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Macbook Pro (15" early 2011) horizontal lines on screen and not booting...?

Hi there,


I have a Macbook Pro (15" early 2011).


Last night something weird happen. My MBP (screen closed) was connected to my Cinema Display, then all of the sudden out of nowhere the Cinema Display showed black and white vertical bars. I waited a while, but nothing changed, it froze.


I decided to restart with the Cinema Display disconnected. As soon as I did I noticed something wasn't right. The MBP screen looked dull, it also had staggered grey horizontal lines at the Apple logo on startup. Nevertheless it started, the dullness went away, and everything worked properly. Later, I shut it down and didn't think much of the encountered problem.


However, when I started it again, the horizontal lines appeared again, this time in a slight red colour, but it still started up fine and everything worked properly.


This went on for maybe another 2 or 3 restarts until it stopped starting up altogether. It would just stop and freeze at the Apple logo and remain that way.


Please help 😟, what's going on? Anyone experience anything similar?


Thank you for any help,

Ray

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Mar 2, 2014 9:44 PM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Aug 1, 2017 1:17 PM

I just repaired a faulty MacBook Pro GPU in about 20 minutes.

I did exactly what this guy in the YouTube screenshots did: apply heat with a 350W heat gun for about 5-7 minutes.

But I didn't bother taking the whole dang motherboard out; I just left it in and applied the heat from the other side.

What this does: during manufacturing, after the chips are robotically precision-placed on these motherboards, they're gently run through a solder bath. The hot solder in the bath sticks to the exposed metal connectors on the circuit board and the chips' pins (connectors), forming a connection.

This connection is usually solid and good to go for years, but sometimes, inevitably, the inevitable inevitably occurs: the solder connection weakens and becomes electrically unstable (becomes a bad connection). There are hundreds of pins on these chips, and so hundreds of opportunities for this to happen.

But the chips *themselves* are quite reliable.

So nowadays when something goes bad in a computer, it's almost always not really a bad *chip* malfunctioning, but a bad *solder connection* that's got tiny, imperceptible cracks in it which you could probably only see with a microscope, but which are causing electronic havoc.

The chips' connecting pins (looking like bent legs) simply rest on the surface of the printed circuit board, and this can sometimes make for connections which expand and contract over time due to being heated and cooled.

The solution: heat the board, solder, and connecting pins back up again. GENTLY. CAREFULLY.

5-7 minutes with a heat gun is all it took. I let it cool for another 15 minutes.

Hopefully the fix will stick, but I have to thank this nice person for uploading this helpful video, during which they gave me the idea for just very carefully heating the board up from the other side, rather than pulling it out (this can cause other problems, because you have to then pull out all sorts of connectors and little fiddly bits and ribbon cables that weren't really designed to be disconnected much). They flipped the board over during the reheating (they're calling it "re-balling" for some unknown reason), and I thought this was a bad idea: the solder's hot and the graphics chip could slide around or fall off the board.

Then I realized that if you *don't* disassemble the whole motherboard to access the GPU, it's still being held firmly down by lots of screws and heat sinks on the other side.

So why not just try heating the board from the other side? Heck, if it doesn't work you can always disassemble the whole thing. But if it's not necessary, why go to the trouble?

It worked a treat. I'm typing this on a computer that an hour and a half ago would not boot at all, because the computer looks for the GPU and requires it to function before it'll boot all the way.

If your MacBook Pro won't boot up and has the horizontal lines, don't despair just yet. Just unscrew the bottom cover, grab a heat gun, and heat it up for about 5-7 minutes in the exact same area you see below (only don't pull the whole motherboard out, just heat it up from the back in the area between the two black cooling fans, shown in the screen shot).

It might just work. I'd not use a hair dryer, as a heat gun is smaller and easier to direct; you wanna just heat up the area specific to the GPU, nothing else.User uploaded fileUser uploaded fileUser uploaded file

MacBook Pro 15" Late 2011 Fast Reballing GPU - YouTube

156 replies

Mar 10, 2015 5:45 PM in response to Mandolin Guy

I'm new to this forum so I'll apologise for anything stupid I might say.


I have a Macbook Pro (late 2011). Last week the computer wouldn't boot. The screen showed a green apple with horizontal lines during startup and it would not progress past a blank gray screen with the fans going nuts for some time. Restarted several times and nothing. Reseted the NVRAM/PRAM and also nothing happened.

I took the MBP to a AASP (TSI Informatica) in Sao Paulo (Brazil) and after a couple of days they called me reporting that the laptop had a problem in the logic board and it needed to be replaced. They also said this issue wasn't related to "video" and therefore was not eligible for the repair program announced by Apple on February 19th this year. Since the computer was not in the program the cost of the repair would be 700 usd.

