Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

kittykatKS wrote:

 

@jokokoko

 

I already mentioned it a few pages back... you can install linux distro Ubuntu.  Use version 13.10 AMD and create a bootable flash drive (I found a video on youtube with directions).  After you boot from the drive you have to press "e" when you reach Grub and enter some code. The directions are here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MacBookPro8-2/Raring.  But I had to put the following lines before the first line (there was no "insmod 2" when i booted from the drive)

     outb 0x728 1 # Switch select

     outb 0x710 2 # Switch display

     outb 0x740 2 # Switch DDC

     outb 0x750 0 # Power down discrete graphics

 

and the quiet.spash code after quiet.splash without deleting the original.  If you follow the link you'll know what I'm talking about.

 

The code disables the discrete graphics card. The black screen you are seeing is from not entering the code above. I have been using my macbook pro for two weeks now without any issues and my computer was completely dead for months (since late last year) and unable to boot into mac os x.

 

Isn't it ironic that a completely FREE operating system is the only thing that could get my $2,000 computer functional again... Thanks APPLE!  For nothing.

Thank You! Didn't see your earlier post. I already tried that before, but wasn't sure, whether I could put that code anywhere, because I didn't see the insmod entry, too. I will try it later this day.

By the way: for those who also want to try this and don't like YouTube-Tutorials, here's the instructions on how to create the bootable stick: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-mac-osx. But be careful if you don't know what those commands do. Be sure to do exactly what the instructions say.

I wish apple could atleast admit there is problem here...

So, Apple, what about 362196 views and 3631 replies on this topic, what about my 2000 EUR loss when I was not able to finish my job. I think that Apple is a good company with a lot of money to cover all of my expenses I had with this faulty machine. Hey Tim, lets Cook sth out of this

By the way in 5 minutes 10 more people checked this topic, that means 120 per hour, that means 2.880 per day...

I feel my wallet abasement

Message was edited by: rdbrwn

My Macbbok Pro Early 2011 has this problem since last week. Seems like Apple is falling back into the 90s where they had massive quality issues. Many loyal customers were frustrated and left at that time. Waiting for your response, Apple.

Don't need a towel it heats up in 5 minutes or so.....

And the idea of sending my Mac for a reball in Brazil is not an option.... and the cost would be horrendous.

At least this way I am still able to do my work as usual and can easily go several days without a reboot if I'm careful.

Sent my MB Pro Early 2011 to service yesterday. I'm really disappointed about how Apple handles the issue and rather ****** because I installed a 500 GB SSD and upgraded to 16 GB of RAM recently. If I'd known that my whole machine will break down only two months later I'd never done that for sure. For now I do not think that this product was worth its price. Nonetheless I need it desperately and do not want to buy a new one, after having spent so much money. Hence I got to accept the horrendous price for repair... :-/

While Apple satisfies shareholders with paying dividends and increasing its spread income, customers are left-behind and learn that it's all about shareholder value these days.

When Apple launched Mavericks for free it some how astonished me I never expected Apple, out of all the companies, to roll out an OS free of cost. I used to wonder how would they recover the cost they spent in years of coding and "research" to develop Mavericks. But I suppose I have found the answer!!

I think its time for Newton's Law of Gravity to work: Apple to start its descent!!!

Installing ubuntu seems to be the most stable "solution". As I'm mainly a python programmer it doesn't really matter if I'm running MacOS or Ubuntu, I like both. I'm loosing some features such as AirPlay etc. but from being a useless brick to a computer that is functional, fast and stable, I'm ok with that.

