Frozen macbook pro, late 2011 model, rebooting to a blank white screen

Question

Level 1

4 points

Frozen macbook pro, late 2011 model, rebooting to a blank white screen

Hi

I am using a macbook pro, late 2011 model. I bought in January 2012, have been using it all the while until yesterday 26th April 2013 with no problems at all. However, as i was watching a movie, the screen froze, with a weird red checkerboard pattern all over. When i tried rebooting it, it was fine at first, but then the horizontal lines appeared across the screen, and the computer froze. Then i had to reboot multiple times as i kept getting a blank white screen.

I am really unsure of what went wrong, so i searched for apple software updates, and there was a java update available, so i installed that and turned the laptop off. When i turned it on again, i watched youtube a couple of minutes, and when i tried to open a video, the screen froze with black horizontal lines again, and it refused to boot - just stuck at the white screen after the on chime. Does anyone know what happened to it? I really don't want to spend thousands on repair cost after all the laptop is still very new.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Apr 27, 2013 1:30 AM

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Answer 1

Eric Ross

Level 6

11,807 points

Apr 27, 2013 1:35 AM in response to imawsm

Try restarting your Macbook Pro in recovery mode (holding down the command + R keys while restarting) the run disk utility on your hard drive to repair it, also repair the permissions. Take a look at this link, http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1782

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Answer 2

imawsm Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 27, 2013 2:07 AM in response to Eric Ross

Hi,

I tried doing that but a dark blue screen with lines appeared..Also, my macbook heats up on the bottom left side. It never heats up unless i am playing

games like candy crush etc. But when i am using my mac for games, i always keep it elevated. But it never gets this hot.

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Answer 3

Apr 27, 2013 2:07 AM in response to imawsm

You possibly have a defective GPU, soldered onto the logic board. If I were you, I would take the computer to an Apple Store or an AASP for diagnostic testing. It MAY mean that the entire logic board needs replacement - which isn't going to be cheap.

Clinton

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Answer 4

imawsm Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 27, 2013 2:10 AM in response to clintonfrombirmingham

Hi clinton.

I checked online and some also said it might be the video card? If the logic board is defective, is there any way to recover my files? I really did not expect this to happen.. The macbook was really fine all this while..

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Answer 5

Apr 27, 2013 2:13 AM in response to imawsm

If it is the GPU - and if the logic board needs to be replaced - then your hard drive and data on it should be fine. The GPU IS the 'video card' - do you have the 13" or the 15" model?

Clinton

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Answer 6

imawsm Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 27, 2013 2:53 AM in response to clintonfrombirmingham

Hi Clinton,

I am using the 15 inch model..

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Answer 7

Apr 27, 2013 3:06 AM in response to imawsm

OK, so then you have two GPUs - an integrated and a discrete. I still think that the only way that you're going to find out where the problem lies is by taking it to an Apple tech, but you can download and install gfxCardStatus to see if the problem is occurring only with the integrated, discrete or both GPUs.

Good luck,

Clinton

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Answer 8

imawsm Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 27, 2013 7:44 AM in response to clintonfrombirmingham

Thank you very much for your suggestion. I will get it checked as soon as the weekend is over.

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Answer 9

hfortes

Level 1

0 points

Apr 27, 2013 8:54 AM in response to imawsm

I have (i think) the exact same problem. I lauched the cinebench 11.5 opengl test and suddenly the mbp froze with a grey screen. Forced boot, and now I have all these horizontal pink lines and I can't do anything, won't start osx, tried all things like safe boot, recovery, fresh install, doesn't do anything. the graphics look corrupted, when installing osx all i get is a dark blue screen with vertical black stripes. It's my first mac, spent 2200euros, and after one month and 15 days after warranty, its fails totaly....repair for logic board, 650euros.

is there report on defective gpus (6750m mbp 8.2)? How can a board fail like this after 25 months on a premium product like mbp?

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Answer 10

imawsm Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 27, 2013 6:31 PM in response to hfortes

My question exactly. I am still waiting to diagnose my macbook. I just wish if this had to happen, it would have happened within my warranty period. My warranty expired 3 months ago. I am also wondering how this could happen. After all I have taken good care of my macbook. It is only 15 months old. I am also a first time mac user. Just totally did not expect this to happen. I did get the same thing you're got- like lines on the screen, blue screen in safe mode. I have been trying to restart my macbook from last night periodically every few hours, but I just end up with a blank white screen. I never experienced any of this when using my old dell laptop. Bought it in 2008, its still working fine now. This is my first mac as well.. it functioned so well before. Is this a faulty manufacturing problem ? I would like to know if other mbp late 2011, 15" model users are experiencing this problem or not

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Answer 11

nadouani

Level 1

0 points

Apr 29, 2013 10:42 AM in response to imawsm

Hi all, yes I'm experiencing the exact same problem 😟

I was able to recover all the data using another macbook, firewire and the Target Disk mode.

