Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

+17,001:Add My little Baby to the list. I came home today booted the £apptop and was greeted by the Apple logo then grey screen then blue, never getting to the desktop. When I picked it up I noticed the bottom was way hotter than I have ever noticed before. After continued force shut downs and restarts I have been continually unable too get past the blue screen of death. I have a genius bar appointment tomorrow afternoon, any advice? MacBook pro 2.0 quad early 2011 8gigs ram and apple 256 ssd.

My Mac Book Pro (MBP) that died this month:
Type: 17inch Mac Book Pro Early 2011
Issue: Gray Screen.

Level of operability:
- Can boot to safe mode 80% of time. However in Safe Mode MBP is restricted even beyond safe mode restrictions. 20% of the time, boots to gray screen
- After restoring operating system onto my erased hard drive, randomly at times I am able to boot up in normal mode, but computer does not continue to operate for more than an hour on average. Most of the time requires safe boot. MBP returns to various levels of operability. Sometimes ethernet connections are disabled. Usually but not always USB are disabled. Note: as normal in safe mode, Spotlight is not operational. When running Skype, screen fails. Makes me wonder if problem is with graphics when it switches as Skype uses the higher demanding graphics card in the MBP.

Details: Motherboard failed while MBP was under extended warranty. Motherboard was eventually replaced. Here is the timeline as I recall from memory, as failure of Time Machine to properly backup MBP caused loss of most supporting details.
Starting around October 2011. Apple personnel were informed that laptop was used for critical national use and reliability was critical. Cost was not an issue. Hard drive showed no errors on test. However computer ran extremely slow. Spinning apple to open word docs in pages, or to open google web page using Safari. Previous hard drive was backup using Time Machine. Then securely erased. New hard drive was provided at no additional cost while under warranty in December 2012. Upon restoration using Time Machine it was discovered to have bug and although Time Machine had been successfully tested upon early use, (first two runs) no future Time Machine backups were usable to recover critical data. Data lost. Apple apologized. Knowing who I am and mission, was very apologetic, obtained hard drive which was queued to be sent back for refurbish or destruction, provided to me at no cost. Referred me to a lab in New York. I flew out with hard drive to lab. We spent four (4) days using a variety of commercial and some trade craft methods to attempt to recover any data. No data recoverable. Lessons learned: 1) Hard drive was not defective. 2) Errors showing in permissions were common and non detrimental. 3) Mother board turned out to be on its way to failing. 4) Time Machine has a bug, 5) recommend use of multiple backups (our agency chose to carbon copy and file copy the units user name, in additional to Time Machine backups which bug was reported to have cleared).

Computer continued running slow (boot-up takes about 2-3 minutes. Spinning Apple to open Safari program. Spinning Apple to open Google URL within Safari.
Apple store took action to replace motherboard on a subsequent December 2012 visit.
- History: Computer was not dead. However, was slow to boot up taking 2-3 minutes. All application running very slow and Apple diagnostics were unable to turn up a reason at that time. Sometimes typing text into pages document, web browser, or email caused hourglass icon to appear for 1-5 seconds (while only one application was running). Apple.com corporate was contacted several times and eventually this escalated to level 3 support. We received an inbound call from US West Coast Apple corporate phone number by a level 3 support engineer. He demonstrated himself to be very personable and very knowledgeable about Apple OS. Support person asked a number of questions, provided a series of command line functions which we entered into terminal along with reboots at various times (including the basic reboot into safe mode, open and close each app to reset, then reboot normally). Level 3 support was unable to resolve the issue of a very slow boot and a few times computer locked up (MBP failure appeared to be increasing in magnitude gradually). He advised us to take computer in to Apple store. Computer was taken to Apple stores in: Reston Virginia, Los Angeles California, Buffalo New York, Rochester New York in hopes that one of the stores would know a method to resolve our problem Each store stated this was the first time they had seen the problem.  We also revisited the same stores more than once in hope that a different genius might have a resolution, but each said it was the first time they had seen this. Each time store listened attentively and carefully and then restated what they understood our issue to be, then performed a hard ware test which resulted each time in showing no failure and then some stores performed restoration of 10.6.8 operating system using their portable network OS back drive, after verifying we had backed up using TM. Our MBP continued to run slowly but was always able to boot up after between 2 and 4 minutes. On a trip to one Apple store. We again explained who we are, relatively generic insight as to the urgent use of the MBP, as we had done upon each Genius bar appointment. This time, the store stated there is a problem with some motherboards and this sounds similar to that problem, though obviously they could not confirm for certain. We left the computer at the store and they replaced the motherboard under warranty. At the time, I asked if this was a design flaw, product supply chain issue (vender) or if this had been resolved (as I have assembled over 1,000 PC's in my life and I am well aware of the pain defective parts cause us all. They replied they did not know.  I asked if this mother board would have a one year warranty or if it was refurbished and might fail after not being repaired to a proper state. They replied that the mother board is expected to be a refurb and they are not aware if the issue has or has not been resolved.

