Yes hallelujiah! I thought I was going crazy - I couldn't find any other people complaining about this. But my late-2011 has this problem for sure.
fsck, clean install, PRAM reset, SMC resets, none of these help. Still get the flashies and sometimes full-stop crashes when using discrete graphics. Mostly my discrete graphics use is just plugging in my 2nd monitor. Not heavy Photoshop or anything like that. And the fans do go crazy on the MBP as well.
Most times I can get it to stop for a bit by changing from discrete to integrated graphics (i.e., unplugging the 2nd monitor), then switching back. This works for an hour or so. But it always comes back. It's gotten worse since 10.9.1.
I didn't mention I ran AHT on the machine twice - once quick, and once extended. Found nothing. But then I suspect that AHT only uses the integrated graphics. Not sure since it's kind of a black box and not much info is provided about the results.
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.
Yeah I have that same laptop as well. Actually never had problems with it. The 2008 1st gen unibody with Nvidia 9400M/9600M GT I had the logic board replaced twice. I had AppleCare on that one. Work bought the 2011 MBP, but did not spring for AppleCare. Not sure they will spring to pay for logic board replacement. Grr. I don't want a Win8 HP crapbook.
Yeah I agree. I did a number of searches for 2011 MBP video issues, AMD radeon 6750M issues, etc., but it would only show me old stuff (like the issues with the 2008 MBP I already knew about). Multiple search engines. Maybe I've just had some really bad spelling days?
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.
Agreed. My 2005 Powerbook G4 has been a champ. Replaced the battery once, and the AC adapter, upgraded the hard drive. Otherwise it has never had an issue. My late 2008 non-unibody hasn't every had issues outside of a battery replacement. My late-2008 1st gen unibody had 2 logic board swaps thanks to the GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics chipset (the lower-grade 9400M chipset never seemed to have issues).
I can't necessarily agree that it is "obviously" a widespread problem as I don't have the actual numbers, but it seems anecdotally sound. I'm certainly not happy about it ;-)
I've got an early 2011 15" MBP and I too have this problem. It happened every couple weeks since October and recently has been happening multiple times per day. I didn't buy AppleCare and refuse to pay $600 to fix a 3 year old computer.
The same exact thing that happened to your Appleinsider staff member happened to me. After ~2 years of no problems. Luckily I had Applecare and got the logic board replaced. Sure enough, same thing happened a few months later and again got the logic board replaced. When the repair shop was doing their final testing of the 2nd replacement, it blew again, same exact thing. Finally got the logic board replaced a 4th time and so far so good. Luckily Applecare covered all of it.
My machine is only about 2.5 years old and has started to experience these issues. The screen randomly goes black and freezes. Sometimes the screen turns blue. Sometimes it gets distorted.
I've taken it into an Apple Store, but they (and I) were unable to reproduce the issue in store, so they couldn't make a diagnosis. But reading the massive thread of problems, it's obvious to me that my symptoms reflect the GPU/logic board heat issues that so many others are having diagnosed.
This is a design flaw in the computer, and Apple should extend the warranty to cover their customers, just like they did on previous year models that had similar issues. Don't leave your customers out in the cold Apple!
Please keep us posted on this issue!!!??? We require the assistance of some higher powers, being you ;-)
I had gotten a 2011 Macbook Pro with Matte screen, quad core, and was fast compared to my 2008 MBP 15 - minus the crashes and issues booting due to the graphical issues... I'd buy another one if there was some sort of extended warranty.
Please keep us posted on this issue!!!??? We require the assistance of some higher powers, being you ;-)
I had gotten a 2011 Macbook Pro with Matte screen, quad core, and was fast compared to my 2008 MBP 15 - minus the crashes and issues booting due to the graphical issues... I'd buy another one if there was some sort of extended warranty.
"Apple has determined that some AMD Radeon HD 6970M video cards used in 27-inch iMac computers with 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 or 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processors may fail, causing the computer%u2019s display to appear distorted, white or blue with vertical lines, or to turn black. iMac computers with affected video cards were sold between May 2011 and October 2012."
This is identical to the reports given on the MacBook Pros made at the same time using the same GPU family. Repairing the iMacs consisted of replacing a daughtercard. Repairing the MBPs would require a technician removing the GPU from the logic board and reballing it with lead-based solders (which are not RoHS-compliant but more stable for ball-grid-array surface mounts).
Apple chose to recall the iMacs but has nothing to say about the MBPs.
If this had happened to a run of low-end MacBooks, we'd chalk it up to cheap manufacturing for a college student's first laptop. Unfortunately the MBP demographic spends between $2-3,000 for what they consider to be a durable portable workstation they don't have time to worry about in the field. Most are professionals whose jobs depend on uptime and do not have fallbacks. In my case, a deadline at work was incomplete because I spent a day I didn't have migrating my profile and apps to another, older MacBook Pro in the office (one with nVidia graphics). Those who have disabled the GPU in software (either through utilities or by moving the drivers/kexts out of their folders) have had very limited success. Some have fried their internal graphics (I suspect the MBPs that didn't have discrete graphics have either software or firmware settings that these users didn't know to also tweak) leaving them with useless computers.
