Download smcfancontrol, it allows you to control the speed of the fans and it shows you the temps.

ambrosia78 wrote:

I have an idea of what is causing the CPU to overheat and fail: temperature control/thermostat, if there is such a thing on the motherboard.
...
I'm guess if the fans would speed up like they are supposed to, the computer would not get hot enough to cause the damage.

Hi there. That's not really the problem. It's the GPU where the problem resides btw, not the CPU. The reasoning is understandable, but if it'd be the temp control/thermostat, then the same logic boards wouldn't work just fine after a "simple" reflow..

No fix suggestion but just wanted to add myself to the list of people affected by this hardware failure. Early 2011 Mac Book Pro, AMD Radeon 6490M currently disabled otherwise the laptop won't even boot. Issue started in June 2014. By December the chip is not responding when dynamically switching to it.

Phil94 wrote:

Have you got any developpement in regard to the OPC. I'm also in same situation, Montreal

Hi Phil,

I don't know if it's essential that you get your machine back up and running asap (like I did), but you might want to consider this:

- as JenniferMBP2011 already suggested, there is little chance that Apple will do something good on a large scale in this matter;

- if that law would protect you, it will probably only force Apple to replace your logic board for a new (faulty) one for free, instead of that you'd have to pay for it. Or they might give you a new one. Or maybe they could be forced to give you your money back. I have no clue what the chances are of the latter 2, but I guess the 1st one has the highest chance of happening.

You may wait it out, or do a reflow or reballing, optionally with leaded solder to get rid of the problem and continue working.

Anyhow; best of luck (and Happy New Year to all )

Yes, GPU is what I meant to say.  It is the overheating that causes the GPU to go bad, so I'm guessing that any motherboard replacement will work fine until the GPU is exposed to the high temps for some amount of time.  The problem is, I just ran a diagnostic and it seems to be controlling the fans just fine, but still, for some reason my computer got super hot when watching a movie online and the fans were running on low speed...that's got to be a problem.

Thanks! I downloaded it and will give it a try.

FYI I went through three or four levels of help techs and did not accept "no" for an answer.  The top tier guy decided to replace the motherboard free of charge...of course, the replaced it with the same kind of mother board set-up.

We experienced our version of this entire 2011 MacBook Pro problem last week. Everything that has been mentioned has happened to us: computer shuts down on its own, then tries to repeatedly reboot until it stops trying and shuts down entirely. We've entered single-user mode to update our OS to Yosemite 10.10.1, reinstalling OSX 10, trying to enter in safe mode, etc, and nothing works. We took the computer to a Genius Bar where the employee and the manager told us 'we must have bad luck', that this appears to be an isolated incidence, and that we need to replace the logic board for $600+. I called an Apple technician who told us the same thing and appeared to have no idea that this was a widespread issue. Finally, I just got out of a chat with an Apple technician who said:

"There is nothing reported as a known issue with this model, however I have had come across this before. Considering the millions and millions of units that we sell, it has not been happening for a significant amount of units."

And then:

"Their am sure there are some others that have been reported, but not a unusually high amount that is trending into a non issue with the model."

So now we will go back to an Apple store and speak to a manager to see what they can do about this.

So this is weird... I was DEFINITELY experiencing all of these problems over the past week, and tried multiple tests to isolate the problem to make sure it was actually the GPU that was causing it. Now, the problem seems to have totally disappeared. I've been trying to push Final Cut Pro X as hard as I can while running other apps and playing a DVD while connected to a thunderbolt display (which uses the discrete graphics card) and I cannot recreate any of the problems I have been experiencing. No banding, no crashes, no split picture. I don't know how long it will last, but I'm feeling pretty fortunate right about now.

I am from Indonesia too and have same problem.. right now my method is DISABLE DISCREET GRAPHICS and only use Integrated Intel GPU...

http://nurudin.jauhari.net/solusi-discrete-gpu-2011-macbook-pro-issues-fix-updat ed.jsp

I know this is not FINAL SOLUTION but this make my Machine still able to doing some jobs...

Dear Apple,

In May 2014 the issues with my MBP early 2011 edition started. The keyboard started to behave weird and the whole Top Case with keyboard had to be replaced. Costs 330 Euros, I found it a lot of money for a repair. However, I hoped to use the system for at least another two years. I think a laptop for 2500 euros should last at least 5 years. And I didn't want to whine about a single mishap.

5 days ago, I ran into this issue described in this thread. All the problems described here happen to my system. It started with a random crash, the first I have seen (not counting the Virtual Box caused crashed from three years ago) on my MacBook. Then when I tried to reboot the screen was showing horizontal stripes. I was not able to  log in, do the diagnostic tests, the system just seems to hang. Frustrated I took the dog out for a walk and when I came back I was able to start the system up again. It worked (for half a day) - I considered it a fluke - how wrong I was - that same day it crashed again.

Since then I have the following issues. The system doesn't return from "sleep mode" unless it has been in this mode for say less than 30 minutes, else it will just stay blank. In the morning I cannot start up the system. It stays blank for a few minutes. After a few more tries, the screen finally comes back but it will freeze during the boot process. I can start up in rescue mode though. While in the rescue mode I cannot switch to the discrete AMD card. After the system running for an hour or so in rescue mode, I can boot it again (for three days in a row now....)

I have HHD fan control installed  (hhdfancontrol do com) to keep my system cool during uptime and for now that is working. I haven't seen a crash since.  Again, in the morning my system has to run at least 30 minutes to warm up enough to get the AMD working (I really wonder when will be the final day).

