abelliveau
Level 1 (7 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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abelliveau

Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

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  • by clintonfrombirmingham,

    clintonfrombirmingham clintonfrombirmingham Feb 20, 2013 4:34 AM in response to Neshill
    Level 7 (30,009 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 20, 2013 4:34 AM in response to Neshill

    Tonight I heard of another problem with the discrete GPU on an early 2011 model - I think that they use the same AMD Radeon 6750M in my late 2011 model? I don't know if this is going to blow up like the mid-2010 NVIDIA card fiasco, but I would definitely take the machine into an Apple Store or an AASP and see if they are hearing of similar glitches.

     

    Good luck,


    Clinton

  • by Neshill,

    Neshill Neshill Feb 20, 2013 4:37 AM in response to clintonfrombirmingham
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Feb 20, 2013 4:37 AM in response to clintonfrombirmingham

    I actually got the service info from my AASP, but they never heard of issues like mine. The fact that all of the references to this issue are localized around the end of January is curious to me.

  • by Neshill,

    Neshill Neshill Feb 20, 2013 4:39 AM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Feb 20, 2013 4:39 AM in response to abelliveau

    Can anyone check in the Apple Store? Maybe it's a known issue by now.

  • by Neshill,

    Neshill Neshill Feb 21, 2013 2:42 AM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Feb 21, 2013 2:42 AM in response to abelliveau

    I'd be curious to know (question to everyone affected): when you experience the issue, does plugging/unplugging the monitor in help remedy it for a short period?

  • by abelliveau,

    abelliveau abelliveau Feb 21, 2013 2:14 PM in response to Neshill
    Level 1 (7 points)
    Feb 21, 2013 2:14 PM in response to Neshill

    I will try again in a few days (some of my work uses 3d graphics and I discovered yesterday that I will need more than the integrated card to keep things stable), but the last story I was told at the Apple Store was that they cared about this issue on the 2010 models (and were doing free logic board replacements because it was a wide spread issue)... but there was no such flag in their system for the 2011 models.

     

    As for your second question, this only happens on my laptop, and I don't use a secondary display so I cannot unplug it or plug it back in.  Sorry!

  • by mnemon1c,

    mnemon1c mnemon1c Feb 23, 2013 4:42 PM in response to thierryfrommulhouse
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 23, 2013 4:42 PM in response to thierryfrommulhouse

    I'm having exact issue. Early-2011 model. After installing SMC Firmware 1.7 update discrete card stoped working properly. I found it while working in xcode (running Simulator switches to discrete card I guess) and launching HD video. Plus I'm having vertical 1px line sometimes (but it could be fixed by tapping the screen).

    Probably the solution would be to roll back to Snow Leo/Lion or waiting for another SMC update from Apple (if they aware of it)...

  • by abelliveau,

    abelliveau abelliveau Feb 24, 2013 3:13 PM in response to mnemon1c
    Level 1 (7 points)
    Feb 24, 2013 3:13 PM in response to mnemon1c

    My problem started way before the 1.7 firmware update, so I'm not totally conviced we are experiencing the same issue.  In any case, I bit the bullet and brought the MacBook Pro into the Apple Store to have the logic board replaced.  The 2.2 Ghz board cost $502.55, plus a $39 hardward repair charge and tax.  The Apple Store I brought it to quoted me a one week turn-around.

     

    Definitely a costly repair, but considering the price of the laptop itself... It hopefully will be worth it in the long run.

  • by Neshill,

    Neshill Neshill Feb 24, 2013 4:14 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Feb 24, 2013 4:14 PM in response to abelliveau

    Sigh. Best of luck, I'll probably do the same next week.

  • by mnemon1c,

    mnemon1c mnemon1c Feb 25, 2013 3:26 AM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 25, 2013 3:26 AM in response to abelliveau

    So the problem was with whole logic board (not just with the Radeon card)?

  • by Neshill,

    Neshill Neshill Feb 25, 2013 3:30 AM in response to mnemon1c
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Feb 25, 2013 3:30 AM in response to mnemon1c

    You can't actually replace only the radeon chip, you need to replace the whole logic board :/

  • by cyberdude3k,

    cyberdude3k cyberdude3k Feb 28, 2013 11:25 PM in response to abelliveau
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 28, 2013 11:25 PM in response to abelliveau

    I think it might be the 1.7 SMC firmware update, I had all the symptoms and AppleCare. The computer just stopped booting after the grey screen so I had them replace the logic board, when I got my Mac back the 1.7 was available, thinking that was not the issue I installed it and now I have the same issues and the computer won't even boot up after the grey screen.

     

    I am going back to the apple store, let's see what they say!

  • by mnemon1c,

    mnemon1c mnemon1c Mar 1, 2013 1:11 AM in response to cyberdude3k
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 1, 2013 1:11 AM in response to cyberdude3k

    Thanks fro the update. Please let us know how the things go.

  • by Neshill,

    Neshill Neshill Mar 1, 2013 2:34 AM in response to cyberdude3k
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Mar 1, 2013 2:34 AM in response to cyberdude3k

    Unfortunately these issues started happening before the 1.7SMC for both of us. I actually hoped the SMC would fix that.

     

    An update is that I got my MacBook back from service. They soldered in the graphics chip again and stress tested the laptop a great deal, so now we have to wait and see if this helps. It's cheaper than replacing the logic board so it might be a good solution for those who don't have the budget.

  • by wilersonoliveira,

    wilersonoliveira wilersonoliveira Mar 1, 2013 6:56 AM in response to Neshill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 1, 2013 6:56 AM in response to Neshill

    I've been having these issues as well, since the end of January. I was running Lion at the time. Since then, I have upgraded to Mountain Lion and applied the 1.7 SMC update, but the crashes continued happening. I have installed gfxCardStatus and as long as I keep the computer using only the integrated card, nothing happens.

     

    Neshill, have you soldered the graphics card twice? Isn't that harmful to the laptop? I've been refraining to send my laptop to service because I'm using it for work, but I might try that later.

  • by abelliveau,

    abelliveau abelliveau Mar 2, 2013 3:14 PM in response to cyberdude3k
    Level 1 (7 points)
    Mar 2, 2013 3:14 PM in response to cyberdude3k

    cyberdude3k, I am curious to see what the Apple Store says in your situation. That may be a different problem, though.

     

    On my end, I just picked up my MacBook Pro.  It took about 6 days for the repair (dropped it off last Sunday, picked it up this afternoon).  I ended up replacing the logic board and the battery (which wasn't really holding much of a charge anymore).

     

    While I was in the store, I tested the graphics card.  Using gfxCardStatus, I can now switched between integrated and discrete and the computer no longer crashes!  Woo!  When using the discrete card, the screen does take on a *slight* blueish tint, but it is not nearly as noticeable/strong as before.  It is hardly noticeable.

     

    While I was in the store, I installed the two available firmware updates (one pertaining to the bluetooth drivers, and the SMC update).  Rebooted, and again - everything seems good.  I can switch between graphic cards (or leave it on dynamic switching) and everything is working smoothly.

     

    The repair comes with a three month warranty, so hopefully if anything is to go wrong, it will do so within that time frame!  But it does look like replacing the logic board fixed my problem.

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