Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

apple_power wrote:

Thanks for the post, what do we learn from that?

 

Yes… Apple does care.

 

Enjoy your 

Someone asked about the 2008 extended warranty, I answered the best I could.

Now if you want me to spell out what we can learn from that:

-Apple announced they would extend the warranty in the end of 2008, MUCH quicker than what we see now. It's an issue I know about and at that time I can say that Apple did the right thing. Things changed did they?

-Though, it's Nvidia who paid for the previous Apple GPU problem AND there was a class lawsuit againt nvidia about this, settled later in 2010.

What I understand: Apple can't blame anyone else or outsource the cost with the 2011 macbooks. So we wait in vain as long as the issue dies by itself or something bigger makes Apple move.

Seriously, this issue appeared as soon as 2011, but got worse in september this year. How long shoult it take to respond. It's quite insulting to go at a Apple store or spend so much time on the phone talking to people who act like it's isolated issue. At best, it's not. At worst it's widespread.

would you have better informations you are welcome to share..

oh, and they reimboursed all the repairs. Which by now for this issue might be a hefty sum.

A lot of people will be happy to ear that, but we have to get there.

I was not believing it could be a hardware failure. So used VM ware but that did not help either. Its a hardware issue and i really hope apple does somethign about it... high time

See the attached screengrab for my issue..

The MacBook Pro 2008 issue with NVidia 8600M was recognized a lot quicker because  NVidia did recognize and provide a fix quickly.

Apple never issue a replacement program until they have fully diagnosed the root cause of the issue and have a fix for it.

Another similar example that took a lot longer than for the MacBook Pro 2008 case, is the iBook G3 800MHz which have exact same symptoms as we have here with its GPU (which was an ATI Radeon 7500).

In that case, Apple didn't issue a replacement program quickly, it took 2 or 3 years for it to happen. But they did issue a replacement program and developed a fixed logic board. I still have this machine which is now about 10 years old and it still works perfectly even though it has been repaired twice for the GPU issue, first time with a not fixed logic board (which explained why I had to get it repaired again), second time with the fixed version of the logic board, and since then the issue never appeared again and the machine is still working perfectly today even though it's almost 10 years old.

So it is certain that Apple will issue a replacement program, if this issue is not just a production issue on some batches. But it'll not be done until the root cause has been identified and a fix has been developed.

And considering that the amount of cases has increased only since August/September 2013 (see survey that show that very clearly), before that date the amount of machine being repair for this issue was still within normal level of repairs for a laptop, and so Apple probably didn't start to investigate on this issue until very recently.

From my point of view, the delay is still within usual delay for similar issues (the NVidia 8600M issue can't really be considered similar as it was widespread including in the PC world and NVidia did recognize a defect on this chip. The current issue is more comparable to the iBook G3 800MHz GPU issue I mentioned above that's to say apparently specific to these machines (no similar cases on the PC world) and no defect officially recognized by the GPU maker).

The more important here is not how old are these units, but since when the number of cases of this issue as significantly increased. And that number increased only very recently, that's why there is no replacement program yet as Apple didn't finish investigating (and in fact started to investigate on it only very recently) on it and don't have a fix yet.

And for having witnessed several replacement program policy in the past with Apple I can tell you that:

1. Apple,never publicly communicate on an issue (even at the Genius Bar) until they have fully identified the root cause. Before that they just replace the defective part.

2. Apple never issue a replacement program until they have found a fix.

And considering that this issue only significantly increased very recently, I think that neither of these two points are verified yet.

thanks iFrodo for your comments. it was useful to know about your example with the iBook.

@ iFrodo

Yes I do agree with you 100%, as I stated earlier in this thread, we are rather at the start than at the finish line.

And comparing one "Replacement Program" with an other is not really a good idea without doing deep investigations, every case is different (are there defective parts - the producer has to be charged, is it a manufacturing problem - the manufacturer (not Apple) has to be charged, is it a design problem - in this case it is probably Apples own problem).

At the bottom line it is all a lot more complicated than many of you think - and yes, I do understand all of you who need a solution now.

There are a few ways to go forward from here:

          •          If you need a MacBookPro running at full speed, bring in your unit for a repair (even it is maybe just a temporary solution as some guys in this thread are reporting)

          •          If you can live with with a Mac that is limited to the "Integrated GPU", use "gfxCardStatus"

          •          The third option is to buy a new MacMini, iMac or any other Computer of your choice…

I (nearly) live comfortable with the "Integrated GPU" but I do miss my ThunderBolt Display.

