Large square "pixels" on Macbook pro screen?

There's a large thread here (somewhere!) concerning GPU problems with the Early 2011 15" MacBook Pro. It sounds as though your problem is intermittent, so I don't know that Apple's diagnostic tests would indicate a failing GPU (but that's certainly what it looks like).

If I were you, I would take the machine back to your local Apple Store/AASP with your screen shots and try to escalate the problem up the food chain - beyond the Genius Bar folks and to the manager on duty if possible.

Good luck,

Clinton

Hey, we have a 2011 15' MacBook Pro experiencing that EXACT issue. Curious, Kristytan did the Genius's help you? Did you ever find a fix?

I am having the same problem now on an early 2011 MacBook Pro 15". It was not happening till only recently. I have attached a screenshot.

It seems to only happen when I wake the thing up from being asleep.

Ideas???

Did you ever find a resolution?

Your GPU is destroyed on the logic board.

Contact Apple for full in shop diagnostic and parts replacement. 😊

You need to show the shop your screenshots and inform them that this problem is intermittent and that the logic board needs to be replaced.

Hi Kristy.

The battery had started failing about 2 months ago but it said it was not a danger to the machine and just that at some point I'd have to deal with it.

About 2 days ago, I came home to see both the laptop and external screen completely corrupted and covered with garbage like the screenshot I put up on my previous message.

The battery was apparently also done, because now it showed a big X over the battery icon (once I am logged in) saying I have no battery. I took it into the Genius Bar at my local Apple Store. They replaced the battery and did a full set of tests and everything came out ok. So I figured the video was fine, but the very same day I noticed glitches.

I can't say I have ever noticed this glitch happen yet when I do NOT have the external monitor connected, so you could be right.

PlotinusVeritas:

I guess you are saying my GPU is gone too?

I seem to have noticed the system has two display cards. Some integrated Intel one, and an ATI one as well. If it was destroyed, would it still work most of the time and only die like this, intermittently?

hook up an external monitor as elminative diagnostics

if present, then yes.

Large green horizontal blocks would not come from : bad RAM, or from bad monitor feed cable.

Only happening in wake from sleep, indicative that your GPU is 'going'.

Contact Apple for full in shop diagnostic and parts replacement. 😊

Did not quite understand the bit about external monitor... I noticed some of this garbage on the external monitor too, not just on the laptop's own screen.

So by GPU, you mean the ATI, not the Intel video chipset?

So if this only happens when waking from sleep it means my GPU going but not gone?

Any idea whatsoever what this means? Replace the motherboard? Just the video "card"? Any even crazy ballpark idea how $$$ this might be?

Last question -- could I somehow just disable the GPU and use the built-in on-board video instead of the GPU?

I cannot quote you a price for many good reasons.

Same on external monitor? Good enough to finalize causation. GPU

You need to make an appt. with Apple for a free diagnostic, as to final repairs if any that is your choice, but you need only make an appt. and drop it off.

Though I used to repair laptops long ago, nobody on this board is going make a final hardware diagnostic determination via an online board discussion, even if things are abundantly clear what is going on.

Peace 😊

Yah I understand... about the questions I asked that can't be answered too easily here.

So the GPU is what connects to the external monitor too, right? If I disabled the GPU and went with the Intel video, I would not get the external monitor support?

Curious -- why did you suggest that if this happens only when waking from sleep that it is a GPU failure issue? Wouldn't this phenomenon happen even when the machine was running and not sleeping?

BTW. I had the battery fail on me at the same time I first saw this problem happen. I came home and screen on both the laptop and external display was totally garbage. Powered down and restarted the machine. It said no battery (X on battery). Still got glitches. Seems glitches are LESS or maybe never even happening if I am not connected to the external monitor, but I am not certain of this. The machine was rebooting randomly at this point.

Took the machine to Apple Store's genius bar and they replaced the dead battery. Power wise, machine is good now and starts up and does not restart on its own. But I noticed the graphics glitchiness despite the battery replacement.

Not sure if this battery failure issue caused the GPU issue or if this is just some coincidence. I never recall seeing this GPU issue before.

Oh yah. The Genius Bar guy did a full diagnostic test (you hold down H or something when you start the machine). Everything checked out. Even video. Just an FYI.

Everything checked out because you current have an intermittent problem.

Wouldn't this phenomenon happen even when the machine was running and not sleeping?

No, in cases of failing RAM, GPU as well can easily manifest, irritatingly, in a sporadic fashion.

This is the kind of thing that frustrates simplex diagnostics and repairs.

verify your screen capture and details at time of appt. for full clarity of your issue.

Thanks 🙂...

Btw... if this is a GPU failure, what is your best guess -- do I have to replace the whole motherboard (on one extreme) vs them just pulling out a GPU chip and replacing it with a new one?

I know desktops and towers and if such a thing happened there, I just had to pull the PCI video card out and stick in a new one -- fast and cheap!