MacBook Pro 2011 17" hard freeze

It appears from your specs that you have a Core i7 2.4GHz 15" MacBook Pro, which was a Late 2011 model - which is interesting, because the issues discussed in this thread have almost entirely been surrounding the Early 2011 models.

I have an 15" early 2011 MacBook Pro, which is exhibiting the same problem. According to this Apple page with EFI and SMC firmware information, the firmware version for my laptop should be 1.69f4 (from February 2013) ... and yet my System Profiler shows 1.69f3 (from November 2011). So we have the exact opposite issue - from this information, it seems I should upgrade one version and you should downgrade one version. I'd be interested to hear from other folks which SMC version they are currently running vs. what Apple Support thinks they should be running.

You're absolutely right that SMC could be a culprit here, since it controls power, fans, battery, etc. What's interesting is that some of the early 2011 models had discrete GPU issues when they originally shipped, which was purportedly "fixed" through a firmware update delivered with the 10.6.7 update (some users ceased having display issues, others saw little to no difference). MacBook Pro SMC updates 1.5, 1.6, and 1.7 (the updates relevant to 2011 MacBook Pros) have all addressed battery/charging issues, though, and that gives me a bit of skepticism that they'd have much effect on our GPU/display issues.

In addition, in the information I've formally gathered about these issues on about 70 laptops, every early 2011 15" and 17" model has affected users, and those users have experienced GPU-related issues anytime from nearly immediately after purchase to over two years after purchase. Based on this spectrum of timing, this also suggests that people have been affected regardless of what SMC firmware version they were using - the one shipped with the machine or any of the updates that Apple has pushed out.

I'd also recommend reading/submitting:

2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

problems with amd gpu on early 2011 macbook pro

Those are the two others that I know of on these forums - but there may be more here, as well as on other Mac support forums.

My spreadsheet of user-submitted information about affected 2011 MacBook Pros currently has about 75 entries (and growing daily). My goal has been to gather consistent information about which models have been having issues, what those issues have been, and what has or has not resolved them so far.

I am not convinced that the firmware is the culprit, as there are users having issues with a variety of combinations of hardware/firmware... and the issues have appeared at a wide variety of different times (from directly after purchase to just now) that aren't consistent with firmware updates. I think there's a lot more that points to a hardware issue with the GPU or the interaction of logic board and GPU. Also, given that Apple just announced a recall for some 2011 iMacs with AMD GPUs... I wonder if we will soon follow. We just need to keep pushing info through every channel that we have, and I hope Apple engineering can do something!

I've contacted Apple on this page: http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

I suggest everyone with this issue to do the same. Describe the model and year of MacBook Pro you have, and detailing the issues.

Then point to this and other threads where users are saying the exact same thing, and try to convey that this is a big, systematic issue that Apple should fix under an extended warranty program.

It sure seems like this is a case of poor build quality, and they need to be made aware of it.

Apple had a similar issue with 2011 iMacs which they recently announced that they will fix under extended warranty.

They actually do name a manufacturer and chip at fault in the 2011 27" iMac replacement program:

Apple has determined that some AMD Radeon HD 6970M video cards used in 27-inch iMac computers with 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 or 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processors may fail, causing the computer’s display to appear distorted, white or blue with vertical lines, or to turn black. iMac computers with affected video cards were sold between May 2011 and October 2012.

What has concerned me about Apple's regular or depot repairs is that I know they both have a tendency towards using refurbished parts... so if GPU issues are one of the main reasons that people return our models for repair, and the issues are apparently hard for Apple to diagnose, why should I expect that any of the replacement logic boards that I get from Apple or depot repair service aren't going to have the same issues sooner or later? If they fail more than 90 days after the repair, they're no longer covered by the parts warranty on the repair. As far as I know, they don't replace individual chips, so they haven't been swapping fresh new GPUs into the mix when I get replacement logic boards. This is what I'm really curious about with the iMac program - if they know that the chips "fail," I assume they're replacing chips with new ones?

I have hope for a program for our models, but I also know that many other product lines seem to have widespread GPU issues that haven't been addressed. The 2011 27" iMac threads are full of posters with models that have a different chip and the same problem, and Apple hasn't recalled their computers... 😟

Went yesterday, gave it for repairs for $310 to the Apple Store.

