Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Good luck but I fear this is just apple wasting  a bit more of your time...

After two logic board failures in one of my 2011 mb(p)'s my service centre escalated the issue to Apple as there is an obvious issue  ... Apple of course declined to do anything about it

Hans Kramer wrote:

 

If you can deal with that hideous OS on it. I got one word for your: "registry." What a nightmare.

Sure you can run Linux or FreeBSD on it. (done so since the mid 90s ..)

I am currently running Linux, with OS X in a virtual machine for the few applications I do not have a Windows license for, yet. I really prefer OS X, but all software starts and ends with solid hardware to run on, backed up by an integer company for support. As it looks now, Cook's Apple fails to deliver, so I went for an alternative.

Running Linux that brings a smile on my face.

I think Apple should pay more interest in Linux and don't see it as a threat. I love Linux, especially as a developer.

However, as a user, OS X is my choice. Moreover, you see a lot of bleeding edge technology people (Docker, Inc. for instance http://1u88jj3r4db2x4txp44yqfj1.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/ 03/docker-office-jordan-novet-venturebeat-780x582.jpg )

using Macs and developing on Linux back-ends.

I don't know how much this problem relates to Tim Cook. Any way, I hope Apple sees the error of its ways with this issue.

I can't believe it's a money issue really. And neither a technology issue, because the Mac of 2012 don't have issues.

For now I am still both a Mac and Linux advocate.

After a year long battle with my 2011 MBP. The logic board was replaced 4 times. I kept a good record of screenshots of all the graphical glitches that appeared. On my last logic board, it hadn't completely failed, I was getting daily glitches, so took screenshots of them all. I showed this to the genius bar who agreed that the graphics could be going again. This time they replaced my laptop with the current 2014 15" Retina MBP. Its been a struggle over the last year, not knowing if my laptop will die at any moment, and a lot of down time from work, but hopefully all should be fine now!

All repairs were carried out through Regents Street London Apple shop.

Its good to know that apple will replace after repair failures, i have the same one so far it works fine, but if there's a problem I won't know until a couple years of use, anyways hopefully apple will start a repair/replacement program for the 2011 MacBooks, all that money used on repairs that don't work, even though I don't  have one anymore, it still really annoys me that apple's ignoring such an issue.

True, they could have a quality program, but if they do, they are not doing it for everybody that has the problem, that I think is just cruel and unfair, I mean at one place they charge $600, and then another place they charge $300, I mean it's not even really a program, it's just a matter of which apple store is greedier than the other.

BlazenMike24 wrote:

 

True, they could have a quality program, but if they do, they are not doing it for everybody that has the problem, that I think is just cruel and unfair, I mean at one place they charge $600, and then another place they charge $300, I mean it's not even really a program, it's just a matter of which apple store is greedier than the other.

think you're mixing the flat rate which is only available in the US when they send the computer away for repair, charged $300 and the 'regular' in-store one which is usually around $600..

I dropped mine (early 2011 15" 2.3) off yesterday to the Apple store in Indianapolis.    $310 for Apple to repair.    It started with  "A graphics problem has been detected" message and horizontal lines occasionally.   Now it tries to load and reboots repeatedly.   Hopefully the new logic board will last another 3 years. 

I could be, but Apple doesnt have a proper repair/replacement program, I mean just look at all those post of MacBooks being repaired and all the ones that have failed after those repairs, it's like every one repaired by Apple failed.

I know this is sad to hear, but most likely the problem will reappear again within the first week or so, all Apple does is replace the logic board with another broken/recycled one.

stanton119 wrote:

 

After a year long battle with my 2011 MBP. The logic board was replaced 4 times. I kept a good record of screenshots of all the graphical glitches that appeared. On my last logic board, it hadn't completely failed, I was getting daily glitches, so took screenshots of them all. I showed this to the genius bar who agreed that the graphics could be going again. This time they replaced my laptop with the current 2014 15" Retina MBP. Its been a struggle over the last year, not knowing if my laptop will die at any moment, and a lot of down time from work, but hopefully all should be fine now!

 

All repairs were carried out through Regents Street London Apple shop.

Which 15" retina MacBook pro did they give you, the base model with Intel iris pro, or the more expensive one with Intel and nvidia.

BlazenMike24 wrote:

 

I could be, but Apple doesnt have a proper repair/replacement program, I mean just look at all those post of MacBooks being repaired and all the ones that have failed after those repairs, it's like every one repaired by Apple failed.

I'm pretty sure you are.

but yes, doesn't change much, Apple just offers a logic board replacement while denying anything unusual on early or late 2011 models, if you say it will fail again they just answer that no one can tell it will for sure. end of discussion.

said it before but say it again, at least for $600 they should offer to change the 2011 model for a 2014 one right away and stop wasting people time.

having to endure 4 logic board failures, come on...

I just dropped mine off at the same place no too long ago. I got it back two days ago and within 2 hours of using it at home the same problem came back. This required yet another trip to the Indy Apple store (note: I live 1.5 hours from Indy). I got it back yesterday and they said all they did was  reinstall the operating system after they installed a new logic board. Absolutely ridiculous.

At least it seems to be working now. It only took 3 days and $325 (including tax). I'm not happy about this at all.

If it fails again I'm raising ****.

Sadly I join the long list of unhappy macbook pro 15" early 2011 owners with a cpu graphics card failure. (happened Christmas Day)

I went to the apple repair store to be told they are aware of the issues with this model but can do nothing about it other than fix it at my cost.

Not good enough Apple whats happened to customer service and stepping up when the fault is truly yours?

I think after purchasing 6 MacBooks over the years I think the least you can do is step up!

"I think after purchasing 6 MacBooks over the years I think the least you can do is step up!"   

I couldn't agree more with this statement.   I currently have 5 in our house(It would be 6 but one is in for repair).....   Plus 6 iPhones, 2 iMac's, Airport Extreme, Airport express, 4 iPads and 5 Apple TV's.    I am loyal to Apple because they make superior products then you have a issue due to poor manufacturing and the best answer you get is $300 to fix something that shouldn't have failed in the first place.    It honestly makes me question my relationship with Apple.