Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

I have started doing this. Everyday One post in the feedback form i guess if every one writes everyday on the feedback form here

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

Subject : 2011 MacBook Pro and Graphic Card Issue

Atleast we get some reply.

kittykatKS wrote:

 

I suppose someone could go through this thread and a few others and count each individual name who replied that they are experiencing the same issue... that would probably give you a rough number.

I started working on this a while ago, but it's a lot to keep up with - I made it to nearly 300 names and that barely got me halfway through the posts on these forums about these models. 

However, I'm not convinced that these numbers really help us unless (a) we know these are really linked cases (there are a lot of issues described in 2011 and 2012 that are actually quite different than the ones we're talking about these days), and (b) we know the total number of units sold to determine whether the number of affected users here is statistically significant.  If Apple sold a few million MacBook Pros in 2011, and we can track, say, 1,000 users here... well, that could help explain why they're not seeing it as a pervasive problem. 

Hi All,

My early 2011 MacBook Pro was just crippled by the same issue described abundantly in this discussion. Two days ago, I noticed that file previews in finder were being distorted. Earlier this evening, I was hit with repeated lock-ups. Now my computer won't even reboot; a gray screen appears, the fans whir, and nothing happens. I'm bringing it to Apple tomorrow, where I anticipate getting a logic board replacement as others have. It seems from what I'm reading, however, that this won't solve the issue. Extremely disappointing considering the cost of the computer, that I've already lost significant quantities of work, and that it's a critical time of the year.

At 112 pages, this discussion is somewhat overwhelming, but I thought it important to contribute to documenting the problem.

If anyone could offer concrete advice for coping with the problem temporarily (even just getting a clean reboot so I can rescue some files) or for my appointment with Apple, I'd much appreciate it.

Thanks!

Have you tried to boot in safe mode?

Turn on your computer.

After you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key.

Release the button when a status bar appears under the apple. 

Thanks for the reply. I'm in safe mode and am doing damage control. What are the caveats for safe mode?

You can't play video... certain applications don't work... sometimes my computer will freeze.  Have you heard of gfxCardStatus?  If you're running Mavericks, you should download it to control which graphics card your computer is using. You want the integrated card to be active.  Usually when your computer hangs up, its a switch from integrated to discrete.  So you can set your GPU to use the integrated card exclusively.  Hope that helps.

saramwrap wrote:

...However, I'm not convinced that these numbers really help us unless (a) we know these are really linked cases (there are a lot of issues described in 2011 and 2012 that are actually quite different than the ones we're talking about these days), and (b) we know the total number of units sold to determine whether the number of affected users here is statistically significant...

Aye.  And even with the extra motivation here to create an account and provide some feedback, how many actually do?  On another popular website that I frequent, the ratio of "guests" to registered members can range between 20:1 to 50:1 at any given time.  I think that's the way most people do things.  They'll read discussion forums long enough to get some ideas about developing their own course of action, but they don't actually feel the need to participate.  As mentioned a couple of pages back, this thread alone has now passed the 100K mark for number of views.  I think it's safe to say that this thread has generated far more interest than can be measured from reading the comments.

Lurkers (Yes, I'm talking to you now!), we know that you're here.    I know it's a pain, but please take a few minutes to create an account and post some feedback.  I don't mean any of this to be critical.  I'm the same way on car forums.  I just read to get the information that I need, but never really feel that I have anything to contribute.  In this case, though, posting some info really could be helpful. 

Beyond that, I think it's difficult to narrow in on a specific percentage.  Even after all of these years, we really don't know how many of the original X-Box 360s failed.  The information that we do have is from third parties like Square Trade, but the two year failure rate can range from 23% to 54% depending on whom you ask.  In the end, though, the exact percentage didn't matter.  Enough customers voiced their frustrations that warranties were extended to three years from date of purchase.

Same here, laptop's discrete graphics card started breaking badly on nov 15th. Still able to use the laptop on integrated gpu.

Apple Store tried to repair it, but the new motherboard was defective. Discovered at the genius appointment  that the computer does not boot at all anymore. So rather than repair they made things worse.

Genius also unable to boot from network, hard drive, safe mode, etc... So I left the computer with them,  they said they might be able to repair it within the day.

Been waiting since then, and getting Apple's calls informing me that the motherboard is "constrained", "the holidays cause delays", "have faith", "tomorrow", and the old favorite "in 3 to 5 days".

Oh well, the most expensive laptop I ever had, and the one that lasted the less.

I'm here again asking if someone knows whom to write, maybe we'll have at least a fresh breath knowing that this person is aware of this issue.

Personally, I didn't get anything better than "you need to replace your logic board" at service, that single sentence took $50, I can tell that a "new logic board" is about 3/4 of a new macbook price.

I've written 11 posts here, an "unofficial" place to take my complaints to apple, but I think that maybe 1 single email sent to the right person, from everyone of us could do a lot for everyone.

If anyone knows who's the right person to write to, it'll be the best help we can get.

We can keep writting and complaining everywhere but so far it seems useless because we aren't getting any reply, yet.

