2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Thank you for your reply.
Then I think I should bring mac to the service centre as soon as possible.

Luckily I have the apple care which means if it's related to GPU then they should repair it for free, shouldn't they?

But how long does it take for them to repair normally? I have some submission deadlines ahead and few days without it is going to be a great problem for me 😟

Well, My 2011 MacBook Pro 15", i7, 2.4ghz AMD RadHD 6770 (1 GB) just followed suit.

Started with the split screens, then wobbly lines, now it don't boot up, at all.

I have tried starting with safe, recovery, even install OSX discs/flash drives, won't get past a blank grey screen, or a blue screen off the flash boot drive.

I wanted to try the gfxCardStatus to switch the card/driver manually, but I can't get to a finder screen, so I can't install it.

I guess I'll have to hobble on over to Mac store to see what they say.

This is really bad.

I ended up buying a Mac Mini off Craigslist and was able to transfer everything over from a TimeMachine backup, so I am running okay right now.

Any thoughts on getting it too boot so I can install the gfxCardStatus?

The hardware test in boot mode (Command or Option R?, I can't remember which, being trying so many different things) showed nothing wrong, but I couldn't read test results very well, the screen was all squiggly. Go Figure!

Mahalo in advance

Gregg Hutchings

Model Cars Magazine

Hi

I have the same model with this problem. I found a solution. When booting it is possible that you will be stuck at grey screen. Leave it until it shuts down itself. Then boot it, it will boot without any problem. Then use gfxCardStatus. Do not make the Mac sleep or do not shutdown. Also do not use triple finger preview. We have to keep it running until Apple provides a fix.

I have tried that.

Problem is that I can't install gfxCardStatus at all.

Can't get to a point in the start up/system where I can install anything, or see finder.

I would say to anyone and everyone out there now, even if you have a good running MacBook Pro 2011 model, install the gfxCardStatus now, even before you have any problems, or haven't had a problem with your puter at all.

Do you remember?

Yes, I remember, it was 2011 (in my case it was june) and our macbook were just bought, they were the top, there was Snow Leopard.

But sometimes it happened to me, and not only to me, to have freezes, hard freezes. I remember that every time I opened the iTunes media folder, that it was huge and full of folders my macbook had to be restarted because was "frozen". I had fixed the issue erasing the ~/library/preferences directory , that worked in my case. i'm sure that Apple after fixed the issue with the upgrades, because these early freezes were software issues.

for example if you search articles of early 2011 you find that the problem was common.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/macbook-pro-2011-owners-complain-of-hard-free ze-problems/11953

http://www.geek.com/apple/macbook-pro-2011-owners-experiencing-hard-freeze-probl em-1330689/

This problem was fixed by apple, but the answer is, in what way?

did they change the kext that controls the graphic acceleration? Did they underclok the GPU?

the fact is that our macbook were faulty since the beginningl

so, do you remember?

Hello everybody,

i had the same problem with my discret card, and i resolved it today. I was so angry first, but then i decided to look at the inside to find some clue on the logic board. I didn´t saw anything suspect at all. Then i inspected the two fans and could find that one was completely obstructed and the second had one third blocked. I removed them and cleaned the inside. I rebooted in the hope the discret card would function properly now, with the normal airflow reinstated. And it happened. No crash anymore, computer is back to it´s past glance.

This was the solution for my problem. Luckily the Graphic Card survived the last month.

I hope this can help.

Cyu,

Sebastien

We should stop arguing by our victims and must be united to find a effective way to negotiate this issue with Apple. Anyone know the contact of the department responsible for customer relations in Apple?

I'm considering setting up a group action to present against apple with this, cant believe they are just ignoring this inferior product they sold us, and for quite a price, I got the 17 inch 2011 macbook and its just stopped working due to the bad quality graphics card. If anyone has an relevant email to send a group action/ complaint to please reply to my comment with the details.

When it fails to boot and goes to gray screen, close the lid, wrap it in a blanket or between your couch cushions or in a laptop sleeve or anywhere it'll overheat. It'll then shut down on its own. Its been said that it usually boots easily after that. Leave the power cord unattached and it may be in integrated mode when it boots (maybe that helps it boot).

It’s been attested to on the web, including here:http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/70283/how-to-permanently-disable-defect ive-graphics-card-in-macbook-pro

It worked for me after my computer started with the non-booting, teal and purple stripe screen loading to gray screen thing. I wrapped it in a blanket and it shut down by itself in like 5 minutes and then loaded right away. I was able to put gfxCardStatus on integrated mode when it booted too without my computer freezing. My MacBook Pro has been pretty stable since doing this.

You can also try what I was doing before that, but the results were less appealing because my Mac was still freezing and failing to boot:

Cmd-R into recovery mode then clicking on the menu to startup from the startup disk booted the machine successfully a lot

Powering up over and over again (my record is 45 times).

