Q: MacBook Pro 2011 17" hard freeze

@John Harrold

Thanks, what you say makes sense and I agree. Shame I decided to cheap out on the RAM, as now the only choice is 3rd party stuff.

Yesterday I received my MBP was very pleased and immediately updated it to 10.6.7 so I could avoid the potential for damaging the hardware.
I then ran Test 1 and Test 3 (handbrake) from the mbp-freeze.wikispaces, everything seemed fine, the machine spun up and the fans kicked in and I ran the tests for ~5mins.

I got to work this morning and started using the machine as usual. Bought my VMWare Fusion VM across and plugged in a 2nd display (using the Apple mini-DP > DVI adapter) and spun up my VM.
It's a Windows 7 Enterprise VM, 2 processors, 2GB of RAM, 40GB of pre-allocated disk.
I've been using it for the past week on an old 13" MBP and it absolutely flew on the new hardware, especially seeing I have a 128GB Apple SSD in the new machine.

Everything seemed fine... I was typing a Word Document and had Outlook open, suddenly, the screen dropped a shade and a dialog box appeared on the MBP display it said:

+"You need to restart your computer. Hold down the Power+
+button until it turns off, then press the Power button again."+

It said this in 4 other languages.
Seeing that I didn't have much choice, I did what it said.
When it rebooted and I logged in, I submitted the crash to Apple and noted that it was a Kernel Panic.

HELP?!
It was received less than 48 hours ago and has less than 15 hours of runtime.

I don't want to jump the gun, but does this fall into the freeze category?!
It doesn't seem to, as the machine was cool when this occurred, exhibited no extra fan noise and seemed rock solid stable till this point in time

@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.

I have been sitting back and watching this forum since 10.6.7 was released.
I was concerned initially that 10.6.7 had not fixed the problem but there are now virtually no original complainants posting, I have to assume the problem on this thread has been resolved.
I am also satisfied enough to proceed with my purchase
I would suggest that this thread be cancelled.
I for one will stop subscribing.
I would suggest to others who have problems with their MacBook Pro to start another thread since really, no-one who had problems here before, are posting now

@oogie

Based on my experiences from 10.6.7 I would agree with you. I have no idea how to close a thread, but people keep popping up saying they have a problem. There is something inside me that just loves punishment, so I feel obligated to point out that while they may have a problem, they don't have the problem. And chasing down this rabbit hole is not going to lead them in the right direction.

Also, I really am sorry if you felt bullied earlier. Perhaps my frustration got the better of me, but it wasn't my intention.

Good luck with your new computer. Mine is really amazing. It's quite fast and since the update very stable.

John

FYI

I had two kernel panics on the 2011 MBP AFTER installing 10.6.7

This is also one of the MBPs that does not work with the latest Intel 510 series SSD (separate thread). Not sure if this is related or pointing towards a HW issue.

If you look four messages above this one you'll see someone else with kernel panic issues. Perhaps I should state this a little more explicitly: *Kernel panics are not symptoms of the issue this thread was dealing with.* If you are experiencing kernel panics *you should call applecare*.

I'm having several issues with FCP and After Effects CS5 on my 17" Macbook Pro 2.1ghz, 8gb, 750gb hdd. I was hoping the latest update would fix it, but I'm still experiencing issues rendering anything.

In after effects when I try to render a simple animation with HD video it almost always crashes. I've tried the same file on my 2008 8-core mac pro and it runs through it in 60 seconds without an issue. If I reboot the macbook pro and try it again I can get things to render, but after one render I have to reboot to render something else (and the fans are incredibly loud during this time).

The problem happens with FCP too, but not nearly as often as After Effects. Video playback using the latest flash player is very choppy too.

Is it just my macbook pro?

I think I am having the same issues, I experienced my first 'shut down' yesterday wen my friend was using Photo Booth for 10 minutes. The computer was not particularly hot at the moment though.

The second time, when I was only running Safari and Pages, it shut itself off with no warning.
The same thing happened 15 minutes ago, I wasn't doing anything special and the computer was kind of hot - but on my previous laptops, they would get a lot hotter before anything happened.

I installed 10.6.7 after the second 'shut down' and since then I've had one more. I can't speak to applecare since they're obviously closed by now, 7:45 pm (sweden). I'm just disappointed about it since I've only had it for 12 days, this really should not happen. I'm thinking of turning it in, even though I really need a working laptop.

I think I am having the same issues, I experienced my first 'shut down' yesterday wen my friend was using Photo Booth for 10 minutes. The computer was not particularly hot at the moment though.

The second time, when I was only running Safari and Pages, it shut itself off with no warning.
The same thing happened 15 minutes ago, I wasn't doing anything special and the computer was kind of hot - but on my previous laptops, they would get a lot hotter before anything happened.

