Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Hi us man g, by reading posts on here I don't recommend using graphic software such as photoshop or even iPhoto since that forces the AMD GPU on.

I have the same issue with you. I also use the 10.7. I want to search a program how can i just use integrated card instead of AMD 6490M. My AMD 6490 was died.

1. Press command + S login to single mode

2. mount -uw /

3. Move all ATI* (or AMD) related files to backup directory. 

  i. mkdir /ATI

  ii. mv /System/Library/Extensions/AT* /ATI

4. reboot

5. Now, you can force to use integrated card (HD3000)

spiegato meglio si deve lavorare per questa soluzione

I portanto my macbook pro 2011 at a technician who performs reballing, explained to me that perhaps the problem is created when the material of the logic board being composed of several layers and expands due to overheating causing the detachment of the graphics processor . Before you can do reballing with a microscope to check that the card is not deformed otherwise it is not advisable to even reballing. it is true?

And I encountered exactly the same problem tonight, as my macbook pro's screen suddenly turned black and then after reboot, there are blue pinstripe lines on startup screen and I can't get into the system. Just have no idea about what to deal with it, orz...

Honestly hope Apple can give us an acceptable answer!

Just to add my MBP to the list of Early 2011 machines (AMD Radeon 6490M) that's going black about every 15-30 minutes. Just started today even though I've had the same routine the last 3 years. Sitting on a desk connected to an external display. Unbelievable.

What is apple doing?I am having the same problems with my Mac book pro early 2011. I have run all diagnosis from a certified apple reseller and they validated that the problem came from the GPU ( they had not yet heard that macbook pro were falling like flies ), they offered me a 600euros repair which left me completely astounded. It lead me to contact the apple care which couldn't diagnose anything nor give me any constructive advice on how to fix my problem. After more that an hour on the phone with a very polite technician I was forwarded politely to a very polite higher technician who talked to the apple reseller person I was with and asked about the results of all diagnostics previously made, the technician on the phone seemed very concerned about my problem since the apple reseller person concluded that not any damage had been done to the computer and that the official diagnostic couldn't even diagnose a GPU card malfunction which obviously was there. After a long deliberation and extra waiting the apple technician couldn't offer any help due to the fact that my warranty had long expired and that the customer relations representative was not enclined to give me any sort of financial help or discount... She apologized profusely and gave me the adress of headquarters and advised me to send a courrier asking for a commercial gesture from apple to repair my computer. Unwilling to leave it at that, I insisted to talk to the customer relations representative who refused any exchange and was forwarded to a very blunt woman, who was reading me my rights before I had been able to explain my issue and advised me to seek legal advice just to realize how hopeless my case was. SHe refused to hear a single word I said, the mask of politeness had been removed. She told me that nothing would change even if I contacted headquartes ( I therefore wondered why I had been advised to do this in the first place, a way to get rid of my complaint maybe? ) and when I told her about all these forums and all these people having the same problem, her answer was belittling, " it's not because a people have posted a few comments that the problem must be real, if the apple engineers havn't detected the problem, this is because there must be no problem at all, stop trusting forum, get your hardware examined and only if the engineers find a default will you be reimbursed as an isolated hardware malfunction victim ". I told her that was going to cost me more than it already had and that I didn't understand why an apple reseller expertise wasn't already enough ( I do not know how much of this she processed since she was obviously not listening ). In the end she barked this at me : " Apple is not a charity organization, and our products are not lifetime warrantied "
This was the conclusion... I had a glimpse of the kind of person from customer relations you never talk to, who hides behind the politness of a smoke screen of technicians who have no decisional responsabilities to make. Those people are not even to be meddled with, they serve as barriers, they'll help you if you are juridically in your right ( and they know the law extremely well ) but forget about customer satisfaction! ( which I dumbly assumed 2 years ago, was included in this exhorbitant price )
Only if we yell all together will they listen!

I have since then sent a letter to the siege with links to forums and petitions trying to make ourselves heard by apple.

I havn't yet received any answer.

Oh and I forgot to mention one thing!

During my call, I inquired about any call-backs regarding the same model of AMD graphic cards in other Apple products. And guess what! There has been a massive call back on the models of IMAC using the same GPU!
So basically :

Faulty AMD Radeon 6750 in an IMac = Call back
Faulty AMD RAdeon 6750 in a MAcbook pro = Let it die

Can someone tell me why all new models of MAc have now switched to NVIDIA GPU cards? Could it be that Mac realized how falty AMD was to their Machine? I wonder.

Share your thought, consumers like us are who made apple become the great company it has become. They should listen and help, not ignore our call.

If you are in an EU member state you should be able to go through your local consumer protection institution. There should be a representative there that can assist you, perhaps argue with Apple on your behalf. Many have posted on here that they have had success with this tactic. I would do an internet search for "2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card" with the words "Europe" and/or "EU".

A few comments...laughable! There's very likely over a hundred thousand on the web by now.

