Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

mogorgos wrote:

 

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

Just to be sure: you got your MBP repair by an official Apple repair centre, and they literally told you they performed a reballing? And it was Apple's choice to do a reballing? Just to get the right picture ;-)

I'm sorry to hear about the lost $300. In May I will be 4 years in with my MBP (512GB SSD and 16GB). I see no reason why I can't continue using this for another few years. Besides a retina display, it does every thing I need. If the repair costs holds to about $300 I'll gladly take that over buying a new machine. I'm aiming for another 3 years of use.

This is how apple used to be........obviously a policy change...this long lasting silence....

MacBook Pro: Distorted video or no video issues
Symptoms

In July 2008, NVIDIA publicly acknowledged a higher than normal failure rate for some of their graphics processors due to a packaging defect. At that same time, NVIDIA assured Apple that Mac computers with these graphics processors were not affected. However, after an Apple-led investigation, Apple has determined that some MacBook Pro computers with the NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor may be affected. If the NVIDIA graphics processor in your MacBook Pro has failed, or fails within four years of the original date of purchase, a repair will be done free of charge, even if your MacBook Pro is out of warranty.

What to look for:

■Distorted or scrambled video on the computer screen
■No video on the computer screen (or external display) even though the computer is on

Specific products affected:
■MacBook Pro 15-inch and 17-inch models with NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processors
■MacBook Pro (17-Inch, 2.4GHz)
■MacBook Pro (15-Inch, 2.4/2.2GHz)
■MacBook Pro (Early 2008)

■These computers were manufactured between approximately May 2007 and September 2008

Products Affected

MacBook Pro, models with NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processors

Resolution

If your MacBook Pro is exhibiting any of the symptoms listed above, please take it to an Apple Retail Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) for evaluation, or call your nearest Apple Contact Center. Before visiting the Genius Bar at the Apple Retail Store, please make a reservation (available in some countries only).

Apple is issuing refunds to customers who may have paid for repairs related to this issue. Please contact Apple for details on the refund process.

Note: If your MacBook Pro is not experiencing any of these symptoms, you do not need to contact Apple.

Apple will continue to evaluate the repair data and will provide further repair extensions as needed

Yep....this is absolute rubbish.

I'm another loyal apple user and have always trusted their products and supported their brand, but I'm really starting to doubt what Apple is really about after reading through this forum post and seeing what other Apple users are reporting about this ongoing issue.

My late 2011 17" MacBook Pro recently experienced the same GPU problem outlined throughout this thread.

I use my machine on a daily basis to make a living. I was in the middle of big project when my system suddenly went down. Striped screen, non-responsive and not usable as a result of this common GPU issue. Aside from it being the massive inconvenience and not having a machine to complete the job, I was also jacked around with regards to how long I was told the repair time was going to take. Apple were good enough to replace the logic board free of charge as my machine was only days outside of AppleCare...but it didn't really matter...

28 days later...BOOM! The same issue has crippled my machine again. I have booked an appointment at the Genius Bar for this afternoon and I am eager to hear what excuses Apple will have up their sleeve regarding this problem...I will be quick to point out that this is a HUGE ongoing issue for 2011 MacBook Pro owners and present them the info in this forum.

After doing some digging I am absolutely perplexed with why apple wouldn't want to address this massive ongoing issue??? Surely compensating those that have shelled out their hard earned $$$s on their products is the least they could do to rectify this....It's absolutely outrageous. Where's them response or the explanation to this????....surely someone in this multi-billion company has some answers and could offer a solution?!?

I'm sure a replacement logic board is on the cards again....all bets are open with regards to how many days it'll last this time!

more to come...

Hi, my Early-2011 15" MBP just got the same issue: I was watching an SD video when it suddenly displays black and white vertical stripes (the video also stopped playing), then I turned it off, not knowing anything about this issue (it was the first time my MBP experienced this), and it simply won't boot anymore. Only the front indicator light turns on, slight sounds of some hardware working inside, and the left side just went hotter every passing minutes.

