Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

So I was getting ready to bring my 2011 MBP to the Apple Store, and decided to do a 35-pass disk erase and reinstall OSX SL from the DVD that came with the computer (I'm really didn't want the "geniuses" to have any access to my personal information).  The graphics failed a few times after the install, during the setup process, but now it seems to be working fine.  Installed gfxcardstatus, and the switching is working. Ran some GPU benchmarks multiple times without failure (although the system did get hot).  I was surprised, and I fully expect the issue to come back within a few days (its been a few hours).  Does anybody have any clue as to why this would help, considering it's a hardware issue?  The computer was basically unusable, about 10 attempts needed for each successful boot, and immediate crash if I didn't switch to integrated graphics as soon as OSX loaded.  Now it restarts and boots just fine.  Should I wait to bring it to the apple store, since no symptoms and successful hardware check will likley = "no problems, it was software". 

On a side note, the trackpad click stopped working (had to activate finger tap using an external mouse).  Another sign of shoddy build quality?

Though I would chime in here - I reformatted mine a few months ago and I thought it solved the problem. I had lines through the install and everything - however it worked for a few weeks. It seems that after fighting with it and generating heat, you sometimes can get it to have good week or two with no problems - but it will fail again I assure you. For exmaple, I am using mine now, but I know it will fail again so I am not copying any data over.

It looks promising, but it's temporary. Even with those fan and graphic apps - it'll come back.

PS My trackpad has stopped unless I push hard, I think my battery is expanding and pushing up on the trackpad.

Throwing my name in the mix here. My early 2011 MacBook Pro is having the exact same problem as everyone else. Tons of video corruption and artifacting.

This persists after an erase and install, SMC reset, PRAM reset... all of the standard tricks.

Pleeeeease please please offer a Repair Extension Program for this. It's not right.

As mentioned before, I am having the same problems as everybody on this thread.  Took it for repairs and got the default story of replacing the logic board.  I decided to wait this out.  I will not pay that amount of money for something that will break again.

But, after I got my MacBook back from the repair shop, after a few days I noticed the same issue as Chris.  Trackpad stopped unless I push hard and when I opened the MacBook, I saw the battery is expanding and pushing on the trackpad.  Don't know what caused this.

uzwane, I had this problem with my 2008 Macbook Pro.  It sounds like you just have a bad battery.  Mine swelled to the point that the keyboard would type when I picked up the laptop, and the trackpad barely worked.

I'd take that to the Apple store and get it checked out.

All of my MacBook's have had the batteries expand. MacBook Pro 1,1 I went through 3, this 2011 model they said they will replace at the depot when I send for repair. I am so mad about all of this!

Does anyone know if the fixed rate depot repair warranty is transferrable?  I'm seriously thinking I will see if I qualify for that option, fix the computer, and put it on ebay, unless parting it out would be worth more. 

Typically, Apple's warranties are attached to the computer, not the owner.  This means that the next owner should be able to take advantage of the 90-day warranty if you sell it and they have problems within that window.  The folks at the Genius Bar can look up the serial number and see all of the visits and repairs associated with it.  I'd actually think it would be a selling point in an auction - acknowledge that these models have problems, but this has just been fixed and has a warranty until whatever date. 

uzwane wrote:

 

But, after I got my MacBook back from the repair shop, after a few days I noticed the same issue as Chris.  Trackpad stopped unless I push hard and when I opened the MacBook, I saw the battery is expanding and pushing on the trackpad.  Don't know what caused this.

I'd get that looked at ASAP.  Not only is an expanding battery a sign of a bad battery, but the pressure on the trackpad can cause permanent damage.  My old MacBook battery pressed against the trackpad long enough that it ceased working... so not only did I have to replace the battery, I also had to replace the whole top case.  Better to take care of it before you incur more costly damage.

Late 2011 MacBookPro8,2 15": same issue here... Booting and workign mostly impossible.

Disabled AMD Radeon HD 6750M GPU via

preference panel -> energy saver -> Better Battery Life

Booted in Single-user mode again and managed to move the AMD extension files (for dGPU) to another folder.

Hi,

Can anyone please copy the steps to do this in single-user mode?

Thanks.

Same problem here. Early 2011 15 inch macbook pro with the 6750 GPU. Any time the computer switches to the GPU, after a short period of time distortion or shifting starts (white lines vetrically or horizontally, entire desktop ****** with a black bar, dissapearing pointer, etc) which leads to the fans going nuts and restarting the computer.

This has been going on for a few months now, and at this point I've just gone out and bought a Windows ultrabook since Apple has been trying to sweep this away for so long. It's impossible to do any work on the macbook because so many apps can force the GPU to be used. Chrome is the worst offender.

Apple you need to do something about this obviously widespread problem!

Pretty much impossible for me to do anything on mine now. Mine is a late 2011 15in with 6750M 512MB discrete graphics. Can't log in at all and it's pretty much just an attractive paper weight at this point as I have no intention of paying out of pocket for a replacement part that is likely to have the same issues in the future.

I'm just honestly going to sell mine on ebay and hope someone will buy it for spare parts or something after I remove my hard drive. At this point I can safely say I will never buy a Apple product other than perhaps a tablet or iPod as maybe a gift.

I bit the bullet and opted for the $310 flat repair.  Will update once I get it back.  Might sell it on ebay at that point, as I confirmed the 90 day warranty is transferrable to the buyer. Figured I'd get at least 310 more for a working computer with warranty than if I sold it as a brick for parts. 

I've just experienced the failure.  Was working away happily one night on my early 2011 MBP and all of a sudden screen went black - non-responsive at all.   Attempted a hard reboot and it just got stuck at the grey screen after the apple logo (and noted an odd colour).   Wouldn't boot into safe mode, it just froze on a dark blue screen.  After a few attempts I managed to get it into recovery mode to try and run a check on the HDD thinking it may have died - during this vertical lines went across the screen, it flickered a bit and then went solid blue.  It now no longer boots.

Took my MacBook into the Apple store, they ran some diagnostics on it and confirmed that this is the issue - $630AUD to replace the logic board.  I've opted for them to keep it overnight and run tests on it to see if that is the issue before forking out the money to repair it.

Dissappointing that apart from this issue it's worked flawlessly and really hadn't considered replacing it anytime soon.  Will be writing an email to Apple to see if they can at least offer some form of compensation considering this seems to be a widespread manufacturing fault rather than just a random failure.