Level 1

17 points

MacBook Pro 2011 17" hard freeze

Overheat? The fans revved and suddenly I could use nothing but the cursor. Had to hold down the power switch to kill all and then re-power & startup. I wasn't doing anything unusual, but I had 7 apps open and was amid an auto-backup to TimeMachine.

Just a little disillusioned and concerned, wondering if anyone else there has experienced a hard freeze like this.

macbook pro 17" 2011, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Mar 1, 2011 11:15 AM

2,292 replies

Mar 20, 2011 2:26 PM in response to JJ MacLean

JJ,

One individual had three machines with the problem, another said he went to the mac store and was able to freeze all of the machines there. I'm of the opinion now that this is a systemic problem. Others have had issues with windows, but I haven't seen enough evidence to say these are the same problem, so I'm inclined to think it is a driver/firmware/software issue. My replacement machine is on the way, so I'll have a second machine to experiment with next week.

You should call apple and basically add yourself to the list of folks who are affected by this. The following posting describes how to reproduce the freeze consistently, what you should do before you call, and what others have determined is the way to stave off the problem while you wait for a fix to be released:

http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=13253066#13253066

kirkins

Level 1

0 points

Mar 20, 2011 3:04 PM in response to John Harrold

John Harrold wrote:

One individual had three machines with the problem, another said he went to the mac store and was able to freeze all of the machines there.

http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=13253066#13253066

@John Harold

Wow that must have been embarrassing for the mac store. I have been watching this forum for an hour or so and the page views on this thread are rising like crazy.

Its no wonder why... just do a twitter search for mac book pros

http://twitter.com/#!/search/macbook%20pros

Message was edited by: kirkins

Mike282

Level 1

0 points

Mar 20, 2011 3:03 PM in response to Rensoom

i just ran the dev null thing i saw a few pages back:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2768351&start=330&tstart=0

running 7~8 of those + photobooth crashed my computer (i also specifically turned on graphics switching to see if it would freeze) i saw a huge temp spike (fan seped increase as well) then it just froze.... the interesting part is that i had itunes running, and music continued to be played in the background, it even switched from one song to another

second test: i managed to run 9-10 of dev null and photobooth with graphics switching turned off with NO crash!

this has led me to believe 2 things:
1) it is caused by the onboard intel gfx chip
2) only the video freezes (other applications continue to run)

Mar 20, 2011 3:18 PM in response to Mike282

Mike282 wrote:
i just ran the dev null thing i saw a few pages back:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2768351&start=330&tstart=0

running 7~8 of those + photobooth crashed my computer (i also specifically turned on graphics switching to see if it would freeze) i saw a huge temp spike (fan seped increase as well) then it just froze.... the interesting part is that i had itunes running, and music continued to be played in the background, it even switched from one song to another

second test: i managed to run 9-10 of dev null and photobooth with graphics switching turned off with NO crash/___sbsstatic___/migration-images/migration-img-not-avail.png

this has led me to believe 2 things:
1) it is caused by the onboard intel gfx chip
2) only the video freezes (other applications continue to run)

Please read some more of this thread and reevaluate your conclusions,
try forcing the Intel GPU with gfxCardStatus tool and i'm 99% sure that you will see no crashes, and if you do i would really like you to write about it, because there was no such crash yet (but in fact i hope this would not happen - it would just complicate it all :P )

And as John Harrold said few posts up, all new people reading this thread having the same problems with their new machines - please contact Apple to add your MBP to the affected list, making it longer to bump up the priority.

Thanks too to those few users (like John and others) here trying to organize/host this thread making it more informative for newcomers 😉

Mar 21, 2011 1:08 AM in response to Rensoom

Count me in too. iTunes freezes up the computer (only the cursor moves) when using the discrete video card. Switching to integrated solves the problem, but I've had to use a different application to listen to music while doing other tasks I want the discrete card for. Just yesterday, Starcraft 2 froze up on me twice mid-game and once when exiting. The latter issue is intermittent and not easily repeatable. The iTunes issue happens without fail every single time.

More info on my specific situation:
http://discussions.info.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2784092&tstart=15

Luke Row

Level 1

0 points

Mar 21, 2011 1:34 PM in response to SkyFoxXP

The Mac OS X 10.6.7 Update for MacBook Pro is recommended for all early 2011 MacBook Pro models. It includes general operating system fixes for Mac OS X Snow Leopard that enhance the stability, compatibility, performance, and security of your Mac, including fixes that:
Improve the reliability of Back to My Mac
Resolve an issue when transferring files to certain SMB servers
Address various minor Mac App Store bugs
Address minor FaceTime performance issues
Improve graphics stability and external display compatibility
For detailed information on this update, please visit this website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4472
For information on the security content of this update, please visit: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

Mar 21, 2011 3:40 PM in response to Rensoom

They just lowered some of the prices (literally in the last hour as I was already on this custom build page and refreshed it)

http://store.apple.com/us-hed/configure/MC723LL/A

Keep up with the updates guys - if all is good, I might just order me an SSD one later tonight to make up for the one I returned earlier today! I need to learn some patience

iFrodo

Level 1

45 points

Mar 22, 2011 2:29 AM in response to media sorcerer

The USB Tethering issue is another issue that has nothing to do with the current one fixed in 10.6.7.

