Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

hi !

how can I install a linux system on a partition when I can't access to anything in my computer ? everytime I try to do something, I have first a screen with blue lines and then, when I want to access my desktop (after giving my password) or when I try to launch an other disc, I have that grey screen (no blue lines this time) or a royal-blue screen with vertical black thin lines all over it...

thing is, I did that linux install early when I first experienced problems, just in case at some point I could not boot on OSX system, which is not too much HD space consuming and can be used as rescue system at any time.

what seems weird in your case is you can get to the login screen and only after logging in, you get either the grey screen or the artifacts.

usually the hardest part is getting to the login screen.

but anyway.

easiest way would be for you to plug your computer in target mode to another computer if you can't get it to boot up on anything.

or at least get your hand on a ubuntu installation USB key and try to boot on that.

whatever the case is, you should have a way to be able to follow some instructions on how to install linux on your macbook, not that it's complicated but there are many steps to follow, especially for deactivating the discret, and none of them are to be messed up in order to work as expected.

As of today, add me to the list of failed logic boards on 2011 MBP

same problem add me to the list of failed macbook pros (2011 mbps ). It first started off as a complete freeze and I would have to do a hard restart, but it happened not often so I left it alone. Then it upped the ante and so I re-did the entire machine, backed up installed new OSx.

Then the frozen pixels, with lines across the screens started, for which i promptly took into the Genius bar. Of course they gave it back to me saying all was well, but two days later same issues. Sometimes it will blue screen, and sometimes it will pixel out like crazy. All times it froze and had to hard restart.

Sometimes on restart it would beep and not come on. Sometimes it will restart.

I took it back in and then they told me that I can fix it for a large sum of money because the stress test wasn't able to reproduce the error. Which is laughable since I was able to tap the MAC and the it froze right in front of the genius bar tech (it happens without any sort of disturbance but since I was trying to prove that the issue could easily be initiated I tapped the machine).

Of course being the broke student that I am I didn't have the cash. Now it's gotten so bad I can't turn the machine on so basically I have a very expensive paperweight. Which ***** when you prefer to work from home. My first macbook has completely and utterly turned me off of Apple's fancy shiny products and their mum on the issue behaviour even more so.

I'll try and grab some shots whenever I decide to put on the waste of machine on. Sadly, before this I had a dell inspiron laptop for 6 years big ole clunky thing. In six years I had one problem which I promptly fixed after a few days, but still I could fix. It was outdated but it ran, and worked for 6years. This MAC was suppose to be an upgrade, now I wish I had kept my inspiron, because I had this MAC for less than 2yrs, never dropped, never thrown water on, prime physical condition, poor inner construction

Add my computer to the latest failure of Apples 2011 MacBook Pro design. Anytime I try and start my computer now I get just a blue/gray screen. Used to be that I could at least reboot, or start in safe mode, and get it going again, but not any longer. I can't believe my computer is dead over a known issue with the 2011 model, and Apple still hasn't done anything about it! After being a diehard Apple fan for so many years, maybe it is time for me and my family to move on.

There is no need to install linux! This is just going to mess up your drive if you don't know what you are doing and further increase heat issues during install.

You should instead burn linux to a DVD.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

Hold option on startup, and choose to boot from DVD. After loading, select "Try Ubuntu". The entire system will run off the DVD without making any changes to the internal hard-drive.

From here just save your work to a USB flash drive or HDD.

Good for web browsing/online communication, document processing, file handling. For the rest, Apple will have to pull their finger out though.

OS is ok, successfully booted it on another Macbook as an external disk.

€240 for reballing here in Croatia. Still a very expensive solution.

My MBP has just failed for the THIRD time - this is the third logic board gone, it was replaced by Apple just 3 weeks ago!!! I have been ultra cautious not to let the machine get hot - installed fan cooling software and avoided using any graphics - heavy software, and it still happened. I make my living as a dj, last night I had two gigs, the first at a corporate event with a band I'm in. I kept a huge room full of people staring and waiting for me to attempt to boot my laptop for half an hour before another dj arrived and I was luckily able to use his with my external HDD, The 2nd gig was one of the biggest opportunities I've ever had, I managed to get top billing at a gig at Plan B in brixton, London, the areas biggest club. I couldn't share a laptop at this one, the other djs didn't have the firewire 800 socket on their laptops that my external HD needs.After an hour and a half of constant resets and p-ram resets I finally managed to boot it up and play a set, but I was not my usual comfortable self after all that stress, and I think that was probably reflected in my performance.

