Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

update: Just received my original 17" MacBook Pro with a new Logic Board installed.  Works great so far.  (Happy to see my data's intact.)   My hat is off to the skilled technicians and everybody who got this fixed so quickly.

What's the end all fix?

What happens if I have this problem again after the Repair Extension Program ends in February? I had the logic board replaced two times and the macbook is starting to showing signs it's going to crash again.

Hmm - that's anyone's guess. I've been wondering the same thing...

If it was me I'd do everything to stress my GPU to hope it fails again before the cut-off, and get a replacement machine - under the 3 logic board failures - get a new machine unwritten rule, which seems to have been the case for a lot of people.

Personally, I'd like to upgrade the RAM in my machine and replace the HD with a SSD, but I'm loathed to spend the money on something that I know is going to fail again. - I'd rather Apple take the machine off my hands and let me upgrade to a new Retina machine, than have to put up with a ticking time bomb that I just hope gets replaced before the extension program ends.

If you end up having to replace the logic board past three times, you can complain to Apple's Customer Relations and they'll likely try to get you the modern day equivalent to your 2011 Model in exchange for it.  To be fair though, by 2016, it's getting to be time to naturally replace that system anyway; especially with all of the infrastructural changes to the MacBook Pro that have happened since 2011 (USB 3.0, Thunderbolt 2, Retina, PCIe-based SSDs, etc.).

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If you end up having to replace the logic board past three times, you can complain to Apple's Customer Relations and they'll likely try to get you the modern day equivalent to your 2011 Model in exchange for it.  To be fair though, by 2016, it's getting to be time to naturally replace that system anyway; especially with all of the infrastructural changes to the MacBook Pro that have happened since 2011 (USB 3.0, Thunderbolt 2, Retina, PCIe-based SSDs, etc.).

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The biggest thing on your list is USB 3.  That's what will affect most people.  The SSD is still upgradable on the 2011 models.  Retina is nice but can be postponed for many folks.

I'm still using both my 2011 MBP and my 2013 Retina.  Both have their pros and cons.  Having had my 2011 fixed by Apple, I'm hoping this issue doesn't reoccur.  I actually like that machine.  (It's also the only machine in my stable that still has an optical drive ... rarely, but occasionally useful)

Hi everyone,

I have an early 2011 15" MBP baseline with ssd upgrade. Although most people say that the machine is kinda old and I should consider buying a new one, my MBP fits me well and satisfies my needs for now(I'm studying software engineering) and I really can't afford to buy a new one until I graduate. Plus I don't need the retina display and usb 2.0 works fine for me. Last November I started to have the GPU issues just like many of you guys in this community. I live in Izmir,Turkey and we don't have apple retail stores here but we have apple authorized sellers and repair centers. So, I went to one and they said that the problem occurs because of heating and cooling of the logicboard so many times made GPU to partially detached from the board. I asked them to fixed the GPU issue without changing the logic board since I couldn't pay that much money. They did it and only cost me around $120. After 2 months problem reoccured and they did the same thing without charging me this time. Since then I don't have the problem anymore and I am using my computer very carefully. During that time I searched the issue online, found about this community and learned that it is kind of a manufacturing default of apple. I also participated in change.org and many other online communities in order to make apple to do something about this problem. Finally Apple announced that they started a free logic board replacement program for this model. I want to ask you guys should I go apple for logic board replacement before the program ends or do you think they fixed the issue for good? Because after reading some posts on this thread I heard that apple puts old logic board in to your computer that comes from other broken MBPs. Even if it's not true, when you think about the replacement program, it's the same badly manufactured logic boards that apple will put in to your computer right? So the very same issue may reoccur sooner or later. What do you guys think, should I cross my fingers and hope that same problem won't repeat or should I go for free replacement program before its too late? And let's say that I choose to go for replacement, since my computer seems to work fine now, are they going to qualify me for this program? If they won't, would running some intense graphic tasks and tests help me to get the issue again? Sorry for my bad English and long post. Thank you.

Regards,

Alican

Ellis Z wrote:

 

The biggest thing on your list is USB 3.  That's what will affect most people.  The SSD is still upgradable on the 2011 models.  Retina is nice but can be postponed for many folks.

I got a OWC SSD, an Amazon mDP to HDMI adapter and a Kanex Thunderbolt to USB3 adapter to cover the technological gap and they work wonderfully.

update #2:  My 2011 MacBook Pro has crashed and restarted twice THREE TIMES in 48 hours since I got it back from the Memphis TN repair facility.  Beginning to suspect that this "repair" process is nothing more than herding us all along in the slowest, most circuitous route imaginable.    Guess I'll make another trip to the Genius Bar. 

