Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Follow up: after having my GPU replaced and the mother board re-flowed (baked in an oven) I'm +2 weeks and the computer is fine (I think). I've seen glitches a couple of times but they've just disapeared without any effort

I paid for this work myself and I shouldn't have had to.

The brand new MacBook Pro Retina I bought in the US and brought back to Israel was DOA when I opened it. That has gone now to Apple's local premium reseller to have its mother board replaced. That's a $4000 laptop that was dead in the box.

I'm still working with the repaired one which will become my wife's computer and standby backup. I'm never going to leave myself without a standby machine that can take over if my primary ever stops.

Where is the place on this website we can register a strong objection to the 2009 machine's clear indication of a latent defect of manufacture?

My 8,2 has started to exhibit the same problem; a few days ago while working in Aperture, my MacBook froze, hard, and I had to force a restart.

First time I've evern seen it, but the Apple logo came on with a pretty purple hue with horizontal lines and couldn't load up after it disappeared. A couple more tries at rebooting and it came up. Some random freezes over the last few days while under load with the same purple Apple logo and even the odd blue screen with vertical white lines as well.

Now that I've found this thread, I'll do some more troubleshooting and see what the result is. I'm still covered under a Best Buy extended warranty for another year so let's see how this goes.

Frankly, I recommend you just replace it. The symptoms are clearly linked to your video chip, and if the video chip is screwing up, it's not gonna get better. Worst case, it might truly become a problem once your warranty expires.

That's what I figure; I'll run the tests to verify, then take it in for repairs ASAP.

Cheers.

hi guys i tried disconnecting the battery, but it didn't work. i initially thought it may be causing the problems because the condition says "replace soon." i'm now on gfxcardstatus and i have no problems yet with the integrated graphics. i'll hold on to this until the weekend and i'll have the AMD card re-flowed on the weekend. the parts for my laptop will take a while to arrive so i'll just stick with the reflow first. wish me luck!

Hi,

Best of luck.  Please report back with results.

Just a quick update;

I pulled my OWC SSD, OWC Data Doubler and put back in the stock RAM.  Wipe the original 750GB HDD and reinstalled OSX from the Mac App store.  I installed only what came with the combo install (10.8.3). Nothing else.

It lasted 24 hours before the GPU problem started up again.  During those 24 hours I could even use my 27" Thunderbolt Display which automatically switches the graphics to discrete.  Go figure?

So just as others have tried:

1: It's not the SSD, nor removing the optical drive and installing Data Doubler.

2: It's not the 16GB of RAM from OWC I installed.

3: It's not some software glitch/conflict, because I only installed the combo OSX install dmg.

One thing I could NOT do, was roll back the SMC to a previous version other than 1.69f4.

I'm out of warranty - but this Thursday I've scheduled my appointment with Apple anyway.  This early 2011 8,2 is not "Fit for Use" and hopefully they'll do something about it.

One last thing:  A startup procedure that has worked for me after crash, this is crazy but it's works every time.

On Battery power - Restart by zapping the PRAM, 3 times let it chime, after the third time close the lid and let the fans spin up.  Yes it's still on - wait about 30 seconds or so.  Next - open the lid and hard reset (Power button). My proper start-up screen then will be displayed.  I know it's crazy.  But "ON MY MACHINE" this resets something and I'm back into integrated graphics.  Your mileage may vary.

I'll let you know when I make some progress with Apple.

After this problem got even worse for me in March, my Macbook 17" early 2011 (23 months old, no apple care) has been in for repair 3 times. Since then, I'm on my 3rd logic board and I've had the screen replaced too. I still have problems.

The logic boards from Apple also appeared to be physically in a bad condition. Currently I still have problems but the Apple testing software does not show this, so they refuse to replace the logic board again. This MacBook has been used purely for office use, so I feel like they've put in logic boards that, not only still have the same problem, but also appears in a physcially worse condition.

Unfortunately I don't think Apple is ever going to provide a proper solution for me at this point, so I think I'm done with Apple products.

That would be my nightmare. If the replacement logic boards have the same issues, then it's a question that would require a replacement program on their end.

@Neshill I only had a service centre too.. I got the service agent to do a quote, then contacted apple on their 800 line and expressed my displeasure.  My call got upgraded to a lovely lady whom I emailed the quote too and 24 hours later they came back and said they'd pay for the logic board..

Im having the same issue with my early 2011 Macbook pro 15"! Do you guys think they can start a replacement program on this? How do I fix this.. It just recently started happening to me yesterday! Really unhappy!

@bleakaspect

Have you installed non-OEM memory?

If so, remove the back, remove the battery cable from the logic board.  Re-seat the memory.  Attach the battery cable. Zapp the PRAM. Install this app.

Restart and launch an application like VLC that uses Discrete Graphics. 

Has your Macbook made three beeping tones?  During startup?  (Indicates RAM issues)

I recently replace my 16GB with two sticks of 4GB - I'm stressing my Macbook Pro with the Thunderbolt 27" Display which uses only discrete graphics and intensive graphics apps: FCPX, Logic, Motion, etc. and I haven't had a crash in several days now, was it the memory?   I don't know but you should check your memory sticks.

Lastly, I purchased my MacBook Pro using Amex, they add an additional year to the warranty, so two years from date of purchase.  I didn't purchase Apple Care.  Check the method you used to pay, if you didn't purchase Apple care.

No, it's a bone stock macbook pro! 

(and no strange beeping or other occurances other than the screen distortion when i switch on the graphics card)

Wow, this is nuts. I have an early 2011 15" MBP with a failing graphics card. At first it would randomly freeze and crash, now I can't use the external graphics at all. I hope they do something, as I really don't want to pay for a new logic board because Apple shipped defective computers.

In the process of demonstrating the issue to the tech guy at Best Buy (yes, I know, total contradiction of terms...), it appears that simply switching to the external card using Gfx completely freezes the machine consistently.

They are supposed to be running some sort of diagnostic test and then shipping it off for repairs.