Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

A new GPU is cheap. Might as well replace it if doing a reball.

$30 on eBay.

clintonfrombirmingham wrote:

 

Ryan Connolly,

 

Apple's not going to do a thing - in order to actually fix the problem, they would have to put four different logic boards back into production and they're simply not going to do that. They will never own up to the production problem and, if they ever do anything, it might be a 10% off coupon for a new machine (but I doubt that they will even do that).

 

The best thing that you can do is to be pro-active and simply have your GPU reballed. Less expensive than a logic board replacement and actually fixes the problem.

 

Clinton

Mr Clinton

"be pro-active and simply have your GPU reballed", Easier said than done.

I'm dying to see just one reballer here in Singapore but there's no luck at all. I found some DIY soldering guidelines but I wouldn't attempt to do it though.

APPLE's silence in this matter is making me annoyed!

At this point it seems you are right. They have ignored it for just long enough to say that it is natural for Our machines to Only last 2-3 years. Of course it is NOT natural. But that's corporate BS for you.

I think the only way Apple will ever listen (if they do at all)  is if this goes super widespread. Like on most of the major tech sites. Otherwise apple will just have their way with us, like Clinton said.

I'm from Singapore and also couldn't find a reballer.

I think apple should be doing something instead of keeping mum.

It's a APPLE MacBook which priced are premium. Not just some PC.

My early 2011 15" MBP has developed the same problem. No warning. Two days ago, the screen went blank (it went dark grey as it played a Netflix streaming video, not at fullscreen), and it wouldn't restart: the Apple logo appeared as normal, but then it would freeze on a grey screen. Just like most of you.

Initially, resetting PRAM made no difference, but after a number of tries, I got it to start. After about a minute, the screen started to flicker and shift erratically (mostly horizontal shift), and then the computer froze, displaying a blue screen w/thin vertical stripes. I wasn't pushing the video card; I was only surfing the net, looking for information on the problem.

Restarting now is hit-or-miss. I usually have to try a few times, and when it does start, I can't do much of anything anything that really uses the video card. If I even reposition a window, the screen goes glitchy. When it crashes, it's usually the same blue screen w/vertical stripes, or a crazy blocky diagonal pattern. I can't work with images, which is what I do for a living.

After spending some time looking through these threads and other available information, I'm amazed to discover that this is a such a widespread and clear problem. It's ridiculous that Apple isn't fixing this; it's 1) obviously a known issue, and 2) obviously a manufacturing issue.

I shouldn't have to be worrying about replacing my computer. Neither should you.

None of us should have to be dealing with it, and it's not okay that Apple isn't rectifying it. 2 1/2 years simply isn't a reasonable lifespan for any computer, let alone a MacBook Pro, and imaging and video failing can't be something to worry about on a machine that people do professional imaging work on. ... What does the "Pro" stand for?

If Apple's MacBook Pros can't handle imaging any longer, the professional community needs to start looking elsewhere, and if Apple can't handle making right on a manufacturing problem that's clearly theirs to make right, customers need to start looking elswhere. I'm a graphic designer, and I've used Macs for over 25 years. I stuck with Apple through their hard times, and I'm very sorry to see this happening. I'm not really bothered that they had a manufacturing problem; that happens. I wouldn't hold that against them unless it continued to happen. But them not making it right is something else altogether.

I'm sorry to hear about all of you folks who have been trying to deal with it for months now. I hope Apple doesn't continue to ignore it, and that they step up soon.

Early 2011 MBP

2 GHz Intel Core i7

AMD Radeon HD 6490M

INTEL HD Graphics 3000

OS X 10.9.2

I'll be bringing it into the Apple store so they can have a look and so that it's on record, but it doesn't take much to know what the problem is.

______

Okay, can anyone help me with gfxCardStaus... I can't switch to "integrated only" without the computer immediately freezing and crashing (turns to the crazy zig-zag pattern).

I can't believe this is happening.

How I wish there could be someone like ps3specialist in Singapore.

I'm tired of waiting... Apple will be Apple. Apple don't seem to care about us consumers... sighh... what a waste...

Just google BGA Repair Singapore, I found many companies that repair broken laptop motherboards. Call them up and ask them if they think they're able to solve your problem.

<Link Edited By Host>

Thanks CatFisce. It seems Live support is offline. Anyways, I'm leaving them a message.

My advice in case you don't find a reballer in Singapore it's send your Mac to an especialist in other country like USA. It's a risk but it's the only way. For that you can use known couriers like DhL, UPS or so. In Spain second hand goods don't pay taxes or customs. I was going to sent my laptop from Spain to UK before I found a reballer in my country. Like clinton said, it's not necessary change the GPU if yours works properly. I'm filmmaker and right now I'm editing with my reballed i7,17" Mac a commercial recorded in 2,5K. O issues. The temperature of GPU never raised over 45C in final Cut 7 and 54C in DaVinci resolve. One trick I've applied following the engineers advices it is put the fans always at 100%. I prefer broke the fans which are cheap than broke the GPU connections again. Other trick recommended by engineers it was use a cooling pad. There are cheap, and never let your laptop works over 80-85C. In my case some renders in After Effects reached 92C. Finally, don't switch off the laptop and let the fans do their work till the temperature after a intensive session don't back to 29-32C. Those tricks are valid for any repair you do in  Apple with a refurbished logic board or at other reballing centre. I use Smcfan to control the fans. Believe me when I'm telling you that I know how frustrating is this issue for all of us who need the computer to work. I don't expect anything from Apple because Apple don't pay my invoices every month. The people who is writing here their advices, they are wasting their time only for help because they ran the same way you are right now. I just can say that they are in the right way from my own experience.

Apple's not going to do a thing - in order to actually fix the problem, they would have to put four different logic boards back into production and they're simply not going to do that.

Not true, they might just as well replace the GPU on those 4 different boards. Actually they should have the capacity to do that fully automated so it would only take a couple of minutes and a new GPU per board.

I'm from Singapore and also couldn't find a reballer.

LMGTFY: Advancedit in Singapore claims to do board level repairs.

Okay, can anyone help me with gfxCardStaus... I can't switch to "integrated only" without the computer immediately freezing and crashing (turns to the crazy zig-zag pattern).

 

I can't believe this is happening.

Same here, no zig-zag pattern but it immediately freeze when trying to switch to Integrated Only.

You need both the CPU and GPU reballed, the integrated graphics controller is built into the i7 processor so itf it doesn't work it means the the CPU needs to be reballed as well.

Hello,

Since we are speaking of reballing, did anyone try to take profit of the reballing process to upgrade to the max possible AMD GPU ?

Anyone tried to solder a 6770 (or even a 6790) instead of a 6490 or 6750 ?

It is not just soldering a different chip , it has to be compatible with the logic board.