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 mountlynx,

    mountlynx mountlynx Jan 10, 2015 2:45 PM in response to anhalltnu
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2015 2:45 PM in response to anhalltnu

    Does anyone know a place in Switzerland where I could get my MB Early 2011 fixed? I don't want the logic board to be replaced for 600CHF by Apple...

    Would the best way to replace the GPU?

  • by Nickiwi,

    Nickiwi Nickiwi Jan 10, 2015 2:57 PM in response to DavesMac
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Apple Music
    Jan 10, 2015 2:57 PM in response to DavesMac

    Fail again after 2 years? Most of our replacement logic boards have failed between 2 minutes and 2 months of use.

  • by Bassbarbie,

    Bassbarbie Bassbarbie Jan 10, 2015 3:06 PM in response to Nickiwi
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2015 3:06 PM in response to Nickiwi

    Nickiwi wrote:

     

    Fail again after 2 years? Most of our replacement logic boards have failed between 2 minutes and 2 months of use.

    Yep mine has failed today - it has lasted about a month and this was the second replacement board. I was only browsing the net too. I wonder why these replacements aren't lasting as long as the originals? I'm thankful I'm still covered by Applecare.

  • by Smokerz,

    Smokerz Smokerz Jan 10, 2015 3:14 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 6 (9,699 points)
    Jan 10, 2015 3:14 PM in response to abelliveau

    get rid of the third part ychit.

  • by csytsma,

    csytsma csytsma Jan 10, 2015 3:31 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jan 10, 2015 3:31 PM in response to abelliveau

    I was successful at using the 'wrap the MBP in a blanket trick' for my Late 2011 MBP.  My symptoms were that I was able to boot past the apple logo and pinwheel, followed by a white screen.  Never able to get it to the login scren. Unable to get into Recovery mode, or Safe mode, but was able to get into Single User mode.  Recovery & Safe mode would usually put me at a blue screen with vertical black thin lines.

     

    Here's my steps:

    - boot up laptop while plugged into power, get stuck at white screen.

    - wrap the lower keyboard portion in a fleece blanket, all the way around.

    - turn the laptop upside down. I positioned it so the keyboard side was flat, the screen was at a bit of an angle

    - let sit this way for 1-2 hrs.

    - when I came back, the computer was off, assuming the overheat protection turned it off

    - unwrapped and turned it on normally, and took me straight to login screen

     

    This would seem to confirm that I have the same faulty soldering issue on the logic board, and that an oven bake, reflow or reball would fix my issue, at least temporarily. 

  • by anastasiafromwhian whian,

    anastasiafromwhian whian anastasiafromwhian whian Jan 10, 2015 4:03 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2015 4:03 PM in response to abelliveau

    I Can't believe this post has been viewed 3273873 time and had 11,184 replies and still Apple will not admit the fault and carry out repairs. NOT GOOD ENOUGH APPLE!!!!!!!!

  • by susiemurphy81,

    susiemurphy81 susiemurphy81 Jan 10, 2015 4:35 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2015 4:35 PM in response to abelliveau

    My 2011 Macbook Pro has just given up too with the horizantal lines etc.  I live in the UK and it is 3 and a half years after I bought it and half a year after Apple Care has run out.  Pretty upset.  Got an appointment with a Genius Bar next week but not hopeful given the feedback.  Won't buy another Apple product ever again if they don't help as I regard this as I didn't pay £2000 for only 3.5 years of service.

  • by juanfromalamo,

    juanfromalamo juanfromalamo Jan 10, 2015 4:41 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2015 4:41 PM in response to abelliveau

    After just about 3 years of flawless use, I'm with you guys! I used it for programming and graphics, one day just pum! stopped working, and got stuck on a gray screen. Trying to do recovery then the "Blue screen of death!" same as Windows, guess Apple ain't that great after all.

     

    I've managed to have it working by moving the AMD/ATI drivers logged as single user to another folder. But still can't use it for nothing graphic intensive, so it is just a piece of brick...

     

    I'm about to cook this MBP to see if that fixes everything.

     

    I'm disappointed at Apple's quality...

  • by mettlerr,

    mettlerr mettlerr Jan 16, 2015 9:19 AM in response to mountlynx
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 16, 2015 9:19 AM in response to mountlynx
    Does anyone know a place in Switzerland where I could get my MB Early 2011 fixed? I don't want the logic board to be replaced for 600CHF by Apple...

     

    <Edited by Host>

  • by data_,

    data_ data_ Jan 10, 2015 9:59 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 10, 2015 9:59 PM in response to abelliveau

    Quick update with regards to my situation RE: Late 2011 MacBook Pro 17" laptop which has experienced the same symptoms as most people in this forum post.

