking it in anyways, as it was probably the case. Once I get my Mac back in working conditions I'll be happy to e-mail you my case number as a reference, but until then I prefer not to. It's been an arduous little battle and I'm not quite there yet.

Anyways, the only thing I had to say to the Apple Care call center was what had happened (the symptoms, the knowledge about the Nvidia issue and the negative test result at the Service Center) and give them my model data. They made my appointment with the Genius Bar themselves.

Good luck.

What serial numbers are affected? My MBP from summer of '08 is showing the exact same signs as some of these accounts, I just want to be sure I'm covered since I'm about a month out of apple care.

About 4 months ago, my MBP started having trouble booting up. It would chime,

but give me a blank screen. Usually after a few tries, I could get it on. I took it to the apple retailer, and I was told they couldn't find the cause. It stopped doing this after a few days, and I went on with my life. (It was, however, documented in my case files)

Now, a month out of warrenty, I put my beloved MBP to sleep, and when I came home from work, I'm left with a black screen and a completely unresponsive mac. The LED light in front glows dimmly, and my hard drive, superdrive, and fans all spin up, but nothing more. Tried the SMC and PRAM- nothing. Took it to the Apple store, and they said it was the logic board, and it'd be a hefty repair bill. They apparently did get it to run some tests, I'm just not sure what....

Took it back, called customer care, and did some digging. Found these many articles, and emailed them all to the customer care agent I've been working with. He agrees that it most likely is the cause, but he can't garuntee anything until a tech at the depot looks at it.

scroll backwards to all my posts, i've given you all the links you need to find which machines qualify...not serial numbers, but machines are identified.

See also this thread

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2675881

".....If the NVIDIA graphics processor in your MacBook Pro has failed, or fails within four years of the original date of purchase, a repair will be done free of charge, even if your MacBook Pro is out of warranty......"

http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2377

Again that warrenty only gets applied if they can run the test and it fails. That's the issue over which there is so much contention.

At my Apple store, they didn't run the test...they knew what the issue was and replaced it free.

1) The policy is not applied evenly

2) If the machine can't boot repairs are often rejected (see the threads above)

3) I have had two colleages have this repair rejected for reason 2

I would add that my AASP has a shelf full of these dead MBP's that people have given up for parts since Apple would not cover the repair.

that's too bad 😟

i would just keep trying to up the ladder, get a supervisor, go to corporate, whatever, as has been suggested in a couple of these threads. it is an obvious issue. oh, and now Apple has acknowledged this same issue in the 2010 MBP's.

Apple acknowledges 2010 MacBook Pro black-screen bug

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20119849-263/apple-acknowledges-2010-macboo k-pro-black-screen-bug/?tag=nl.e795

An issue that has been plaguing some owners of MacBook Pro systems is a black-screen bug where systems will suddenly show a black and unresponsive display after performing specific tasks that may be as simple as moving a window, resizing screen elements, or when waking the system from sleep. The problem may show a kernel panic, but generally just displays the black screen and requires users to press the power button to restart the systems.Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20119849-263/apple-acknowledges-2010-macboo k-pro-black-screen-bug/#ixzz1bFIGwzCo

IT'S NOT THE SAME ISSUE. But it is one that some people may be searching for answers for.

Update on my situation:

After my MacBook Pro fell in coma, and took it to the Service Center to have the Nvidia test come out negative, and called Apple Care to have a case number opened as it was clearly an Envidia issue despite the test result, made an appointment with the Genius Bar. At the Genius Bar it got tested again and they took it in for a fix, free of charge. Waited three weeks and got it back, not only with the Nvidia problem fixed but a couple of little things, like one of the fans, that had died a year an a half ago, fixed for free, as a compensation for the time waited.

Now here's the thing. At the Genius Bar they ran and ran tests but could not get a diagnose. The guy told me he was going to "make an exception" and run it in as an Nvidia problem anyway. My tears almost flowed down my face of alleviation. But I was also a little offended, making me feel like he's doing me a favor.

My advice, if you have the symptoms and the right model keep pushing.

Needless to say, I'm going back to the first Service Center and get the 25€ I paid for a deceitful diagnose back. They tried to charge me 600€ for something they eventually acknowledged.

My opinion? Apple is amazing, but this Programmed Obsolescence issue with its physical parts is becoming very annoying. Very good software, shamefully bad hardware.

Oh, and PS, I just bought an 80€ MagSafe power adapter... (80 ****ng euros for a CABLE??)... Why don't you just have me pay 50€ a month and guarantee me I'll have a working computer?

I love this baby and would've been deeply hurt had I lost it. Plus, I don't like the newest model MBPs. Waiting for the next design to come out.

Good luck out there. It is a winnable cause. Thank you very very much to you Kiddo, couldn't have done it without you.