Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Actually, I just read the other night the differences between the 2011 and 2013 mbp's and aside from the Sandy Bridge Ivy thing and the Retina displays, thinner chassis, removing the superdrive, etc. they said not much had changed.

However, even if much had changed, there may have been no reason at that time to change their soldering techniques, especially if Apple wasn't looking to solve any potential problems with older models,

I'd also like to point out that prior to my first spit screen about 7 weeks ago, I had various random issues for many months leading up that moment.

But since I've now managed to get to a stable abeit crippled state with my mbp by using Gfxcardstatus and staying clear of any potentail graphic entensive jobs, all those other issues I encountered for many months have disappeared too.

My mpb is now the most stable its ever been.  I just can't do much with it. 

xslippery wrote:

 

Actually, I just read the other night the differences between the 2011 and 2013 mbp's and aside from the Sandy Bridge Ivy thing and the Retina displays, thinner chassis, removing the superdrive, etc. they said not much had changed.

 

However, even if much had changed, there may have been no reason at that time to change their soldering techniques, especially if Apple wasn't looking to solve any potential problems with older models,

 

The Sandy Bridge architecture, which was introduced in 2012, was a fairly major change - particularly in relation to cooling but, yes, most generational changes are incremental. The things you mention seem pretty significant so "not much had changed" makes me wonder what they would have expected.  Drone capabilities?  Maybe four-wheel drive.

Anyway, I'm certainly not going to defend Apple but I'd suggest we focus on our own problems rather than inventing possible new ones.

Hi to all..

I have read with a big interest all the thread, I have a MacBook Pro 2011 manufactered in week 41 (October) I use it with bootcamp and Windows 8 Pro..I start it in the morning and I will stop in the evening all the day it is continuois running and till today no problems..the graphic card is ATI Radeon 6750M. I hope this can help for better understand the problems...

The same thing is happening to my 2011 early Macbook Pro with AMD Radeon HD 6750M.

Apple should do something about this.

For what it's worth the issue seems to becoming more prominent (after a year and a half you'd think it might):

http://www.itpro.co.uk/macs/22911/macbook-pro-bug-prompts-ongoing-complaints-for -apple

xslippery wrote:

 

It only makes sense that the same defect would also affect mbp 2012 and perhaps 2013.

Why would that be the case?

That is interesting.

I checked on http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/index-macbookpro.html and it looks like you got updated Vram modules.

None of 2011 models have 512 MB of VRAM on integrated GPU.

And from photo http://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/NY16HaAKOksbUf1j.huge on ifixit, MBPs from 2011 have Samsung chips (iGPU VRAM)

Unfortunately none of the refurb boards we have had through our doors for repair have any revised parts which would indicate a burying of heads in the sand at HQ.

In regards to the memory, it is most likely the system has allocated 512MB to the integrated is because he is running upgraded RAM capacity (16GB??)

As to the Samsung VRAM, these boards have either Samsung or Hynix fitted from factory. Manufacturers commonly use both. They have the roughly the same spec so it is most likely a refurb board with exact same spec as original.

And to confirm the expertise of the rework some of them have had look how bad this GPU was when we lifted it from a refurb board (and before you ask - no we did not use to much heat and we did not cause this)

Many of the experts on here will know that there has been too much heat when this GPU had been replaced. 100% this was an apple replacement and not a 3rd party. It had same Apple glue and also board was retagged with serial, Mac Address etc. Also EFI chip had been changed or reprogrammed off the board - meaning it was most likely a recycled board from a previous owner.

1st Picture - This is the condition of the refurb board under the GPU ( Too much heat has been used during the rework process - reworked by Apple or under Apple's instruction

2nd Picture - This is the condition of the a board board that has had no previous rework - the rework was carried out by ourselves.

My laptop refused to reboot and appear a blue screen with thin lines as some people experienced, I paid the same amount of money too (in Leeds), but they didn't upgrade it for me. It's been about a month, I started having the glitch very often now, but always only appear for a second that I can't screen shoot it. I'm taking it back to Apple store tomorrow and hopefully they can do something about it. It was such an expensive fix but it seemed to generate the same problem... I really don't know what I'm expecting them to do to fix this, to just simply replace with the same motherboard is clearly not the solution to fix this... and I hope the upgrade that you had would fix this problem....

The same problem occurred in my MacBook Pro 15" Early 2011 model in last month (June 2014). Suddenly Mac was not starting so went to Apple Service Center but I did not hear any satisfied answer from Service center or Apple Support.

I have been told  by Apple customer Care that it will paid service.

I'm from India.

Nice work done, just for a reference below is the picture of my replaced logic board.

Perhaps some experts can tell anything about if any enhancements.

The VRAM totals 1GB. The GPU is on the other side of the board.

I am 99% sure there are no revised boards out there.

Kind regards

Do you think they are running out of working refurbished boards and they are now having to resort to badly re-balling them? It can't have lasted long if it ended up on your waiting list. If this is apples fix I would rather go to someone who knows how to do it.

Don't get me wrong I have seen some refurbished boards that have been reworked OK. But the one like in the picture was very badly done. Maybe just a poorly skilled individual in the factory.

I am guessing they do a brief test, If the GPU has clearly failed it has a new GPU fitted, if it passes it gets sent to an unlucky individual who has it fail in hours days or weeks.

I am not here to try and tout for business but I would always recommend a new GPU in lead solder. Also the board isn't subjected to as much heat. From the colour of jedi'master board (colour change due to high heat) I would say a new GPU has been fitted - of course in lead free solder.

It is not good for multilayer PCBs to be subjected to too much heat. And if you have a new GPU fitted in lead free solder and the worker has been sloppy enough to cause the damage in the picture i posted, the temps may well have been in excess of 250C

A good technician working with lead solder shouldn't need to go over 190C so much better for the PCB and new GPU.

This is just my OPINION, I am sure others may disagree but I am aiming my gripes at Apple here. When you have a replacement logic board it should be New.

If I went for a Cambelt change in my car I wouldn't be happy with the garage fitting a refurbished one!

Thought I'd add my story to the thread here.

My Macbook Pro (Early 2011) died about a week ago. Couldn't get it into recovery, couldn't get it to boot at all, with classes starting in 2 weeks I freaked out. Took it into apple and they ran a system test over their network (Ethernet boot). Definitely the graphics card issue. The Genius quoted me $310 to have it shipped out $526 for an in-store repair. Said there was no difference other than cost. So I took this information and when I flew home, swapped the hdd (don't trust anyone with my data) and made an appointment at my local apple store . When I went into the store the description the apple employee put in was "graphics fix ALL", that was it. I feel as though with a description like that they are well aware of the issue. It's certainly bs that after dropping $2400 on a laptop it dies with absolutely no user error. As a college student money is hard to come across so I'm truly hoping apple does something about this in terms of compensation as it is clearly an Apple quality issue and I can no longer trust that their products will always work.