MacBook Pro 15' Early 2011 screen split -> blue screen -> complete freeze

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Level 1

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MacBook Pro 15' Early 2011 screen split -> blue screen -> complete freeze

I have MacBook Pro 15' Early 2011. Yesterday I noticed my screen been split with right side of the display moving to the left part of the screen. I thought it might be a normal glitch and ignored it. Later again it got worse with thin lines appearing on the screen and distorting the view. It happened when I was playing a movie on my system. I tried closing the application but till then I got a blue screen (still with distortion thin lines on it). The system dint respond to any key. The only option left was hard reboot. But after that situtation my MBP has stopped booting. I get a white screen after the apple logo and it never moves to the login screen. I tried various options: safe boot, clearing PRAM, booting using network, starting windows installed on my system, Doing AHT (Apple Hardware test) but nothing works. Doing safe boot brings me back to the blue screen but if I leave the system as it is the fans start hitting in. After reading on various blogs and on community it seems its a wide spread problem for 2011 MBP owners. I need to urgently access my data but cant start my system. Does anyone have any idea to at least temporarily boot my system.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)

Posted on Mar 3, 2014 7:11 AM

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Answer 1

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clintonfrombirmingham

Level 7

30,094 points

Mar 3, 2014 7:25 AM in response to @Rohan

You're having the same problem that so many of us have experienced with 15" 2011 models - a defective GPU solder that will start as graphics glitches ut then bring your whole system down. See -> https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4766577?tstart=0.

Your system is dead now. You can take it into your local Apple Store and they will tell you that you need a new logic board - if you're still under warranty, have them replace the logic board. But that usually won't be the end of it - many people have had 3-4 logic board replacements and ended up with the same results.

If you're not under warranty, rather than paying for a new logic board, you can have a new GPU installed and properly soldered. This is a permanent fix for the defect. And it costs far less than a new logic board. I don't know what city or state you're in, but just Google "bga reball" for yoru city/state and see if you can find a company to do the work. There's a company in California that advertises on eBay -> http://www.ebay.com/itm/271139379677 - and they guarantee their work for one year - much longer than the 90-day Apple guarantee.

Sorry that you're in the same boat as so many of us...

Clinton

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Answer 2

Mar 3, 2014 8:12 AM in response to clintonfrombirmingham

Nice to see this. Thanks a lot~

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Answer 3

@Rohan Author

Level 1

1 points

Mar 3, 2014 11:11 AM in response to clintonfrombirmingham

The issue with me here is that I bought my MBP from VA, US and then after that I have been working from India. The options over here are too few. If its a Apple design issue/flaw then they should replace it!! I have great respect for Apple products and infact during my MBA education we used to quote Apple's unmatchable customer service but the way they are handling the issue is seriously disappointing.

We (Apple owners) pay a huge premium for the products for the experience and service but this kind of silence from them is unacceptable. I dont expect the design to be perfect but even if they dint see this coming, they should have the courtesy to acknowledge their mistake and should rectify it. This entire issue including the flight of similar others have left a bad image of the company I revered the most.

@Apple: I would like to remind you just two terms which you might have forgotten during the course of time : customer retention & word of mouth!!

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