abelliveau
Level 1 (9 points)

Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

I have an early 2011 MacBook Pro (2.2 GHz Intel Core i7, 8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 memory) running OS 10.8.2.  It has two graphics components: an AMD Radeon HD 6750M and a built-in Intel HD Graphics 3000. Since I've had the computer, the screen would get a blue tint when the computer switched between them.

 

However, as of two days ago, the problem has become substantially more severe.  The computer was working fine, when all of a suddent the screen when completely blue.  I had to force restart the computer.  Since then, the screen has gone awry on numerous occassions - each time necessitating a hard reset.

 

I installed gfxCardStatus, and have discovered that the computer runs fine using the integrated card, but as soon as I switch to the discrete card - the screen goes .

 

I am just wondering what my options are (any input on any of these would be appreciated!):

 

1) Replace the logic board.  Would this necessarily fix the issue?

 

2) Is there any way to "fix" the graphics card? 

 

3) Keep using gfxCardStatus and only use the integrated graphics card.  This is definitely the easiest/cheapest option, but to have such a computer and not be able to use the graphics card seems like a real shame.

 

4) Is there any other alternative?

 


MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7, 8 GB memory

Posted on Feb 1, 2013 4:45 PM

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Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

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  • by jSteeleh,

    jSteeleh jSteeleh Dec 30, 2014 1:31 PM in response to waffleboy1877
    Level 1 (0 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 30, 2014 1:31 PM in response to waffleboy1877

    I will suggest that if anyone has an issue with the dedicated graphics card messing up that they do no shutdown their machine. Because, if you are using gfxCardStatus to make the computer use the integrated chip, it will not work unless you boot into the operating system. Since my computer couldn't boot into the operating system I couldn't even access my data before taking it in for the $300 repair.

     

    <Edited by Host>

  • by Redarm,

    Redarm Redarm Dec 30, 2014 2:17 PM in response to jSteeleh
    Level 4 (2,600 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 30, 2014 2:17 PM in response to jSteeleh

    In my two cases, I never had a problem booting into Single User Mode and/or Target Disk Mode (which is how I installed a fresh OS X, before handing it in for a logic board replacement), but I'm sure this has been mentioned somewhere in this mammoth thread already.

  • by jSteeleh,

    jSteeleh jSteeleh Dec 30, 2014 3:02 PM in response to jSteeleh
    Level 1 (0 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 30, 2014 3:02 PM in response to jSteeleh

    I really wish the moderators of this forum would stop editing and deleting my posts about the lawsuit.

  • by dr_rdm,

    dr_rdm dr_rdm Dec 30, 2014 3:15 PM in response to jSteeleh
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 30, 2014 3:15 PM in response to jSteeleh

    To add to the list - we've just had an early 2011 15 inch MBP fail just as this thread describes.

    Single user worked with graphical glitches & target mode but nothing else.

     

    Genius bar confirmed GPU at fault and as no apple care and outside of 2 year European warranty wanted £400 to fix.

    Discussed UK sale of goods act but confidently said as was a business purchase it did not apply....

     

    Said we could pay the cash or wait and see if there would be an official warranty extension.  We opted to go home and read about SoGA.

    Returned next day and discussed with manager who very kindly are now repairing for free.

     

    Thought this might be useful for any other UK MBP owners in the same circumstance.

  • by kayazuki,

    kayazuki kayazuki Dec 30, 2014 4:29 PM in response to Redarm
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 30, 2014 4:29 PM in response to Redarm

    Post no. 11.000...

    Redarm wrote:

    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.

    Hi Redarm, I'll confess, i'm no soldering expert, 3Dus is, but as insufficient heating during production seems to be the core reason for the failures over time, this is a very likely result from that. D3us, can you give your thoughts here maybe? Redarm, which other ideas do you have about possible causes that would be related to insufficient heating? It's always nice to check options.

  • by carl wolf,

    carl wolf carl wolf Dec 30, 2014 4:54 PM in response to Redarm
    Level 6 (14,625 points)
    Dec 30, 2014 4:54 PM in response to Redarm

    There's only speculation what the real problem is.  Other soldering-related problems can be investigated using a method referred to as "dye-and-pry": a board is placed in a high vacuum chamber, and a liquid dye is introduced.  Using UV, it's easy to see, and photograph, any loss of integrity.

  • by Chakravarthy Cuddapah,

    Chakravarthy Cuddapah Chakravarthy Cuddapah Dec 30, 2014 5:51 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 4 (1,875 points)
    Dec 30, 2014 5:51 PM in response to abelliveau

    Chiming in ...

    IMG_6076.jpg

     

    Clicked on 'Report' button ...

  • by D3us,

    D3us D3us Dec 30, 2014 5:59 PM in response to kayazuki
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 30, 2014 5:59 PM in response to kayazuki

    @carl wolf: no speculation, solder problem. Can I prove that? Not without 3D rontgen photos or whatever.

       The fixes applied repairing them are proof enough for me.

