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A1286 Possible GPU issue?

Hello. I have a strange issue going on with my MBP A1286 mid 2010. First off, it was running extremely slow one day. Kernel_task was using 280 percent of CPU which is common from what ive read. However when i booted into safe mode and also when I booted my MBP without the battery it would run fine. But the fans are running full speed with or without the battery but nothing feels like its overheating. So I did the kernel_task fix where i removed the 6.2 plist file from my computer and it sped it up immediately but now I am having an issue where the computer works fine until it switches graphics. I downloaded program to keep using integrated graphics and everytime i select discrete the computer reboots. If i do something that causes the computer to switch to discrete graphics it will restart. However I am not having any visible issues like lines in the screen for example. Any ideas?

MacBook Pro, macOS High Sierra (10.13.6)

Posted on Nov 5, 2018 9:48 AM

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Nov 5, 2018 11:02 AM in response to zctop

A1286 describes 22 MacBook Pro 15-in computers from 2008 through 2012.


2010 model of those is the MacBook Pro 6,2 with dual graphics and in some samples, dual graphics problems.


The issue they encountered was that sometime the Discrete graphics chip broke, and in other cases, the Discrete graphics chip could not wake quickly enough from a low power state.


Install gfxCardStatus (https://gfx.io) and set it to "i" (integrated graphics only). It will allow your MBP to run on integrated graphics only, bypassing the discrete GPU which has the issues. This may allow your MBP to run normally, although it will have reduced graphics performance when permforming demanding graphics tasks. The alternative is replacing the logic board, which is not cost effective on a machine that old, unless gfx does not resolve the issue and you really want to keep this MBP.



There is an acknowledged bug in the current version of Cody Kreiger's Open-Source gfxcardstatus, and the developer has confessed he does not have time to fix it right now.



There is a fork off the main build by steveschow available that seems to fix that problem for current versions of MacOS such as ElCapitan and Sierra. He provides a finished .app for direct download -- you do not have to compile anything.

https://github.com/steveschow/gfxCardStatus/releases



Also note that if your Mac does not run long enough to allow gfxcardstatus to be added, this is not really practical.



In addition, Steve Schow writes that he has abandoned further development -- because there are better solutions available [for both the 2010 model and 2011 models].


2011 model:

the use of ArchLinux bootable CD to gain access to and re-write the EFI on the drive, and permanently disable the discrete graphics chip. This page and scroll down past the list to the blog:


http://github.com/steveschow/gfxCardStatus



There are two similar procedure listed. I used the second from MacRumors as it seemed easier. I have made the Arch Linux bootable CD on another Mac, and tried this approach. I now have a perfectly-functioning MacBook Pro late 2011 15-in model with Discrete Graphics disabled. Runs just fine. But NO external display support any more.


2010 model:

I have discontinued use of gfxCardStatus to solve the MBP kernel panic problem as the issue is better solved on 2010 models with the nVidia GPU by the following hack:

https://github.com/julian-poidevin/MBPMid2010_GPUFix.


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There is a completely different hack developed by dosdude in his hacking of installing Sierra, High Sierra, and Mojave on unsupported Mac Models. It requires only single-User mode to get started, then type a complicated string into NVRAM, then disable System Integrity Protection and run an additional little program (direct-download link provided there) to make the change semi-permanent.


http://dosdude1.com/gpudisable/

A1286 Possible GPU issue?

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