Q: MacBook Pro (2010) Freeze

Since my freezing issues started I have run the disk diagnostics every time I have had to force a shut down. Last week the disk util come back saying it couldn't repair and that I should erase and re-install (which I did). It hung again this morning and i ran a disk check which came back saying everything was fine. BUT, I just rebooted, got a folder with a blinking question mark (no boot disk found). Ran disk check from the install media and it recommended an erase/re-install again. 2nd time in less than 1.5 weeks. Huh?! restoring backup as I write this on my HP work laptop.

/S

I am confused now: is this problem more linked to GPU or to SATA controller / HDD?
I encountered the freeze once only (and only on battery) but when trying to import something in imovie: might this be something that would be corrected by s/w fix?
I hope strongly that it will be the case.
Cheers

I would like to add my computer to the list, as it crashes in the exact same was as the others: mouse moves, but nothing else happens. It has only done this twice in the past two weeks, but I now don't have much confidence in the long term integrity of this unit. I am hesitant to request a replacement because I don't want to be without a computer for two weeks (it's a CTO). Apple's recommended solution for me is to clear my cache frequently, which seems to me not to be a permanent solution. Really hoping there will be a firmware upgrade, but wondering if this is something more fundamental.

My computer is as follows:

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro6,2
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.B07
SMC Version (system): 1.58f16
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled

In my case, all input (mouse/trackpad/keyboard) hangs, even superdrive stops loading discs, and a hard shutdown is required. Ran Apple Hardware Test twice, but no issues found. Tried reinstalling SL from scratch, but still freezes. No excessive temperatures detected with iStat Pro, freezes completely at random, even with auto gpu switching disabled. Really don't know what to do, since I have no idea of what's the ratio of i5/i7 MBP owners having the same problem. For those who had this issue and got a replacement, did that solve the problem? Or should we wait for a software solution?

Machine I got:

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro6,1
Processor Name: Intel Core i7
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz

Nothing in kernel logs when it happens to me, there is no pattern. Can be heavy usage or light usage. Same issue happens, freezes for approximately ~10 minutes (complete freeze, even mouse) then comes back and everything continues as if nothing happened. Happens to me at least two times a day.

I doubt it's a hard drive issue, the MacBook Pro came with a 5400 RPM drive and the same issue occurred. I reloaded the OS and the same issue happened. I then switched to my OCZ SSD Drive (new SSD), same issue.

Also having a issue where my keyboard input is delayed, so I called AppleCare and they're sending me a new one. Hopefully the new one is better.

Not sure if this has relevance, but I'll throw it out anyways. My 15" (i7, 256SSD, 8GB, Matte) was having the same symptoms (under both OS X & Bootcamp Win7). It was freezing 2+ times a day, so Apple support has a replacement on the way. I was mainly running mobile, sometimes plugged in, sometimes on battery. Being plugged in didn't seem to make a difference.

For the past week, I've been working in my office (always plugged in and always connected to a new 24" Cinema display) and it hasn't locked-up once. Very strange. I'm still betting on a problem with the graphics hardware - but I'll see how the new system behaves.

Apple support, incidentally, is nothing to brag about. After 1+ hrs on the phone, finally reached a higher-level support contact. She told me a replacement system would be shipped. After not hearing anything for another week I called back - seems my case didn't get promoted correctly. Now it's going to take another 10-14 days for my replacement system to arrive. 3 weeks to resolve a DOA system is unacceptable...and we are even an enterprise customer.

Weird, it was the complete opposite for me. Spent around possibly ~15 minutes on the initial call, and a two hours later they sent me the advanced replacement agreement and called me to follow up. The new MBP order was placed on my behalf around an hour after I returned the paperwork to them.

If it matters any, I'm a business customer.

Hi All,

My MBP 15" with 500GB (Toshiba). Bought in late March 2010. Froze on me on 18 May 2010 in less than 2 months in service. No windows or parallel installed. Standard stuff with Firefox and Chrome. While operating with both Safari and Chrome opened. It froze on me with the beach ball.