I'm not convinced with the AASP response. The same problem was extensively discussed in this thread, with dozens of users reporting the same issue suggesting this might be a graphics card issue.

Does anyone know if this is in fact a video issue? Has anyone with the same problem as mine that has gotten their MTB repaired by Apple in the repair program?

Thanks for reading.

Mar 10, 2015 6:12 PM in response to redon2

Sounds to me like the people at TSI - Informática don't know what in the blue moon they're talking about. Your problem is the same as everybody else's here from what I can tell. If you have lines across the screen during startup, that's a clear sign that something's wrong with the graphics.

The GPUs on MacBook Pros are imbedded into the logic board, so of course you have a logic board problem. It is also a problem with the video card and should be eligible for the repair program. The repair program will allow the entire logic board to be replaced.

I would try to convince them that your problem is the same as everybody else's who is eligible for the repair, and if they still don't repair it for free try somewhere else.

Do you have an actual Apple Store in your area? That's where I took mine, and they've been great about repairs. They eventually just gave me a brand new laptop for free (although they probably wouldn't now that the repair program is in place). I did have to drive an hour to get there, but it was worth it. I'm in the United States though, not sure how it is in Brazil.

Mar 11, 2015 4:14 PM in response to Mandolin Guy

I'm traveling right now so I thought the best thing I could do from where I am was to call Apple Support (also there are no Apple Stores in Sao Paulo).


I just spoke on the phone with a guy from Apple Support in Brazil. He basically said that if the tests the AASP ran on my computer did not show any defect in the graphics processor, the macbook is not in the repair program and therefore they would not replace the logic board. However, he said he would call tomorrow to the AASP to learn what kind of tests they did and understand what is happening (and maybe tell them to ran new tests on the MBP).


I'll have some news tomorrow night when he's going to call me with new information.


Have a good one.

Mar 13, 2015 2:15 AM in response to Cosmic dolphin

I have the same problem. but after a couple of trial i am able to boot my system after that i scan my mac with EtreCheck. Blow is the report for my Mac. Can anybody explain me the cause of this?


here i am submitting my EtireCheck report of my macbook pro late 2011.



Problem description:

Booting trouble grey horizontal lines appear and grey blanc screen


EtreCheck version: 2.1.8 (121)

Report generated 13 March 2015 1:54:23 pm IST

Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck


Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.


Hardware Information: ℹ️

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2011) (Technical Specifications)

MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro8,2

1 2.4 GHz Intel Core i7 CPU: 4-core

4 GB RAM Upgradeable

BANK 0/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

BANK 1/DIMM0

2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported

Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n

Battery Health: Normal - Cycle count 880


Video Information: ℹ️

Intel HD Graphics 3000 - VRAM: 384 MB

Color LCD 1440 x 900

AMD Radeon HD 6770M - VRAM: 1024 MB


System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.2 (14C1510) - Time since boot: 0:47:3


Disk Information: ℹ️

TOSHIBA MK7559GSXF disk0 : (750.16 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

Macintosh HD (disk1) / : 748.93 GB (329.41 GB free)

Encrypted AES-XTS Unlocked

Core Storage: disk0s2 749.30 GB Online


MATSHITADVD-R UJ-8A8


USB Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)

Apple Inc. BRCM2070 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

Apple Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad

Microsoft Microsoft® Nano Transceiver v2.0

Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver


Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus


Configuration files: ℹ️

/etc/sysctl.conf - Exists

/etc/hosts - Count: 17


Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Mac App Store and identified developers


Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/Library/Application Support/HASP/kexts

[not loaded] com.aladdin.kext.aksfridge (1.0.2) [Click for support]


/Library/Application Support/Hotspot Shield

[not loaded] com.anchorfree.tun (1.1.1 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]


/Library/Application Support/Quick Heal

[loaded] com.quickheal.driver.rtsysflt (1.1) [Click for support]

[loaded] com.quickheal.nke.emlprosf (1.0) [Click for support]

[loaded] com.quickheal.nke.websecsf (1.0) [Click for support]


/Library/Application Support/Roxio

[not loaded] com.roxio.TDIXController (2.0) [Click for support]


/Library/Extensions

[loaded] com.sophos.kext.sav (9.2.50 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[loaded] com.sophos.nke.swi (9.2.50 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]


/Library/Extensions/HuaweiDataCardDriver_10_9.kext/Contents/PlugIns

[not loaded] com.MBB.driver.MBBACMData (5.01.01 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.MBB.driver.MBBActivateDriver (5.01.00 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.MBB.driver.MBBEthernetData (5.01.01 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]


/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.ZTE.driver.ModemDriverMac (1.0.2d1) [Click for support]


