Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card
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Dec 4, 2014 7:04 AMby RenardFJ,Brought my MBP to the reballer today. His services include: replacing the entire chip with a new one, resoldering it, renewing the thermal paste, cleaning the fans. It cost me €119 (tax included) and I have a 12 month warranty. He also runs multiple tests on the computer to see if glitches reappear. I should have it back in about a week and will post a report on this forum.
Another question: The dude said windows was installed on my Mac, yet I didn't put it there. I don't even know how that works. I can't imagine Apple would put Windows on a machine by default - or maybe they have sold me a refurbished computer instead of a new one?
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Dec 4, 2014 7:06 AMby Bassbarbie,Csound1 wrote:
Yup, you should have 2 display adaptors, the integrated card (Intel) and the discrete one (AMD) which appears to have failed.
Take it to an Apple Store or AASP for diagnosis.
Sorry I just edited last post - yes it says there is an AMD Radeon HD 6770M card when I look at the system report, but it's not showing up on the 'About My Mac' bit so I think it has failed. Thanks for your input. Will speak to them on Monday
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Dec 4, 2014 7:15 AMby obwianMacobi,Bassbarbie wrote:
Csound1 wrote:
Yup, you should have 2 display adaptors, the integrated card (Intel) and the discrete one (AMD) which appears to have failed.
Take it to an Apple Store or AASP for diagnosis.
Sorry I just edited last post - yes it says there is an AMD Radeon HD 6770M card when I look at the system report, but it's not showing up on the 'About My Mac' bit so I think it has failed. Thanks for your input. Will speak to them on Monday
If you have gfxCardStatus installed you can switch between the integrated GPU (Intel HD Graphics 3000) and discrete GPU (AMD Radeon HD 6750M). I just tried switching between them with gfxCardStatus and the 'About this Mac' clicking on 'more info' shows up whichever GPU you are using at the time. So as it displays, Intel HD Graphics 3000 - it just indicates that it is using this GPU, not necessarily that the discrete GPU has failed.
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Dec 4, 2014 7:15 AMby Csound1,"Another question: The dude said windows was installed on my Mac, yet I didn't put it there. I don't even know how that works. I can't imagine Apple would put Windows on a machine by default - or maybe they have sold me a refurbished computer instead of a new one?"
First verify that it is installed.
If it was installed using Boot Camp there will be a 2nd startup disk listed in System Preferences>Startup Disk, if installed in a VM there will be one of these 3 apps in applications. Parallels, Fusion (VMware) or VirtualBox.
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Dec 4, 2014 7:36 AMby Bassbarbie,obwianMacobi wrote:
If you have gfxCardStatus installed you can switch between the integrated GPU (Intel HD Graphics 3000) and discrete GPU (AMD Radeon HD 6750M). I just tried switching between them with gfxCardStatus and the 'About this Mac' clicking on 'more info' shows up whichever GPU you are using at the time. So as it displays, Intel HD Graphics 3000 - it just indicates that it is using this GPU, not necessarily that the discrete GPU has failed.
I don't knowingly have that installed so presumably it shouldn't be trying to switch to the integrated card, but I am a novice....
SORRY - erroneous quote was included here - now removed.....
As I say it is listed if I look at the system report. (Never inserted a picture before - hope this works)
Thank you for the input obwianMacobi and Csound1. I will talk to them on Monday and feedback anything interesting. I'm not going to waste any more of my time thinking about it. - or yours ... I seem to have spent an awful lot of time the last time it failed, never mind going through it all again!
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Dec 4, 2014 7:39 AMby obwianMacobi,The system report just indicates that both GPUs are present - so this is correct.
gfxCardStatus is an app that you can install so you can manually switch between each GPU, without relying on your OS to dynamically switch between the two at will. It is not a fix however, it just (may) buy you a little more time to use your Mac with the integrated GPU if the discrete GPU is causing problems. (Visual artefacts, distorted graphics, system glitches etc.. as described by other users here..)
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Dec 4, 2014 7:46 AMby RenardFJ,Called the reballer to ask him to put OSX back on the Mac (I did a factory reset a couple of months ago) because I really have no idea how that works. The reballer then told me that Windows was installed on a 2nd startup disk - which I didn't put there. Obviously I can't confirm if this is the truth, because he has my computer atm but why would he make that up?
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Dec 4, 2014 9:25 AMby Csound1,RenardFJ wrote:
Theoretically, had I installed Windows in a drunken stupor and thus don't remember, shouldn't it also be gone by doing a factory reset?
Sounds like a fun time with you
If you did a factory reset, (which may not be what you did as there is no actual factory reset) but if you have already erased the drive then it is gone. If the 'guy' erases the drive it will be gone (do you have backup for this drive). If it is still there ask the 'guy' to confirm that and then check the Macs logs for an installation date. Searching the logs (especially without a date of occurrence) is going to take a real long time, does he charge by the hour?
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Dec 4, 2014 9:35 AMby RenardFJ,Csound1 wrote:
RenardFJ wrote:
Theoretically, had I installed Windows in a drunken stupor and thus don't remember, shouldn't it also be gone by doing a factory reset?
Sounds like a fun time with you
If you did a factory reset, (which may not be what you did as there is no actual factory reset) but if you have already erased the drive then it is gone. If the 'guy' erases the drive it will be gone (do you have backup for this drive). If it is still there ask the 'guy' to confirm that and then check the Macs logs for an installation date. Searching the logs (especially without a date of occurrence) is going to take a real long time, does he charge by the hour?
You know how it is, saturday night, inviting a couple of buddies over, having a drink and installing Windows on your Mac
I pulled all files over from my Macbook to an external hard drive and then erased the HD and the OS along with it (that's what I meant by factory reset), that's why I was so surprised to hear that apparently there was Windows on it. Regarding the logs, date of occurence is anything before purchase date obviously. If that doesn't bring anything up, then I'm going with the drunken stupor theory.