Yesterday night read this thread.

The solutions with gfxCardStatus don't seems to provide a seemless use of MBP. People have issues, it seems, I decided to continue the reapair.

Can someone confirm that external display can't be used if gfxCardStatus is used to stop the discreate card?

early 2011 MBP 15" 2GHZ.

Sent the feedback to Apple. Thanks for the link.

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

Sorry for the long post, but another user here with the same problem.

Just sent the following email to Tim Cook... Desperate attempt, really...we'll see.

Start of email message:

Unfortunately I'm having the same issues as dozens of other people.

The computer won't boot; after being connected to an external monitor, I get a black screen and/or a distorted screen. Hard reset is necessary to reboot. Now it doesn't even boot, as it freezes on a grey screen.I've taken it to an Apple Store, to be told that the computer is out of warranty thus having to pay 650$ for Logic Board replacement.

This is a common problem among MacBook Pro users, please see the following links:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4766577?start=225&tstart=0

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2768351?start=1950&tstart=0

I've tried this:

I've disabled the discrete GPU in my MBP by moving the kernel extension that controls it. Here's how:

In Terminal:

> mkdir DisabledExtensions

> cd /System/Library/Extensions

> sudo mv ATIRadeonX3000.kext ~/DisabledExtensions

> sudo touch /System/Library/Extensions

ATIRadeonX3000.kext appears to be the only extension that I needed to move to disable the ATI Radeon 6490M GPU. There are a bunch of other extensions that seem to affect other graphics functions (and many of them aren't actually being used). Disabling some of the others caused a kernel panic. This means that my discrete GPU is disabled at startup, so I'm no longer having boot problems.

This proves that there's an issue with the integrated graphics card...

On top of this, apparently Apple has started a replacement program for 27" iMacs that show the exact same symptoms as my own Macbook.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5167?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

I would appreciate any feedback on this, as I feel that a Warranty extension (and eventually a full replacement) should be applied.

There are users who claim that their Logic Board has been replaced up to 4 times and the problem keeps coming back...

I sincerely thank you for your time, and I hope that you can do something that will allow me to fully enjoy the "Apple - it just works" slogan...

End of email.

Sad really, if this stays like this it will be my last Mac that's for sure.

<Link Edited by Host>

I noticed the same thing in my months of being tortured by this problem. Booting in recovery mode aslo seemed to help. However, it just prolongs the torture and doesn't fix it. Here are photos of my torture. Scroll down this thread. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4611636?start=0&tstart=0

At some point, you will find the $310 flat rate repair is lest costly than having the computer rob you of your time. For me, the months of productivity I lost was worth way more than the repair cost and the cost of buying other computers to secure productivity. (I like my cool running MacBook Air.)

Send the computer to repair, and spend some time with your mom or another loved one.

Saramwrap,

Well there is one other thing it could be. Since Apple replaced my logic board for a third time, the keyboard, and case, I figured they had replaced the whole computer except for the screen and my disk. There was one other thing they didn't replace, the power supply! They refused it when I offered it to them.

I didn't want another fried logic board and repair cycle. So when I picked up my laptop, I bought a new 85w power supply and decided never to try the old one. For me, I had to do something different for a different result. As long as we were throwing parts at the problem, I figured it was dumb not to change the power supply! It was worth the $85 risk not to go through a 4th repair cycle.

The laptop is still working with the new power supply. Never tried the old one. I lent it to someone who watches lots of YouTube videos.

The power adaptor has a 1 and a half star rating! So it looks easy to have bad luck with the power supply. One reviewer mentions changing logic boards.

http://store.apple.com/us/reviews/MC556LL/B/apple-85w-magsafe-power-adapter-for- 15-and-17-inch-macbook-pro

It is hard for me to believe Apple would over look the possibility of power supplies harming a logic board and would prefer to replace logic boards. It is logically possible the problem could be the power supply. I just don't have enough evidence to say so. I figured replacement would be the safest and faster than diagnostics. (The diagnostic test the genius ran said the power supply was OK.) I haven't tried to compare them with a volt meter. A volt meter is basically an open circuit test and wouldn't be a load test.