There is actually a consumer law that protects us against hardware malfunction and that extend the warranty of an extra year, which means three instead of two ( in EUrope / In the Us, the included warranty on consumer's goods is only of one year). The only problem is that, to proove a hardware malfunction, either apple's engineering team admits there's one or you need to pay from your own pocket to have technicians run tests on your dismentled machine. And those technicians have to be APPLE certified.... so whatever you do, it's in the hands of apple to decide if yes or no they recognize a problem with the machine. Therefore, regarding the amount of people going through the same problem, it's in their best interest to keep their head under the ground, ignore this completely, and have the people that go through repair to pay for it as if they were victim of an isolated issue.
Let's be honest, we are on apple forums, they read all our threads and comments, they know very well what is happening, and luckilly, this problem has started to emerge after the end of the warranty.

As their charming representative said to me : "apple is not a charity organization and our product are not life time warrantied "

Apple, you worms! If this issue is not treated I will never buy one of your product again.

So, this is my story...

As explained few many posts back I have an older model than the sobject of this discussion, but with the exact same symptoms (MBP mid-2010), crash black screen than reboot, blue vertical lines, distortion etc etc.

I live in Edinburgh, UK - I first took the machine to a local certified Apple centre, they diagnosed exactly what was the problem (cause they knew about this issue since day one!) and gave me a quote for the repair.

Then I went to another "apparently-certified" Apple centre to get another diagnose and quote (the second place is called SimplyFixIt...avoid them at all costs!!! 1. They are NOT an authorized Apple centre and they are absolutely useless, 2. they ask you to pay upfront 100quid to tell you A LOT of STORIES afterwards in order to make you believe your £100 were worth it!!).

Then I went to the Glasgow Apple Store to see the GENIUS and explained my painful situation and showed the quotes. He was aware of the issue, he did run some tests just to double check the problem was exactly it and explained to me that Apple extended the protection plan up to 5 years for those machines purchaised in UK, to cover the graphic card issue AND REPAIRED MY LAPTOP FOR FREE!!...and restored a bit of trust in their company!

So, if you at least live in UK go straight to your nearest Apple Store and ask for a replacement cause they know to be in the wrong!

Good Luck y'all!!

Maybe it was this? MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010): Intermittent black screen or loss of video

Hi out there!

Once up on a time.........

There was a MB pro which cashed in April of this year with the problem we all know.  

After the first anger has faded we went into action.

• Rung Apple Care in Headquartes Ireland to get a case number
• Wrote a handwritten friendly letter of disappointment to Ireland.
• Went to a AASP have the LB replaced (650€)    Lasted just 2 weeks .
• Rung Apple Care (Case number) again ,because the replacement LB was under warranty. Apple colleced my MB to send it to a dfferent AASP
• Another LB was put in,when i started using graphic intensive programmes,bingo the LB lasted 4 DAYS:

And now the story begins,I rang Apple again and the customer relations adviser,after a good few minutes of considerations, decided to save us

a third time repairing the LB, instead  she went for a complete replacement. So my new MB arrived last wendsday.

Under european customer protection law manufacturers are obliged to keep their product up and running for 6 years.

Out of warranty, you, the customer have to pay for the first repair ,you will have a warranty for that,but when the attemt to repair your product 3 times

on the same issue they must replace it.

I know this is a tricky buissenes and it may vary from country to country, it `s a question of what the indivituel governments have ratifyed.

So last not least, Apple can`t repair these MB`s, all LB have the same flaws so you have a good chance to get a replacement  if you follow procedures.

I know every one out there needs a running computer and every attemt to find a solution is worth trying.But ,there is no software solution for this

hardware problem.

By the way I am writing this from a Toshiba Qosimo , my IT Live will never ever depend solely on Apple only.

                                  good luck for all of you

What is apple doing?   Apple?  Who's Apple?

Sir, you are dillusional as I think you're sitting under the wrong tree.  This is the LEMON tree.

Unless of course Apples = Lemons, then you've come to the right place.

Apples are lemons.  I like that.

BROKE college student... CAN'T afford another macbook pro -___- I have a 15" MBP from 2011. same issues that everyone on this thread has. paid almost $2,000 for your unreliable product and was hoping it would last through graduate school. Please help a brotha' out.

This quesiton is for everybody here.

Is your mbp:

1. Dead in the water?
2. Limping along?
3. Operating as normal provided it doesnt' attempt to engage the discreet AMD gpu?
4. No longer in your possession (e.g. trashed, sold, given away, etc)?

If your answer is number 3, can you share how you were able to return your mbp to a relatively stable state?

CindyBruce

I can only relate my experience but my problem started with video glitches and then I could no longer boot the machine. So I had the #1 answer. But I was (and am) still under AppleCare so my logic board was replaced gratis

As to #3, I don't know of anyone here who actually has the problem can return to a "relatively stable state." Those who have been able to get rid of the problem find that the 'solutions' are very short term.

Good luck with your question.

Clinton

MacBook Pro (15-inch Late 2011), OS Mavericks 10.9.4, 16GB Crucial RAM, Crucial M500 960GB SSD, 27” Apple Thunderbolt Display