Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Apple Executive Relations is doing a truly poor job at the "relations" part.  And yes, the conversations do seem like an infinite loop, which not so surprisingly is Apple's corporate address.

Sure, any component can fail in a laptop.  However, Apple is disregarding the trend of these machines exhibiting the same failures at around the same time with the same component.  If that isn't information enough to actually research the issue then I don't know what is.  What they are taking into account is the amount of $$ involved for the repair.  Replacing a failed HDD, SuperDrive, memory--all components that "could" fail--is at a substantially lower cost that the main logic board.  The research performed by Apple is not to look at the technical issue, the failing component, the solder used, the manufacturing process, or the flaw in design.  It is simply mathematical/financial research as to how best to not incur expenses to the company and minimize impact on the bottom line.

It's a shame that Apple and their Executive Relations team is failing to understand that true leadership at a company is showing integrity and admitting/owning up to the mistake and doing what is responsible.  Apple is not the company it once was and has quickly forgotten to take care of the customers who helped the company become what it was at its prime.  Not only is innovation gone from the company, but quality and customer service have also followed Steve Jobs to the grave.

paigoomein wrote:

 

 

It's a shame that Apple and their Executive Relations team is failing to understand that true leadership at a company is showing integrity and admitting/owning up to the mistake and doing what is responsible.  Apple is not the company it once was and has quickly forgotten to take care of the customers who helped the company become what it was at its prime.  Not only is innovation gone from the company, but quality and customer service have also followed Steve Jobs to the grave.

Sadly, nothing says that any more clear than this thread.

clintonfrombirmingham wrote:

 

Does anyone know if reballing a GPU (to avoid months of corporate faffing and associated loss of earnings) will have any impact on the situation once Apple 'fess up to this design flaw and address their customers?

Reballing - with the old or a new GPU - seems to 'fix' the problem more often than not. But, as I've pointed out before, Apple techs are not equipped to do board-level repairs. They only exchange parts for parts. So it simply wouldn't do for Apple to admit the defect as they've no way of actually fixing the problem.

I think you misunderstood the question. The question of the poster before was whether a non-ASP reball job would have an impact on Apples reaction iff they decide to recall the devices.

I think it definitely will because:

• if the device works you won't be eligible for the programme anyhow (and they will verly likely not reimburse non-ASP work)
• if the device doesn't work it was tempered with so again not eligible

I am truly outraged that, even after 4000 posts and 400,000 views, countless emails, twitter campaigns etc that Apple are still coldly stonewalling customers who entrusted them to significant amounts of money.

This is not acceptable behaviour in the 21st century. It will be the last money they get from me.

Please everybody complain using the apple provided channel, eventually they will have to respond.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

If they finally come clean about this issue instead of selectively stonewalling and caving, seemingly largely depending on the region where it was bought I would expect them to reimburse me for my expense. With what I, many on here and off the record Apple engineers I have spoken to believe is the best solution for these 2011 models. A fresh GPU with lead solder, polished heatsink sandwiched with minimally but correctly applied high quality thermal paste to a 2011 logic board, as their engineering guidelines for this particular model need to change retrospectively to minimise the logic board swap boomerangs that are happening, and properly fix a good but flawed MBP.

We are lucky here in the UK to have the sale of goods act as consumer protection, cos if nothing is done by Apple I will take that route and expect to claim my costs for repair reimbursed.  That isn't fair especially after reading there's thousands of others who have far less rights as a consumer than us Brits, who have been asked to pay again and again so until then I'm happy to join in the chorus for Apple to (eventually) do the right thing for everyone on this thread.

In fact I would be more than pleased never to post on this ever again other than offer Apple their thanks for finally listening, cos I and most of us don't expect you to behave like the rest of the industry and do nothing about it!

baleares wrote:

 

I am truly outraged that, even after 4000 posts and 400,000 views, countless emails, twitter campaigns etc that Apple are still coldly stonewalling customers who entrusted them to significant amounts of money.

 

This is not acceptable behaviour in the 21st century. It will be the last money they get from me.

 

Please everybody complain using the apple provided channel, eventually they will have to respond.

