Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

I don't think it's just Yosemite using the GPU more often. I started having problems with Lion.

Exactly my problem.

I'm at the Apple Store now waiting for my appointment. I'll post how it goes.

Did Apple tell you definitively that it's the GPU? I have many of the symptoms people describe here, with one exception: my MBP has never crashed or failed to boot. I haven't figured out if the IGP or GPU is faulty.

I just got out. I was charged $300 (USD) for a full refurbish of the laptop. They said they were making an exception in my case, and that there would be no charge more than $300 to do a full refurbish at a flat rate. I still felt that it was a rip off, but at least I'll have a working computer soon.

The tech did say he was beginning to see 2011 Macbook Pros with graphics problems coming in, but that because there isn't a recall yet that the issue would be charged to be fixed. I'm just keeping the receipt and demanding a refund for the repair when the impending recall begins.

Not having tread all 12000 posts to this issue, I try to summarize the issues and workarounds discussed here.

1. The MacBook Pro model from 2011 (Early, Mid and Late) are equipped with an Internal Intel HD-video 3000 GPU and a AMD Radeon HD 6770M GPU. The former is normally used for basic screen display, the latter is used when you start to use the MacBook Pro for more advanced graphical application (one of the main features most of us bought such a very expensive MacBook Pro to start with).
2. The AMD Radeon GPU, due to heating up, or bad soldering or what ever, in many cases progressively breaks down, ending up in MacBook Pro that is hard to boot and when booted, a MacBook Pro that crashes as soon as you try to use its advanced graphical features.
3. The ‘solution’ Apple provides is to replace (for free or paid) the Logic Board. The chips on this replacement board fail progressively too, so that is not a real solution.
4. You can opt for re-soldering or re-balling the AMD Radeon HD 6770M GPU by a third party. A process in which they (re)install the (new?) AMD Radeon HD 6770M GPU on the Logic Board, but the better soldered. Beside this is done by third parties and you effectively give Apple all reasons to dismiss any future claims from you, these processes apparently do only provide a longer lasting, but no a real lasting solution.
5. Using a tool like gfxStatusCard you have the opportunity to put the GPU used to the internal one, resulting in little bit more stable system, as long as an other process does not force the use of the more advanced AMD Radeon GPU. What happens quickly since we bought this expensive MacBook Pro for it’s advanced graphical capabilities.
6. I have the option to (re)move the drivers the AMD Radeon GPU. Resulting in a system that can’t be forced into an advanced graphical mode anymore and is more stable again. It lacks however all advanced graphical features apple computers are well known for.

Am I complete and correct? If so then I bought a very expensive Lap Top that apparently does not live up to it specification and live expectancy that I  as a consumer may count on.

I fully agree to what you are saying, the AMD Radeon GPU progressively breaks down due to the hot temperature it runs at. If you take out all the AMD/ATI drivers out, your computer should boot up, having only the integrated to use. Also I think that the lead free thermal paste plays a huge roll in the problem.

After they fully refurbish it, it should work normal, keeping the receipt is a really good idea in case the problem comes back up, if the problems come back up, what I think apple will do is replace it with a newer version of the MacBook, or they will take out all the AMD/ATI drivers and force it to use integrated,

True, it is not just Yosemite, Yosemite would just be a software issue, the problem could come up in any software, due to the bad soldering and AMD graphics card

BlazenMike24 wrote:

 

I fully agree to what you are saying, the AMD Radeon GPU progressively breaks down due to the hot temperature it runs at. If you take out all the AMD/ATI drivers out, your computer should boot up, having only the integrated to use. Also I think that the lead free thermal paste plays a huge roll in the problem.

Hey Mike,

You already got some of the guys agitated here, pls try to say things correctly.

Those GPU's don't break down bcs they run hot, but they run hot because they are soldered bad and bcs of that bad soldering, they end up breaking down. It's not the fault of the GPU, but of the soldering.

"Lead free thermal paste"..?

Hundreds (thousands?) of posts were dedicated to lead-free SOLDER. Not thermal paste. That's not even related..

Sorry man, I got a lot of words mixed around, I got confused about what was what, but I agree and understand to what you are saying, sorry guys ignore me if I'm wrong, I'll do some more research and hopefully you more accurate information, sorry about that 

jSteeleh wrote:

 

I just got out. I was charged $300 (USD) for a full refurbish of the laptop. They said they were making an exception in my case, and that there would be no charge more than $300 to do a full refurbish at a flat rate. I still felt that it was a rip off, but at least I'll have a working computer soon.

Many people here described a similar visit and flat rate deal, only to go back to the store "some" time later because the logic board was just swapped by another one with the same issues, or maybe reflowed according to the same protocol as the initial production, resulting in the same result also.

Be prepared for another visit, and hopefully within the next 90 days and not layer, our your sadness will increas I fear..

BlazenMike24 wrote:

Sorry man, I got a lot of words mixed around, I got confused about what was what

My long post on page 701 might be useful for you to read.

Also check the internet on what "head in pillow" means in soldering land..

Hey Kayazuki,

The guy who does my reball is an official Crapple repair center. So my machine won't be void for warranty *IF* Crapple ever decides to do the right thing and give us all at least some compensation, or better a whole new system. But that will not happen, let's be realistic.

regards,

JP

Hey

The reball job HAS to be done with a special device that fits exactly on the chips and applies balls of solder (with the solder that does not brittle, sorry mother nature ) at the exact spot and temperature. Do not even consider having it done by hand by somebody!!! There are of course artists, but they cannot do the same job as a machine job. Just my $0.02

Regards,

JP

Demogorgos wrote:

 

Hey

 

The reball job HAS to be done with a special device that fits exactly on the chips and applies balls of solder (with the solder that does not brittle, sorry mother nature ) at the exact spot and temperature. Do not even consider having it done by hand by somebody!!! There are of course artists, but they cannot do the same job as a machine job. Just my $0.02

 

Regards,

 

JP

Really?

And how do you know that?

Do you have experience?

Have you researched that?

Bet you read it on the internet somehwere?

You know there are $40k+ or euro machines sold for reworking.

Those manufacturers also sell expensive equipement for MANUAL reballing.

Have reballed memory chips having tiny solder balls on it manually.

And guess what?

IT WORKED !!!