Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Hello,

a problem occurd while move the kext files from the Extension folder:

for a test i moved the AMD* files von /System/Libarys/Extension to a new folder, touch the folder and reboot the MBP. The machine went to an very slow system and so i login in in sigle mode again, mount the volume, move the files from my folder back to the origin folder, touch the folder Extension and reboot the machine. But nothing was change - the system is always in a slow mode. So, in a normal log-in i use the terminal to check if all files are back in the Extension folder. ok - but the files have not root permissions. so i change the owner of the files to root - and i receive the message, that the new extensions cannot be registered by the system?!

So, in single mode again, check file system, mount -uw /, touch /System/Libarys/Extension again and reboot the machine.

But ... it theems that the AMD Extensions cannot be registered - but i don't know why? I thought if i touch the Extension folder, the system registered the Extension during the reboot?

Can anybode help to solve the problem? the reason is - i can work with my MBP for 3 - 4 days befor the system freeze and hang up. After 10 or 15 reboot i can work again for some days. but now, without registered AMD files the system is very very slow.

thanks a lot,

tom

Tom,

Not sure what went wrong, but you might try opening /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility.app and running a "repair permissions".

Also, I'd recommend trying to selectively remove the extensions (experiment with different combinations) and do install gfxCardStatus--if you can get it booted with a minimal set of AMD extensions use gfxCardStatus to switch it into "Integrated Only" mode and try not to have it reboot after that.

Even then, I think though that some applications will kick the AMD card on anyway--in my case I started VirtualBox the other day and immediately locked up my machine.

Just got my Macbook Pro back from repair (really quick by the way - just 4 days!) My Applecare warranty was 2 weeks expired, but after a discussion with the Japanese Applecare team, they agreed to fix my Macbook for free seeing as the problems originated right around the time the warranty was expiring. It wasn't easy though. At first they wanted me to pay, but I said it was unacceptable considering the warranty had just expired and had myself elevated to someone with the power to authorise free repairs. With a calm discussion and explanation of the circumstances, the guy understood the problem.

The logic board was replaced and first signs indicate that the problem is gone. However, there are many here who have reported that the logic board fix is not long term, so can anyone give me advice on stress-testing the fix to make sure it's solved the problem? Once the 90 day window is gone, I doubt the Applecare team will be agreeable to fixing it again...

Well, mine had the logic board replaced under Applecare about one month ago and it lasted exactly 2 weeks, dying in Saudi Arabia with no chance of a quick fix.

So, back it went to the ASP last week and I'm now on my 3rd logic board. I'm now pushing it with videos, streaming etc. and will leave it to see what happens.The heat coming out of the bottom of it anf the top left-hand corner is way up there.

Luckily I've got Apple carte for a while yet and if they don;t want to replace it next time (which i will definitely try for), i will le them replace the logic board againa and again until thy lose both money on it and a very unhappy long-year customer.

What i don;t understand is that understand the power of wordof mouth. Every time the don't replace it more and more people are hearing about how bad both Apple service and Apple quality is. Nothing premium here. I use mine with bootcamp and don;t even pearticularly need OSX - the replacement decision is getting easie by the day.

Alan

Here's a teardown of the Early 2011 Macbook Pro model. They mention the large amounts of thermal paste may cause overheating issues down the road.

http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Unibody+Early+2011+Teardown/4 990

Since the AMD graphics chip is on the board however, it seems unlikely the overheating problem with surface in just 90 days..? Considering my computer was fine was nearly 3 years.

Thanks for the reply. That is disconcerting. It's strange how the logic board doesn't fix the problem for long though, since the initial problem took longer to show up than 2 weeks! Any insight into this from anyone?

I will bear your advice in mind and not put anything on the computer for now then. It's going to be a pain using it for the next few weeks/months not knowing if/when it's going to fail again...

Mod x (and others considering buying the current-gen MBPretina to replace our 2011's),

A note about the current-gen MBPr, one possible consolation is that these new designs don't have a discrete GPU at all--or at least not in the usual sense. The Intel "Iris Pro" graphics processor is on the same package as the i7 processor, and as iFixit points out this leads to a simpler (and probably more reliable) heatsink design.

I'm planning to try and limp along on my Integrated GPU until hopefully either a small MBPr refresh this summer or a Broadwell CPU refresh at the end of this year (maybe), but I'm almost tempted to pick up the current-gen model because of this GPU-less design...though that's probably not very rational if I can make it to the next version.

Also, just musing: I know we're all beyond irritated about this issue, but try to keep a little perspective: Apple's desktop/laptop shipments are the third largest worldwide, but more noteably they have only really 5 lines--MBP being one. Compare that to Dell and HP which have--what, three or four dozen each? My point is, the 2011 MBP may be the (essentially) single model with the most units shipped of any laptop in 2011. Dell and HP shipped more laptops, but probably no single model shipped as many. My point is, if there were this proportion of failure in one of those other manufacturer's lines, it would never be detected like this has been.

