2007 MBP supposedly too old to fix?

[jebby]

So my 2007 MBP has a bad GPU I guess, and the Apple Store told me they don't fix ones "that old" and sent me to a local MAC computer shop. the people there told me that it is "too old" and obsolete, and you can't even get parts for it anymore? is this true?
My screen just suddenly went out, and has just some strange triangle distorted shapes, and unable to move cursor, told by apple store that it had bad GPU. then the local mac shop said GPU was not separate from the Logic board and that would need to be replaced, but he asked me the serial number to check, and then said "nope, too old, you can't get the parts. scrap it!"
REALLY???
a $2,000 plus laptop can not be fixed if over 5 years old? can anyone confirm this? Thanks!

 

[maflynn]

a $2,000 plus laptop can not be fixed if over 5 years old? can anyone confirm this? Thanks!

At some point apple stops producing replacement parts, so I'd say that something in the order of 5 years is too old to fix. You can probably scrounge up repair parts on ebay if you wish to do it yourself but apple and its authorized repair centers have the draw the line somewhere.

 

[Interstella5555]

So my 2007 MBP has a bad GPU I guess, and the Apple Store told me they don't fix ones "that old" and sent me to a local MAC computer shop. the people there told me that it is "too old" and obsolete, and you can't even get parts for it anymore? is this true?
My screen just suddenly went out, and has just some strange triangle distorted shapes, and unable to move cursor, told by apple store that it had bad GPU. then the local mac shop said GPU was not separate from the Logic board and that would need to be replaced, but he asked me the serial number to check, and then said "nope, too old, you can't get the parts. scrap it!"
REALLY???
a $2,000 plus laptop can not be fixed if over 5 years old? can anyone confirm this? Thanks!

I don't really find it that surprising, MAYBE if they still manufactured a comparable computer, but they don't use really any of the same arts in those as the do currently (I have a 2006 that could use some love, but at this point would probably cost more to fix than to buy a new machine).

 

[cmChimera]

So my 2007 MBP has a bad GPU I guess, and the Apple Store told me they don't fix ones "that old" and sent me to a local MAC computer shop. the people there told me that it is "too old" and obsolete, and you can't even get parts for it anymore? is this true?
My screen just suddenly went out, and has just some strange triangle distorted shapes, and unable to move cursor, told by apple store that it had bad GPU. then the local mac shop said GPU was not separate from the Logic board and that would need to be replaced, but he asked me the serial number to check, and then said "nope, too old, you can't get the parts. scrap it!"
REALLY???
a $2,000 plus laptop can not be fixed if over 5 years old? can anyone confirm this? Thanks!

Six years old is pretty old man.

 

[tillsbury]

It's not a $2000 laptop any more, it's a $200 laptop, and so unlikely to be economical to repair. At least for Apple. What's the problem going to a local Mac shop? There's no warranty to invalidate...

 

[Asuriyan]

You could buy used parts, but you run a fairly substantial risk of that part eventually (and probably sooner than later) displaying the same defect that caused yours to fail.

Consider also that that model year was known for GPU failure, and that you would have a hard time selling it for the cost of the repair even immediately after replacing the logic board wit a brand new one. Such is the reputation of the 8600m.

 

[johnnnw]

I'd be happy I got 6 years out of it. That's a good amount for a laptop.

 

[idunn]

You likely could

A 2007 MBP is likely not that, but a Macbook. In any event just what I recently had repaired through an Apple store.

The problem was slightly different from your own, so perhaps they truly no longer have the parts. In my case it was the screen backlight which went out and needed replacing. It cost about $300 to do so. The Apple genus advised that this 2007 model was basically "obsolete" and wouldn't be up to all modern tasks, so questioned the cost of fixing it. But aside from the screen flaking out—and the SuperDrive far too long ago for no good reason—it is still my baby. So it got fixed. The part had to be ordered, but in total the repair only took a few days.

Frankly, a newer model will run circles around anything circa 2007. So that. But if determined, I'd check with Apple again, and possibly with corporate. Then also with another independent repair shop. My guess, if the will, you'll have your dearest up and running again.

 

[leman]

Frankly, it doesn't make any sense to fix it. You could get a used macbook air twice as fast than your MBP for less money then it would cost to repair your model (even if they had a spare logic board - they stopped producing those years ago).