Apple has for a long time been the only option for reliable use in live sets in the music world - now what choice do we have ? Every pc I have used has been susceptible to random blue screen crashes.I'm trying to get a genius appointment and am hoping I can get the whole machine replaced, I have so much work on I'm probably going to have to buy another laptop in the meantime.

Stesso problema di tutti sulla scheda grafica! il difetto a quanto leggo é diffusissimo! Come facciamo a fare valere un nostro diritto alla riparazione o sostituzione  gratuita per prodotti fuori garanzia?

Happened to a DJ friend of mine as well, but luckily in a way, way smaller environment. Anyway, I am back to using Windows 7 & 8 for the last eight months and I have to say that they've made incredible leaps in terms of stability (and usability - though I always felt Windows was user friendly). There haven't been any crashes, blue screens whatsoever. What I'm saying is, as long as we keep buying Apple's stuff, they'll continue to happily screw us over. So you may wanna check out alternatives or at least tell Apple that they will lose you as a customer, if there isn't a viable solution to this issue.

I also have this problem...blue / grey screen. MBP 2011 13" 2 years 2 months old.

I know I said I would reball the GPU but I ended up going to the Apple Store to see what they would tell me.

Of course the Genius did not mention anything about this particular model and started doing their test routine.

He tried to boot the computer from my HD (GSOD). Then he tried using SingleUser Mode and it got into the console. Then tried to boot from ethernet and same GSOD. He suggested very quickly that there was a graphical problem with the logic board and offered me a 500+ USD replacement of the board or send the computer to a refurbish center which would cost 310 plus tax.

I mentioned that I had replaced the superdrive by the internal and added an SSD, also upgraded the RAM. He said that if he sends the computer without the superdrive to the repair center they would sent it back. Luckily I had the superdrive in an external case (never used it in my life). So I had to come back home, take out the OWC data doubler, put the stock HD on the HD slot (just moved from the superdrive slot), insert the superdrive (and I forgot to put the cable that connects the superdrive to the motherboard), and back to the apple store to drop the computer.

The computer was returned to the Apple Stores 4 days after that.

There are three things that I would like to complain about:

1) The computer had an average deal of dust in the bottom cover and in the fans. I notice this when I opened it to do the superdrive exchange. When I got it back, I put my SSD in there and moved the stock HD to the superdrive slot. I Notice that they have not even clean the bottom cover (and the fans where as dirty as they were). For a computer company that is probably aware of heat related issues.... not cleaning this and the fans is very lazy. How much time could it take them to blow some air, or replace the fans.

2) My clutch cover was cracked, I did not want to change it since it requires to take most of the computer apart. When I got it back, instead of a small crack I had a huge whole. When I mentioned this to the genius he said that they did not change this on the refurbish center and when I mentioned that they made the small crack it had way worse he did not care.

3) They wipe the hard drive. There is no need to do this. This was my second hard drive where I kept most of my media (music, pictures, videos).

I'm using the computer on Discrete mode all the time now. They gave me 90 days warranty. If its doomed to fail I will try to have it fail during this period.

First of all feel free to add me to the list of customers having this issue.

Since I don't have the money to buy a new laptop, I am trying to make my mbp work by using it in integrated - only mode. To do that I am using gfxcardstatus application. But I am having some problems with the application. When I select integrated-only drop down option, instantaneously computer freezes and I have to hard reboot it. Integrated only setting worked only one time for me, it worked flawlessly for a day. That gave me ability to use my macbook pro without having any issues during that time.. But since then I wasn't able to set the setting again.

I am not sure what caused gfxcardstatus to change the setting properly that one time and I am not sure what might be preventing it right now...

Is there anybody experiencing a similar problem and found a way to fix it? If you have any suggestions, I would really appreciate to hear them.

So now today, my logic board failed the second time.

UNEXCUSEABLE to charge customers of a 2500€ piece of technology a yearly "fee" of 750€....

At least I still have 2 months warranty on my board.

Well if it continues to go that rate, it 'd be cheaper to just get a quality laptop (e.g Alienware).

I am extremly suprises about the lack of quality and engineering in this product, as I thought Apple products were well-made, but it seems like I was wrong.

I also do not understand, why apple does not replace this error for free, as it is clearly their fault...

For my part, I have no plans on buying a Mac again ever - Poor quality for high price.

I am afraid to think we have not only wasted our money but also now wasting our time complaining and discussing in this forum. Are Apple really taking a look in this forum? Or they look to laugh at us how fool we are that we are purchasing their low quality products with extremely high prices. It's shame for this type of iconic brand. But, I hope someday they will realize they will recover their fault and reputation by fixing the products or changing the damaged items.