Q: problems with amd gpu on early 2011 macbook pro

As per my previous posting, I finally had my MacBook Pro with the failed graphic card repaired in NYC.  Despite a long dissussion with the store manager I still had to pay over USD 300 to fix the problem (but I was initially quoted USD 700).  The fact that they gave me a discount on the repair would seem to indicate that they are aware of the severity of this problem.

I then sent a note to Tim Cook expressing my disappointment and quickly received a reply from Mr. ***********  at Executive Relations asking for a call as "it concerns an issue that we feel would be best handled in a phone conversation".

I spoke with Mr. ********* today but he was unable to give me any concrete information about the problem or investigation process and when I asked what the policy was about refunding clients who paid for a repair if a recall program was started, he told me that he could not speculate on what would occur.

I told him I was even more disappointed after his call as it sounded as he was speaking from a script and that he was unable to give me any sort of solid answers or information.

I told him I would post a summary of the call in the forum.

<Edited by Host>

Gosh..  I can write Tim Cook but not the name of the peson from Executive Relations?  Please explain the logic behind this.

I am doubly disappointed.  One for the broken Macbook Pro and the USD 300 I had to spend and two for the fact I cannot speak openly on Apple Forums.

Shame on you Apple!

HEH, I had the same problem. I wrote the name of who actually contacts you and all that went along with it and my entire post was deleted in under a minute. That's OK because I do have a copy of it and when I get the website ready to unveil everyone can speak freely I won't delete anyone's right to express themselves and try to help others.

These forums are freedom of speech according to Apple not according to our 1st amendment. Well you know what they say... money talks....

I'm also having a problem with an early 2011 17" MBP.   Dissapointed at not being able to find any reasonable repair/replacement options.  If my 2001 iBook and 2006 MacBook can still run OK, it seems that my far more expensive 2011 one should last more than 3 years.

After having the same problem after about 2 1/2 years I replaced the logic board for about 620€ at a apple store. Now 5 months later the same problem appears again. Apple told me on the replaced logic board are only 3 month guarantie so I will have to pay again for another replacement.

Apple you really ***** …

Well, two weeks ago I wrote about my early 2011 MBP 17 inch crashing - I now have it back. I had to resort to a hackintoshed MSI netbook for two weeks - really limiting my capacity of browsing job adverts and drafting proposals, due to the slower speed and small screen size; it was really meant to have it along for lesser work on brief trips - while my MBP was being repaired. I was lucky. I only paid for the replacement costs of the logic board and transport costs, totalling around 160 USD. I don't have a Genius bar around, but by thte looks of it I got way better service. This kind of service that I encountered here in Vietnam is something that Apple should take as an example. For the time being, my MBP runs again smoothly. But if my MBP crashes again, I may change to a hackingtosh. A certain model of a HP laptop seems to be perfect, while costing less than half of what I would have to shell out for a new MacBookPro, of which I now don't have the confidence anymore that newer models won't have the same problem. And I won't feel guilty about setting up such hackingtosh. 

Same problems here; started just a few days ago. Mackbook Pro 15" early 2011.

Now the computer freezes or reboots every five minutes or so. Distorted display, random freezes with black or grey screen. Often leaves fans humming loudly.

Hard shutdown + reboot solves the issue temporarily; altough may take two or three boots to actually get into login screen again.

Clearing NVRAM didn't help.

Earlier I had an issue with Wifi loosing connectivity randomly; every few hours to once a week. This might've been caused by Mavericks, but I'm not sure. Hasn't happened for a week now, though.

Hopefully Apple will make a recall on this issue, as even if I had the extended AppleCare it would've just run out anyway.

Sadly I've seen that their enthusiasm towards customer satisfaction seems to have died with Jobs, as the Wifi issue still hasn't been acknowledged or resolved by Apple either, and it's been almost a year now since that problem was discovered. And it seems that isn't just a few sparse cases either..

Same problem here, 15" MBP early 2011. I'll try to keep using it with gfxCardStatus for now.

Since mainboard replacement is just a temporary solution, I'll keep my hopes up Apple realises this is a big problem for so many of it's customers and takes action.

Same problem here, 15" MBP early 2011. We expect a resolution by apple.

My $2,403.71 Macbookpoo 15 late 2011 turns on, but display is off. After that it went freezing from time to time. I'm in the jungle of Peru, with two macbookpros broken (my fiancee's toshiba 750gb hdd $1660 macbookpro13 mid 2012 died). Now I ask, what should I think about Apple's quality control?.