Karl

Wow. Power supply, why not. Not sure to undestand all well due to my bad english, but i guess that a bad power supply could damage the logic board. Strange thing here is that if it's the case i don't understand why this would just impact the amd gpu. And next, i always thought that, on a labtop, batteries were acting like a kind of UPS, providing a clean / smooth electrical signal. But i don't know much about electronic stuff.

But now that you are talking of it, i remember that a few years ago i had one of the two CPU of a PowerMac G5 that was chronically burning. After several replacement of that CPU, Apple ended by replacing the internal power supply, and it seemed to be the solution. I say "it seems", because, for the story, as i had no more trust in that machine and had lost a lot of time too, Apple offered me to replace this dual G5 by a brand new MacPro 1.1 at no charge. I guess that was an other era of Apple's customer service. I hope i'm wrong.

Back to the topic, few things i can mention:

- due to my use of this machine, i was always with the amd gpu on.

- first time i had these "special effects" it was just after unmounting a niftyDrive (SD slot), and i messed up because i forgot to close a PSD document within photoshop that was in that drive. Stangely, i had no message saying that i could not unmount that drive because of an opended document, like it's generally the case when using a usb or fw drive.

- as i mentionned it on another thread, at first when i had this problem i was able to restart the system only when reseting the PRAM. A simple reboot was generally not ending well (white screen and fans at full speed). But it's now no more the case, PRAM reset does not temporarily solve the problem anymore.

- something i just remember now: 3 weeks ago i've launched a system update threw the system preference update panel. This update was including SMC 1.7 (1.69F4). At the end of the update the computer did not restart normally, i had a freeze. When i finally could restart the computer, i saw that nothing was updated ("about this mac"). I decided not to insist. But when the gpu problem occured 10 days ago, i finally attempt to do it again, and it seemed to work. But it has not resolved the issue. Just saying, because SMC is controlling fans, power / battery, video stuff etc... (http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964)

- here it's summer, and it was hot (but not overing Apple's usage conditions). Power supply was sometimes very hot, and so was the mbp. I'm now using intel gpu, but when i open IStat Pro, temperature of "GPU Diode" says -128°C (-199°F). Kind of strange.

Hi,

The similar problems have iMac 2011 with AMD Radeon 6970M Video Card,

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5167?viewlocale

in the service of Apple computers, they said they have 1-2 such cases every week. Apple to have not yet admitted, but it is the same problem as with the iMac.

Tim Cook, we like yours new iPhone, but we are MacBook Users and we are angry!!!

Apple, why do not you respond?

syrakuz wrote:

Apple, why do not you respond?

You are aware that you are addressing other Apple users here I assume. We are just llike you, we do not work for Apple.

If you want to address Apple use this link.

You can fill in this form.

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

Some of the users here, including myself, have sent CEO Tim Cook a letter about this issue.

If you need help with the letter, you can send me an e-mail. My e-mail is in my profile.

Ok, listen.

I was talking to Apple for the same problem. There insn´t any way to resolve this for free.

They said me that the only way to do something is writting here http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html and go to an Apple Store with our mbp. And wait...

My problem costed 496 euros, to replaced the logic board. It is The only method to resolve the GPU problem.

If nobody take the mbp and go to an Apple store or write in the link before, there´s no way to make noise. Because they told me that the forum isn´t enough to complain about.

I´m not happy about it, but without my computer I can´t work, so... I couldn´t wait.

Meanwhile my mbp is working.

I switched to Mac because of three reasons:

1) I work as a software developer.

2) I have a rock band.

3) I also work as a freelance photographer.

I really love Linux, but 2) and 3) are really complicated on that OS. I despise Windows, which could provide 2) and 3), so I decided to go buy the expensive thing.

I've had two MacBook Pros. Zero issues with the first one (13'' Core 2 Duo) so I decided to step up and go with a 15'' i7 Macbook Pro (Early 2011 model, with the ATI 6750m discrete card. Serial number C02F944YDF8X). Problems appeared right away:

1) The audio jack got loose. I have bought a $2000USD computer that has a 3.5'' jack that was worse than the one you can find in a $20USD radio. There was no way to get a cable to stay inside the jack, the minor movement lifted it off from the jack. Really useful in rehearsals (we used the Mac to trigger Reason loops). Not to mention the stage. This is, actually, old news: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W0rhmzMgBo. (more than 60,000 views!).

