Owners of 2011 MacBook Pros report critical GPU failures, system crashes

1356789

Comments

  • Reply 41 of 179
    My early 2011 MBP 17" is dead too -
    Got it temporary fixed in the apple store - after extensive tests their hardware test said that it was only a light sensor in the screen that was off. Changing the screen would fix the problem.
    Or covering the sensor with gaffer tape.
    That worked for a while.
    Now it is dead - real dead. No magic woodoo shortcuts will do.
    The guys a the same genius bar looked at it 1 minute at said it needed a new logic board. That it might be a bad capacitor...
    Price to get a new logic board, €421 21% tax (spain)


    Pretty uncool
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 42 of 179
    Typical hardware failure. Number of posts is statistically insignificant.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 43 of 179
    First line of article
    > late-2011 MacBook Pros with discrete graphics >>cards<< are seeing
    That should be
    > late-2011 MacBook Pros with discrete graphics >>chips<< are seeing

    The CPU (with internal graphics) and GPU (the discrete graphics) share the logic board and cooling components. In some fail situations disabling the discrete graphics prolongs life of the degraded system.

    Most of the fails relate to the 15' MBP but there are have been some 17' MBP fails reported.

    What is winding up the forum is the blanking / denial by Apple of the manufacturing fault and deleting of posts.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 44 of 179
    imatimat Posts: 216member
    Does it affect 15" only or also the 17" (which also has an AMD card)?
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 45 of 179

    we have noticed the same trouble with other makes also which are using AMD or with Nvidia  .Countries like India or other part of world where the temperature is high these problem occur early it happen in the second year or if you are lucky it will work fine for 2 years . Hope the major brands will have a solution for the new products they launch.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 46 of 179
    My 2008 15" Macbook Pro had the fatal 8600GT video card issue. Now my 2011 17" MacBook Pro will probably have the fatal 6750M video card issue?

    Awesome.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 47 of 179
    Shades of Santa Rosa all over again.

    The 2007 MacBook Pros had this issue, and I have not purchased another Mac laptop since.

    Apple engineers need to up their game.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 48 of 179

    I have the 17" model of the same two machines.

    Both also failed prematurely.

     

    My 2007 failed before a year, so I didn't need the extended warranty.

    But it scared me into  purchasing  Applecare that I never had to use.

    I'm still using the 2007 because my early 2011 failed with this problem AFTER a year :-(

    The 2007 doesn't have enough ram (6GB) to run the latest Mail.app!

     

     

    Early 2011 MBP's are dropping like flies.

    The permanent fix seems to be to re-solder the GPU with lead solder.

     

    Apple needs to fix this to preserve their reputation and customer satisfaction.

    There are thousands of unsatisfied users posting about this problem.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 49 of 179
    I'm suffering from this with a late '11 MBP 15. Lasted 2 years to the day and then died. Apple have been conspicuous by their absence and haven't commented on product feedback on the forums despite them clearly reading the forum as they are very swift to remove dissenting opinions. Hoping that publication in Apple Insider and similar publications shame Apple into resolving what is clearly a systemic fault.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 50 of 179
    nobodyynobodyy Posts: 377member
    THIS KILLS ME.

    My discreet graphics card failed a few months ago, right outside of my AppleCare expiration. $300 fix!

    Upsetting when my last MacBook lasted 5 years with upkeep, and this one hardly went 2 without having a major failure. I have no problem paying to get it fixed, but this is OBVIOUSLY a widespread problem.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 51 of 179
    My late 2005 Intel MBP is still trooping along fine, even though I could cook pancakes on it much of the time.

    Wanted to thumbs up you, but 'I'm over my limit for rating content. Please try again later.'
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 52 of 179
    Quote:
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Macky the Macky View Post



    My late 2005 Intel MBP is still trooping along fine, even though I could cook pancakes on it much of the time.

    That is an interesting comment considering the Intel MacBook Pros did not come out until 2006.


     

    My late 2017 MacBook Pro Air runs so cool, I could make ice cream on it. And do so regularly, in fact.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 53 of 179
    2008 MBP had the 8600GT defect, now this with the 2011.

    Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 54 of 179
    Even if your Applecare has expired, I would bring it in anyway. They have fixed mine free before for things like this when it was 4 years old.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 55 of 179

    I'd like to remind everyone about Apple's history on this by linking some previous problems:

    http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/160161/apples-2011-macbook-pro-lineup-suffering-from-sporadic-gpu-failures/80

    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3255699?start=0&tstart=0

     

    I owned a 2011 27" iMac (a very very expensive machine in Europe) which had video card problems as stated above. The video card was changed under the replacement program:

    http://************/2013/08/16/apple-opens-graphics-card-replacement-program-for-some-mid-2011-imacs/

     

    ...but unfortunately the damage already affected the logic board and they wouldn't change it.

     

    All I got were apologies from Dario Giuliano - their Executive Relations Emeia.

     

    Apologies won't suffice for paying more than 2000 EUR for a "performant" machine which lasted for 1,5 years.

     

    So I will never ever buy an Apple computer, and I will also try to advise everyone I know about buying one - they are crappy content wrapped in beautiful cases. As simple as that.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 56 of 179
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    techguy911 wrote: »
    Even if your Applecare has expired, I would bring it in anyway. They have fixed mine free before for things like this when it was 4 years old.

    I hear this a lot. Possibly the greatest service any company could give. We obviously are paying for it, but if they charge $1 per device it gets spread out. I got a new iPhone simply because the power button wasn't always working.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 57 of 179

    The 2011 MBP was actually my first. That's really bad luck. However it still works perfectly; haven't encountered this issue yet. Hope there is a way to find out if this will occur in the future.

     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 58 of 179
    MacPromacpro Posts: 19,864member
    philboogie wrote: »
    And there's the proof that support issues get differently handled from Genius to Genius. Good to hear the Support Desk did what they did. Should do so, when under warranty. Don't understand actually why the Genius didn't do the same.

    Mine was an intermittent issue and was not always easy to replicate so I was sent the utilities to test it by the tech, the results were very long PDFs I emailed him. Once he knew I was tech savvy and had a business account, he even had me put back the original RAM and HD and fresh OS X to prove it was hardware not software. He was beyond awesome, spending the best part of a day, off and on, with me. He gave me his direct line and often called me back for updates.

    Here is the odd thing. He said I had two choices, he could send me a box to return the Mac to him in Texas (I think it was Texas) or I could take it to the nearest Apple Store and they'd change it out while I waited. I called the Apple Store and spoke to them, explaining I had been cleared for a new motherboard by the tech department on line and even gave him the reference information and the tech's name. His attitude was ... 'We will have to look at it and determine if it requires a new motherboard under warranty.' He went on to explain how 'many things could cause these problems, usually the users fault.' He seemed totally unimpressed I had already been through tests with the tech on line. I said forget it, called the guy back on line and he sent the box. Three days later I had my Mac back with a new motherboard.

    Since this incident I always go via the techs on line not the genius bar at the store.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 59 of 179
    This what the MacBook Pro 2011 looks like when it's failing:







     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 60 of 179
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    ^ post

    That's amazing. Times two. Defenitely not good on the Genius. Strange; it seems that there's a total lack of consistency (which Solip won't like, as do I). Strange.

    Yeah tech support is great out of Cupertino. I had a software issue and couldn't find an answer anywhere. So I thought what the heck, let me just post it on their support page. They contacted me, spending a lot of time figuring it out (MobileMe / Aperture) They made me go through many steps, uploading a dummy .aplibrary through their FTP server.

    Was a cool experience, yet they were unable to fix it. Didn't go by phone, all through Chat Support.

    Found the transcript; we had a laugh:

    Me:
    some things Apple does remain in the States (like video rentals in iTunes)

    Me:
    Sorry, don't mean to fish for any future products or whatever

    Apple Tech Support:
    Oh yes. We talk to people from everywhere. I have prepared responses for different languages telling them we have to speak in English since I'm not Chinese etc.

    Apple Tech Support:
    If I knew I couldn't tell you, but we usually only hear the day before ha. We are pretty low down the info pole.

    Apple Tech Support:
    Hidden away in a dark office building with minimal lighting etc.

    Me:
    sounds like you guys are set up well over there

    Apple Tech Support:
    On lone snack machine and a microwave.

    Apple Tech Support:
    Ha, I'm just joking.

    Me:
    maybe low down, but definitely helping out!

    Me:
    but you do have a cook who cooks Thai meals, I read at jobs@apple.com somewhere

    Apple Tech Support:
    Ha, not at this site.

    Apple Tech Support:
    I will have to get a transfer.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
Sign In or Register to comment.