Yeah...I started a doc called New Mac Hardware and Software Complaints a week into owning my Mac and notated every anomalous activity. Its still a living document. So yeah I remember but luckily I don't have to :-)...Freezes, kernel panics, blue screens, flickering screens, weird glitch white line when you shut it down, over fanning...it goes on and on. I never did much video, any gaming, or any photo stuff until about two months ago when it started GPU issues.There is a issue with these cards alright.

Yeah thanks. I've heard this so, I think I'll have them do that when I go to the Apple Store. Seems like one way they try to get out of paying for this stuff is by saying you violated their TOU by doing stuff to your Mac yourself. Not sure they could prove it but...

So just wondering, is there some consensus as to an actual fix?

Have people who have had there logic boards gpu "reballed," from a third party tech facility, had any issues prior to the procedure?

Is solder the actual cause of all these units going bad at once or is it the heated enclosure design in conjunction with running Maverick?

Also, how much is Apple now charging for the replacement of the logic board in the United States for a unit past warranty? I've heard from anywhere from $310 (hear this amount the most) and in a few cases, double that? When I had a spill situation 2 yrs, 2 months ago, I automatically got clocked at tier III repair which was around $1200.

My logic board has been supposedly replaced once already, but having much experience with pcbs;electronic boards myself, my logic board looks refurbished as there is what looks like a bit of corrosion around a few of the screw mount holes on the logic board and I've kept the machine in immaculate condition since it was serviced. I was told by the apple genius that my logic board was replaced 2yrs. and 2 months ago, but have read that Apple is using refurbished logic boards as well as new ones. I guess it is also possible that my logic board was never faulty to begin with and never changed out, although the Mac Genius said so, perhaps to make me feel better about the $1200 charge for perhaps just a faulty shorted keyboard? I guess I'll never truly know the answer to that question.

Since the 2011 17" MBP is now an older model, it makes sense that more refurbished logic boards will be used in switching out the logic boards (unfortunately). Thus, the 2-2.5 yr. estimate lifespan of the logic board being new, will be significantly less with refurbished faulty boards being used that have already to much extent, extended their GPU lifecycle. I'm reading people's replaced logic boards going bad in even a month or so which would be within the 90 day warranty in the United States, but what if it is a day or more after the 90 days?

supergrafx

The $310 option is for the depot repair. Apple will repair/replace any parts (could be new or refurb) of the machine that are defective or not functioning per the design specs. I believe this requires that the machine was not abused or damaged (i.e., dropped with dents, water exposure, etc).

If you choose to have the Apple Store repair just the parts required, then they will charge you per part and labor--for this particular issue which would require the MLB (main logic board replacement), the cost of that part alone is typically much more than the $310 repair option.

"Have people who have had there logic boards gpu "reballed," from a third party tech facility, had any issues prior to the procedure?"

Why would someone go to the expense of having a computer fixed if it wasn't broken?

"how much is Apple now charging for the replacement of the logic board in the United States for a unit past warranty?"

Approximately $300.

" When I had a spill situation 2 yrs, 2 months ago, I automatically got clocked at tier III repair which was around $1200."

You were charged more because you spilled water onto your computer.

"My logic board has been supposedly replaced once already"

Yes, you already mentioned that you paid $1200, supposedly.

"I was told by the apple genius that my logic board was replaced 2yrs. and 2 months ago..."

Supposedly, you've already told us that, supposedly, you paid $1200.

"I guess I'll never truly know the answer to that question."

Supposedly, not.

"Since the 2011 17" MBP is now an older model..."

We're all getting older, by the day, supposedly.

"I'm reading people's replaced logic boards going bad in even a month or so which would be within the 90 day warranty in the United States, but what if it is a day or more after the 90 days?"

What if, what? Are you trying to ask: "if the replacement board fails one or two days after the warranty expires, will Apple repair the MBP free?"

Carl:

First of all, thanks for your responses.

I was not implying that Apple will fix a problem regarding faulty logic boards, past the US limited 90 day warranty, but rather inferring that 90 days may not be enough of a warranty time to cover an inevitable failure of a newly installed logic board that will soon enough reoccur. I should have asked if one could extend this warranty on a MBP that has been processed through "the depot." So, more specifically, I ask:

Do you know once sending off the MBP to the depot, if you can purchase the extended Apple Care plan, which I believe extends the warranty to 3 years?

It seems Europeans would not need this Apple Care extended coverage since their consumer protection laws seem to enforce corporations to fix for free, electronics with faulty components within a 3 year period. But for us American citizens, purchasing an extended Apple Care plan would be a better option than the minimum 3 month warranty since the logic board will fail again. There's no doubt in my mind my about that. Getting three more years coverage and usage for $350 AppleCare + the additional $300 depot fee, seems IMO, better than trashing a $3000 laptop.

If this is indeed a possibility to purchase the extra coverage, had I purchased the Apple Care plan (pending it was viable for 3 years) when I initially through my own fault damaged my machine 2 yrs. ago, I would have still been in the time frame for warranty coverage like my European comrades. I tend to be a very careful person and have never purchased warranties. But I would do so in this case, if it is at all possible, since I am aware that these logic boards inevitably fail on their own.