Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

I had the very same problem. MacBook Pro 15" late 2011 (8,2 model) with AMD 6750M. I was working with it and suddenly the screen went gray. I rebooted it and then the horizontal lines showed up. Recovery mode was non sense since everything I had was a blue screen with black vertical lines. I have a Windows 7 installation using BootCamp so I tried booting into it. In normal mode all I had was a BSOD with 0x116 code. This code stands for GPU issues: drivers mainly. Using Safe Mode I could boot and get into the system but the screen displayed 4 vertical green lines.

I bought my laptop on December 2011 abut I was out of warranty just for 6 days. I couldn't believe it. The Genius told me he had exactly the same problem with his laptop and he changed the logic board. I had to pay for a logic board replacement (519€ in Spain). 6 months warranty, let's see how long it lasts. Up to now it's working properly.

google this: macbook pro early 2011 thermal compound

I have an early-2011 15" MBP and got the blue lines / gray screen on Sunday. I've been an Apple IT tech for over 17 years. What i found, like many others, is that on this model, during assembly, WAY too much thermal compound was applied between the graphics chip and its heatsink (same with the processor). In this case, more doesn't equal better - it actually decreases the effeciency by which heat transfers to the heatsink (causing things to heat up leading to failure within a couple years). I was able to boot to another machine from my MBP in target disk mode - but not vice versa, nor could I boot to the repair partion - always got the gray apple to blue screen with vertical lines. However I could boot to single-user mode, but it would hang after exiting, trying to activate graphics into the gui.

The Apple Store ran diagnostics, but found no issues - however they could replicate the issue. For $310, they shipped my MacBook Pro out and it was returned to me with a new logic board in 2 days (I'm near Los Angeles). I was loathe to pay for an issue caused during assembly - but there seems to be little anyone in the store can/will do if Apple hasn't admitted to the problem - they  just give the usual song and dance - it's egregiously gross.

If you are starting to have problems, there are many how-to's online on removing and re-applying the correct amount of thermal compound to your graphics chip and processor (again: if it hasn't completely failed). Multiple reports concur that the computers run much cooler - after the compound reappliation. We have 2 other early-2011 MBP's that are showing signs of failure - we're going to re-apply compound to those. I recommend using Artic Silver, found at RShack or online. Please understand that this will void your warranty if you have AppleCare - though if you have AppleCare . . . well, you'd just make Apple fix it wouldn't you?

Recovery mode was non sense since everything I had was a blue screen with black vertical lines.

Same here - the odd thing was that my system ran and passed the Apple Hardware Test as well as the diagnostics at the Genius bar. But there was no getting past the fact that the screen was screwed up because of the GPU.

As I said, I thought that I was 'immune' because mine was actually a 'made in 2012' Late 2011 model. I was lulled into a false sense of security. I ALWAYS purchase AppleCare, though, and boy am I glad that I had it.

It really blows that you were only 6 days out of warranty. I still don't know what I'll do with this machine in the future (I just have my fingers crossed that the GPU doesn't go out again).

Clinton

early 2011 mbp

MC723LL/A (2.2 GHz)

Shanghai

have the same syndrome this week, after upgrade to mavericks and downgrade back snow, still have it, went to the apple center local, told that they can not help yet.

AMD Radeon HD 6750M:

  Chipset Model:          AMD Radeon HD 6750M

  Type:          GPU

  Bus:          PCIe

  PCIe Lane Width:          x8

  VRAM (Total):          1024 MB

  Vendor:          ATI (0x1002)

  Device ID:          0x6741

  Revision ID:          0x0000

  ROM Revision:          113-C0170L-573

  gMux Version:          1.9.23

  EFI Driver Version:          01.00.573

Intel HD Graphics 3000:

  Chipset Model:          Intel HD Graphics 3000

  Type:          GPU

  Bus:          Built-In

  VRAM (Total):          512 MB

  Vendor:          Intel (0x8086)