People have emailed Tim Cook, encountered clueless Genius Bar employees (unless the employee had the same 2011 MBP), and generally been ignored by Apple. The sole exception is the forum moderators consistently deleting all posts mentioning petition websites, and some posts mentioning class action lawsuits.
Also notice that only one current MBP even offers a discrete GPU as an option and it's prohibitively priced at the top.
I've been using Macs since 1985 and this level of stonewalling is unprecedented. The MBPs in 2008 whose GPUs had problems were out of warranty and still covered by Apple's recognition of responsibility to their product. What they're doing now effectively justifies hackintoshing. If they can't be responsible for their product's quality, the users will bypass their hardware.
Not sure why you'd say that when I lost $3,000 on a laptop because of poorly designed hardware and they are doing nothing to help.
I guess were all assholes. Never mind the fact that you joined just to say how much Apple sucks. Never a good thing to do on an Apple related forum. If this doesn't spell troll we don't know what does. I mean seriously, who does this?
Just because you have an issue with it, doesn't mean the majority of Mac users do. You didn't explain yourself at all. You just said it was a POS. What steps you took, what was said by Apple. Other options you've explored, etc. No, you just said it was a POS.
"Apple has determined that some AMD Radeon HD 6970M video cards used in 27-inch iMac computers with 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 or 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processors may fail, causing the computer’s display to appear distorted, white or blue with vertical lines, or to turn black. iMac computers with affected video cards were sold between May 2011 and October 2012."
This repair consisted of replacing a daughtercard. MBP repairs require reballing the GPU. Apple recalled the iMacs but claims no pattern to the issues with the MBPs.
My employer requires (and purchases) 3 year warranties on its hardware so mine returned with a logic board swap inside 48 hours. I haven't switched back to it yet but I'm understandably suspicious.
I've used Macs since 1985 and this selective stonewalling on a documented problem whose cause is well known is unprecedented. Worse, it affects the people whose jobs rely on uptime and tells them they should expect nothing. Like it or not, Apple's making the strongest imaginable case for hackintoshing, and too much of their revenue comes from hardware sales for that to be good in the long term.
Comments
fsck, clean install, PRAM reset, SMC resets, none of these help. Still get the flashies and sometimes full-stop crashes when using discrete graphics. Mostly my discrete graphics use is just plugging in my 2nd monitor. Not heavy Photoshop or anything like that. And the fans do go crazy on the MBP as well.
Most times I can get it to stop for a bit by changing from discrete to integrated graphics (i.e., unplugging the 2nd monitor), then switching back. This works for an hour or so. But it always comes back. It's gotten worse since 10.9.1.
Not a BSOD. This is a hardware issue. BSODs are commonly software related (though obviously not exclusively)
I didn't mention I ran AHT on the machine twice - once quick, and once extended. Found nothing. But then I suspect that AHT only uses the integrated graphics. Not sure since it's kind of a black box and not much info is provided about the results.
That's....strange
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.
Yeah I have that same laptop as well. Actually never had problems with it. The 2008 1st gen unibody with Nvidia 9400M/9600M GT I had the logic board replaced twice. I had AppleCare on that one. Work bought the 2011 MBP, but did not spring for AppleCare. Not sure they will spring to pay for logic board replacement. Grr. I don't want a Win8 HP crapbook.
That's....strange
Yeah I agree. I did a number of searches for 2011 MBP video issues, AMD radeon 6750M issues, etc., but it would only show me old stuff (like the issues with the 2008 MBP I already knew about). Multiple search engines. Maybe I've just had some really bad spelling days?
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.
Agreed. My 2005 Powerbook G4 has been a champ. Replaced the battery once, and the AC adapter, upgraded the hard drive. Otherwise it has never had an issue. My late 2008 non-unibody hasn't every had issues outside of a battery replacement. My late-2008 1st gen unibody had 2 logic board swaps thanks to the GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics chipset (the lower-grade 9400M chipset never seemed to have issues).
I can't necessarily agree that it is "obviously" a widespread problem as I don't have the actual numbers, but it seems anecdotally sound. I'm certainly not happy about it ;-)
This is systematic!
first I had fried nvdia 7300GT GPU in my old 24" white 2006 iMac.
than I had burned LCD in numerous alu. iMacs.
and now this with 2011 MBP.
SOMEBODY should make site with collection of all Apples design failures (or bad components?!) with Macs in recent years...!
as time pass someone could expect higher quality but it gets only worse!
I have Atari ST from 1986. still running and Mac Plus from same year - still running:
Not sure why you'd say that when I lost $3,000 on a laptop because of poorly designed hardware and they are doing nothing to help.
My machine is only about 2.5 years old and has started to experience these issues. The screen randomly goes black and freezes. Sometimes the screen turns blue. Sometimes it gets distorted.