I installed 10.6.7 after the second 'shut down' and since then I've had one more. I can't speak to applecare since they're obviously closed by now, 7:45 pm (sweden). I'm just disappointed about it since I've only had it for 12 days, this really should not happen. I'm thinking of turning it in, even though I really need a working laptop.

I ran the Intel Turbo Boost Monitor software within Windows 7, and I found out that my maximum speed of my CPU does not exceed 2.70 Ghz, which means that Apple has disabled Intel Turbo Boost 2.0, which does not make any sense, and makes me very angry, because I've spent so much money for this computer. According to Apple and Intel's website, the Intel Core i7 2620m is supposed to boost up to 3.4 Ghz when Turbo Boost 2.0 kicks in, but my processor isn't going faster than 2.70 Ghz in Windows 7. According to AnandTech,
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4205/the-macbook-pro-review-13-and-15-inch-2011-br ings-sandy-bridge/3
Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 is working fine in Mac OS X, but has been disabled in Boot Camp for Windows 7, which does not make any sense, because a lot of people like you and me, purchase the Macbook Pro to run Windows 7. I am very disappointed and angry at Apple because they are overcharging people and not giving us what we have paid for. I suggest that everyone send this message/complaint to Apple's feedback website so that hopefully, their engineers will allow support for Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 in the next Boot Camp Update. What's more weird is that according to PC Pro,
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2011/03/10/apple-macbook-pro-13in-wheres-the-turbo- boost/
the Macbook Pro 13 Intel i5 is turbo boosting fine in Windows 7 while the more expensive i7 is not. This makes absolutely no sense at all and there is no reason why Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 has been disabled in Windows 7.

I have the same problem with my 15" Macbook Pro, it randomly freeze and show message to shutdown by holding the power button. it happen 2-3 times a day. Have tried to update to OS X 10.6.7 last night, but it still not solving the problem. Is this a hardware or software issue? Should i try to erase and re-install the OS?

Hi there,

Are you running the 2.3 i7? or the 2.2? I've got the 2.3 and can comfirm that turbo boast is working for me in Windows 7. I see the cpu pushed up to 3.4 when it's needed.

Regards,
Simon

[quote]
I have the same problem with my 15" Macbook Pro, it randomly freeze and show message to shutdown by holding the power button. it happen 2-3 times a day. Have tried to update to OS X 10.6.7 last night, but it still not solving the problem. Is this a hardware or software issue? Should i try to erase and re-install the OS?[/quote]

The hole thing appears to be a software issue. Mac OS X seems to have a problem switching between the intergated video card (that exists inside the Core i CPU) and the discrete video card.

This is why the problem happens during high graphics load (and hence, Mac OS X needs to switch between cards) even when the laptop isn't overheating.

The only solution seems to disabling the GPU switching (can it be done in MacOS X?), or, if it can't be done, installing Windows 7, which doesn't have GPU switching.

Yes, i know how it sounds, having to install Windows 7 on a mac, but if you can't disable GPU switching in OS X (i don't know if it can be done), it's the only way to get a working computer

{quote:title=kurkosdr wrote:}

The hole thing appears to be a software issue. Mac OS X seems to have a problem switching between the intergated video card (that exists inside the Core i CPU) and the discrete video card.

This is why the problem happens during high graphics load (and hence, Mac OS X needs to switch between cards) even when the laptop isn't overheating.

The only solution seems to disabling the GPU switching (can it be done in MacOS X?), or, if it can't be done, installing Windows 7, which doesn't have GPU switching.

Yes, i know how it sounds, having to install Windows 7 on a mac, but if you can't disable GPU switching in OS X (i don't know if it can be done), it's the only way to get a working computer

What do you mean? This issue doesn't happen in windows.
It only happened in 10.6.6 osx

When using bootcamp/windows, the AMD graphics card is used. No switching takes place in windows.



As for people saying turbo boost doesn't work in windows, This isn't true for me or any of the people i know who have a 2011 macbook pro. Perhaps you're mistaken.


As for the people having kernel panics:

This isn't anything to do with this issue. This issue should be consider resolved. A kernel panic is something else entirely.

Hello all.
I think that this is not anything to do with this issue too. I wonder only why this discussion has got still the status "not answered" when Apple has already solved the freezing-issue by providing the new MacOs X-update to 10.6.7. I'm going to buy me a new MacBook Pro too. It would be very helpful if we all would get a statement from Apple if there really is not any risk left about a hardware/heating-issue. The freezing issue reminds me about the flicker-issue of the iMac 27" late 2009. It seems that every new product has got problems like these. What a pitty. Well, I'm still an Apple-fan.
Best regards,
Andreas