  Device ID:          0x0126

  Revision ID:          0x0009

  gMux Version:          1.9.23

  Displays:

Color LCD:

  Resolution:          1440 x 900

  Pixel Depth:          32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

  Main Display:          Yes

  Mirror:          Off

  Online:          Yes

  Built-In:          Yes

水能载舟

jhayden2501 wrote:

 

If you are starting to have problems, there are many how-to's online on removing and re-applying the correct amount of thermal compound to your graphics chip and processor (again: if it hasn't completely failed). Multiple reports concur that the computers run much cooler - after the compound reappliation. We have 2 other early-2011 MBP's that are showing signs of failure - we're going to re-apply compound to those. I recommend using Artic Silver, found at RShack or online. Please understand that this will void your warranty if you have AppleCare - though if you have AppleCare . . . well, you'd just make Apple fix it wouldn't you?

Sad news though is, this doesnt help. I had the same thoughts back then when it first happened to a few friends and reapplied the thermal compound. While it works a few degrees cooler (the effect is way smaller than you might think though) it ultimately failed a few months later anyway.

MACBOOK Pro 2011  i7 2,0GHz  AMD Radeon HD 6490M 256 MB

I have the same problem. 24/12/2013 evening Bleu screen, fans are loud! ouch!

:-( No beautiful christmas :-(

I was at Apple, no guarantee. Apple wants 500, - EURO for the repair. I can not accept. Too much for me. I am very angry, a N.B. for 1600, - EURO defective in 2.5 years. ohhhhh.

Franz1975, you can get it repaired much cheaper if needed.

Unless you want to wait for a Apple coming with a solution.

I've not seen too many posts from users of the 17" machines - but then I thought I was 'safe' because my machine was manufactured in February of 2012.

Well, there're much more 15" systems out there which is also the reason why Apple cancelled the 17". Having said that, my 17" has exactly the same problem as the 15"s here so the larger size is not immune despite having a different motherboard and thus separate production process.

If you are starting to have problems, there are many how-to's online on removing and re-applying the correct amount of thermal compound to your graphics chip and processor (again: if it hasn't completely failed).

It's not even likely new thermal compound will help at all, however many MBPs (including mine) went from perfectly fine to completely broken faster than one would be able to find your remedy advice...

sadly true degger. One would have to be looking before having graphics problems. by then it'd would be most likely too late.

That's interesting. The reports I've read, the temperature drop was significantly different - drops typically of more than 30°C. Well we have many MacBook Pro 2011's in the field. We're going to do our own tests - see what we find and hopefully extend the lives of about 15 machines.

If you are starting to have problems, there are many how-to's online on removing and re-applying the correct amount of thermal compound to your graphics chip and processor (again: if it hasn't completely failed).

True.  After MONTHS of dealing with degrading performance and increasing ocurrances of black screens, blue screens, white screens, striped screens  (you name it!), and 3 trips to the Genuis Bar (all hardware passing all tests), I decided to open 'er up and re-apply the thermal compound.   To little too late, I suppose.  The performance was a little better for a while then sank back to terrible.  I guess the damage to the GPU was done.  I got to the point of NEVER letting my macbook go to sleep and I NEVER shut it down.   Ultimately I had to reboot and was completely unable to log back in unless I used asyncro's instructions to remove the AMD kext files and rebuild the kext cache.  That works, but then the macbook always thinks it's connected to an external monitor.  Besides, this is not how one should be expected to "use" a $2000 laptop.

Instead of waiting for Apple to step up and do the right thing I decided to skip APPLE (and the depot) all together and get the GPU replaced by a local shop.  Maybe that's what APPLE wants.  Yeah, this laptop may have been my last APPLE purchase.  BTW - $220 to replace the GPU locally, not $330 for Apple to replace a faulty GPU with another faulty GPU (via the depot).

Hopefully this GPU replacement will get my macbook working again for a little longer until it's a reasonable time to replace it.