     

    @Redarm + kayazuki:

    Previously posted by me:

     

    "Imo, the problem is the lead free solder. Or at least the used soldering process/profile.

    Lead free solder doesn't wet (solder) as well as lead solder, needs higher preheat and soldering temps.

    This temp has to be reached a specific soldering profile.

    Higher temps = more chance for oxidation = more chance for errors, which can arise later, etc...

     

    That AMD GPU has over 900 solder balls on it.

    Much chance for some going wrong.

     

    Still stand by what I wrote before:

    It's probably not an internal GPU fault.

    The reason is bad soldering of the BGA most likely.

    Not all balls got fully liquidus or long enough TAL, not giving a 100% soldered connection.

    It makes contact but is not really soldered, doesn't have a real intermetallic bond.

    More "glued" instead of soldered.

    Same bad soldering process can also result in "brittle" solder.

    The mechanical stress caused by heating/cooling cycles, making it expand and shrink, breaks the "glued" or brittle connections.

     

    Other possibilties are "head in pillow", can break later due mecanical stress too.

    Tin wiskers, as mentioned, and others..."

  • by Redarm,

    Redarm Redarm Dec 31, 2014 3:13 AM in response to kayazuki
    Level 4 (2,600 points)
    Mac OS X
    Dec 31, 2014 3:13 AM in response to kayazuki
    Redarm, which other ideas do you have about possible causes that would be related to insufficient heating? It's always nice to check options.

    Thanks kayazuki. When first I got this issue on my early 2011 MBP, I scoured the internet about soldering issues in ball grid arrays and found many (most with nice similar name analogies).  Also having done some DIY soldering myself (I'm cr*p at it - and that's on a 'normal' [one blob] connection) showed me that the quality of the joint mattered a lot.

    I see issues on my Macs as an opportunity to learn something new, which for me stops at the GPU, since removing it destroys any visual clues, which is also why I'm following this thread - to learn.

     

    Carl just named another way to examine soldering issues, (thanks for that Carl).

     

    @D3us: Thanks for repeating yourself.  Re-doing the BGA shows there is a problem with it and it's good to know that all your repairs have 'held' so far.  The speculation in this case would be the second part of your post, (your answer to kayazuki and me) where you mention that there could be several possibilities (and combinations thereof) of why it becomes an issue in the first place.

     

    PS.  Don't get me wrong, I do welcome speculations and think they are an important part in fault finding, as long as speculation and fact are kept apart (which you did in your use of words: "most likely", "can", "possibilities", etc.) for readers like me.

  • by D3us,

    D3us D3us Dec 31, 2014 4:11 AM in response to Redarm
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 31, 2014 4:11 AM in response to Redarm

    @Redarm, keep (re)searching and share your findings please.

     

    Think we can say my thoughts are more an "educated guess" then speculation.

    As I said/admitted allready, can't prove it, need acces to expensive equipment, like 3D rontgen for that.

     

    No matter which of the named ones, it comes all down do the same:

    Bad soldering/solder process.

    That is a fact, nothing to speculate about that.

     

    Effect triggered even faster by insufficient cooling, wrongly applied thermal paste etc...

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Dec 31, 2014 4:10 AM in response to D3us
    Level 9 (51,467 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 31, 2014 4:10 AM in response to D3us

    D3us wrote:

     

    @Redarm, keep (re)searching and share your findings.

     

    Think we can say my thoughts are more an "educated guess" then speculation.

    Guess what the word speculation means? (or did you mean that you moved on from "educated guesses" then speculated?)

     

    Just say that you don't know and it will be clear, an 'educated' guess is still just a guess,

     

    How much money do you make selling this service on this site?

  • by D3us,

    D3us D3us Dec 31, 2014 4:14 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 31, 2014 4:14 AM in response to Csound1

    Not talking to you, not interested in your opinions or word play.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Dec 31, 2014 4:19 AM in response to D3us
    Level 9 (51,467 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 31, 2014 4:19 AM in response to D3us

    Of course you are uninterested, this is how you make a living.

     

    Try to remember that while you "guess"

     

    Over

  • by D3us,

    D3us D3us Dec 31, 2014 4:40 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 31, 2014 4:40 AM in response to Csound1

    Well, for myself  the soldering problem. is not a guess, but a fact.

     

    Explained myself enough why I don't post it as fact as I indeed can't prove it with pics or whatever.

    At least I try to give a reasonable explanation for the problem which Apple itself will never do.

     

    Or those blinded Apple can do nothing wrong worshippers like you will never accept from someone not Aplle related.

    Keep on dreaming, Apple can fail too...

     

    And yes, I faill too sometimes...

     

    Over and out.

  • by carl wolf,

    carl wolf carl wolf Dec 31, 2014 4:40 AM in response to D3us
    Level 6 (14,625 points)
    Dec 31, 2014 4:40 AM in response to D3us

    My comment regarding "speculation" spoke only to the "head in pillow" fault.

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