Problem System Launch Agents: ℹ️

[killed] com.apple.coreservices.appleid.authentication.plist

[killed] com.apple.security.cloudkeychainproxy.plist

2 processes killed due to memory pressure


Problem System Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[killed] com.apple.ctkd.plist

[killed] com.apple.findmymac.plist

[killed] com.apple.ifdreader.plist

[killed] com.apple.nehelper.plist

[killed] com.apple.nsurlsessiond.plist

[killed] com.apple.wdhelper.plist

[killed] com.apple.xpc.smd.plist

[killed] org.cups.cupsd.plist

8 processes killed due to memory pressure


Launch Agents: ℹ️

[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.bjango.istatmenusagent.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.bjango.istatmenusnotifications.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.quickheal.avstatus.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.quickheal.strtupap.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.sophos.uiserver.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_desktop.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.uc.NotifiTest.plist [Click for support]


Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.anchorfree.ajaxserver.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.bjango.istatmenusdaemon.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.fxtech.fxlm.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2.Agent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.quickheal.emlprod.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.quickheal.opssvc.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.quickheal.qhhlpsvc.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.sophos.common.servicemanager.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.teamviewer.Helper.plist [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.teamviewer.teamviewer_service.plist [Click for support]


User Launch Agents: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.diskSpaceWatcher.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.scheduledScan.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.macpaw.CleanMyMac2Helper.trashWatcher.plist [Click for support]


User Login Items: ℹ️

iTunesHelper Application (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)

Sophos Anti-Virus Application (/Applications/Sophos Anti-Virus.app)

younity Application (/Users/[redacted]/Applications/younity.app)


Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

AdobeExManDetect: Version: AdobeExManDetect 1.1.0.0 - SDK 10.7 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 16.0.0.305 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

AdobeAAMDetect: Version: AdobeAAMDetect 2.0.0.0 - SDK 10.7 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.10 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.10 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Flash Player: Version: 16.0.0.305 - SDK 10.6 Outdated! Update

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

JavaAppletPlugin: Version: Java 8 Update 31 Check version


Safari Extensions: ℹ️

Instapaper

Dictionary

Save to Pocket

Pinterest

YoutubeWide

Tumblr+


3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

Flash Player [Click for support]

Growl [Click for support]

Java [Click for support]

Perian [Click for support]


Time Machine: ℹ️

Skip System Files: NO

Mobile backups: OFF

Auto backup: YES

Volumes being backed up:

Macintosh HD: Disk size: 748.93 GB Disk used: 419.51 GB

Destinations:

Data [Network]

Total size: 2.00 TB

Total number of backups: 0

Oldest backup: -

Last backup: -

Size of backup disk: Adequate

Backup size 2.00 TB > (Disk used 419.51 GB X 3)


Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

23% WindowServer

4% CalendarAgent

3% SystemUIServer

2% CleanMyMac 2

1% InterCheck


Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

309 MB clamd

107 MB spindump

107 MB swupd_syncd

90 MB amavisd (master)

82 MB SystemUIServer


Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

27 MB Free RAM

1.03 GB Active RAM

1.04 GB Inactive RAM

1.07 GB Wired RAM

6.86 GB Page-ins

825 MB Page-outs


Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

Mar 13, 2015, 12:48:23 PM Self test - passed

Mar 13, 2015, 01:11:00 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Kernel_2015-03-13-011100_[redacted].panic [Click for details]

Mar 13, 2015, 01:00:21 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Kernel_2015-03-13-010021_[redacted].panic [Click for details]

Mar 12, 2015, 11:16:23 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-03-12-111623_[ redacted].hang

Mar 12, 2015, 11:16:21 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Safari_2015-03-12-111621_[redacted].hang

Mar 10, 2015, 10:58:32 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/SophosAVAgent_2015-03-10-225832_[redacted].cras h

Mar 10, 2015, 10:23:52 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-03-10-222352_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

Mar 10, 2015, 09:10:01 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.WebKit.WebContent_2015-03-10-211001_[ redacted].cpu_resource.diag [Click for details]

Mar 10, 2015, 06:04:31 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/SophosAVAgent_2015-03-10-180431_[redacted].cras h

Mar 10, 2015, 05:59:35 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/SophosAVAgent_2015-03-10-175935_[redacted].cras h

Mar 10, 2015, 04:04:36 PM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/SophosAVAgent_2015-03-10-160436_[redacted].cras h

Mar 13, 2015 1:40 PM in response to Cosmic dolphin

Good news. Earlier today I got a call from Apple Support. The guy didn't wanna give me much information, only that the people from the AASP reviewed my case and that someone from the AASP would call me later today. Someone from TSI Informatica (the AASP) called me, he basically apologized for te misunderstood, blamed Apple network being down (not sure what that means), so they couldn't update my computer problem status and Apple could authorize the repair on my computer. I should get the MacBook with the logic board replaced by the end of the next week with no charges.


