9600M GT graphics card broken, but 9400M might work?

[bspatafora]

My MacBook Pro is not displaying anything (even on an external display), but it is otherwise running. I think it has to be a problem with the graphics card I used last (9600M GT). I'm trying to switch to the 9400M right now using VoiceOver (text to speech), but for some reason, the computer is not aware of the two radio buttons for "Better battery life" and "Higher performance," which are used to switch between graphics cards, in the Energy Saver window.

Does anyone know if there is a terminal command or some way, other than through Energy Saver, to switch between graphics cards?

Any help is GREATLY appreciated. I'm at school right now and really cannot afford to have my computer out of commission. Thanks very much.

 

[NC MacGuy]

Does it default to 9400 w. SMC & pram reset?

 

[bspatafora]

I don't know. I'll search around. In case it does, how would I perform the reset?

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

[gr8tfly]

I believe this should set it to the 9400:

pmset gpuswitch 1

But, a PRAM reset will also set it back to the 9400.

cmd-opt-P-R on startup; wait for the 2nd chime, then release.

 

[bspatafora]

The PRAM reset worked. I don't think I've ever been happier to see that little grey Apple logo at startup. Thank you so much for the help. I really, really appreciate it.

 

[alphaod]

You ought to have that 9600M fixed before warranty expires.

 

[gr8tfly]

The PRAM reset worked. I don't think I've ever been happier to see that little grey Apple logo at startup. Thank you so much for the help. I really, really appreciate it.

Glad that helped!

 

[Sace]

My MacBook Pro is not displaying anything (even on an external display), but it is otherwise running. I think it has to be a problem with the graphics card I used last (9600M GT).

Glad you got your MacBook displaying something again

But damn, these symptoms make me think of the 80 pages thread about the 8600m GT failures - If this is comming to the 9600 too AAARGGGH

 

[justaregularjoe]

Glad you got your MacBook displaying something again

But damn, these symptoms make me think of the 80 pages thread about the 8600m GT failures - If this is comming to the 9600 too AAARGGGH

fret not, butterfly. The 9600 is stable. You would have had it confirmed by now, with the success they are having and the notebook sales we have been seeing.

 

[MVApple]

fret not, butterfly. The 9600 is stable. You would have had it confirmed by now, with the success they are having and the notebook sales we have been seeing.

While the 9600 should be stable the amount of notebooks sold doesn't mean a thing and these notebooks are barely reaching the 1 year old mark if I'm correct.

The issues with the 8600 dieing didn't appear for sometime and even when they knew it was bad notebooks were still being sold with the problem. Just to refresh people's minds the die problem means that the GPU was much more likely to fail sooner rather than later.