Macbook Pro crashing constantly

Question

Level 1

0 points

Macbook Pro crashing constantly

I have a MacBook Pro, mid-2010 running El Capitan 10.11.1

It is now crashing every couple of hours. I can't connect the crashes to any particular activity or application. Here's the crash report. Can anyone help me or direct me to someone who can read this and come up with some possible cause/solution?

panic(cpu 0 caller 0xffffff7f94f33bad): "GPU Panic: [<None>] 3 3 7f 0 0 0 0 3 : NVRM[0/1:0:0]: Read Error 0x00000100: CFG 0xffffffff 0xffffffff 0xffffffff, BAR0 0xd2000000 0xffffff912e29a000 0x0a5480a2, D0, P2/4\n"@/Library/Caches/com.apple.xbs/Sources/AppleGraphicsControl/AppleGraphic sControl-3.11.33.1/src/AppleMuxControl/kext/GPUPanic.cpp:127

Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address

0xffffff811c50b630 : 0xffffff8011ce5307

0xffffff811c50b6b0 : 0xffffff7f94f33bad

0xffffff811c50b790 : 0xffffff7f92cb6fa4

0xffffff811c50b850 : 0xffffff7f92d83add

0xffffff811c50b890 : 0xffffff7f92d83b48

0xffffff811c50b910 : 0xffffff7f93008a23

0xffffff811c50ba80 : 0xffffff7f92da7b79

0xffffff811c50baa0 : 0xffffff7f92cbdcfd

0xffffff811c50bb50 : 0xffffff7f92cbb690

0xffffff811c50bd50 : 0xffffff7f92cbc891

0xffffff811c50be30 : 0xffffff7f92c62a24

0xffffff811c50be90 : 0xffffff7f94f03096

0xffffff811c50bee0 : 0xffffff7f94f01bcc

0xffffff811c50bf00 : 0xffffff8011d1965a

0xffffff811c50bfb0 : 0xffffff8011dd15d7

Kernel Extensions in backtrace:

com.apple.driver.AppleMuxControl(3.11.33b1)[FF6CE9C5-9D8F-3A48-9D10-2BB9C2DDD22 7]@0xffffff7f94f25000->0xffffff7f94f38fff

dependency: com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl(3.11.33b1)[4ADB751E-5208-3DA7-A8C3-E9EC07 263B16]@0xffffff7f94f1d000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily(1.4)[CBAE26D8-0ACB-3C1F-8347-FDCA67EC40B3]@0xfffff f7f92b14000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[8E5F549E-0055-3C0E-93F8-E872A048E31B]@0xffffff 7f9252d000

dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[48AC8EA9-BD3C-3FDC-908D-09850215AA32]@0 xffffff7f92c09000

dependency: com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert(1.1.0)[5CB7D4B7-B100-34EE-BD40-1EC07E865C

Model: MacBookPro6,2, BootROM MBP61.0057.B11, 2 processors, Intel Core i5, 2.53 GHz, 8 GB, SMC 1.58f16

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Oct 31, 2015 8:59 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Nov 1, 2015 9:17 AM in response to chasrich

You have the MacBookPro6,2—the Edsel of Macs. It may have the logic-board defect that was covered by a recall program that has now ended.

Residents of the EU may be entitled to warranty service for up to six years after purchase.

Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider, to have the machine tested. The routine hardware diagnostics used by service providers do not detect the fault. There is a specific test for this issue that Apple calls "VST" (for "Video Switching Test.") Ask for it. A "Failed" result means that the fault is present.

You may be quoted a price of about $350 (in the U.S.) for a "depot repair," which involves shipping the unit to a central repair facility and takes about two weeks. For that flat fee, anything found wrong with it should be fixed, not just the logic board.

Sometimes the replacement part is also defective, so be prepared for that possibility. If you decide to pay for a new logic board, test thoroughly during the 90-day warranty period on the repair. Some owners have reported that they went through as many as three replacement boards before getting one that worked.

If you don't want to pay for the repair, you may (or may not) be able to work around the problem by disabling automatic graphics switching. To use the discrete graphics processor, you'll need a third-party utility to switch to it manually.

Often the problems start after an OS upgrade. If the upgrade was recent, and you have backups, then you can revert to a previous OS X version.

Reply

Answer 2

chasrich Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 1, 2015 9:22 AM in response to Linc Davis

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Yes, after some more searching, I found out that I do indeed have one of the problem machines. I also found out because I modified it (took out the DVD, put in an SSD) Apple won't touch it at this point. So I think I'm kind of stuck. Oh well. I I have Mini that's my primary Mac, so I'm not without and OS X machine.

Thanks again.

Reply

Answer 3

Nov 1, 2015 9:29 AM in response to chasrich

The problem with the MacBook Pro 6,2 was a Latent Defect in the Graphics chip.

Forcing the graphics to use on-chip graphics instead of discrete graphics reduces the problems a lot. Third-party utility gfxcardstatus can do this for you.

Soldering in a new Graphics chip clears the know defect. Users who wanted to keep these Macs and continue to use them have gotten relief by finding a shop with surface-mount chip replacement capabilities, and requesting that the old graphics chip be removed and discarded, and a new one installed. A competent shop will provide a modest warranty with the repair.

Reply