Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

It sounds to me as if you need to take it in, be prepared to sit around for a few hours just using the machine normally, and show them as soon as it starts to play up. And challenge them to show you that there is no problem - either the tests they are running are the wrong ones or they may think denial on their part is a valid solution, but Apple have acknowledged the same problem many times, replacing machines after 3 or 4 faulty replacements. It could be that your store is playing for time until the Apple scheme runs out in February, but in any case they are certainly not a good reference for Apple's after-sales service, with an attitude like that!

Could it be that they are running tests after somehow throttling the machine even more than the infamous 2011 patch did?

Ella,

You can send it to Apple.  The announcement of the repair extension program explains how to do that.  You basically call Apple Support, explain the problem you're having, and tell them you want to send the machine in.  They send you packing material and pay the transportation to the nearest Apple Repair Center, where it should be repaired.  When the work is finished, the machine is returned to you at Apple's cost.

Regarding how to photograph or film your machine while it is experiencing the video issues:  Any cell phone or pocket camera should do the job.  Have the video issues returned since you got your machine back?  If not and you decide to send it to Apple, you should perhaps explain that to them and ask for advice, whether sending it in under those circumstances makes sense.  If they tell you to wait until the problems reoccur, tell them that you're concerned that the repair extension program ends at the end of February 2016.

Good luck!

Richard, I have not picked it up yet. I just called yesterday afternoon so I will pick it up today. The shop is small and no place to sit down. If there is room, I will try to recreate the problem there. I know one thing that freezes it, every time so far. I go into system preferences to the sound, or energy saver and try to click the box that changes it from integrated to dynamic and it freezes every time. It also does it if I try to change the gfx box from I to D. I can't recall right now since the computer is still at the shop and this one is running Yosemite. It is different than my MBP that is running lion 10.7.5.

I was just checking my communication with the mac shop that I called last year and the guy I talked to said  they would have to send mine to apple for repair.  I guess they don't do that sort of thing at their shop. I had forgotten about that. Maybe I will just call apple and talk to them first. I may be better off sending it to apple anyway. Another thing, don't they check your logs? How long do the logs stay on your computer? If they are still on there, I have a trail of crashes, kernel task fixes, many pages of things showing it was the graphic problem that was crashing or freezing my computer. Do they even bother to check those?

I stayed up till 4 this morning going through this forums back pages and things I have saved and found several posts where people said that their computer was fixed even though they failed the test. I will print those out and take them with me when I go pick up the computer.

I am a self taught computer lover. I have a whole room full of old macs from one of the older iMacs on up. I have 2 iMacs, a power mac purchased in 2000, my MBP and my most recent purchase, this Mac Mini. I have a little iPad mini, that I love and would be lost without it. I guess you would call me an Apple fan, except no iPhone or watch for me.

One of my biggest problems is that I am 74 next month and have  problems remembering computer terms when talking to people. It's very frustrating and hard to hold a decent conversation at times, that's why I love email. I can take my time to remember things. Do you have a number that I could call to talk to someone at Apple that has a little patience with someone like me?

I want to thank you, Richard, for your time in helping me with this problem. I really appreciate it, and this forum. I've used it many times to help solve a quandary with my computers.

Regards, Ella

So i finally get to join this illustrious club! Lucky me!

I have been having issues with heat for a long time, in fact since early 2013 and massive issues with plugging my external monitor to MBP. I just shrugged it off thinking well thats part of this machine now. But boy did my mac heat up and my fans were always on turbo to the point that i had to turn off my machine at night cause it would make a loud noise and wake the house.

In the last few days all the symptoms..every single one explained in this massive thread..occurred. Its like watching a loved one die slowly from a terminal illness!  Lucky for me i have an apple store 10 mins away here in melbourne.

Ok a few questions for those who managed to get their MBP fixed by apple at no charge:

Being a 4 and a bit year old machine..will apple try and claim that my machine failing is due to it being 4 years old and from wear? Or will they know exactly the issue and replace or fix it? I know they have a program to fix these faulty machine, but will the geniuses at my apple store try to tell me otherwise? Am in for a battle? I think for the price i paid for my MBP that it should last a lot longer than 4 years. My wife has my old MBP from 2007 and its still kicking arse (i cant use it as its only 4gig ram and i do a lot of rendering) and the only issue i had with that old MBP was the power adapter failing.

How long did it take to fix? Will i be without a production machine for a while? I havent got a backup machine tbh that can handle the work i do so for me it means a lot of down time and loss of income if it takes a week to fix.

Sorry for these questions that i know have been answered in this massive thread, but i dont really have the time to sift through so many pages.

Some of your questions are answered in Apple's announcement of the repair extension program.  In particular, Apple states which machines could qualify for a free repair.  If yours could, Apple will run some diagnostic tests on it.  If it fails, it will be fixed for free.  Just in case it doesn't fail, you should make some videos or take some photos of it experiencing the video issues.

Yes, if you don't have another machine to use while yours is being repaired, you will -- logically! -- be without one for that time.  How long?  Your best bet is to ask Apple when your call them or talk to them in person.

I took my lappy in and they ran the test and it came up with errors so it's getting fixed and will be ready in the next few days. They also discovered my hdd was just about to go so they offered me a new 1 tb replacement for $220, which I didnt hesitate in saying yes too!

OVerall I'm very happy as I managed 4 and half years of hard use of out my mbp before this now old issue sprung up and with the stress free process in getting it replaced on top of the cheap hdd I can hopefully get another 5 years of use before it finally dies. I have 16 gig of ram as well so it's still a powerhouse for what I use it for plus Its a desktop these days.

