Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

I did all of this already. Signed petitions etc. I'm just not sure how trustworthy those alternative ways of repair are. gfxcardstatus is not an option, because I can't even boot...

I think you should look into buying another model. There is no guarantee that this will not happen.

Which older models (2010-2012) that have dual graphics card are OK?

don't do it. There is a very high chance it will fail. There are people on this thread who have been through 3 and 4 logic board replacements.

It is a fundamentally flawed design and or manufacturing process which really should be addressed by apple.

2010 and 2011 models had this issue. Who's to say that 2012 models won't in another year, too?

These issues especially involve the early 2011 models with the 6750M graphics. The late 2011 models with the 6770M not so much (but there has been cases). I haven't heard anything about the 2012 models (Nvidia 650M) having these issues as of yet.

My unit is a late 2011 model with the 6770M chip, and it's also failing.

Yeah, late 2011 here, guys.

Jokokoko,

Have you tried that technique where you plug the computer into an HDMI TV with an HDMI adapter cable?  Then after the computer boots up, you turn off the computer off and reboot.  Apparently, it will revert back to the integrated card.  I haven't tried it myself but I read it on this board I think.

Hey,
now my MBP 8,2 early 2011 becomes the same failures as described before!

Graphical glitches, distortioned lines, no wake up from sleep, black screen (but system running)..

I become more angry from day to day - cause i hoped this model will work perfectly - it is my second Laptop from Apple and maybe the last product i bought if nothing change!

I will tell you my story from the beginning with apple:

It is my second MBP, my first was the MBP 3,1 wich had several failures during the life span - the first was the problem, that the trackpad and keyboard stoped working - i found the best provider ever who changed it fast, easy and for no money because he know that apple got an exchange program for this problem.
If i had gone to another company, they said i have to pay for the exchange and repair.. aha.. although apple is doing it for free. Then the grphic card was broken - back to my provider, he changed the complete logicboard because apple had an excange program for the graphic problem too. But in this time apple was cool, and they knew that the production was so bad, that they made the exchange progrms for NVIDIA and the broken Trackpad/Keyboard for free. And than my trackpad and keyboard stopped working again the second time . So i thought, ah no problem - exchange program.. haha no no they stopped the program after 3 years for the Trackpad/Keyboard first and than after 4 years for the graphic too: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377?viewlocale=en_US
Now they want  € 240,- for repairing a €20,- Trackpad-cable !!!!

..what a service - but they don't care about the image they lost..

Short time before i bought the 8,2 Model to get more power.
For the first Live-act with the new model i noticed some glitches in the music, but i thought it does not matter.
Last Gig (a big one) in 07.02.2014 in Hamburg - after starting the show, i had the problem the first time.

Directly after one minute the monitor turns black - so how to performe without seeing anything? Shock!!!! In the studio there was nothing like that, all was running fine and at the stage - crash!
So a DJ must save the situation that i can restart. In hope that i could play after restarting my performance.. HORROR!!!!! With all extras i spend € 3500,- to build this machine as my powerfull professional main system for 3D-Design, Illustration, music-production and music live-performance.
Now i had spend € 2700 for the MBP 3,1 & € 3500,- MBP 8,2 directly to apple.

The years before i told the world that apple is best for the stage, but now i am not sure anymore. And now i can not believe that the graphic ***** with the Model 8,2 again.

Friday last week was biggest crash while working with a band, graphics completely driving crazy, hanging, freezing, no booting after hard shutdown, all problems reported here in one short time ...

We must cancel the hole production this day.

I decided to update the MBP 8,2 to 10.9.2 Mavericks, cause i hoped it is a software problem this time.
After successfull updating (no clean install, and with help of old MBP),

the MBP 8,2 was running better the last days - till now.
Today i had heavy glitches again, and i had not changed to the Intel on board. I always run the AMD to have the best performances.

So it is bad to know that nobody can say what the problem really is...

Why apple do not know more?

Why there is no exchange-program (the problem is known since 1 year - 2013)?

So i repeat the situation:

• MBP 8,2 early 2011 - graphic problems (first reports about this problem in 01.02.13)

• Changing OS X - does not help! (not relly only a little bit, failures coming back)
• Changing Logicboard - does not help? really???? but what else????

Then i can save senseless miles to an apple shop.

So for a would like ferrari - nobody would spend so much money !

And apple creating an image and prices that it might be the ferrari or porsche in the market - FAKE!
But Porsche does a getback action for the last machine failures - TRUE!
And apple? I hope an exchange program will come yesterday (like exchange-programs for the MBP 3,1),
with a personal email and a big sorry that they waste our time and money!

PS.:
Apple you are lost,
now everybody can see your planned obsolescence very easily at all, because you are too fast with it

I have the same specks and the same problem, but im not gettting all the graphic problems you guys are. I did the update then the next time i turn it on i get an instant blue screen and cant even boot into an external.

<Edited by Host>

Didn't try that yet, but I think I'll do that later and tell you if it worked.

I faced the same issue i was using Mavricks and once in a while an externel monitor. luckily my mbp never got completely dead. i was always able to start it somehow. whenever i used photoshop, iphoto, even some flash websited would freeze the mbp and then number of reboots safemode etc etc back to life again. Finally decided to downgraded back to lion did a clean install transfered all the data manually installed gfxcardstatus 2.3 and smc fan controller i also invested in a Deepcool Multicore X6 Cooling Pad for upto 15.6" finally i got the tempature under control using both the cooling pas as well as smc fan controller. i still had bit of hangups and also booting issues would get a weired screen with verticle lines on the apple logo and screen. untill i updated to the latest security update of lion 4 days back. since then i have not got any such hangups. or vertile lines on the screen i do switch to intregrated every time i boot will do that till i finish some projects and then will do the final testing.

I did get my mbp cecked at local apple service center - conclusion change logic board

i emailed timcook got a call -conclusion - not a known issue asked me to pay and change the board.

Signed the online feedback and petitions.

will use this fully i design websites so lot of image and some video editing.

hope this info helps some of you whos mbps are not fully dead. my conclusion two reasons why my mbp got into trouble 1. update of mavricks and using a second monitor. before i updates to mavricks i was happy i wanted to use the external monitor that is the reason i updated to mavricks and got into trouble.

found a link in mumbai they do logic board repairs will speak to them and find out the cost and if they have done any such gpu rebailing replaciing what so ever.

Can you find a way to disable external display? It happens to my mbp, i can boot but mbp hook to amd graphic not integrated and i cannot switch to integrated as long as it hooks to the discrete graphic cards...please help