Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

OK, thanks for the info.

Apple admitting the problem and providing a free / lasting repair is the only thing that will keep me as a customer.

Good luck with the new logic board.

I've done the trick on Terminal to remove kexts and rebuilt extensions, and now it boots normally.

However, there is SEVERE video lag, Finder windows take forever to load, and I can't drag them. Safari is also slow and filled with video glitches. Can this be solved?

I'm on Late 2011 MBP with AMD Radeon 6870.

This is what I got, I don't think Apple will solve this issue for us as they keep removing any posts that they don't want us to see:

Adding my 2011 MacBook Pro (2.2 GHz Intel Core i7, 8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 memory) to the list. Started when I was watching streaming video, blue screen of death (with black vertical stripes)  I tried removing the ATI/AMD extensions, but then my computer would not boot at all.  Taking it to Apple store, but maybe will just get the thing reballed as I heard the $310 fix only lasts a few months. I could possibly sell it for $300 as is on one of those sell/buy mac websites.

They have no intention to solve this issue for us indeed.

Anyone have any idea what the price for the repairs is in Germany?

With that, I mean the probably-not-long-term-solution from Apple.

My early 2011 macbook pro 17" (manufatured in March 2011) can be added to the list. My machines symptoms are a little bit different.

It all started last week after having working very hard for me over the past years. I was not doing any intensive graphics at all - I was updating a wordpress site. All of a sudden the screen went completely black. No backlight absolutey nothing. However te machine itself did not go dead. Sound worked, keyboard backlight worked, and the indicator the machine was on worked. I closed the lid, and the machine went in sleep mode. Opened the lid again after a while, but it still had a total black screen. I shut her down by pressing the power button for 5 seconds and started her up again after a little bit. Absolutely, totally black screen. However the machine itself starts just fine, you can hear the startup beep, and after a while the keyboard light up and I assume it stops at the startup/login screen.

Did all the usual recommendations listed everywhere, NPRam reset, SMC reset, blah, blah blah to no avail. I decided to remove the back cover and see if I could find any loose connections. I checked and pressed on a few and while the machne was upside down, I turned it on and the screen was back to normal. First thing I did was back her up. Secondly I decided to install Mavericks from scratch as that was never done. The install went great, machine was blazingly fast so slowly I started adding all applications. I was almost done when the screen went black again. Now, no matter what I try the screen remains black.

My next step is to attach an external screen and see if that works. Do the paticipants in this forum feel this problem is related to the AMD graphics card as well?

usvi4me wrote:

 

Do the paticipants in this forum feel this problem is related to the AMD graphics card as well?

It's hard to tell, but to me (having had the discrete GPU problem 4 times now) this sounds like something different. If an external screen works it is definitely something different.

I agree with DD.  My experience has never been an all black screen.  It sounds more like there's a problem with your display, or it's the display connector.  If it's fixed with an external monitor, it's definitely not the graphics card.

I've already changed the logic board six months ago. However the problem comes out again recently, and I wonder if there is some design defects in this macbook pro 2011 early! A bit exhausted now, since changing logic board really cost a lot, do not want to pay that money any more.

Not sure I completely agree with that.  In my case, I was having the issue of booting into a gray screen.  On a couple of occasions, I managed to get the machine up completely but while using it had the screen go completely blank.  But the machine was still running.  Or so it seemed.  That only happened a couple of times but it's definitely behavior I've seen.  So, I'm not convinced that it's not GPU related in some way.  I'll probably know within the next few days.  I sent my logic board out for a reball.  Vendor should have it today.

Tom

So... Brought my MacBook Pro to the Genius Bar yesterday. They did confirm there isn't any repair program started for that model (really?? ***?) even though I mentioned this thread with its 400000+ views. They kept it overnight to check it out more though I'm sure I'll get it back with them telling me to give a lot of money to replace a DEFECTIVE logic board with another potentially just as defective board... (Breathe...)

I'd love to hear more about specific consumer laws that would apply hear. Anyone with the knowledge?

Also, has anyone gotten theirs reballed on eBay who can describe the end result? Was it effective?

Thanks, trying to weigh in all the options here.

My early 2011 17" MBP crapped out last weekend, 10 days out of AppleCare. Started acting strange, ended up with dark blue screen. Restarted and could never get past gray screen. Finally after taking to the Genius Bar, Escondido store manager called me last night to deliver the bad news that I need a new logic board. He was very polite and understanding but was not willing to bend on the AppleCare deadline. I'm surprised that the cost estimate is only around $340 for new logic board. I wonder if Apple has recognized the problem and lowered the price rather than admitting that this is a defect and doing a massive recall - that's what my inner conspiracy theorist tells me . I've been a long-time evangelical apple user since the 90's. This leaves me with a bad feeling though.

Trust is everything in any relationship and my trust has been shaken. It all comes down to doing the right thing, right?

$340 is not a discounted price for the MLB.  They will quote you around $500 to have it replaced by the Apple Store, or for out-of-warranty machines, they will give you the $310 + tax depot repair option (assuming you haven't physically damaged it by dropping it or water damage etc).  Keep in mind that with either option, it is not replacement with a new MLB, but most likely with a refurb MLB (this may explain why some folks who had the repairs done are seeing the same issue come up again).  Also note that repairs only carry a 90-day warranty.

Search Google for "replace or fix all 2011 macbook pro with graphics failure"

Just wanted to say hello and add my MBP to the list...