Thanks for the help. Next week I'll post new info.

Mar 20, 2015 7:16 AM in response to Mandolin Guy

Just got my computer back from the AASP with the logic board replaced. So far so good.


What really bothered me was the customer service at the AASP (TSI Informatica). I had to speak to Apple Support (which was really considerate and efficient, I should admit) so the AASP would acknowledge my MBP was part of the repair program.


Best,

Filipe

Mar 25, 2015 1:23 AM in response to Cosmic dolphin

Well this might be a new twist but i have a late 2007 15 inch MBP. I had a display issue in late January and had the logic board and battery replaced. The issue cropped up again a month ago and they replaced the display, all under Apple Care. Tonight I was using Chrome, running only iMessage, Chrome and Mail and Chrome stopped loading things. I closed the laptop and walked away from it only to hear it restart while closed. When I opened the screen it was restarting with the jagged red horizontal lines then boots into a blank gray screen, then reboots itself and starts all over. None of the key combinations talked about earlier in the thread have helped. Fortunately the logic board and display are both still under their 90 day warranty. i have a call scheduled with apple in the morning and an appointment at the genius bar on Thursday, which was the earliest I could get.


Has anyone heard of earlier model MBPs having this issue?

Apr 5, 2015 11:12 AM in response to Mandolin Guy

To anyone who has been able to use the recall:

https://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro-videoissues/


I have suffrered this issue twice, had got mine working again using the param reset plus space key combination.

Took it in for repair (local Apple dealer) after the recall was announced. It was returned as fault not reproducible, for which I had to pay £78.


The above link says "Note: If your MacBook Pro is not experiencing any of these symptoms and is not one of the products affected, you do not need to contact Apple."


Why 'and'? Do they not repair anyway (as this is a recall) whether or not the symptoms can be reproduced?


Has anyone had the repair done, even though it was not showing the symptoms, please?

Apr 5, 2015 1:33 PM in response to Gripfall

" It was returned as fault not reproducible, for which I had to pay £78."

Many years ago there was a similar recall and my client's Mac was rejected for recall for the same reason. A Mac Tech friend of mine and I ran the ASD for her machine on loop for over 4 hours when it finally kicked out an error code. I gave her the code and she went back to the Apple Store. Result - free repair and all other expenses reimbursed.

Apr 5, 2015 2:38 PM in response to spudnuty

⬆⬆⬆⬆⬆

That's what I would suggest doing. Get a program that is designed to stress the graphics card and run it until the machine breaks. What I found in my four GPU failures was that the machine tended to fail after cooling down from being outside in the sun for half an hour to an hour or so, so you might try that. Anything to get the GPU to snap. Once it snaps, Apple shouldn't give you any quarrel about the repair. I don't see why they would charge you 78 pounds just to have the machine sent off when they didn't even do anything to help repair it.


On another note, you may want to drive to your nearest Apple Store instead of a local Apple dealer. In my experience, the people at the Genius Bar are willing to do a lot to help you get what you need. I was not able to reproduce my graphics issue one time while I was up there (the computer suddenly started working as soon as I pulled it out to show the guy... go figure), but the guy at the genius bar had the logic board replaced anyway, free of charge (I was still under warranty from my previous repair).


I'm currently waiting for my check for $330 from Apple for the original repair. The advisor I spoke to on the phone almost bent over backwards just to get me the extra $20 in taxes that I didn't even know I paid and told him it wasn't necessary to pay me back for.

Apr 7, 2015 1:37 PM in response to Cosmic dolphin

I have had this issue a couple of times in the not so distant past and my MacBook started a downward spiral last night. Working on a project then black screen. On reboot lines, spinning wheel then grey screen. Tried everything and found that holding the power button after a period of inactivity was the only thing that would let me boot back in. I even got a real blue screen of death a couple of times while trying to reboot.


Twice today it has happened to me which led me to this forum. I'm glad there is a fix for selected models unfortunately when I enter my serial number it does not acknowledge that it is effected. I have booked a call tomorrow and will discuss the issue then.


Could it be possible to have these issues and still not get a repair done on the extended program. I have had MacBook Pro's for 7 years now and have had my company buy apple devices for stock. I work in events and have an awards show tomorrow and need to now find another MacBook Pro or use my iPad for award stings and sound system balance. If this happened mid gig I'm sure I would be chased for compensation from my client. I hope Apple appreciate that purchasers of their products do so because they work (or are meant to) when asked to and are used in the highest regard by proffesionals because they are dependable. It's a shame that they have let this issue go for so long without comment.


I will post again tomorrow after I have spoken to apple.


Regards,


MAlcolm

Macbook Pro (15" early 2011) horizontal lines on screen and not booting...?

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