In Holland the Apple Store is generous enough (bravo) to get it fixed for free for you if your system is a consumer product and not much older than 3 years. Great service! Unfortunately my former employer purchased it for me, so no dice for me, it is not a consumer product (lame but true). Rules are rules, and I just don't get that break :-(

I am a real big Apple fan and I love their products. However, I think this issue they should fix for all their customers, even if it is less than one percent of all their sales (don't forget that a lot of people do not complain and just walk away unhappy... a customers for this kind of expensive products don't come back easily...)

Currently I am not in the financial position to buy a new MacBook Pro, perhaps  the cheapest model airbook is an option, however I am considering the go for the new ChromeBook of Toshiba that will be released this Feb in Holland. (Mickeysoft is not an option). That's a way less powerful system, however, for just 300 euros I could buy a new system every year.

It is sad because I loved to work on my MBP very very much, it is sad that Apple let customers down. A recall like what they do in Holland (but then extend to every owner) would really put them in a good daylight, low publicity and user satisfaction! We all understand that hardware break.

My final advice, please buy HDD fancontrol and install it to keep your system cool! I think it can prevent these issues...

Adios MacBook Pro...

Hans Kramer, Ph.D.

Wow : 3188820 views

and 11,036 replies!

Apple please please wake up!

I have no clue how many Early 2011 MBK they sold, however, by any standard this issue seems to be of Mickeysoft proportion!

We need an affordable alternative... we need you!

Hans

A work around if you can live without the AMD graphics adaptor:

From : //www.asyncro.com/2014/03/24/macbook-pro-discreate-graphics-card-issue-fix-updat ed/

Macbook Pro Discreate Graphics Card Issue Fix Updated

Leave a reply

After reading hundreds of hundreds articles, blogs, forums looking for some more suitable solution i found one really interesting.

Because Macbook has built in option to automatically turn off the computer when its over heated and has (or looks it has) the mechanism to prevent to over heat again setting all or most of all option to minimum when user will turn it on again after it was automatically shut down, the macbook is ABLE TO BOOT using INTEGRATED GPU!!!

It means you CAN BOOT your broken mac and do some action to prevent using AMD or ATI gpu again.

The procedure looks like that:

1. Download gfxCardStatus but max version 2.2.1. Save it on Pendrive.

2. Make everything same with drivers like it was before your mac was broken. Your system files/drivers should be on right place.

3. Turn on mac, leave it run to the moment when it will freeze on blue/gray/other screen.

4. Let it in this state – close lid, and put your mac to your case, and even more put it to some bag. Do something that will not allow fresh air to cool your mac – you will hear in few minutes that fans starting to spin crazy but still leave it in this state – to the moment when it will turn off automatically.

5. After its turned off, QUICKLY remove your mac from bag/case and turn it on. DO NOT leave it cool down. It MUST bu turned on when its still hot.

6. Is highly possible your mac will boot using integrated GPU. When it will do this QUICKLY use gfxCardStatus from pendrive you prepared to switch to Integrated GPU.

Now follow those steps to prevent your mac to swith back to discreate GPU.

1. Reboot Mac and enter to the Console mode (Command + S before gray screen appear)

2. mount -uw /

3. create folder example /_temp
4. move ale AMD folders (files) to folder you created
sudo mv /System/Library/Extensions/AMD*.* /_temp

!!!! 5. Execute command:
sudo kextcache -v 1 -m /System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/Extensions.mkext /System/Library/Extensions/

This will rebuild kexts cache which won’t contain AMD drivers kexts

6. restart your Mac using – sudo reboot

7. Start your Mac normally – Mac should use only Integrated Graphics Card now and it should boot always using integrated gpu.

REALY IMPORTANT !!! Turn off any updates which are connected to Mac OS X !!! Any system update can break this state again. This fix worked for me. My mac was freezed completly. Now Im writing from it this post!

Thanks Ivan C. Brugere for tip.

I'm almost at the point where i want to do this, but right now i'm too stubborn to do so. Feels like i just give up and let Apple win. However a working MAcBook would be nice.

The fact that this issue still exists is disgusting.

Dear Apple:

Wow please take note of what ifixed said when the opened a MBP 2011 when it was new:

iFixIt’s 2011 MacBook Pro Teardown: Better Repairability, But May Be Prone To Overheating
Read more at http://www.cultofmac.com/83649/ifixits-2011-macbook-pro-teardown-better-repairab ility-but-may-be-prone-to-overheating/#pqUJ17k1AAhPPKRL.99

"We uncovered gobs of thermal paste on the CPU and GPU when we removed the main heat sink. The excess paste may cause overheating issues down the road, but only time will tell.
Read more at http://www.cultofmac.com/83649/ifixits-2011-macbook-pro-teardown-better-repairab ility-but-may-be-prone-to-overheating/#pqUJ17k1AAhPPKRL.99"

Please Apple.... wake up !!! please

Now reapplying the thermal paste on the CPU and GPU might fix your MBP 2011!!! I think that will be cheaper than reballing.

Although I think if the system doesn't start up on a cold boot, I think one is too late.

So I am still considering the reballing for 173 Euro. (which I think Apple should pay, but oh well)

And then hopefully they reply the correct amount of thermal paste.... and that together with more agressive cooling with HHD Fan Control..

Nonetheless, with this prophecy from ifixedit I think Apple should really help us out.

Apple we understand that silly mistakes liek applying too much thermal paste and none lead solder are made... and we will miss our systems during the fixing time, do not let us stand more in the cold! We are customers that will come back!

Hans Kramer, Ph.D.