Hi, like to put in my 2 cents. I had my MBP fixed under the program last august, after the screen of death 'failure'.

Before the fix my MBP (Mavericks) did run very hot, heavy spinning ventilators, when using 'heavy' apps like Photoshop. iStatPro reported more than 95 gr celcius GPU temps.

After the repair, the temp never rises above 80 celsius.

Guess there was some modification somewhere...

Hello,

I own a MBP 15'' early 2011; OSX 10.11.1 and two days ago, it stopped booting up after some screen flickers - all classic symptoms.

I am a Nigerian (living in Nigeria) and need information on how to get this computer to Apple and have it fixed since there are no authorized Apple shops in Nigeria.

Do you have any suggestions? I tried to read as much of this thread as I could without finding anything in line with my peculiar (geographical) situation.

Please assist with information if you can. February 2016 is right around the corner.

In the announcement of the repair extension program it says that you can "call Apple" in such cases as yours.  They'll send you packing material and an address where to send the machine.  Apple will pay the shipping costs.  Here's a list of Apple Support telephone numbers world-wide.

Good luck!

RRichard, when I picked up my MBP, I mentioned that others were repairing the computers even though they were failing the tests, and was told, that they had to have authorization from apple in order to do that. He gave me a number and told me I needed to get a code tor them before they could fix it since it didnt fail testing.

IT took me two or three days before I could  get the MacBook to act up again and I was successful in getting videos with my iPad.

I Called apple explained my problem and asked if I could send it to them. I also said that I had placed some photos, details and videos in a folder on the desktop to better show the problems. She said that would be helpful. Whether she was being truthful or just shining me on, I have no idea. I guess we'll see in a few days, as its priority overnight shipping. They should have it within a day or so. I'll let you know how things go.

THanks for your help and encouragement.

Ella

I Got an email from apple today telling me they received my computer and parts were on order. I guess that means they have accepted it for repair. I hope it will do the trick. I'm praying for that vy hard right now.

I'll update when I hear more.

Ella

I bought my Macbook Pro 15" Late 2011 at the end of 2011 and around Dezember 2014, I've been experiencing problems with my graphics cards. Now, a year later, guess what, I have had to bring my MacBook 3 times to the Apple Store. Why is that? Easy, my graphics card broke and broke and broke. Within 1 year, it managed to break 3 times, the most recent one was 1 week ago. Of course the repair is free of charge, it'd be outrageous if it weren't.
I am extremely angry, especially because I treat my MacBook like a baby. When I was 16, I worked a lot part-time and used all the savings to buy this computer. It has never shown any problems, expect for the graphics card. Even with the Repair Extension Program, it doesn't seem to help very much. I have called Apple Care multiple times to complain but all they tell me is, "there is nothing we can do for you". How is it possible??? It is the exact same problem, every single time. If my MacBook were to have multiple other issues, I wouldn't be complaining this much it is always the same problem and who fixes the graphics card every single time - the Apple Store. This is outrageous!!!

Max

This statement of Apple Support,

I have called Apple Care multiple times to complain but all they tell me is, "there is nothing we can do for you".

is not correct.  Remind the person with whom you are dealing that Apple has consistently replaced machines that have not responded to multiple attempts to repair them with more recent models.  Several participants in this thread have reported receiving such exchanges, sometimes after three failed repairs, sometimes after four.  Don't demand an exchange.  Simply make the agent aware of the possibility that he/she forgot.  Refer him/her to this (very long) thread.  If he/she hesitates to make the decision to exchange, ask him/her to escalate the case to his/her superior.

Good luck!

Sad to report that my fixed MBP is on life support.

I did have a few freezers in the last two weeks and today it was working fine then when i came back from doing some errands it froze up again and made 3 continuous beeps that wouldn't stop until i turned it off. I tried a reboot and it would just beep on the apple screen. I left it for half an hour and tried booting up a few times in safe mode so i could run time machine and it was fine for about 10 mins and then it crashed. Tried a final reboot and the 3 beeps were very loud..kinda like the lappy was telling me "Idiot i am hemorrhaging here dont keep turning me ON!"

From google searches it might a ram issue, which i hope not as i upgraded the ram this year. And from reading others who have had this issue fixed only for it to stuff up again, a fair few report it failed again within 2 weeks of getting back, same as mine.

I went into the mac store and they will have a look at it on Weds. **** I am over it, back to using my very old lappy.

Sigh.

Edit: From reading the above replies it seems I am destined to head down the multiple fixes path. That is not something i am prepared  or want to go through, simply i don't want to rely on a machine that is highly unstable and that could die at any given moment. I dont want them to fix it with parts that are known to fail, i want a replacement. BUT - they dont make 17 inch macbookpros no more so if it was to be replaced..what would i receive?

MY MBP did the same thing. It went through its screen changes and then I would get the three beeps. I did some checking, hoping that was the problem, but it's other actions did not match the descriptions of bad ram.

i sent my computer to Apple on 12/10 and got a call from a man named Joey two days ago. He said the parts were still on back order and I would get my computer back on the day before or the day after Christmas. I told him that I hoped it would not fail again as so many others had after repair because I didn't have that much time left till the end of the guarantee. He said if it did I should contact them right away and, maybe we could work something out. He was very nice.  I didnt mention that the day after Christmas was a Saturday.