Same story here, saw your other posts. I am on failed repair number 2 since May for my Early 2011 MBP. First repair was done through the store and it took a week to get back. Right away I notice the Graphics did not switch and it was overheating. For the second repair I had them send me a box. Once I shipped it to them they had it for less than 24 hours before shipping it back. Amazing turn around time, for sure. I honestly thought they might not have done anything and refused the repair for some bogus reason, I also was dreaming that maybe they ponied up and sent me a brand new 2015 MBP. There it was though "Repaired" for a second time. This time with even more faulty parts replaced. Keep in mind it was not even a full month after them having the computer in there, that other things decided to "fail". So magically both my fans went bad, my heat-sink, and my charging port?? Funny all those things seem to pass the Apple seal of approval before. All those things also seem to be working even though the system was overheating. Fans got louder when the computer got up to temperature, charging port charged the battery, and the heat-sink..... well the heat-sink *****, but it always has. Really, new or used the whole cooling system on this line of MBP simple is not going to keep the GPU and other components from overheating and failing, it is only a matter of time and stress. The tech actually turned out to be the same person who worked on the computer previously according to my paper work. I honestly think the He/She simple decided to replace the whole cooling system. Kinda like when you bring a car into a shady repair shop and they start replacing things randomly till it is "fixed" Great logic right?!? Well it is not on my dime at-least, makes me feel bad for the people that pays for AppleCare repairs. Oh the tech also replaced that "New and improved" logic-board that turned out to be defective on arrival. But this time around rather than getting one that looked to be a "Newly Revised Non-Refurbished" board, "You know the ones they promised" I got one that looks like a child peed on it after failing to solder it back together right. I brought it into the local Apple store, the Tech took a look and said it was "Normal" and that the board was "Re-furbished". Seriously though, me calling the Logic-Board they sent back as "used" would be putting it kindly. This things is garbage, missing solder all over the board from being flashed/repaired. It overheats even worse than the last two boards, Apples response, send it in and we will fix it.... again. I asked them back in April what they have done to insure that this problem does not come back. I was told day one that they ran Brand New non Refurbished revised Boards. The rep used the word Re-engineer and I asked again if they were Refurbished. A senior Apple Rep who works directly with the engineer department, went on record that yes this was the process. So I have multiple Apple reps flat out lying to me, makes you wonder what they were told to tell the customers.

Your english is actually better than most! If you had your MBP repaired twice before, bring those invoices with you to an Apple store. Explain to them you paid out of pocket to have the machine repaired before the program started. You can tell them you are scared that it might fail again and do not know how long your computer will last. See what they will offer or advise. If it fails the full MRI test I would have the board replaced. If it passes it still could be defective, or I should say it is defective. It is only a matter time before it fails. If you end up waiting and it does fail before Feb 2016 you are covered by the program. However if they repair it now and fails after 90 days you are S*** out of Luck. I was told by an Senior Apple Rep that they are refunding people for GPU related repairs regardless if you had it done by an Apple Authorized dealer or not. This is not the norm for Apple however. I think they were is some hot water with the class action lawsuits piling up. If they do offer you something, anything, a simple promise, I am telling you now, have them put it writing via an email.

StevesOtherJob wrote:

 

So I have multiple Apple reps flat out lying to me, makes you wonder what they were told to tell the customers.

I had my logic board replaced years ago by Apple Premium Service Provider MicroFix in Amsterdam for EU 700. The repair took 7 weeks, and didn't even last one and a half year. My investigation with Apple has shown that my defective logic board never made it back to Apple, and a service engineer told me off the record this means the board was patched up, instead of replaced. When I confronted Margaret, Executive Relations EMEIA, she bluntly reiterated that I got a new logic board because I paid for it, as Apple makes no mistakes. The problem is that, in theory, Dutch consumer laws protect me against a scam like this, but with Apple and its service provider teaming up, it is next to impossible to take legal action. I decided to never buy Apple again

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I had the this problem twice.  Now apple is repairing these.  Previously I paid $650 to replace the board but it only lasted 13 months.

Apparently this is a very common problem and I found a site explaining it and how to do temporary fix.  Apple won't allow a link.

Apple's response (repair program) is here:https://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro-videoissues/

Apple will fix it for free - but they will reformat your disk and delete any data partitions you may have (just for fun?) so you'll need to disable the GPU chip long enough to make sure you've got all your data off the machine before you take it in.  You will be able to boot up with the integrated graphics chip.  It won't work well but hopefully we'll enough.

If you are worried about losing data it might be worth the money to pay a repair shop to fix it without reformatting the disk - which is not required at all to fix this. Just a little something extra from the guys at apple repair.

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How do you disable the GPU?

I'm copying from the site I found (but can't link to) but you can google it and find other variations:

1. Start in console mode: Start your computer holding Command + S
2. Mount the hard drive: Once there, type mount -uw /
3. Create a backup directory: From the root directory (where you should be), type:
   mkdir /Users/your_user_name/AMDDriverBackup
4. Move the files: To move all of the files type:
   mv /System/Library/Extensions/ATI* /Users/your_user_name/AMDDriverBackup
   mv /System/Library/Extensions/AMD* /Users/your_user_name/AMDDriverBackup
   
   Moving just two of the files initially worked for me, but I had to revert to moving all of them with time (not sure why). Moving just ATIRadeonX2000.kext and ATIRadeonX2000GLDriver.bundle were all it took.
5. Restart: Type sudo reboot to restart, or sudo shutdown -h now to shutdown.

You should now be able to boot your computer into a state where you can do basic web browsing and word processing. Most importantly, it's an easy way to get your files.

Reverse above "fix"

To reverse the procedure above, simply repeat, skip Step 3, and change Step 4 to:

• mv /Users/your_user_name/AMDDriverBackup/A* /System/Library/Extensions