2) The memory card slot stopped working. Again, something that flawlessly works in most $20USD adapters you can buy in any tech store. Since then, I had to carry my external SD card slot everywhere. Not the worst problem in the world, but indeed an annoying one. This is, again, old news: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbc0l-t3f1Q (almost 130,000 views!!).

3) Random glitches. The first thing I did after buying the laptop, was to update it with a hybrid Seagate Momentus XT 500GB disc. I had used my first MBP with that disk with excellent results, hence I didn't hesitate to buy a second one. To my surprise, every 8 or 10 hours, the Spinning Beach Ball of Dead would appear, and I was eager to blame the disc for that, since I could still perform tasks that did not require disk access. But later on, I discovered that it was the first symptom of something way, way worse.

-----> ISSUE NUMBER 4 <-----

This issue needs no introduction. It is widely known in the Apple community, so I'll just post the relevant links for you to refer to:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4766577?start=0&tstart=0 (119 pages!)

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4637833?start=0&tstart=0 ( 11 pages)

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2768351?start=0&tstart=0 (144 pages!)

There's even a site set up in order to raise awareness on this issue:

http://www.mbp2011.com/

And a poll in order to gather data from the affected customers:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1PuJ2QS2Ri7fw9HVaNHLQ4OYZCb99zonc96HmhTWEAoY/vie wform

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AsGSu8v7DhVUdFNtRzUtRVFIeE50ajJyTWJ yeVRzNVE#gid=0

Let me just address the key issues about this:

1.- Flawed design makes the Mac overheat and this leads the ATI card to stop functioning.

2.- Things go from infrequent hangs to distorted video, and they always result on the same outcome: the Mac ceases to boot, either temporarily or permanently. Most users (including myself) end up with an useless Mac that won't even boot.

3.- In most cases, issues appear after 2 years of usage, which is out of the original warranty in most cases.

4.- Users reporting to Apple got their logic boards changed (prices ranging from $530USD to $1200USD depending on the country). Almost all users reported that the replacement board only solved the issue for a couple months. Something that strengthens the idea that the design of this Mac is flawed.

5.- 0 people got a replacement Mac from Apple after reporting this issue.

6.- There are no intentions of Apple to issue a recall program for this.

7.- Known affected users are more than 300.

8.- This only occurs in certain top-of-the-line products.

Conclusion:

How come a brand like Apple forget about the main reason most people switched over to Mac in the first place?

We want the best quality. We are not afraid to paid the ridiculously high prices Apple sells their machines for.

We are professionals. We're not spoiled kids taking selfies on their iPhones. We're making Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, GitHub and all the apps that makes the computing world go round.

We're composing music and playing it live on Macs.

We're selling our photographs after editing them in our Macs.

And all we get is some mediocre hardware (performance never excelled on this machine, the i5 Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E430 running Ubuntu that I have at work outperforms my Mac every single time) that can't even hold for 2 (yes, two) years.

Furthermore, Apple is refusing to acknowledge this issue and to provide a feasible solution.

Final words:

I worked a lot to finally get a Mac.

This is what I have now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihoYFWq2LpE

I took my drive out and copied it. Took my 2011 MBP to apple genius and was offered $300 flat rate repair in April 2013. I bought a mac mini in case the MBP failed again. It failed in two months. The second time the repair lasted a day. I was then offered a refund of the repair price, and a higher level of repair. I bought a new power supply for good measure, and never used the old one again. Since July, my 2011 MBP has been working with the 3rd replaced logic board.

Before the third replacement logic board, I bought a new macbook air to stop my research from being crippled.

My educated belief is the problem is with broken solder joints on the ball grid array of GPU.

Outside the USA, reballing (rather than reflowing) the ball grid array (BGA) of the GPU, seems to be the most economic option. See hnrk's post: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2768351?start=2130&tstart=0