problems with amd gpu on early 2011 macbook pro

Thanks Ezan

Another Option if you want to live with only Integrated Card:

Thank you all I have used the linked procedure - http://www.asyncro.com/2014/03/24/macbook-pro-discreate-graphics-card-issue-fix- updated/ Although while rebuilding the drivers cache it has given me down the line "segmentation fault" but when it booted:

I have noticed in Energy Saver "Automatic switching check box was removed now".Also My external video 6770m card is completely disabled as to test I have tried the game which previously was always going to 2nd gpu but now only using integrated GPU.

Also before doing all this I have updated to Yosemite.

Benefit of upgrade was : Now when the system panics- Apple has made some changes in 6770m gpu drivers that is forcing the CPU to reinitialize or reboot the GPU - so now when system reboots it comes back safely. So no more recovery mode boot or single user or pram resets or SMC. It was coming back everytime.

But the disadvantage was everytime it was switching gpu during normal use it was crashing the laptop and rebooting. I had previously noticed the Webex Application infact was switching to external gpu and thus causing the system to hung[Maverik] or now reboot in Yosemite.

But now atleast its not anymore doing this, once I have disabled the 2nd GPU. So atleast, now I can use its internal card completely and its not a $3500/- paperweight.

Also we do not need gfxcardstatus app once we disable the external card.

Best of luck guys.

sandocan

Same issue popped up last night... woohoo.

Under Yosemite

- working happily since release without issue, then just locked up last night, and rebooted

- rebooted once and came to login screen but screen was segmented, and the right was on the left and the right on the left, it then rebooted.

- boots with grey/pink stripes where it used to be solid grey gets abit across the progress bar and goes white and turns off.

- using boot camp, boot to windows and get a black/red stripes under windows boot screen, then pink and blue 1" stripes blue screen of death with ATIKMPAG.sys failure...

looks like logic board replacement, booked into Apple tomorrow night.

MY MBP early 2011 17" 2.2 quad 16mb 1TB had the $310 Flat rate Apple repair from genius bar at applestore replaced logic bd worked great for 7 months then I got the dreaded

then it went to grey screen and went into a high heat fans spinning wildly only thing to do was force shutdown so I kept restarting only to repeat. Next morning i got up same thing this time I took the back off got a can of dust off and blew out all the dust from all the fans vents and the entire logic bd there was quite a bit even after the 7 months new replacement logic bd. Then i put a house fan right up to the bottom of the uncovered MBP and i started it up

and low and behold it started up no heat what so ever and I cloned the hard drive which i do everyday now and put the bottom back on and most importantly i turned the smcFanControl 2.5.2 to the higher RPM 4000rpms and it has been working great I dont care that the fans are going all the time my machine is cool runs about 100 degrees and might max out at 120 but i watch the temp closely with Photoshop web browsers and multiple apps but it is back from the brink and a really easy fix for now and both cards are working and I think the whole issue is 100% heat related keep it cool any way possible especially for me as I love my 17" screen which stupidly they discontinued making hopefully they will reconsider not everyone wants smaller.

THIS AND OTHER WAYS AS YOU CAN USE YOUR "USEFUL" MACBOOK PRO 2011

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS PAGE

Hi guys!

It is clear that apple once more failed to create quality computers plus they are ignoring and refusing this issue that thousand of 2011 macbook pro owners suffers, makes me mad. I am having the very same problem with the discrete graphics card on my MBP early 2011. After spending some time on forums and other discussion platforms managed to find a way that may enable you to use your computer again, but it isn't a definite solution. I did these steps and am able use my computer now. I'd like to share this with fellows who suffers from the same problem and desparate to use their computer.

1) Turn on your MBP and before you get low quality apple logo press option+command+P+R.(Sometimes it is useful to press command+v after hearing second boot sound.)

2) It will try to boot but since your Gpu is giving error it won't be successful. Don't worry while it is trying to boot close the lid of your computer and make sure your power adapter is plugged.

3) Wait until your computer get hot while try to boot and finally temp sensor turns off your computer. When this happens don't wait your computer to cool down and immediately turn it on. Now you have chance to boot your mac with integrated graphics card.

4) If you were able to boot your computer successfully by following these steps and finally you have access to your computer go and install gfxCradStatus from web and launch it. Choose integrated only option and make sure get notification that saying you are now using HD3000. It worked for me. As i said it is not definite solution for GPU failure error but better than nothing right?

PS: After a while you may get same you error agin. Just repeat these steps agin and make sure you choose integrated graphics HD3000 every time you reboot. Good luck!