Force shut down tried to repair using disk utility, boot up using DVD. On all 3 occasions it hung on me.

Sent in to E Serv and was told that it is highly possible that a hard disk failure had occurred.

Unable to recover data. Hard disk was targeted for 4 days only 14% observed whilst in service.

All my data is lost. Would be replacing my harddisk as it is under warranty.

Anyone else facing this issue?

Oh man. Now I'm nervous my new one will have issues like that.
Mine just locks up every few minutes. Seems minor to that.

How many of you had this problem solved by the replacement mbp sent by apple? Did you manage (cto cases) to achieve replacement even after 14 days grace period?
Thanks

I seem to be getting the same symptoms as everyone else. I have the following setup:

MacBook Pro 2.66GHz Intel Core i7
8 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
500GB @ 5400 rpm

I think I've had my Mac for about 3 weeks already. As soon as I started the computer I tried viewing a YouTube video and the first freeze occurred, out of the box mind you. I didn't think much of it, although I was kind of concerned since I literally just began using it and it started to stall for about 20 seconds. I thought that maybe it was a Flash issue somehow, since I've had minor freeze ups on certain Flash enabled pages before with other Macs.

I would continue to get these stalls daily and wondered if it was my extra ram added that could cause it to freeze up. The only reason I thought it might be the ram was because I had added ram to my previous MacBook Pro Intel Core Duo and never got the speed bump expected when I installed it. (I added it after I had received my computer). Because of that, I thought I was experiencing a potential ram issue.

I also thought that Snow Leopard could be the issue and found this post:

http://appletoolbox.com/2010/04/the-simplest-most-effective-fix-for-mac-os-x-10- 6-3-freezes-startup-issues/

However, the install CD that came with my Mac is 10.6.3, the very version that may be the issue here. So I borrowed an original copy of Snow Leopard from my friend, but my Mac doesn't seem to accept it. Nothing works, holding C with the disc inserted at startup doesn't work. All I get is the Apple chime with the gray screen and the Apple logo, no activity at all. I also tried going to the system preferences startup disk pane and choosing the CD to boot when restarting, but that didn't work with the same mentioned result as said before. I'm curious if anyone has successfully tried downgrading from 10.6.3 with the new Core i7's particularly. If so, please post your results.

Now the 20 second stalls are occurring more frequently about a dozen times daily depending on my use of the computer. Besides trying to downgrade the current version of Snow Leopard, I have no clue what could be the issue. My computer is brand new so a hardware issue is probably unlikely (although freak accidents occur). This issue is beyond my capabilities. I guess I'll be taking my brand new MacBook Pro to the Apple store. This has been a horrible experience to say the least.

That's because older versions do not have the drivers (ktext, you can see by holding Command + V) needed for the new machines, you won't be able to use that disk to install Mac OS on the new machine.

I had initially posted on this and it got deleted... So let me try again:

Same problem here- New MBP 17" core i5 - I've had it for a week and it 'hung-froze' on me 17 times now. This is completely random sometimes happens 3 times in a row, sometimes will not happen for over 6h and it happens irregardless of what programs I use.
The only solution is to manually restart.
It appears that when I do all changes in settings are lost (Screen brightness, Sound volume)

I travel for my work, so I went to a Genius bar in Tokyo (Shibuya) and they told me they will not replace my mac because I did not buy it in Japan... Can anyone tell me if this is even true?

Needless to say I am frustrated because it is my main work tool.

Hope Apple can get this fixed really quickly.

So did the replacement (was a cto?) address your freeze? I have a cto and i wonder if new hw is being implemented now inside latest mbp. Cheers

I believe I got mine on the 3rd of this month, and I just shipped it out today. I had no problems getting a replacement. Fingers crossed that the new one resolves the issue