     

    After my first logic board / GPU repair (which lasted the total of 28 days!), I took my machine back to the "Genius'" bar as it was completely unusable again.

    I was fortunate to have the first repair done for free, even though my machine was 1 month outside of my AppleCare coverage. (This may have something to do with the Australian Consumer Law obligations - not too sure?)

     

    Apple were happy to do the repair again (free of charge), but completely denied there being an ongoing issue with 2011 models of MacBook Pro.
    Because I use my machine for work I explained that I needed it back ASAP and let them know it was pretty inconvenient, especially seeing it had only just been repaired one month before hand. Two days later one of the tech guys rang me…I assumed it was a call to let me know my machine was ready to be collected, but it wasn't...

     

    He explained that they had ordered the new logic board in, completed the repair and upon "testing" it had failed again in store….Unbelievable!

    And this was suppose to be a brand new logic board!? Smells suss to me. They can't even get it out of the store before it breaks again. Anyway, he explained that they would have to order another logic board in and my repair would be at least another day or so.

     

    1 week after I dropped it off for the second repair within the month I finally have it back with the 4th logic board replacement.
    I'm going to make sure I put it through its paces to see if it can handle the graphics intensive tasks I need it for….after all, that's why I spent $5k on this laptop in the first place.

     

    Will be interesting to see what Apple says next time it dies. I gotta say, I've lost a lot of faith in Apple…the company with the products and service I once swore by.

     

    For anyone on this forum in Australia…

    Check out the Australian Consumer Law info and obligations of a retailer. Apple have listed them in a section on their website and have extended warranties on products purchased. Here's an article on it...

     

    http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/apple-keeps-warranty-switch -under-wraps-20130318-2gahc.html

     

    I was told by the guys at the Apple store that repairs now have a 2 year warranty, as opposed to the 90 days it use to be.

     

    Good luck to everyone in here sorting out a solution….I'm not holding my breath for a product recall, based on the class action outcomes happening in the US at the moment.

  • by ertanden,

    ertanden ertanden Jan 11, 2015 3:59 AM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 11, 2015 3:59 AM in response to abelliveau

    After using my Macbook Pro 17-inc (early 2011) for more than 3 years without a problem, suddenly it failed to boot and looks like the problem was the GPU. The device had AppleCare until May 2014, but I was out of luck that the problem occurred a few months after all warranties expired.

     

    I left the device at an Apple Authorised Service Provider in Turkey and now the logic board will be replaced for a cost of $700. I will have 1 hear warranty for the logic board according to consumer laws here. If the repair is going to work and last, say another 3 years then I'm more than happy to pay, but I doubt so from all the reports.

     

    It was my first Macbook ever and I really liked working on it. I wish Apple had issued a replacement program for such an obvious manufacturing defect.

  • by Danny1991,

    Danny1991 Danny1991 Jan 11, 2015 7:53 AM in response to Neshill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 11, 2015 7:53 AM in response to Neshill

    How did the Replacement of the Logic Board go? What did you pay?

     

    Thank you!

  • by Mr. EMan,

    Mr. EMan Mr. EMan Jan 11, 2015 8:49 AM in response to Danny1991
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 11, 2015 8:49 AM in response to Danny1991

    I went to the Apple store for mine. I paid a flat rate of $300 (plus tax) to get the motherboard replaced.

     

    I know the board was exchanged, because my SATA link speed for the optical drive went from 3 Gb to 6 Gb. That was back in May 2013. First one last a little over two years. I’m coming on two years on this one.

  • by kayazuki,

    kayazuki kayazuki Jan 11, 2015 9:04 AM in response to ertanden
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 11, 2015 9:04 AM in response to ertanden

    ertanden wrote:

    and now the logic board will be replaced for a cost of $700. I will have 1 hear warranty for the logic board according to consumer laws here.

    You could have chosen for a reflow, which would be something like 1/4 of the price, with higher chance of longer laying repair, also with a year of warranty. I sincerely hope your new board will last either very long, or shorter then 90 days, otherwise you may have to donate even more to Apple to get another fix that might not last long again..

  • by DavesMac,

    DavesMac DavesMac Jan 11, 2015 2:26 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 2 (210 points)
    Jan 11, 2015 2:26 PM in response to abelliveau

    I need some recommendations! My 2011 Macbook Pro also died because of the GPU. The Apple Store offered to repair it for $310 (closer to $350 with tax). Would you do this? Or would you spend $200 on getting the logic board "reballed"? I want a "permanent" fix (and reballing may do that), but my original Logic Board lasted for over 3 years with HEAVY use (Photoshop, video rendering, Aperture, etc). What do you think?

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