There are also latins who are facing GPU issues:

https://discussions.apple.com/message/22609184#22609184

We all expect a "Genius" APPLE solution for this BIG QUALITY ERROR, like happened in the past.

I will PRAY TO Pope Saint John Paul II FOR THIS; cause I guess there no legal ways...; well, apple ethics at least.

Exactly the same problem here, Madagascar,(bought in France) with my MBP early 2011, since a couple of weeks.

Distorsions, black ou grey screen, hardly reboot taking oftenly 3 or 5 times to get to the login screen, fans humming loudly and extremely hot body before shutting down by itself. PRAM re-initialisation not helping at all.

This is my second one with  this problem, the first one was a MBP lately 2009. Completely died just after 2days of the first symptoms.

I think also that this is the graphic GPU AMD issue, because it occurs only when the system use a program that needs the AMD graphic card, and when I plug my Apple 27 display on it, a black screen occurs every 30 or 45mn or when I open Graphical software like Powerpoint or Skitch.

After reading all these posts before, I think this is a real issue that Apple HAVE to consider seriously !!!!

It is really far from an isolated case. The symptoms are exactly the same.

Apple! we are expecting from you some more consideration, as the fact is that all people here are 20years-lasting users.

My Macbook Pro 15" early 2011 has broken down 3 tims in the past 2 months.

The first time I saw split screen, luckily, I had time to back up my files. I was told it was due to overheated video chip and it costed me $410 to have it fixed since I did not buy a 3-year Apple Care.

One week after it was fixed by an Apply authorized stored, it broke down again. They fixed it for free but I lost many hours of my time dealing with this.

Last week, it broke down AGAIN! Three days of my time to get a new laptop and set up with the Time Machine. I can't believe I bought another Macbook Pro for my wife and I am borrowing it till my own is fixed. But do I have another choice having all my files backed up by the Time Machine?

I sent it back to the Apply authorized store and could not help complain. The staffs were nice enough but all they can do is to follow Apple's instructions. I felt sorry that I vented at them but how I can vent to Apple?

I mean, Apple, such experience seems not represent an Apple product. Well, I still have faith in Apple.....

The problem is it will take replacing the machine that is why Apple is not doing anything about it. Most people like myself while still under warranty had the logic board as well as many other components replaced only to have the very same issues reappear shortly after and replaced many times over.

If you look at the models in question compared to the new models it is evident why the models in question are having the issues and the newer models lack most of the features the models in question have.

Simply put Apple bit off more than they could when making so called "portables" which simply means a workstation that COULD be on the go if it had to. They locked all the high tech high heat components into a body that could not cool itself even with an industrial cooling unit such as I had. Therefore the GPU is the least of the problems, it is taking out the everything in the unit from heat issues. If they replace with the very same parts then the very same issues will come to light.

The definition of Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. --Albert Einstein

Maybe Apple hired a medium and Jobs gave them the above tidbit of insight which is why they are not replacing the parts unless some poor unknowing sap slaps down the outrageous price only to have the same thing happen again in a few short months. Upon further investigation finding this site and beating themselves up for slapping down the money instead of slapping down Apple's incompetence.

Here you can find 2000+ Mac users with the same problem.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4766577?start=4695&tstart=0

Best

Greetings from poland guys! my wonderfull MacBook which i truly loved before broke down last week. How big was my suprise when I found out that its this graphic card problem and the only solution is to replace it and even after that it can broke again. It happens exactly like on a pics u posted. My model is DV8V bought in Miami around march 2011.

The problematic part is that beeing from Poland but living now in Spain 600 km from closest Apple Store there is almost nothing i can do. Apple Poland Care is working only in Poland (number is not working here), Apple Care Spain is paid u cant talk to them if ur device is out of warranty they just disconect you and im not that fluent in spanish anyway. I called Apple USA, Apple AU. But it didnt help too much. Mainly they r advicing me to go to Apple Store. Brilliant! And pay for plain tickets just to go there. this is an ABSURD. I will never ever suspect that Apple as a comapny have such a terrible attitude to people. I ll never trust you again Apple. U just lost a faitfhull consumer and all bunch of its friends and familly :/ i havent feel that helpless and frustreted from a loong time.

I bough a crazy expensive computer which broke 3 years later because of MANUFACTURE mistake of APPLE and nothing no replacement program, not even a slightly try of helping me.