Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

APPLE is censoring me and keeps deleting the truth when I post.

LovedJames wrote:

 

APPLE is censoring me and keeps deleting the truth when I post.

If you would prefer for that not to happen just stay within the terms of use, there is no free speech right here, once the terms have been agreed to you must stick to them.

benedictros wrote:

 

Apple is just a big big pile of ****..

Thanks for sharing your opinion, I have filed it.

Thanks for the sarcasm..

By the way, thanks for disregarding the thousands of posts before mine.

benedictros wrote:

 

Thanks for the sarcasm..

You're welcome

By the way, thanks for disregarding the thousands of posts before mine.

6,469 (over 18 months) at current count, many of which are duplicates and many of which do not agree with you, maybe a thousand individual posters. As this is just an Apple user staffed site and therefore can't do anything about it why bother? Your energy would be better spent looking for a remedy.

There are consumer remedies in cases where you feel you have been in some way cheated, feel free to use them.

Another early 2011 mbp died today. Going into Genius Bar uk on wed morning - any advice on what to say to them?

Adding one to the 2011 macbook pro death list.

I was wondering if a thunderbolt expansion chassis with a new graphics card in it would bypass the problem ? Can you tell the macbook to only use an external gpu ?

My Apple Care just finished and if I have to pay 500 $ to change the logic board (wich is fine), I might as well pay the same and buy an PCIe expansion chassis.

What do you think ?

Chris,

You've UK consumer law on your side - a product must be free of defect for 6 years, so you're probably going to be able to get a new logic board gratis. Which might be a temporary fix - some people have gone through as many as three logic boards before Apple offers a replacement unit.

If you do get a free logic board, be sure and keep the paperwork - if it fails again within 90 days of replacement Apple are obliged to give you another gratis.

Also keep in mind that there are quite a few companies in the UK that offer BGA reballing of your GPU - and it's quite cheaper than having a logic board replaced should Apple fail to offer a free solution. And it actually fixes the root problem.

Good luck - let us know how you fare.

Clinton

MacBook Pro (15-inch Late 2011), OS Mavericks 10.9.4, 16GB RAM, 960GB SSD, 27” Apple Thunderbolt Display

Thanks for the advice clinton, that is a big help. Will let you guys know how I get on.

All:

I know there are a large number of people following this thread and since I've already provided the facts of my case, it is not productive to just keep posting (hint, hint) for the sake of "chatting".  What we all need to have happen is for new people to discover this thread and post if they have a machine with this issue. There is strength in numbers.

Issue:

1) Kernel panics that start out as graphical glitches and get progressively worse until the machine will not fully boot.

2) Occurs when the MBP tries to use the discreet GPU (if you plug in an external monitor or use a high-end program)

3) Only can occur with MacBook Pros that have a discreet GPU

4) Appears not to be a GPU failure, but rather a solder issue caused by heat strain over a period of time.

Here are useful instructions:

1) Post your basic issue here (let's the PUBLIC know this isn't a small issue)

2) Submit the issue to Apple at https://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html (let's APPLE know there is a problem)

3) At a level above the store Geniuses, contact Apple (by phone or email)  and make sure they contact you back and create a case. As you might expect, Geniuses are at a pay grade below where this problem lies, therefore that is wasting your time and theirs.

4) Keep your Apple case active by providing them updates, so they can track your individual experience and also monitor the time/money/effort factor on their side. Do what they say. I have submitted several log files using Apple's Capture Data application.

5) Others may disagree, but I would NOT pay for a reball or reflow simply because it will void your warranty and then Apple will likely not provide further assistance.

For the record, I have a replacement GPU that has been working now for about 2 weeks. I'm hoping for the best, but planning for the worse...

Chris,

Best of luck - be considerate but don't let the techs run you over. If they refuse to replace the logic board gratis, just ask to speak to a manger - and remember that you've UK consumer rights laws on your side.

Clinton

Hal, I have done ALL that you listed since the day I received my machine 3 years ago because it was having issues upon arrival but Apple did not replace it. I mentioned about it being DOA and it should have been replaced immediately and the response was the machine I had was a replacement for a DOA machine they sent me a week earlier (same make, model, configuration, all of which were non standard they were special configurations). All I could respond with was there is obviously some serious issues going on to get two DOA's in a row in less than a months time. Ultimately I was stuck with a DOA machine because a week prior the machine I bought was also a DOA. I did however work around it for nearly 2 years before the machine just plain would not work.

I had Apple Care and after they replaced the logic board 3 times, the optical drive 3 times, 4 if you count when I received the machine brand new, all wiring and cables have been replaced two and three times depending on the wires/cables we are talking about, the airport was replaced 3 times, and the list goes on.