Recently, while rendering some 3D floor plans, my Mac Book ran warm. It never overheated and shut down. Never did in its life. Noteworthy, I keep my Mac Book Pro on a raised platform with two large fans as Mac Book Pros are known to run hot. From my work with PCBs, components, circuits and chips, I understand how heat shortens the life of components mostly due to the effect of ion migration. One of my labs had run software to calculate how long various components would last, among other things, so I consider myself very aware and sensitive to proper care of computers. However, I was not aware of the existing and documented widespread MBP failure until it happened to my MBP causing me to hunt for a way to restore my MBP. Shame on Apple for not being truthful to people calling in with the same known problem of motherboard failures.

Does MBP have this issue: YES
Is MBP running standard (hardware): YES, all factory standard as built
Does MBP run hot: YES
OS: 10.6.8
What 3rd party software is running:
Antivirus: NO
Optimizers: NO
Cleaners: NO
Others: MS Office, Skype, Gimp, Firefox, Google Earth, Google Voice plug in, Picassa, OpenVPN, GPG plug in for mail, Sweet Home 3D, Adobe Reader, Gotomeeting DPS Audio. 
3rd party peripheral drivers: (USB hard drive - only used during weekly back ups, HP inkjet printer rarely used for printing a few documents a month or for printing boarding passes)
How much Ram: 4 g
Disk size / Free Space: 750gig / 400gig
External Monitor:  No, Note: roughly 2 hours per month we watch DVD or youtube on TV using the MBP, and maybe 12 DVD movies per year, and less than 12 work presentations in the field. 

Comments: Computer failed the second time after running slower and slower. I estimate the breaking point was when the fan was running fast during 3D renderings that took more than 60 minutes, less than 3 hours. I think the heat may have caused solder to melt away from the hot chips, or perhaps metal ion to migrate causing chip malfunction, not sure at this point. Computer sits here in the office as a talking piece for visitors. Mostly warning everyone to increase backup to daily and prepare for this failure. Sometimes it boots and is used to surf internet until screen freezes.
If you do not run intensive applications and you don't often hear your fan running fast, and your computers does not fail, but your fan does run fast often, and your computer does fail, this could point to failure.  However, we do not know if the failure is due to code causing loops in the processor, or if failure is simply due to excessive heat.  We also do not know if the surface is shiny when the heat pipe is applied to enable the transfer away from components of heat, or if the two processors are too close together so they simply get too hot, or some combination of the above. 

Advise on how to get defective computer to operate: Erased Hard Drive, reinstalled 10.6.8 from disk.  (after attempting: SMC and PR resets and erasing hard drive, performing cmd R <apple.com rescue>, reinstalled OS did not resolve.  Erasing hard drive and reinstalling 10.6.8 OS enables 2-3 minute boot-up. We estimate that the fresh install requires less work for the OS and thus somehow enables the partially operating MBP to come to varying levels of functionality. The MBP able to restore to a level of trust sufficient for part time browsing of internet and no critical activities.  Sometimes Wi-Fi WPA does not function (requests and rejects correct passphrase). Sometimes Apple Mail does not make a network connection. Most often screen goes gray, or blue, or shows vertical blue lines, or shows the full screen shot of the log in page in the top left 1/4 of the screen. At which time, we force shut down and leave it off until the next day when someone decides to try it again. The MBP has turned into an office conversation piece. An unfortunate distraction. 

Some additional thoughts: I was surprised to discover that Apple had not yet resolved this issue and further surprised to learn that Mr. Tim Cook had not yet disclosed a go forward plan. I was expecting a no cost repair to effected MBP, or perhaps a slight discount on a new MBP at the client's choice and obviously no additional cost to Apple replacing the motherboard versus taking the money off the cost of buying new equipment.

I wonder how many people bought new MACs when their defective MBPs slowed down and yet prior to critical failure, thus hiding from Mr. Cook and others the true extent of this problem.  I read the boards and people wonder how wide spread this is. Yet, we don't know the number of MBP currently in use. We know from Apple's books that total MAC sales including both desktop and laptop we over 10 Million and under 15 Million in 2011. That's a big number. But how many people are replacing detective computers and thereby going virtually unmeasured and un-noticed?

We are eager to learn what the resolution to this problem from Mr. Tim Cook will be as our organization is temporarily blocked from buying any more Macs.
I am eager to see from Mr. Tim Cook how he will address this.  I'm hoping for a fair resolution. Something we believe Mr. Steve Jobs would have done were he still with us. Meanwhile, I'm preparing for the obvious and forced conversion over to PC if this remains unresolved. Our challenge is how can we justify a MBP purchase with an unresolved known defect and a C suite leader reaming silent.  People make their point loud and clear through their silence. I hope this situation escalates to high enough numbers to point to the fact that this is an issue that needs to be resolved. 

