Q: 2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card

Having Followed this discussion for quite a long, and having the impression that the fundamental problem will not be fixed by swapping logic boards. Reballing may work, for some, but probably not all. I have an early 2011 15", a late 2011 17" (last 17" ever available). The problem is that I feel like I am working with ticking time bombs. I did not pay near 3000 dollars (Euro, since I live in Italy - exchange rates fluctuate, but in a case, not a cheap laptop). I am really disappointed. I have an old MacBook Ti (>10 yrs), an old 17" G4, a 2006 Core Duo (first Intel model), and various other old Macs - all work fine still, even though limited my modern software, graphics, etc. This is not right. As I mac user since 1985 I expect better...

So, what to do. Switch? I can't imagine. Why not give us all 1000 -1500 euro/$ credit, then we _might_ be able to buy something more reliable. I am really not sure at this point, but still willing to try.

What I do not like is being saddled with 2 time bombs which might detonate at any moment. I could have bought a Windows laptop, but maybe I am in error, or maybe I need to rethink... Luckily I have an 11" MBA, a 13" MBA, a new iMac, a 7000 euro Mac Pro (I am a University Prof - I buy a lot of Macs for me and my students), but it still really aggravates me that these almost new MacBook Pros seem destined to become paperweights (although I am also working on a project that might allow me to extract all of the precious metals from them - REE, etc - still, I would prefer a working computer!)

and Apple - if you want to make this right, you have my phone number, sice you have already called once...

mc_italy, I agree - it seems like the right (and easiest) solution right now would just be to offer owners of affected macs a generous trade in allowance for a newer one - My mac isn't affected, but I agree with your sentiments - I have an uneasy feeling and spending $3000 on a new mac seems just silly - there's an old saying - 'fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me' It feels like it would be foolish to buy a new one without some asistance from apple for those affected by the old ones.

Does anyone know of a Yosemite replacement for the "fan control" control panel tool?

I've always been leery of too much heat, and have used fan control since I got this macbook - One possible reason I've not had any issues with it.

I just opened the control panel today and everything is blank - it appears not to work with Yosemite.

Any worthwhile replacements out there? I looked at SMC fan control, but it looks like it only sets the minimum fan speed.

the plain old "fan control" preferences panel had the ability to set a temperature range and set the fan speeds for that range.

From memory, I would set the base speed to 2000 (Factory is 1500) and then at 130F or higher, the fans would speed up, reaching full speed by 160F

As far as I can tell the old "fan control" might have done this by changing settings in the pram or SMC - it wasn't anything that had to stay running.

I have the same issue too.

I am on a MacBook Pro 8,2 late 2011 (2.2 Mhz i7, 16Gb RAM with AMD Radeon HD 6750M 512 Mb, OS X 10.7.5). Two weeks after upgrading my original 4 Gb memory to 16Gb with two 8 Gb (2X8=16 Gb) OWC memory sticks, i tried to install Parallels and the machine crashed or the first time. After that it happened sporadically some times and i had to reboot many times in order to be running again. It crashed also in Bootcamp and sometimes in Safe Mode.

At first I thought it was software problem and i found myself reinstalling the OS. But the problem persisted and became permanent. After extensive reading i am pretty convinced now that it is a hardware failure problem. The funny thing is that i tried to put back the original memory sticks (2X2) and i couldn't even boot again. I succeeded only by putting back the OWC 16Gb memory. Apple extensive AHT says everything is OK!

Now, beyond any doubt it is the AMD GPU fault. More specially the machine crashes when it switches from the built in Intel HD Graphics 3000 to AMD Radeon HD 6750M. I installed gfxCardStatus and when an application designed to work with the Discrete Graphics Card opens the MBP crashes. I checked the "Integrated Only" option of the gfxCardStatus and everything seems now OK!

I am running now for 22 hours without problem regardless what application i open, or how many application are open. I don't know if this going to last and for how long. It seems as a temporary "solution". I called the local Applestore here in Greece and they told me that they are not aware of any such problem. Apple must acknowledge the problem and replace the logic board for free. It is not acceptable for a 2000+ Euro machine to die after less than three years of normal use.

Anyway many thanks to all that have contributed to "solve" the problem. I decided to write about my experience if it can be of any help to others.