It STILL does not work and I still had Apple Care however Apple refused to honor it. The issue does not show up on hardware test, not even when the USB had no power on the new logic board and I sent it back in. They called from the depot telling me they could not reproduce the issues. I asked if they plugged anything into the USB port next to the mini display port and he said no we only run stress test, which does not show up many hardware issues. I asked him to humor me and plug something into the USB port and the next day I received the machine with a new logic board because there was no power to the USB port. Unfortunately the machine still had the graphics issues, shut itself off, airport dropped off, over heating and causing kernel panics so I called to have it sent in again. This was the 4th time in 3 months and the machine was sent back saying they could not reproduce the issues two days later. I then received a call from a white glove manager who identified himself and asked if I knew why they did not do anything to my machine. I replied, yes, it passed the hardware test and the extra white glove hardware stress test. I added we all know there is an issue and we also know the software test for this issue does not show up in the hardware stress tests, however if they opened the machine or actually worked on it then they would see the problems just as they did the previous 3 times it was sent in. The cables were melted and I have the sheet from the depot stating that. The guy said my condolences and hung up on me.

I am in the music, entertainment, and photography industry and lost a few clients, lots of money, my reputation was marred until the issue became so predominant that anyone in the industry that hasn't already moved to Windows became aware of this issue. All this was extremely stressful, I lost just about everything even though I jumped through every hoop Apple requested. I reinstalled the OS so many times in the last 3 years I lost count. I even formatted the time machine backup drive losing EVERYTHING so Apple couldn't say that I must have brought something over from the backup drive. I did the reset of PRAM and all the other standard hoops one must jump through, I did the capture test with the software they sent me, blah blah blah. Problem is even that capture test does not show up the actual issue which leaves them clueless or deny there is an issue at all. I went through this for 3 years with the last 5 months prior to my Apple Care running out being so stressful I had a stroke after speaking to one of the people that called me either in the White Glove department (the manager and the one who said "my condolences"), or it was Tim Cooks assistant, I have to go through my files to see which one it was. I have built a huge 3 year file on this and everything I did, all the phone calls, all the times it was sent in, the date and times since they record the conversations because I am NOT sitting down quietly.

I have every post I ever posted as well as every post anyone else has posted and Apple does not allow "Freedom Of Speech" our first amendment right, the website that is a collaboration between myself and some very heavy hitters in the music/entertainment/photography industries there will be freedom of speech.

So I have done all the things you stated in your post and it got me nowhere, well it got me a stroke and an expensive paper weight that Apple refused to honor the Apple Care in the last 3 months. I did everything to resolve this in a professional manner but its obvious Apple has no desire to do so. I have alerted Apple of bugs and how to fix them for years, did I get credit? No! Don't really care about that because I have so much computer engineering credits to my name I could care a less about Apple's except when it interferes with my job, my money, my reputation, my health, and my customers.

I have written 100's of posts yet I am at level 0 and zero points which if sucking up and being condescending is what it takes to get points and move up a level then where I am is fine with me because I have plenty of credits where it counts. There is no doubt this will be deleted on THIS forum however there is a website where everything is to be displayed showing the wide spread global issue with the early 2011 Macbook Pro and the iMac's of the same time and same configuration have the same issues. The gull Apple has to charge customers to replace the logic board knowing full well it will go bad just outside the warranty of the replaced board. The fact Apple STILL refuses to acknowledge there is even an issue is an abomination.

Wake up Apple.... Steve can't come back and save you this time and there isn't another Steve Jobs standing on the street corner, visionaries like Steve are rare, normally die young, and the empires they built suffer for the sake of the all mighty dollar.

Thanks KmS Rox, I guess everyone is sharing the same depression to Apple products now.

Hi everyone, I don't know why but this doesn't allow me to post a new discussion anymore so just replying to the original post.

Hope this helps....

I went to apple repair service due to same reason as you guys. Since there was no warranty left, I had to spend $310 + Tax in order to get fixed with a new logic board as they suggest. After couple days I received repaired mac book and it seams working fine so far for about a week now.  Apple agent told me this problem caused due to installed 16GB memory which is over powering gpu on the board..(what the... f..is that mean anyways?? ) They say Max. memory(ram) can be installed is up to 8GB for my early macbook pro 2011. So, they claimed that this will happen again if I keep using 16GB of memory for this computer. The funny thing is Mac system it self shows working 16GB memory for sure so I was very confused and start researching online.

Finally I got answer from trusted OWC (macsales.com) agent and saying.... as below.

On Jun 27, 2014 11:16 AM,  <support@macsales.com> wrote:

Tim,

This is a standard response anytime Apple finds third party memory in their computer. They have been doing it at least as far back as 1999 when I was working at an authorized Apple service center.
The issues that you were having are very well documented and they center around failing BGA (ball grid array) solder joints on the graphics processors. With time and countless cycles of heating up and cooling down, the solder connections become brittle and crack. This is the issue, not 16GB's of RAM in the computer.
 
Sincerely,

OWC Technical Customer Service Rep

So, I believe the problem is only a hardware issue, not software or any others. Now my macbook seems working fine, and I guess it will be survive for at least another year since my last memory up grade was about year and half ago. The I see that apple stated 8GB Max Ram for early 2011 macbook pro on their apple product spec page, so maybe there is reason for saying that but still uncleared answer from Apple Care Service. Anyways who knows ... but they will keep ignore to give any compensation for sure.

Good Luck,

Tim H.

I only have 8G on my early 2011 Macbook Pro same issue logic board replaced 3 times and broke again. Switched to Lenovo W540 I hate Windows but I need a working machine.