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Answer 12

imawsm Author

Level 1

4 points

May 1, 2013 11:05 AM in response to imawsm

Hi everyone..

I've just received a reply from the apple authorized service provider. Not sure what the problem is, the hard drive is fine but they quoted me to replace the entire logic board. Its going to cost me MYR 2900, which is more than half of the original price.They suggested i get a new mac, but i will not be doing that. Its too expensive.. After all, i saved up for a long time to afford my mac, but it only lasted 16 months. I wish apple would produce better machines to match their hefty price tag. Or at least come with a free 3-year full warranty.

Its still a shock to me since my mac was totally fine just a week ago, and now its totally gone. The symptoms showed up suddenly and within 24 hours my mac became totally unusable. I have never used my mac heavily, just for simple watching movies, editing photos, facebooking emails word processing etc. Never used it before for hardcore gaming. I use a laptop cooler. I carry it around in a laptop backpack. And it barely has a scratch on it. Wonder how this could happen. I suspect its a faulty unit. I just wish apple would provide better care for its customers without making us buy the overpriced apple care plan.

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Answer 13

imawsm Author

Level 1

4 points

May 1, 2013 11:07 AM in response to nadouani

HI..Could you use the machine still?

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Answer 14

May 8, 2013 8:05 PM in response to imawsm

Hello imawsm

I have sort of the same problem, mbp 15" early 2011.

The first major thing that got broken was the HD - luckily it happened when it was still under the initial warranty and apple replaced it for free, but unluckily I lost all of my files during that time.

After the replacement I've had no problems and no symptoms, when a few weeks ago I was watching a youtube video and suddenly the screen froze and would get stuck on the white screen when I bootup. I had to force shutdown, verify and repair disk, reset the PRAM and it seemed to work for a time, but it kept getting stuck on a white screen, sometimes pixelized or blue screen with vertical lines.

I brought it to the authorized store for diagnosis where they were able to recover my files and had it updated to Lion but they said the screen is starting to get broken. I mean - !?@#$! this laptop usually sits on my desk and I rarely take it out or move it around for work, I'm sure I never bumped the unit. I always plug it in an AVR, and all the other necessary precautions. I take good care of it since it's also my first mac, I keep it well ventilated and shut it down every night. I work on Adobe graphics software which is not heavy and monitor the temp with iStat, and if I can hear the fans, I let it take a break. Right now it's still on the white screen 😟

That's why it's so frustrating to have invested on what is claimed to be a quality product only to have its hardware break down before its second year. Apple should definitely provide longer initial warranties, and focus on quality hardware the way it focuses on making their products look pretty. We have an Acer laptop here at home working great, and it's older than my mbp.

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Answer 15

imawsm Author

Level 1

4 points

May 9, 2013 8:17 PM in response to The Goblin King

HI Goblin King,

I have just managed to repair my macbook. Luckily i took some pictures of my frozen macbook (it had horizontal, sometimes vertical lines on the screen before turning white and refusing to boot up). I managed to find a spare part/laptop repair shop who did it for me for a mere MYR 280 with the same 3 months repair warranty like AASP (I was quoted MYR2935 by AASP). When i described the problem to the guy and showed him the picture on the screen, he immediately said it was the graphic card problem. He changed the graphic card, with a same model (AMD Radeon 6750) and now the laptop is working fine, just a little slow upon startup. The AASP's solution was to change the entire logic board, plus they did not guarantee that the problem would not recur. They even included a suggestion to get a new model. The guy who repaired my laptop said that this problem was due to overheating, its a flaw in the MBP's design. WHen i collected my laptop he mentioned just a day after i sent my MBP in, another guy came in with the same model, MBP late 2011, 15" and same problem. But that guy opted to just repair his graphic card, for a cheaper price MYR150, but only a one-month warranty.

The MBP has serious heating issues. It heats up like crazy when i play candy crush on facebook, which is the only game i play on my laptop. Even watching youtube gets the laptop hot. So now i plug it in a cooler 24/7 and bring the cooler everywhere i go. I suggest you get your laptop diagnosed and repaired with a trusty laptop dealer, but not the AASP. I picked the shop because i saw they displayed macbook parts like the battery etc. So i knew they dealt with MBPs.

I'm ****** thinking of how long i saved up for my MBP but its giving problems like this when my dell inspiron 1420 from 2008 is still working until now. Just go around surveying shops that could do this before deciding on one. Some shops i checked tried to cheat me by quoting a high price. Luckily i found this one for a very reasonable price. They normally will not charge you if they cannot repair your laptop, unlike the AASP which charges a fee for cancellation of repair.

It sure seems like you are having the same problem as me, with the graphic card.

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