My Early 2011 15" Mac Book Pro (8,2) now boots with horizontal lines and then fails to pass the grey screen.  I'm just adding one more occurrence to the list.  I'm going to talk to Apple and see what they'll do.  I actually cannot afford the repair as all my money has gone towards grad school.

APPLE SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY ON THIS!!! I PAID 2.400$ FOR MY MAC BOOK PRO AND IT DOESN'T WORK SINCE DECEMBER 2013!!! I WONT PAY 600$ TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT IS THEIR FAULT! THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

enricox wrote:

I don't know if it keeps making sense buying these expensive computer if the brake like anything else.

Enrico

They brake even more.

AlexanderTN wrote:

I hope that I'm the last victim of this problem.

Nope, you aren't.

AlexanderTN wrote:

Apple can I trust you, to buy a new-expensive one with hope that it will not be broken by "Manufactory failure" in just 3 years?

Nope, you can't.

AlexanderTN wrote:

Waiting for your replacement program Apple ...

That can be a long, long wait.

Unless they are forced to maybe.

Again to all the new people here:

1. Call Apple Support and have them send in a report to the higher level enginerring team - this is probably the best thing to do

2. Submit feedback with the Apple feedback form

<Edited By Host>

I had smugly ignored the various stories on macrumors and Macworld but mine just started acting up today.  I thought it might be because of the latest 10.10 beta but googling led me to discover this thread and many of the photos which match what I'm seeing.

and of course digging in I learn that my apple care has expired...  We'll see what they have to say at the store...

Went to Apple Store in Toronto.

Was told it would cost $532 + tax.

Not going to fix it as it is not a permanent solution.

Was a loyal customer but I'm done with Apple.

This is the sticking point: if paying up to a third of the cost of a new computer (based on highest repair estimate given/lowest spec machine) actually solved the problem, I think many of us - although clearly unhappy - would pay the out of warranty fee and get it done. But the fact that this is provably only a temporary solution - which we would again be expected to cover the cost of repairing - is completely unfair. And the wall of silence from the vendor means that I for one will have to think twice when it comes to buying my next machine. I feel I'm being penalised for the year I chose to update my computer by a company that only seems to show an interest in those customers that are willing to do so every three years.

If Apple were to at least acknowledge the issue and confirm they were researching a permanent solution, I'd feel a little better about having it repaired. But if they won't stand by their products, why should I?

My 2007 MacBook still works fine, by the way - albeit with a replacement battery that failed in less than a year. Was 'lied' to at the Genius Bar about that issue, too.

Not for the first time, I look at that '1984' commercial with a sad sense of irony.

Macbook Pro 15' Early 2011, replaced ram with OWC and added SSD disk, replaced superdrive with original disk.

After three years My mac finally gave up, I had no idea of this problem but know I'm very familiar with.

I always noticed my mac heating up quite bad when using the graphics(playing games mostly).

Last weekend it glitched the screen, few stripes, rebooted and took a few attempts to get back running.

But I thought that could be it, but I started playing again yesterday, and just froze and shutdown dead.

Tried to boot up several times now, it turns on, I hear the disk, the fan, front led is up, but not display, black screen only.

Scheduled an appointment to genius bar on tuesday, but I'm afraid I already know the problem :/.

I'll post on what they say to me.

Hey Caemeleo,

I'm also from Toronto and have been to the Eaton Centre store with my 2011 macbook pro.

I replaced the motherboard of this one (I have two, the other one is also crashing regularly now) last year, paid $800 out of pocket. I had talked to apple twice before without any response. Since I work on these things and tend to buy a new one every couple of years I just went and bought a new one, refurb with apple care. Then I called apple support again, this time they agreed to pay for the repair for some reason. It was off apple care and past the 6 month warranty for the new motherboard repair. When I got the repair back I talked to the genius who said that if you do the repair (which is now about $500, instead of the $800 I paid), apple will cover all further repairs.

This is still unconfirmed policy, and I'm waiting to see if anyone else can confirm this in Toronto or anywhere else.

If you've paid to have a motherboard replaced and have a new failure, check with apple to see if they will cover the repair fully.

The genius also confirmed they are aware of this problem, though if you talk to apple support they will deny this issue, this thread and any talk of class action suits.

Good luck.