Mid 2012 Macbook Pro freezes logic board

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Level 1

10 points

Mid 2012 Macbook Pro freezes logic board

I have a mid 2012 13 inch i7 Macbook Pro w/ 8gb ram and a samsung 840 pro ssd. For the past month it has been randomly freezing with color bars sometimes randomly on the screen. I found out the problem is these chips on the logic board. If there is any pressure on them even the slightest, the system will freeze requiring a hard reset. The memory doesn't have any issues after testing on memtest and the apple hardware test didn't show any problems. Is there any known fix to this or will a logic board need to be replaced. I am not sure of the function of these chips.

Thanks in advance

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), Samsung 840 Pro

Posted on Oct 10, 2014 12:18 PM

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Answer 1

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,329 points

Oct 10, 2014 1:13 PM in response to dj2819

A logic board replacement is the usual procedure to address this problem and it is expensive. Some times a 'reflow' is used (not by Apple) but it is high risk with no guarantees of success.

Ciao.

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Answer 2

aun4

Level 1

0 points

Oct 20, 2014 7:50 PM in response to dj2819

I've been having this same problem for a while on the same computer, except without the hard drive replacement. I'm just barely out of warranty and Apple won't do a thing about this clearly prevalent problem.

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Answer 3

dj2819 Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 21, 2014 4:23 AM in response to aun4

I took it to apple and even though it is out of warrenty they fixed it for a flat fee. 1/3 the price of logic boards that I saw on eBay. So i would recommend to take it to them and see what they will quote you. They will change parts until it passes their tests. Ask them for the flat repair. They changed my logic board, ram and even gave me A 1tb hard drive because they couldn't get my ssd to work.

Hope It helps

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Answer 4

MacKing

Level 1

55 points

Oct 21, 2014 4:30 AM in response to dj2819

Basically.. Call Apple Care. Say that you have been using Apple for years, you have x amount of apple products. You love them. Now they have betrayed you. Say that this is unacceptable and they should fix it as it seems to be an issue happening with other customers. Also push that you are going to claim consumer law.

Basically after that you have two options:

They will do the whole thing for free.

They will pay for the parts, you pay for the labour.

*******

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Answer 5

MacKing

Level 1

55 points

Oct 21, 2014 4:27 AM in response to aun4

Have a read with what I said below. It may work

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Answer 6

dj2819 Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 21, 2014 4:36 AM in response to aun4

Try taking it to a different Apple Store or genius. I showed him the problem and he could replicate it also and shipped it to their repair center. Do it fast before warranty expires. mine was out of warranty so I had to pay but it was much lower than I expected for labor and parts.

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Answer 7

aun4

Level 1

0 points

Oct 21, 2014 12:26 PM in response to dj2819

My warranty is already expired as I was saying.. I know there's a flat rate of ~$300, which is so not worth it. (Granted, relatively it's a good deal. That's how they sucker people in to agreeing with them.) They're only going to replace defective parts with other defective parts which will warrant going back anyway. I'm looking at a new Chromebook for ~$200 as an alternative computer.

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Answer 8

aun4

Level 1

0 points

Oct 21, 2014 12:25 PM in response to MacKing

That might be my last option. I'm getting by by using my laptop as an unmoving desktop. Maybe I can make it another year or two like this so my investment didn't equal to a pretty $1500 paperweight after a year.

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Answer 9

razorxtr

Level 1

0 points

Oct 30, 2014 5:03 PM in response to dj2819

I have a MacBook Pro Retina, Mid 2012 with the same Discrete Graphics card issue. If i use software that utilizes my discrete graphics card (photoshop, watching movie) after about a few seconds the laptop randomly and suddently just powers off. In order to get it to turn back on i have to close the cover, unplug everything from all of the ports, wait a few seconds. Upon opening the cover the mac will automatically power back on.

I started to experience this issue a few months after my apple warranty expired and for a $3,000 product i think is unacceptable that apple will not repair this - especially since it seems people all over the world are having this issue with 2011 models.

Doing some research there is now a Class Action Lawsuit for 2011 mac book pros and discrete graphics card issues resulting from bad logic boards.

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