Here's the step that I had to do:

1. Download Ubuntu 13.10 x64 AMD  (http://www.ubuntu.com/start-download?distro=desktop&bits=64&release=latest)

2. Use uNetbootin to create a bootable USB drive (http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/, works on all platforms)

3. Hold down alt while booting and select EFI boot (USB icon).

4. When in the GRUB menu, highlight "Install Ubuntu" and press E.

5. Add:

outb 0x728 1 # Switch select

outb 0x710 2 # Switch display

outb 0x740 2 # Switch DDC

outb 0x750 0 # Power down discrete graphics

after the first line (can't really remember what it said).

and change the "quiet splash" to:

quiet splash i915.lvds_channel_mode=2 i915.modeset=1 i915.lvds_use_ssc=0

then press F10 to boot

6. After this the Ubuntu installer will be display. Install it according to your own preferences.

   Here's a simple guide: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/install-desktop-latest

7. After installation try to boot, if you end up with hearing the Ubuntu sound and a black screen. Try booting again holding down shift to enter the GRUB menu, here highlight Ubuntu and press E, enter what is written in (5), outb should be after insmod ext2.

   *a) If you cannot get the GRUB menu to show you need to create another bootable USB drive with this image:

         http://sourceforge.net/p/boot-repair-cd/home/Home/

   *b) Create it using unetbootin, hold alt to boot from EFI-boot, when entering the GRUB menu you need to press E and change the GRUB in the same way as the Ubuntu installer USB drive. Press F10 to boot.

   *c) Run the boot-repair program, choose the Normal repair, when it finishes restart your computer without the USB drive and Ubuntu should boot with GRUB.

8. When logged in to Ubuntu, open up a terminal and enter: sudo nano /boot/grub/grub.cfg

    Find the part of the config file where it's written:  menuentry 'Ubuntu' --class ubuntu.
    Look further down and you'll find insmod ext2, below insmod ext2, enter the outb commands written in (5)
    further down, edit quiet splash as in (5).

    CTRL+X and Y then enter. Now you should be able to reboot without any black screen.

The problem with my computer is that the screen is black all the time. The computer turns on but the screen doesn't.
I have a 1,700€ 2011 computer in the closet. Great Apple!

I bought an iMac because I NEED to work and I already had a major issue with audio soundcards that, surprise, all people have with late 2013 iMacs and it's been discused in this forum too.

My €800 iPhone 5 turns itself of when it has 30% of battery, the screen scrolls without me touching or doing anything.

Definetly, this is the last Apple computer that I purchase. I will buy a hackintosh next time. Apple *****.

Bye bye Apple.

Did the problem occur before the release of Mavericks? Perhaps Mavericks bricks hardware older than two years. So users are forced to buy new hardware and eventually pay for using the new OS.

Yes, it runs Mountain Lion.

A year ago a little pink lines appeared for 2 days, then disappeared. Then one day the screen was completely black, since now. Apple support asks for €600 for a new logic board which, of course, I won't pay.

I installed Ubuntu on my second HDD and it just works. Now I'll put it on my SSD and run it from there in future.

To point 8 of CatFisces instructions: be aware that any update of Ubuntu might overwrite that file. So you might have to edit it again.

Seems Apple have found the same thing is happening with 2011/ 2012 iMacs (AMD Radeon 6970) and are offering repairs http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5167, and unless the products are launched without testing they must know about the Macbook issue too.... so why are we not getting repairs? My computer is just under 3 years old (the cut off date for the iMac), I'll be very unhappy if the 3 years pass before the repair is offered.....

I just paid. I desperately need a working Mac OS X but I could've spent spent almost two weeks making holidays from that money. Bearing that in mind I do  think that this was my last Apple product. Selling premium hardware should always mean offering premium service in case of defects. If someone knows Rapha Cyclingwear: They do have a service which is superb. Hence their high prices are more or less adequate.

Whereas I do not think that Apple products are worth their price any longer. Like @Rohan said: Apple is working on their decline if they do not begin to respect their customers' needs in case of self destroying and ridicously overpriced hardware.

Smart guys at Apple - as time of XP ends these days and a lot of new computers will be bought. Two of my friends just asked me if they should swich to apple. I had to tell them that these laptops are not worth their cost.