The USB Tethering issue is due to bugs on the AppleUSBEthernet.kext extension when run on 64bits kernel. It's not new and not at all specific to MBP 2011, any mac started on 64bits kernel (by pressing 64 at startup or by default for Mac Pro and MacBook Pro 2011) have this issue. This require a specific fix of the kernel extension I mentionned, and has nothing to do with the present problem discussed here.

For the USB Tethering issue, please see this thread: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2783320&start=0&tstart=0

Workarounds are either Bluetooth or WiFi tethering.

Mar 23, 2011 7:55 PM in response to samirc

@samirc

When we were working out diagnostic tests for this error some folks concluded that this test was more a result of Chrome than the particular issue at hand:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=13263706&#13263706

Mar 29, 2011 2:39 AM in response to hadderz

@hadderz

I believe that's a different problem than the freeze problem being discussed here. What you are describing is a kernel panic:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1392

If it happens again you should call Apple and talk to them about it.

Sorry.

Apr 7, 2011 11:11 PM in response to alphanomega4ever

Hi Marvo,

From Apple's website:

"The new 15- and 17-inch models bring quad-core power to almost everything you do. The available 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor — with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.4GHz and up to 8MB of shared L3 cache"

http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/features.html#processor

This is what I also see in Windows 7.
I'm at work at the moment so will run the experience index later.

grafixjoe

Level 1

106 points

Apr 30, 2011 5:51 PM in response to ricky_tang

Here you go hypocrite ricky_tang...looks like YOU haven't frozen either so you haven't got a clue what these people are going through, troll

(from your own post one week ago in this thread):

" Re: MacBook Pro 2011 17" hard freeze

Posted by ricky_tang

Apr 23, 2011 1:25 AM

(in response to alphanomega4ever)

I got just my hi-res/anti-glare 2.2 15in Macbook pro with high end graphics. I tested Intel Turbo Boost in Win7 and my max speed is 3.2GHz. So far I have not been able to reproduce the crashes people have reported. However, it runs pretty hot. This mimics what Anandtech reported.

Can someone tell me why changing the fan speeds in OS X affects the fan speeds in Win7? I was suprised by this. Sorry to hear about everyone's problems."

You hope MY Mac freezes? Right back atcha. I am testing my butt off trying to reproduce the freeze issue and JUST LIKE YOU I can't.

Get a life troll.

Eveeta

Level 1

0 points

May 17, 2011 7:42 AM in response to Rensoom

Is this thread about repeated kernel panics related to the problem?

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2795941?answerId=13295848022#13295848022

And anyone tried this solution?

http://www.nanofunk.net/macbook-pro-early-2011-freezes-and-kernel-panics-revert- to-32bit-to-have-a-stable-system/

It seems there's a lot of confusion and not that much coherent help being offered from Apple atm. Slightly mad given this is their brand new high profile product 😕

MacFreak

Level 1

0 points

May 26, 2011 12:06 PM in response to m031

It really does feel that in the rush of getting ahead of Microsoft's ever growing list of Operating Systems, Apple has been recently doing some stupid stuff with its latest updates being not so stable whatsoever.

This problem of Hard Freeze, another problem of Regular Wireless connection Dropping or less Speed on Wifi Networks and all is all being faced only on MAC OS X, people who try and use Windows Operating Systems on their Macbook Pro, don't get all these troubles.

So does anyone of you reckon any ways out there to get back to old versions of MAC OS X, something like Before 10.6.7 or even before 10.6.6 for a stable use of Macbook Pro without any stupid glitches and hard freezes and all.

I contacted Post Sales Customer Support, they gave me this link to send feedback to Developers' Team of MAC OS X. I did so informing them of this discussion and the other discussion in regards to Wireless Dropping and intermittent Connections and Slow Internet speed on Wifi NEtworks and so on.. I hope something good comes out of it before the launch of next update of MAC OS X. Till then, I would request all of you to do post your same feedbacks on the same link where I posted, so that it goes direct into the head of the Developers' or Technicians' Team rather than just posting it over here.

This is the link:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

Thanks Guys!

Cheers... Hoping to get a solution out of it very soon!

hokoonho

Level 1

17 points

Jun 2, 2011 1:25 AM in response to Rensoom

I have 13" 2011 mbp facing the same issues.

Hang in both OSX and Windows 7

Have 10.6.7 installed

Have SMC 2.1 upgrade

With cooling pad

Hang in OSX with Google Chrome running WebGL aquarium (1000 fish option)

Hang in Windows 7 with CPU benchmark software (Super Pi and Sandra)

The mbp hang under heavy load.

The mbp hang at both high and low temperature.

Have logic board replaced but it doesn't solve the problem. The second logic board did even worse!

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3031273?answerId=15286701022#15286701022

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MacBook Pro 2011 17" hard freeze