Anyway, any other victims coming from Indonesia? Any advice where to bring it for a repair in Jakarta?

This really is devastating, I'm a loyal and heavy Apple user for their quality (>3 years of MBP, iPhone, and iPad using). If you read this, Apple, I sincerely hope there will be an official recall/repair/any solutions, please..

Thank you

Well having considered my options! See my former post. The conclusion is that if I want to use all the features installed on my Late 2011 MBP, the only option I have, is to have Apple install a new Logic Board.

Re-Balling or Re-Flowing firstly do not supply a perminent solution and I can not ***** if any unintended damage occurs during such a procedure. Removing the drivers stabilizes the  system, but I can not perform all it functions any more.

The current card lasted me a little bit more then 2 years. Replacing the card gives me hopefully another 2 to 3 years. Not perfect, but apparently the only option, unless anybody can proof this is a design fault by Apple. If the latter, I can demand a solution or a refund (100%) from Apple (under European / Dutch Law).

Come on Apple sort this out. Just putting my MacBook in for a second replacement logic board. Fried whilst doing an intensive task. New card only lasted 6 months!

My 2011 15" MacBook Pro failed for the second time on Christmas day. The logic board was first replaced in June of 2013 with AppleCare. I was able to remove the graphics drivers and boot so I could get my 1.5tb photo collection off of my Thunderbolt drive and onto an NFS formatted USB drive. I've already purchased an Asus PC laptop. I've been using Macs for quite awhile. In fact I still have a working 12" Powerbook G4 but this expensive, "pro" computer didn't even come close to lasting the 5-6 years I was expecting.

I'm afraid Apple just lost a customer but doesn't really seem to care since they are awash in money.

Yep. Just had this happen to my 15" MacBook Pro. Way out of warranty... so not even sure it's worth taking in to the Apple Store until there is some specific response from Apple. Bummer.

Well I'm happy - Apple have replaced my early 2011 MBP after 2 new logic boards failed and a fresh install to confirm it's not dodgy software.

Sorry to upset anyone who's against big government but the European Consumer Law, which gives me 6 years of protection, has saved me and given me a late ish sort of Christmas present of a brand new MBP with retina screen/SSD and core i7 processor. 

Much happier after the 2 hour Time Machine restore has got me back up and running.

it's not all bad news......

This is so much crap. I'm happy for you, but Apple should have done the same for me, instead of me shelling out $300.  I'm more than a little ****** about this now.

ricky_tang wrote:

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

..

2) 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.

Hi Ricky,

1) Not "just" indeed. All this what we're all experiencing is a result of a MIX of occurring factors. A) Random incomplete soldered balls (head in pillow). B) Possible heat generation by a few poor connections that pass through relatively high current. C) Different control of the graphical capabilities by different OS's. A head-in-pillow connection may even be of different qualities on it's own and may require a whole range of historical events to have happened before such a connection would let go/break.

It's understandable to doubt if we're all suffering from the same problem, while if you consider the above, then it's quite logical. Even incl. all the different symptoms..

2) They have said "your logic board must be replaced" for the past 2 years and nothing else. I wouldn't hold my breath for them providing a complete problem definition on this one.. Your exception still fits the story above. My MBP also only showed some weird things on the display "only". And then, all of a sudden, it locked up and the screen remained black forever.. The only predictable thing about this issue is that it's unpredictable..!

<Edited by Host>

I'm pretty sure if your MacBook breaks down again Apple will replace it, Sum Olgy had their macbook repaired and failed a couple times, thats why Apple replaced it, but if yours breaks after they refurbish it, they should replace it.

head in pillow

Excuse me for not reading the whole thread, but I've seen you mention that specific solder problem several times now and wonder why you would only mention that one out of the many soldering problems and their naming analogies.  Has it been established that it's "head in pillow" and not some other one?  And if yes, how (e.g. x-ray?).

Don't understand me wrong, I don't want to argue, I just wonder if that is a fact or an assumption.