 

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

Sadly, there aren't any other options out there if you need OSX.  (For those of us that develop iOS apps).  So, I'm really hoping that Apple gets their act together here.

triffski wrote:

 

Oops, I meant reflow - too late to edit now. Good spot.

If done correctly, might last as long or longer as a reball.

A good reflow is better then a bad reball.

triffski wrote:

 

Oops, I meant reflow - too late to edit now. Good spot.

If done correctly, might last as long or longer as a reball.

A good reflow is better then a bad reball.

There is no such thing as a good reflow after years of use because reflowing requires clean solder pads and fresh solder. Both things you do not have because solder ages, oxidizes and might pick up lint.

degger wrote:

 

triffski wrote:

 

Oops, I meant reflow - too late to edit now. Good spot.

If done correctly, might last as long or longer as a reball.

A good reflow is better then a bad reball.

 

There is no such thing as a good reflow after years of use because reflowing requires clean solder pads and fresh solder. Both things you do not have because solder ages, oxidizes and might pick up lint.

And I still stick behind it.

And yes, I do have knowledge and experience about/with it

Not saying you don't. Different persons, different opinions.

It's the things you mention one has to understand and what a correct solder/flux profile is to do a long lasting fix.

I do both, reflow and reball, whatever is best.

Both with long lasting results!

If reball or replace is only option, I do that.

Just want to add.

A reball is indeed a solution with a "total refresh" of the solder.

Which is allways the best option of course.

Not saying reflow is the best solution.

Only want to say if done well, it can last for years too.

Will be definded more by knowledge and experience of the person doing it.

Thanks, yeah I guessed pretty much that. But would either be in any way detectable on the logic board if done well?

Sadly, I am also affected by this. Late 2011 15" Macbook Pro, AMD graphics chip (can't recall which gfx card specifically). Purchased just over 2 years ago (Feb/March 2012 I believe).

First noted issues 10 days ago (Saturday before last) which were seemingly triggered by importing a CD to iTunes. Suddenly had three loud repetitive beeps, what can only be described as screen psycadelia, leading to sheer panic in myself. Had to shutdown, force eject the CD I'd attempted to import by holding down left mouse button on restart, and thankfully after about 6 attempts it started properly for me to be able to have a 'live chat' session with support. I was concerned at this point that it was related to the CD import, and concerned about if I'd have loss of data. Support considered whether it was a RAM issue and provided me steps to start in recovery mode.

I booked it in for a Genius appointment the next day (I'm under warranty until next February) but have had a combination of illness and other commitments, leading me to cancel the appointment and subsequent attempts at rearranging. It should be noted that after a second graphics crash on the Saturday (again triggered by opening iTunes), the Macbook has worked fine...until yesterday evening, where a glance at Google Street View to try and find a location I wanted to go to (I'll admit it...a noodle bar ) caused all **** to break loose again. This time, I have more photos and a video of the attempted boot-ups to show the genius. I'm booked in tomorrow evening at the Genius Bar.

Thankfully, after the first crashes, it prompted me to do a backup of all the important stuff, something I hadn't done in a while.

Thanks, yeah I guessed pretty much that. But would either be in any way detectable on the logic board if done well?

If done well just glancing over it? No. However if not done well or on closer inspection it should be detectable.

degger wrote:

 

Thanks, yeah I guessed pretty much that. But would either be in any way detectable on the logic board if done well?

If done well just glancing over it? No. However if not done well or on closer inspection it should be detectable.

Reballed/lead solder they can allways detect if they really want to.

If reflowed only, will be much harder, if possbible at all.

Reason some of my customers prefer a reflow over a reball.

Should it fail again and should there be a recall from apple....

Reballed/lead solder they can allways detect if they really want to.

If reflowed only, will be much harder, if possbible at all.

It's not impossible. One of the big differences compared to initial manufacturing is that the board is fully populated and thus the area to be reflown needs to be masked and/or the heat otherwise locally restricted to not damage any sensitive elements. The local application of heat can be detected. Also re-heated joints will look differently than the original joints.

It really depends whether someone wants to put energy into detecting it...