Hello Apple and Dear Mr Cook,

I am a 15-year-long Apple user. I inherited this affinity for Apple from my mum: a graphic designer who was one of the first in her field to have an Applecomputer in the early 1990’s. So naturally I grew up thinking that as a graphic designer, Apple would serve me best.

I now have a macbook pro 15 '' from early 2011 and within three years, I've had to change the logicboard and airport card two times. These problems appeared within the first 12 months of use.
After only 3-4 months, my airport card completely stopped working, and since 2012 that my Macbook Pro does not have functioning Wi-fi, a problem that has never been solved, even when it was – albeit unsuccessfully - replaced by Apple Care.

November this year, my laptop again presented problems: it froze showing a gray screen at boot...

I went to an Apple authorized assistance centre in Lisbon-Portugal to try to solve this problem, but as my Macbook Pro is no longer protected by Apple's warranty, they presented me a budget
of €669.58 (Logicboard + Airport Card) which represents about 1/3 of the laptop value. A value that I think is inadmissible. As a user who has had a 3-year period with constant issues problems with the Macbook Pro 15 '' a model from only 2011, it is clearly demonstrates that the problem is not the user, but a Factory/Hardware problem. Someone that buys a computer for the price of € 2000, should not have to pay over years for new hardware whose original that has clearly a factory defect!

I sincerely hope that Apple can find a solution to me and all users who have chosen the Apple brand, famous for being a reliable and professional working tool – in this case the Macbook Pro, emphasizing the word "PRO".

Summing-up the time my laptop has been inactive due to hardware problems, I get to approximately 2 months during which I am impeded from doing my job.And as you know, time is money!
And it just does not seem fair that to continue my work and to meet my project delivery times, I have to pay €600 for your factory errors.

Honestly I do not expect anything less than a professional solution and a definite answer to this problem that affects thousands of users around the world, which to this day have never had a concrete solution nor has Apple taken a sincere and official responsibility for this issue.

I think we all deserve better than Apple’s silence over this matter.
I hope Apple can show professionalism and attention we deserve as faithful users of the brand.

Best regards of a sad i-user,Hope to receive news from you.David La Rua
Lisbon, Portugal | 05.12.2014

This is a respose to all people with these same issues they are all HEAT related this is the flaw they do not vent enough heat away especially if you have a lot of dust which all computers do and they block the vents open your MBP and dust it out thoroughly especially the fans and logic bd every where you can see the dust and for God's sake download smcFancontrol and set the fans to run at Higher RPM it has worked wonders and keep your eye on the temperature not the way we should have to operate a $2500 machine but it will at least keep working hopefully. I'm not giving up and I'm not spending another $ on this

I agree: it seems to be the AMD Radeon HD 6770M 1024 MB that is giving problems.

I have installed gfxCardStatus and the problem worsens when the MacBook Pro is only using it: My screen just got an overall blue tint, which I had never seen previously 😟

MacBook Pro (late 2011) | 2,5GBz Intel Core i7 | 8GB Ram, 1333 MHz DDR3 | AMD Radeon HD 6670M 1024 MB | OSX Yosemite 10.10.1

I encountered this issue last week and I am occasionally able to start up the macbook. I have an appointment at the apple store Today. I will return with their findings.

I don't know if this is the answer to all these problems, a friend of one is a mac expert. I have been having all these same problems. after scanning and thoroughly checking all hardware in my mac book pro 15" 2011 he found no faults. My mac will not boot at all though, i get to apple logo with wavy lines through it. he removed the battery and powered nay with mains, the mac booted instantly and has booted up with no issues now over 50 times. we have ordered a new battery and this will be fitted this week. we will see if this has solved the problem....

Same Probleme here. Today i got a short blue screen and now i am not able to boot. Macbook Pro Early 2011. Very sad.

I have had all these problems, mac wouldn't even boot. a friend tested every bit of hardware and found no faults but it still would not boot. He removed the battery and powered the macvbook from mains and it boot perfectly. i am getting a new battery fitted next week to see if that is causing the porbem, worth trying, disconnect our battery..let me know

Doesn't that program (gfxCardStatus) allow you to avoid using the AMD GPU?

I've been thinking of upgrading my 2009 17" to a late 2011 17" (mainly because I can't find anything better)

MY problems started the last of June this year. Just 2 years almost to the day I bought it. I have even using gfxcardstatus successfully ever since and have only restated once in that time.

I Would not get a 2011 MBP. The late ones are having problems as well.