While I agree that many posts don't add any meaningful/relevant data, you're pointing to irrelevant, generic, not conclusive numbers and have no more grasp on the real size of the problem than "self destruction" guys do. The only fact is, only Apple knows what is the real scale of the problem. All the others are inferences based on a very partial knowledge of the problem. But while a disgruntled customer's bias is totally understandable, your tendency to downplay leaves me quite puzzled. Having said this, I think I spent enough time arguing with you.

On confirmation for free replacement of the Australian guy.

My macbook pro 2012 died Saturday 4 of October and never boot up again always grey screen.

Same day I went to an apple store at Barnet London and they asked 435 pounds.

After I found this post and I called apple care but they couldn't do anything.

Anyway I booked another genius appointment at another apple store for today.

They will replace my logic board for free and they also said that there is an apple replacement program for macbook pros of 2011 with 3 years duration(?????).But was disabled for mine,anyway the guy was really good and search other guys and don't know what he did but they will change it. I went prepared with printed google results,the petition,posts from the forum,from twitter etc even if he didn't look at them.

It seems that is highly dependant from the apple store you will go,your behavior and the guy on genius bar.

They wrote at the payment reciept that will be covered by POS.

DO NOT REPLACE LOGIC BOARD IF GPU FAILS!!!!

My Macbook Pro 15" late 2011 suffered a GPU failure this summer. I paid Apple to replace the logic board, in the end they replaced it FOUR times and it still broke after a few weeks, so the the new logic boards are rubbish.

This must be one of the longest threads in these forums yet Apple continue to pretend that only "a few" people are affected when it's clear this is a general problem with Macbook Pro with an AMD graphics card.

It is INCREDIBLE that you pay $1500 to $2000 US for a Macboom that lasts a little over two years!!!!

And clearly Apple couldn't give a ****, otherwise they would have said something by now.

Same problem here, I have a MacBook Pro late 2011 i7, died 2 weeks ago, since then I have been trying to book an appointment at Apple Store, but there are no appointments available in London, now I don't know what to do.

Ariel  nunes, try early in the morning every day when their system adds the next day at the week. And avoid Barnet apple store. I suggest you to try the bentalls at Kingston. They fixed it for me for free.

=D LOL that's a good one, good point. but your better off not paying him any attention. he gets off on attention/trolling.

Well said good sir =)

Since yesterday I've been having the same graphics card issues with my 15" MacBook Pro Early 2011. As a result I can no longer login, I get to a white-greyish blank screen no matter what I do. Recovery mode doesn't work, Internet recovery doesn't work, Safe Boot doesn't work, resetting PRAM and SMC doesn't work. My MacBook Pro is at the moment virtually unusable, a tad over 3 years after I bought it.

I have exactly the same problem on a 17" MacBook Pro 2011 since yesterday eve'..

If it counts, I have a 15" early 2011 MBP and it started showing blue/white screen of death, heated fan issue since last 2 weeks. Searched and tried everything but it doesn't look like its fixable. I even reformatted and just installed fresh OSX, but still if I boot, it just ends up in white/gray screen. 3 years and I have a piece of $2500+ piece of junk. I am sure 17000 users having the same issue isn't a coincidence and user error!! Something is wrong with the hardware design or the software design that doesn't take in to consideration the 2011 GPUs.

I have a 13" and Logic board replaced twice. Exactly the same behavior: first stripes, then grey screen, then died. I paid for repair (wasn't aware of this thread) and the same day I brougth it home I couldn't even open a simple web on safari. Back to apple service, they replace logic board again and battery, they said the previous one was defective (did they even test it?). This second one wasn't running ok either so they decided it was a software issue and reinstalled OS. Working ok since then.

When, after a month arguing with a very rude tech, I found this thread and called apple, a very polite guy who described himself as "someone who can take decisions, you were lucky level one techs might be all talking and your call went directly to me" told me, as he looked into my info (lots of money spent on repair) "I see you have had enough on this, I promise I will give you a definitive solution if it happens again, and it probably will".

?????????????????????????

This is not exactly the same issue, although it sounds similar. This thread is specifically about the failure of the AMD graphics chip in the 15" and 17" 2011 MBPs. The 13" does not contain this chip.

KimoMansour wrote:

 

Your words are like MAGIC! Hope it gets through to Tim. I hope Google takes over the world, they seem to be one of the few companies that cares about humanity.

Tim is no Steve: unless you're a major shareholder, Tim doesn't care about your opinion