I've taken it into an Apple Store, but they (and I) were unable to reproduce the issue in store, so they couldn't make a diagnosis. But reading the massive thread of problems, it's obvious to me that my symptoms reflect the GPU/logic board heat issues that so many others are having diagnosed.
This is a design flaw in the computer, and Apple should extend the warranty to cover their customers, just like they did on previous year models that had similar issues. Don't leave your customers out in the cold Apple!
So the issues are restricted to the MacbookPro 8,1 8,2 and 8,3 models right?
I am having the problems and have an 8,2
Dear Apple Insider,
Please keep us posted on this issue!!!??? We require the assistance of some higher powers, being you ;-)
I had gotten a 2011 Macbook Pro with Matte screen, quad core, and was fast compared to my 2008 MBP 15 - minus the crashes and issues booting due to the graphical issues... I'd buy another one if there was some sort of extended warranty.
Please keep us posted on this issue!!!??? We require the assistance of some higher powers, being you ;-)
I had gotten a 2011 Macbook Pro with Matte screen, quad core, and was fast compared to my 2008 MBP 15 - minus the crashes and issues booting due to the graphical issues... I'd buy another one if there was some sort of extended warranty.
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5167
"Apple has determined that some AMD Radeon HD 6970M video cards used in 27-inch iMac computers with 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 or 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processors may fail, causing the computer%u2019s display to appear distorted, white or blue with vertical lines, or to turn black. iMac computers with affected video cards were sold between May 2011 and October 2012."
This is identical to the reports given on the MacBook Pros made at the same time using the same GPU family. Repairing the iMacs consisted of replacing a daughtercard. Repairing the MBPs would require a technician removing the GPU from the logic board and reballing it with lead-based solders (which are not RoHS-compliant but more stable for ball-grid-array surface mounts).
Apple chose to recall the iMacs but has nothing to say about the MBPs.
If this had happened to a run of low-end MacBooks, we'd chalk it up to cheap manufacturing for a college student's first laptop. Unfortunately the MBP demographic spends between $2-3,000 for what they consider to be a durable portable workstation they don't have time to worry about in the field. Most are professionals whose jobs depend on uptime and do not have fallbacks. In my case, a deadline at work was incomplete because I spent a day I didn't have migrating my profile and apps to another, older MacBook Pro in the office (one with nVidia graphics). Those who have disabled the GPU in software (either through utilities or by moving the drivers/kexts out of their folders) have had very limited success. Some have fried their internal graphics (I suspect the MBPs that didn't have discrete graphics have either software or firmware settings that these users didn't know to also tweak) leaving them with useless computers.
People have emailed Tim Cook, encountered clueless Genius Bar employees (unless the employee had the same 2011 MBP), and generally been ignored by Apple. The sole exception is the forum moderators consistently deleting all posts mentioning petition websites, and some posts mentioning class action lawsuits.
Also notice that only one current MBP even offers a discrete GPU as an option and it's prohibitively priced at the top.
I've been using Macs since 1985 and this level of stonewalling is unprecedented. The MBPs in 2008 whose GPUs had problems were out of warranty and still covered by Apple's recognition of responsibility to their product. What they're doing now effectively justifies hackintoshing. If they can't be responsible for their product's quality, the users will bypass their hardware.
It shouldn't end like this.
Are you an Apple employee or just an asshole?
Not sure why you'd say that when I lost $3,000 on a laptop because of poorly designed hardware and they are doing nothing to help.
I guess were all assholes. Never mind the fact that you joined just to say how much Apple sucks. Never a good thing to do on an Apple related forum. If this doesn't spell troll we don't know what does. I mean seriously, who does this?
Just because you have an issue with it, doesn't mean the majority of Mac users do. You didn't explain yourself at all. You just said it was a POS. What steps you took, what was said by Apple. Other options you've explored, etc. No, you just said it was a POS.
I'm not sure why this didn't post the first time, so apologies if it becomes a double post.
iMac run made concurrently with the 2011 MBP using same GPUs reports identical problems:
"Apple has determined that some AMD Radeon HD 6970M video cards used in 27-inch iMac computers with 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 or 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processors may fail, causing the computer’s display to appear distorted, white or blue with vertical lines, or to turn black. iMac computers with affected video cards were sold between May 2011 and October 2012."
This repair consisted of replacing a daughtercard. MBP repairs require reballing the GPU. Apple recalled the iMacs but claims no pattern to the issues with the MBPs.
My employer requires (and purchases) 3 year warranties on its hardware so mine returned with a logic board swap inside 48 hours. I haven't switched back to it yet but I'm understandably suspicious.
I've used Macs since 1985 and this selective stonewalling on a documented problem whose cause is well known is unprecedented. Worse, it affects the people whose jobs rely on uptime and tells them they should expect nothing. Like it or not, Apple's making the strongest imaginable case for hackintoshing, and too much of their revenue comes from hardware sales for that to be good in the long term.