Q: MacBook Pro (2010) Freeze

I've had the same freezes, twice now. The first was during a huge iPhoto import, so I naturally figured it was just a problem with iPhoto.

I was still able to reach the machine over ssh. Using 'top' I was able to see that 'kernel_task' was using over 100% of CPU, and meanwhile iPhoto was using over 1600%. Uneducated guess but perhaps there's a problem with the kernel scheduler starving the UI system.

Anyway the freeze went away after about 15 minutes (although, despite getting 1600% cpu I'm not sure if iPhoto had even managed to import anything during the freeze).

i didn't sorted out how to edit a post here, so i reply to myself lol, her macbookpro is not an I7 but an I5 2.4ghz. she return it back to the store yesterday and they gave her a new one , brand new, same HW.
She turned it on, filled the registration, installed a program and it froze after 15 mins, BRAND NEW LAPTOP!
It happened again few time later, seem unrelated to that she do, it just freeze.
She is disappointed.. maybe this is her last mac.

I'm having the issue too.. Has anyone tried installing the "MacBook Pro Software Update 1.3"?
I'm about to...Let's see if it helps!

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1026

"This update is recommended for all 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pro mid 2010 models and contains improvements for graphics stability for high-performance video and gaming applications as well as various bug fixes. "

Wouldn't this be installed as part of the updates via the Software Update program? I have already done all listed software updates...

Yeah, that's what I thought... But there were so many updates listed that I'm not sure if it did show up.

So I downloaded it again, and it did indeed let me install it again. Sometimes installers tell you the update is not necessary, but sometimes they don't... So I'm not quite sure if I installed before or not.

I'm really hoping that addresses the issue; I'm abroad and I can't really ship the computer to get it exchanged.

Hey guy's,

One more.
I have a new 2010 model 17" MB Pro with 128 SSD and 8GB of memory.
This one freezes up constantly especially after coming back from sleep mode.

Very Very non cool and non amazing for a +$4K Laptop.

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro6,1
Processor Name: Intel Core i7
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 8 GB
Processor Interconnect Speed: 4.8 GT/s
Boot ROM Version: MBP61.0057.B09
SMC Version (system): 1.57f17


APPLE SSD TS128B:

Capacity: 121.33 GB (121,332,826,112 bytes)
Model: APPLE SSD TS128B
Revision: AGAA0206
Serial Number: 40GS101RT4RZ
Native Command Queuing: No
Removable Media: No
Detachable Drive: No
BSD Name: disk0
Partition Map Type: GPT (GUID Partition Table)
S.M.A.R.T. status: Verified
Volumes:
Macintosh HD:
Capacity: 120.99 GB (120,988,852,224 bytes)
Available: 56.78 GB (56,776,163,328 bytes)
Writable: Yes
File System: Journaled HFS+
BSD Name: disk0s2
Mount Point: /

They resisted a bit initially but I stayed calm and persistent.

The replacement arrived and it had issues as well. Not exactly the same as the first one. The first one would report a kernel panic after cycling power to get it back alive after a freeze.... The replacement had symptoms of another active thread here with frequent beachballs and would freeze and then on restart NOT report a kernel panic.

The last straw on the replacement was a friend who bought a stock i5 15" yesterday and it walked circles around my i7 / 7200 rpm CTO unit. I helped her configure it and used it for several hours and never saw the beachball... no freezes and it was just snappier. I called today and got authorization for a return / refund.

Gonna sit this rev. out and continue to use my flawless 2.66 C2D 17"....

I wish everyone the best of luck in working through these issues.
-Randy

The Genius bar folks were helpful and listened to my detailed notes of my issues.... Because my MBP was a CTO (Custom to Order) unit they could only document what they saw and observed on the unit and create a case number that I could refer to when I called AppleCare to work the issue over the phone.

Same problem, MBP 13" 2010........started to occur after about 2 weeks and gets worse for every hour I use the computer.

Has this update helped anyone so far?

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1026

I installed the update as soon as I first powered up my MBP, yet I still got the freezes. A lot of people are convinced it is hardware related, so if this was the case it wouldn't do anything anyways.

If it isn't, 10.6.4 seems to be nearing release hopefully soon but there is no guarantee that even addresses these issues.

I am truly at a loss of what to do. This is so atypical of Apple (for me).

-SM

FYI.. that update did not work. I just applied, and thirty mins later, I reproduced the problem.

I can now consistently reproduce this. I browse the web with google chrome while running the machine on battery (google chrome helper seems to make the machine switch to nvidia). After a while browsing, I start getting pixel corruption, screen getting messed up. The screen locks up after a while. If I switch to "intel only" (gxfCardStatus) when pixel corruption starts, the screen recovers and the system as well.

I can't reproduce the above when running on AC power, which is interesting. I've never locked up on AC power.

So does it still happen for you when you're running exclusively on the 330m / disable graphics switching?

Yes. It has nothing to do with the switching. It has everything to do with the use of the NVIDIA GPU.

Problem occurs when fixed to NVIDIA or with switching enabled.

Problem does NOT occur when fixed to Intel.

Problem does NOT occur with either when running on AC power.

Message was edited by: BigCat400