Yes, it's a problem. But the grass on the other side of the fence is no greener. Spec out a comparable laptop from Dell or HP and you'll spend almost as much, and good luck getting it as thin. And sorry, I'm convinced you're just as likely (if not more) to have the same kind of problem with one of those laptops. You just won't be able to find enough people with the exact same model (you can get the same model from Dell with either an AMD or nVidia card sometimes!) to correlated it into a pattern--it'll just be another dead PC.

Thanks for the reply. That is disconcerting. It's strange how the logic board doesn't fix the problem for long though, since the initial problem took longer to show up than 2 weeks! Any insight into this from anyone?

All the replacement boards are refurbished, so they usually have some runtime already and in some cases might have had exactly this problem already which went unnoticed. Even if they notice the only option for Apple would be to trash them since they seemlingly don't want to replace single chips.

I'm wondering if the reason that the repairs don't last long is because they're using reconditioned boards for the repairs. My first logic board was installed at an authorized repair centre, but 6 months later, when the Apple Store did the repair, they claimed to have used a new board, implying that it should last longer. I'm hoping I get as long as the original board, which would bring me to 5 1/2 years by which time I should be ready for a new computer.

Last week my Macbook Pro late 2011 MD318 also suffered from same problem, blue screen with black vertical lines. This problem came up when I run vmware fusion; consequently, my Macbook suddenly froze. When I tried to hard-shutdown and restart, the Apple logo appeared with red stripes inside. I didn't know why I trusted Apple built-quality, my Mac lived only 2 years 1 month, sadly. Also, my Mac warranty period has expired and after searching for this problem and brought it to Apple authorized center in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam to fix it but they said I have to replace the logic board which costs over US$700 dolllars.

Looking over Internet, now I can see that many people suffered from the same problem with their Mac and I do hope that Apple will take action with their customers, at least carrying out a wide replacement program since this is not random defects from manufacturer.

thanks for replay. have found the issue: i manually moved the files - on terminal as the wrong user. after this i chown the files as i wrote - but only the .kext files -> these are folders with content. i didn't set the user (root) to the content of folders. so, a quick chown -R helps me. delete with sudo rm -R Extensions.kextcache the cache files, reboot - and now it works again

Greetz,

tom

Thanks. I wasn't aware the replacement boards were refurbished versions. Makes sense for Apple to cut costs, but that will definitely affect the lifespan of the product. Is there any way to determine if the replacement logic board is a new or not?

SlartibartfastYYC wrote:

 

A $2300 laptop should not fail after 2 years.  If I wanted a laptop that was going to fail I’d buy a PC.  I’ve been a Mac user for nearly 20 years and I have two PowerMac G4 Towers that are still running on mostly original parts after over a decade.

Do you really think that about laptops?

Totally wrong thinking.

Both fail, both are based on jus the same components.

Even get in more macbooks compared to pc laptops with this problems.

Especially if you count in the userbase where pc/laptops is x-times that of apple.

The most simple explanation of this is Apple sets more on design, portability thus making things smaller.

Smaller in electronics often results in getting hotter. Especially using same and same thermal design for more power..

I don't talk about the chip dies or manufacturing process of it but about cramming same electronics in the same or smaller cases/housings.

Let's hope the newer models won't suffer from these symptoms too...

D3us wrote:

 

SlartibartfastYYC wrote:

 

A $2300 laptop should not fail after 2 years.  If I wanted a laptop that was going to fail I’d buy a PC.  I’ve been a Mac user for nearly 20 years and I have two PowerMac G4 Towers that are still running on mostly original parts after over a decade.

Do you really think that about laptops?

Totally wrong thinking.

Both fail, both are based on jus the same components.

Even get in more macbooks compared to pc laptops with this problems.

Especially if you count in the userbase where pc/laptops is x-times that of apple.

 

The most simple explanation of this is Apple sets more on design, portability thus making things smaller.

Smaller in electronics often results in getting hotter. Especially using same and same thermal design for more power..

I don't talk about the chip dies or manufacturing process of it but about cramming same electronics in the same or smaller cases/housings.

 

Let's hope the newer models won't suffer from these symptoms too...

I don't know.  My *personal* experience mirrors that of the original poster. 

I've had 7 Apple laptops over the past decade.  Other than the 2011 one, all still run like new.  (With the exception of 1 that was stolen, and one I had to replace the LCD because a child stepped on it.) 

Desktops?  Too many to count that are totally trouble free (and the Apple desktops are smaller than their PC industry counterparts also)  *= Had one issue with a sound board on an iMac in 1999, and a switch issue on a G4 Cube back in 2000.  (Fixed by Apple without question at the time, and I hope that trend isn't changing)

In that same period of time I've had Dell, HP and IBM/Lenovo laptops which have a 40% failure rate in about 2-4 years.  (Lenovo's have never failed me, HP once, I've only had one Dell that was problem free.) 

Again, just my personal experience.  Others will have different experiences. 

tremor16 wrote:

 

Thanks. I wasn't aware the replacement boards were refurbished versions. Makes sense for Apple to cut costs, but that will definitely affect the lifespan of the product. Is there any way to determine if the replacement logic board is a new or not?

Other than to visually inspect the board and look for signs of wear (rust seems to be pretty common?!?), I'm afraid not.