Adding my voice to that of all above. MBP 17" purchased October 2011. Split screen situation whenever any graphics heavy applications are brought up. Before checking this thread I had hoped the problem was software related so did a complete factory restore to no avail. Apple needs to recognise this issue and fix it.

In my opinion the letter should go to the top... Tim Cook.

@Fernando Lobos

• "I'm here again asking if someone knows whom to write, maybe we'll have at least a fresh breath knowing that this person is aware of this issue."

If you would have been looking through the articles, you would have found the link. We have written many times, go to the http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html page.

• "Personally, I didn't get anything better than "you need to replace your logic board" at service, that single sentence took $50, I can tell that a "new logic board" is about 3/4 of a new macbook price."

If you go to an AppleStore an talk to a Genius, it's free. An Logic board replacement costs between 300 an 600 $, that is NOT 3/4 of a MacBookPro!!!

• "If anyone knows who's the right person to write to, it'll be the best help we can get."

Believe me, Apple knows about this thread, I personally wrote an eMail and and I posted the answer here, check it out.

It is not very helpful to start here a ShitStorm, this forum is meant for Users who help other Users. If you like to bring this thread forward, describe your problem, add photos and Logs, but posts like "Me too" won't help neither us nor Apple.

A last word about the numbers of Views (112911) and Replies (1,674), this numbers are not representative, you can open ten windows with this tread and each is counted in Views, also with the Replies, all of your 11 Posts are counted. So if you take you as a base, we can divide the 1674 by 10 and we get some 167 incidents… and lets say Apple sold 1.6 Million units, the we have here a failure rate of 0,001%.

If you would have some profound knowledge about large companies who are producing millions of units, you would know, a failure rate of 0,001% is excellent.

All this posts about "class action lawsuits" and "we all have to write to Apple" won't help, it just shows your frustration (we all can understand that, we are in the same boat). But technically Apple is of the hook, because the guarantee is gone already long time. On the other hand Apple cares about their customers (check the feedback from Apple I posted in this thread!!!).

Sure we all expect more than the two and a half year lifetime for a unit that costs 2500$ (plus a 1000$ for my ThunderBolt Display in my case, which is useless at the moment), but you can NOT expect Apple to open a "Replacement Program" instantly when a few hundred peoples are complaining. A "Replacement Program" or "Units Callback" is a huge thing for a worldwide company, in regards of reputation and also in regards of Stock Value…

You can be sure, Apple is taking action if necessary, and as soon as the problem has been identified and a solution has been worked out.

For now, we only can help Apple to speed up this case by feeding as much informations back to the mothership as possible, informations like:

• A detailed description of the problem and how it can be reproduced.
• Photos (Screenshots)
• Log dumps
• Detailed Infos about your model and configuration

You can post these informations here and you should use the feedback link above. And certainly you can go to the closest AppleSore and let a Genius diagnose your MacBook, you still can take your MacBook un-repaired home, but tell the Genius to report the incidence with your serial number to the headquarters.

And at last it your descision whether or not you repair your unit…

I will wait (after I did file the problem) because I need my MacBook and I can live with the internal GPU - I don't have full speed but it is still better than my 2006 MacBookPro.

So I'm pretty sure there will be a solution from Apple, but don't expect it to be tomorrow - no matter how many post you write and no matter how many of you ask for "class action lawsuits"!!

These things need time and we should give Apple the time, so they can do their job.

Enjoy your 

In this day and age we have a few more options... What about a viral video?

Dear fellows in misery: Now I am a part of this group of unsatisfied Apple customers, too. After having bought many macs since 2005 (each of them had a serious hardware issue shortly after the warranty period) and having convinced many people of using Apple Products I (and I think we all) have to make some different kind of publicity for Apple now: Extremely over-priced hardware (I payed 2500 Euros for my MBP 16 months ago) in a well-designed case that lives shortly longer than Apple provides warranty for free (12 months).

Dear Chief Executive Relations at Apple: This is definitely not how to handle professional customers like us. If you want to continue building shiny-glossy iOS products, please do so in the future. Leave the professional sector behind you and become a company for the average user who uses his notebook once or twice a week to check some mails. We aren't this kind of customers. We are dependent on working hardware - not to look some youtube videos and compose a little video with your iLife suite - but to earn a living, to study, to produce content.

We are the first people to leave a company but we very often are opinion leaders - many people trust in what we say, we reach a wide audience as we are the "geeks and nerds" everyone knows and everyone asks for help when some serious technical decision has to be made. Shall I tell you a secret? I won't even recommend Apple hardware to my worst enemy. At the moment you do everything to end up where you started: As a two people company in a garage...

You have some valid points but you seem to be defending Apple more than the customer who purchased a Mac expecting quality (that's why we pay >$3000). It is unacceptable that Apple, a company that states that Macs are the best laptops, forces their customers to pay $300-$600 for a temporary fix. Also they've had months to fix this. So they have to step up their games and acknowledge that they sold us faulty macbook pro's. That is the least they can do for their fans. Cannot enjoy my Mac because mine won't even pass login screen.