 

[old-wiz]

At some point apple stops producing replacement parts, so I'd say that something in the order of 5 years is too old to fix. You can probably scrounge up repair parts on ebay if you wish to do it yourself but apple and its authorized repair centers have the draw the line somewhere.

It's not just Apple.. often you will find that suppliers like Intel no longer offer the parts.

Modern day consumer products are not even designed to be repaired - a number of fancy TVs are non-repairable - you get them replaced if something goes wrong. They don't even want to stock replacement parts anymore.

 

[jebby]

Frankly, it doesn't make any sense to fix it. You could get a used macbook air twice as fast than your MBP for less money then it would cost to repair your model (even if they had a spare logic board - they stopped producing those years ago).

I'm just surprised, as I read all over these boards a bunch of people bragging about being perfectly content with machines way older than mine!
Oh well, time for a new one. too bad I didn't have an extra $1500 at the moment!

 

[Asuriyan]

I'm just surprised, as I read all over these boards a bunch of people bragging about being perfectly content with machines way older than mine!
Oh well, time for a new one. too bad I didn't have an extra $1500 at the moment!

Older and newer. My 2006 model runs just fine, as does my 2008. It's just the 07 that is prone to crapping out.

 

[gagecloutier]

Yep, anything past the five-year mark is considered "vintage" by Apple. I work for an APSP and we really have no control over the situation. Sorry to tell you, but investing towards the purchase of a new/refurbished machine is your best bet at this point.

 

[leman]

I'm just surprised, as I read all over these boards a bunch of people bragging about being perfectly content with machines way older than mine!

Oh, I have no doubt about that. However, their machines probably do not need a repair The thing is that 5 years in computing often translates to at least two generations. It simply does not make sense to produce parts for machines as old as those.

 

[thundersteele]

Sue Apple.

I assume you have the 8600M GT graphics card, that is known to have shipped with a production defect. I know that their free repair offer ended about a year ago, but they should at least continue to provide parts, in my opinion.

Of course, suing is not really a good option. But they shipped machines with faulty parts, and instead of replacing them with non-faulty machines they just put in some repair program. Maybe try calling Apple support?

 

[AlexMaximus]

no true... many options available

Of course Apple do not repair. They want to sell sell sell sell $$$$$$$$


Many options for repair available in the real world. Sometimes even cheap.
All you need is a simple new chip soldered in with a simple BGA bench.
No rocket science here:


http://www.ebay.de/itm/Apple-Mac-Ma...483?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d0677c1cb


just go on ebay and search for macbook repair, or/and goole BGA repair...

 

[thekev]

I'm just surprised, as I read all over these boards a bunch of people bragging about being perfectly content with machines way older than mine!
Oh well, time for a new one. too bad I didn't have an extra $1500 at the moment!

People on here can be biased. Regarding Apple's repair policies, their vintage list begins at 5 years. At 7 they're listed as obsolete and no longer have any kind of service. Sometimes you can find refurbished or scavenged parts on ebay, but the logic board would be one of the most expensive ones. If you're still locked into the $1800+ models today, it would be due to screen size requirements as it doesn't take much to exceed the performance of early Core2 era hardware.

 

[Queen6]

It`s not great news, then to be honest the system is not worth such a high investment. I still have an Early 2008 15: MBP and any major failure I will just junk it as same as yours it`s simply not economical to effect a major repair unless you do it yourself and source the parts cheaply.

For the cost of a new Logic Board, you can source a reasonable PC based Notebook. You may be able to breath life back into your 2007 BP, however unless you have the skill`s it will cost to either replace the GPU or attempt to apply heat and bring some temporary life into the existing chip.

 

[Badrottie]

I'm just surprised, as I read all over these boards a bunch of people bragging about being perfectly content with machines way older than mine!
Oh well, time for a new one. too bad I didn't have an extra $1500 at the moment!

You don't have to buy an extra 1500, you can find cheap used MBP at Craigslist or eBay I am sure you can afford 2007 MBP for less than 300 and can run Mountain Lion.

 

[Binomio]

You can try a GPU reflow either local or online, that's the only option you have. But don't expect the repair to last long.

 

[thundersteele]

Actually now I remember that there was some trick with baking the logic board in the oven. Search the forums, some people wrote up short guides. You can also find youtube clips.