beyond frustrated with early 2011 15 mbp

[babyt]

I have had 2 logic board replacements. A hard drive replacement and memory replacement. Yet again my computers logic board is going and randomly my battery went from holding a charge to absolutely dead.

I'm a year outside of my apple care but this is just frustrating.

I did a clean install on thing hoping it would at least allow me to use the computer; albeit plugged in all the time. It works but at a snails pace and heaven forbid I open more then one application. This computer went from able to use the adobe design suite to crippled from safari alone. I'm being frustrated as it's my only computer and I can't really afford to fix or buy another.

I really don't know what else to do to speed this thing up and make it usable?


I spent over 2100$ on a computer that within 3 years time is only the body and battery are the same >8( I expected this computer to last me or even work ok for years but heaven forbid I open a second tab in safari

I bought apple care and used it to make it worth the buy buy, but that only lasts so long.

 

[magbarn]

Unfortunately Apple can only seem to build reliable laptop when a discrete GPU is not being used. Luckily for you, you're still eligible for another logic board replacement. Hopefully you've used Apple for the prior repairs so you may have some leeway with the Genius to give you a 2014 rMBP as a replacement which some other lucky ones have gotten in the past.

There's NO permanent fix for this logic board issue as the refurb logic boards have the same defective GPU in them that killed the prior boards.

 

[babyt]

How am I eligible??? I'm outside the apple care time frame

And I did use Apple for all my repairs.

 

[JTToft]

There's NO permanent fix for this logic board issue as the refurb logic boards have the same defective GPU in them that killed the prior boards.

- Actually, I was assured by my Authorized Service Provider when mine was repaired about a month ago that the replacement logic board they had installed had had the issues sorted out. But who knows...
Also, it isn't actually the GPU as such that is defective on the affected models. It's the way it's joined to the logic board.
http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2015/02/20/apple-admits-gpu-design-flaw/1

How am I eligible??? I'm outside the apple care time frame

And I did use Apple for all my repairs.

There's an extended repair programme with coverage until at least Feb 2016 for certain MacBook Pro models that suffer from GPU/logic board issues. Yours may indeed suffer from the same.
If you've previously paid for repairs, Apple will reimburse you, as well.

Seeing as you've had to get multiple repairs, as suggested above, it may not be unreasonable to ask to talk to a senior advisor with Apple and insist upon a complete replacement of your computer with reference to the disproportional and unreasonable burden on your part to have to come in time and time again to have your computer repaired.

 

[babyt]

I'm on the phone with a rep now. I've only 2 major repairs. Guy has me running he diagnostic. But he is "hesitant because it's been over a year" since the last repair

 

[JTToft]

I've only 2 major repairs.

- Which is two more than you should have had to get.

 

[babyt]

Guy is doing remote support. It's a senior rep I did a clean install last night and it runs a little smoother. I shouldn't have done that

 

[babyt]

Well he is sending the remote data to an engineer. Says he doesn't see anything but it did shut off randomly while we were remote viewing. He's gonna email me tomorrow.

 

[Idefix]

Well he is sending the remote data to an engineer. Says he doesn't see anything but it did shut off randomly while we were remote viewing. He's gonna email me tomorrow.

Whatever answer you get back, don't give up. Just remember to be very, very polite and very, very firm with getting the issue resolved.

It probably needs another motherboard, the trick is getting Apple to admit that. Be persistent. Keep mentioning the 2 MBs and the other problems.

If you send it in to Apple, put the original RAM and HD back in, if you have them. Apple will use 3rd party RAM to deny the repair. At least, that's what they attempted with me: my 2008 MBP failed the 8600GT test, so Apple was going to give a free repair. Next day, I got a call from the service center saying the repair would cost $900 because of my 3rd party RAM and 3rd party HD (close to failing according to Apple, but still going strong today.)

Finally, I told them to send it back and I would put my original 2 GB Apple RAM back in, and also the original 200 GB HD back in, and turn it around and send it right back to them.

When I did get it back, without saying anything, they'd replaced the MB and put in a new battery, no charge. I was beyond pissed and that didn't really make up for the aggravation...

However the Apple Store which had originally sent the MBP in for the motherboard replacement felt so bad about the way I had been treated that they gave me $900 on a new MBP.

That made my day!

 

[babyt]

Whatever answer you get back, don't give up. Just remember to be very, very polite and very, very firm with getting the issue resolved.



It probably needs another motherboard, the trick is getting Apple to admit that. Be persistent. Keep mentioning the 2 MBs and the other problems.



If you send it in to Apple, put the original RAM and HD back in, if you have them. Apple will use 3rd party RAM to deny the repair. At least, that's what they attempted with me: my 2008 MBP failed the 8600GT test, so Apple was going to give a free repair. Next day, I got a call from the service center saying the repair would cost $900 because of my 3rd party RAM and 3rd party HD (close to failing according to Apple, but still going strong today.)



Finally, I told them to send it back and I would put my original 2 GB Apple RAM back in, and also the original 200 GB HD back in, and turn it around and send it right back to them.



When I did get it back, without saying anything, they'd replaced the MB and put in a new battery, no charge. I was beyond pissed and that didn't really make up for the aggravation...



However the Apple Store which had originally sent the MBP in for the motherboard replacement felt so bad about the way I had been treated that they gave me $900 on a new MBP.



That made my day!

It's been a few weeks. After some back and forth between me and the tech rep he told me there was nothing they could do.

However I am now in contact with customer relations and they are going to get back with me about some ..options.. I'm not going to go into full detail but I am satisfied and when I hear back with the final answer I will update.


Thank yall for your help

 

[brdeveloper]

There's an extended repair programme with coverage until at least Feb 2016 for certain MacBook Pro models that suffer from GPU/logic board issues. Yours may indeed suffer from the same.

Interesting that even my Early-2013 rMBP is eligible to this kind of repair. I have Apple Care valid until Dec-2016 since I bought it in Dec-2013, though. If there is some video failure, hopefully it will happen before 2017.

 

[babyt]

Idk. I had the 3 year program too.