I'll post an update when I get my re-vitalized laptop back...

F

paul from south plainfield wrote:

 

If you are starting to have problems, there are many how-to's online on removing and re-applying the correct amount of thermal compound to your graphics chip and processor (again: if it hasn't completely failed).

 

True.  After MONTHS of dealing with degrading performance and increasing ocurrances of black screens, blue screens, white screens, striped screens  (you name it!), and 3 trips to the Genuis Bar (all hardware passing all tests), I decided to open 'er up and re-apply the thermal compound.   To little too late, I suppose.  The performance was a little better for a while then sank back to terrible.  I guess the damage to the GPU was done.  I got to the point of NEVER letting my macbook go to sleep and I NEVER shut it down.   Ultimately I had to reboot and was completely unable to log back in unless I used asyncro's instructions to remove the AMD kext files and rebuild the kext cache.  That works, but then the macbook always thinks it's connected to an external monitor.  Besides, this is not how one should be expected to "use" a $2000 laptop.

 

Instead of waiting for Apple to step up and do the right thing I decided to skip APPLE (and the depot) all together and get the GPU replaced by a local shop.  Maybe that's what APPLE wants.  Yeah, this laptop may have been my last APPLE purchase.  BTW - $220 to replace the GPU locally, not $330 for Apple to replace a faulty GPU with another faulty GPU (via the depot).

 

Hopefully this GPU replacement will get my macbook working again for a little longer until it's a reasonable time to replace it.

 

I'll post an update when I get my re-vitalized laptop back...

Those test are useless for gpu testing.

Need to stresstest as you need to get the system under full load.

What i do when fixing gaming, video-editing or other heavy graphic task pcs is give both the cpu and gpu a high load.

Needs to run stable for at least 6 hours, better 12, best 24.

For CPU  I use prime 95, making sure it uses all cores. Even start 4-8 sessions for quad or octa core.

Mac version:

ftp://mersenne.org/gimps/p95v277.MacOSX.zip

For gpu stress testing you could use this maybe:

http://unigine.com/products/heaven/

And yes, I run both, stressing out CPU AND GPU  to the max together !!!

And use a program to read out temps when doing this.

The computers I build have no problem with this.

Can run them for 24, even 36 hours long, without any problem.

Laptops however, when getting smaller and smaller wil get more and more problems.

Buying a macbook, or other laptop, for  video editing is not really a good choice.

But if they are sold as beeing suited for that job, it's manufacturer's/seller's responsability to make sure it can survive the task.

That's interesting. The reports I've read, the temperature drop was significantly different - drops typically of more than 30°C. Well we have many MacBook Pro 2011's in the field. We're going to do our own tests - see what we find and hopefully extend the lives of about 15 machines.

Well, one thing where Apple is traditionally very good in is system and power management. The have tons of thermal sensors and very decent algorithms to keep the system within component design limits all while keeping the fan noise at a minimum and keeping the parts of the system alive for a long time. I've always been monitoring the temperatures in my systems closely and have never observed any critical temperatures chips and certainly none outside of the typical operating range that might cause connection problems with the board in a properly designed system.

Claims of 30°C drops are close to absurd because that would either mean that it had reached temperatures outside of the safe operating range before without the system applying some heavy throttling or they just couldn't utilize the system properly afterwards. There's no way you can properly stress the system such that the heat the CPU dissipates will not reach the GPU since they're connected to the same cooling system.

It's also quite obvious that not all MBPs are affected the same. A colleague of mine has a 15" MBP and despite that one definitely having some heat dissipation problem (fans are almost always running on noticeable RPM or even full speed) it is still going strong.

Claims of Mavericks being the culprit are also much exaggerated and look more like cheap explanation to me. I just upgraded yesterday from ML to Mavericks and I recorded the temperatures on a number of load profiles and compared them to the same load after the upgrade and all differences are within the margin of error and precision.

So you're saying people are lying..how in the world could you possibly know that?