Enjoy your 

That's funny, isn't it: Calling Apple a company who cares? No, surely they don't. nVidia definitely had to pay the complete extended warranty program because it was *their* failure. That's the way Apple likes it: Other companies have to pay and Apple exchanges faulty parts with a generous smile. That's not caring...Apples community managers delete posts here - that again isn't caring.

And do you know what is even more funny? I own one of these 2008 MBPs with a faulty GPU. Apple exchanged the logic board once, I bought a new Mac about two months later and didn't use the repaired 2008 MBP anymore - up to this moment. I'm writing this post from my revitalised 2008 MBP because my 2011 MBP is completely unusable. It won't even boot anymore. I connected my external screen (btw: Dell, almost five years old, not a single problem during those five years) and sometimes get connection issues with a black screen during use from time to time. I assume the GPU problems are back. Yippieh!

Whoever you are: Please stop commenting on each post with "Enjoy your ". Maybe you don't get the point so I am going to explain it again: All of us, all of those people who - up to now - already filled 114 pages would love to Enjoy our s - but Apple hardware put a spoke in our wheel regarding this.

Hi all,

Just got a call from apple telling me that they have change the motherboard and now seems to be a problem with the display because of some red lines and they will charge 900 pound to repair it! what can i do, has anyone experience this?  This was not their diagnosis, can I refuse to fix any of it?

Of course you can. If you didn't sign a contract regarding any of these repairs just tell them you aren't interested in having those components replaced - in this case you won't have to pay anything but of course don't get it repaired neither.

But they've told me that the motherboard is already changed, can I tell them to put the old one back?

Can you tell us step by step what was the case, and where did you bring it. To me it does not sound like an AppleStore, it sounds like an Authorised Repair Centre.

Ask them to explain the case by eMail, so you can publish it here.

Usually Apple does ask the customer before they replace expensive parts.

Enjoy your 

Tell them it is ridiculous, you won't pay a thing and neither can you afford to.

Te them you're a loyal and angry Apple customer.

Hopefully they will do it for free.

My case was as follows:

Computer screwed, out of warranty, no Apple Care. Consumer law covered me because I bought it fr

Currys in the UK. They 'fixed it'. Two days passed. Broken. I talked to many Apple advisors and lots of rubbish was talked. Someone offered me a replacement 2011 model, I said great, waited for an email, nothing came. Angrier. Talked to more people. Was told a replacement shouldn't have been offered, very complicated case.

Ended up with a brand new 2013 rMBP.

My case is that my Mackbook Pro '17 early 2011 suddenly got a black screen and after that I was unable to switch it on, having the blue scree on it. The macbook is out of warranty because I bought it on August 2011. I had an appointment at a Genius Bar in the UK, and they thought that it was a software problem, it wasn't and I has a second appointment. They tried to reinstal the software and after that they told me that it was the Motherboard and they have to change it, and it was going to cost 500 pounds. I agree to change the motherboard if that was the problem.

Today I got a call from this apple genius bar, they've told me that they have changed the motherboard and now they have problems with the display, that red lines appear on screen. They've told me they're going to try to clean the cables but if it doen't workI have to pay 900 pounds for the repair.

My display was fine when i brought it to the store, and I never agreed to a 900 pounds repair. My question is if I can refuse to get it repaired even if they've changed the motherboard, because that wasn't their diagnosis. If I new that, I would never have it repaired.

Thanks

Congratulations.

I hope I could go there once to get this end.

I plan gone to apple store this few days.

Rache81 wrote:

 

My case is that my Mackbook Pro '17 early 2011 suddenly got a black screen and after that I was unable to switch it on, having the blue scree on it. The macbook is out of warranty because I bought it on August 2011. I had an appointment at a Genius Bar in the UK, and they thought that it was a software problem, it wasn't and I has a second appointment. They tried to reinstal the software and after that they told me that it was the Motherboard and they have to change it, and it was going to cost 500 pounds. I agree to change the motherboard if that was the problem.

Today I got a call from this apple genius bar, they've told me that they have changed the motherboard and now they have problems with the display, that red lines appear on screen. They've told me they're going to try to clean the cables but if it doen't workI have to pay 900 pounds for the repair.

My display was fine when i brought it to the store, and I never agreed to a 900 pounds repair. My question is if I can refuse to get it repaired even if they've changed the motherboard, because that wasn't their diagnosis. If I new that, I would never have it repaired.

Thanks

NO WAY! get your laptop back, tell them not to fix anything because you did not agree to pay 900 pound. For that kind of money you might as well buy a new laptop. I would fight all the way to the top to get my laptop back without paying them a dime.

At this point your best bet is to take it to a local repair shop, I bet they can fix it for a fraction of the cost.

Sorry this happen to you, I am having issues with my MBP as well.