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Defective nVidia GPUs?
- Thread starter Wormy23
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What if its too late to buy AppleCare? Will Apple screw its customers if the 8600's prove to be defective? Doubtful.
Thanks for the suggestion, but I am already using it. I shouldnt have to control fan speeds, the computer should know whats hot. I cant believe that the fans dont come on until its about 170*F.
I have a 17" MBP & my GPU failed... twice. It's the first MBP a/ a C2D, so I don't know if it's the same problem or what.
I'll let you know in a few hours... my MBP I bought 6/17/07 so I'm about 2 weeks out of warranty and my GPU is dead... will work with vnc and target mode but display is black... going to TWO apple stores today if I don't like the answer I get from the first one... In system profiler my 8600 shows up as the Integrated Intel X3100 graphics chip... I guess this is what the system defaults to if the nvidia chip dies?
I consider myself lucky as I purchased the MBP on AMEX and they extend the warranty for an additional year, so I am covered. I recommend ALL to make sure you are covered and/or get apple care if you still can. I don't expect apple to man up and cover this under warranty although I believe they should.
Just because Nvidia announced that a bunch of their products are defective doesn't mean that all of a sudden yours will be.
Also, not using programs that you think will "hurt" the GPU? It's a machine. Machines break. Get it fixed under the warranty like everyone else, you have nothing to worry about. Why have a computer if you're scared to run some programs on it?
Also, not using programs that you think will "hurt" the GPU? It's a machine. Machines break. Get it fixed under the warranty like everyone else, you have nothing to worry about. Why have a computer if you're scared to run some programs on it?
Well, I am pleasantly surprised! The guy at the Apple store did the usual "I need to check it all out and I can't take your word for it" routine, I said I get it do your thing. He said, "wow, your machine looks to be in excellent condition!" I have used the Speck case since the day I got it, not a scratch on it... Anyway, he said that since I was within 30 days of warranty expiration that he would cover it under warranty 
I am very happy about that! I did learn something however, logic board replacements OUT OF WARRANTY are only $310 + tax! That is a BARGAIN! I guess this is a new policy? Who needs Apple care when it is that cheap? Anyhow, Apple FINALLY did something right by me.
I am very happy about that! I did learn something however, logic board replacements OUT OF WARRANTY are only $310 + tax! That is a BARGAIN! I guess this is a new policy? Who needs Apple care when it is that cheap? Anyhow, Apple FINALLY did something right by me.I wouldn't let this scare you in to buying AppleCare. If the chips are indeed defective (and, those specific lines were put in to Apple notebooks) there would be a part specific recall or extension of the warranty due to fried video cards. There is no way Apple would be able to make a customer pair to replace a defective part. Just remember how there was a logic board replacement program for prior iBooks / PowerBooks.
If you can't imagine why I'd want to buy a Mac, well, I could ask you why you bought yours just as easily, I suppose. I sure as heck didn't buy this particular Mac I'm on right now (an upgraded 1.8GHz 7448 G4 Digital Audio) for gaming. I use it for safe things like shopping, banking, etc. that I don't trust Windows with given its spyware/viral history and to run my whole house audio system which uses two AppleTV units and an Airport Express along with Signal and Remote Buddy to control it all via an iPod Touch (iTunes on XP can also play across that system).
As for gaming, I don't play 'so much'. I play one game at a time in my spare time. I just finished Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn and I'm not starting on Throne of Baal. I play Test Drive Unlimited here and there in-between and even old arcade games through an emulator. I DO play them on a PC (I have my Mac on an L-shaped executive desk and have the PC directly to my right; a simple rotate of the chair and I can access either WindowsXP or Mandriva Linux 2008.1, depending on which it is running, if on at all (it's off right now)). The point here was about buying a laptop. I have thought about buying a PC one since I could get one much cheaper, but the thing is I want to run Logic Pro on the laptop, which is a Mac only music studio type program, so I can keep my digital piano in the living room and not junk the room up with computer hardware. So that means I need a Mac laptop. If I want to run any 3D games at all on it (say while I'm on a trip), I'm forced to get the MBP. I think I'll wait until the next update, though given the problems described here. Plus the next round of GPU chipsets are supposed to be like 40% faster.
well i was going to get a mbp for college just to get the most power possible with my available funds, but this might scare me back to the macbook. unless apple does something in the next month.
That's exactly what I was thinking. It has to be the ATI card version because even the 2.33ghz 17" mbp has the ATI x1600.
So its more of something just went wrong with the ATI card.
Anyway, I wish there were more information but IMHO, I think the defective cards that Nvidia is really talking about is the 8400M GS as there alot of people complaining about its high rate of failure with people who has already replaced the motherboard 4-5 times.
Well, I am pleasantly surprised! The guy at the Apple store did the usual "I need to check it all out and I can't take your word for it" routine, I said I get it do your thing. He said, "wow, your machine looks to be in excellent condition!" I have used the Speck case since the day I got it, not a scratch on it... Anyway, he said that since I was within 30 days of warranty expiration that he would cover it under warranty
$310 is pretty cheat. But, why would you want to spend $310 on a 1 time repair...when you can spend $200 on AppleCare and have unlimited repairs for 2 years??
Yea true, also if you take your laptop within the 3 years of apple care for 3 repairs then the 4th time, you have the right for apple to replace your mbp with the newest up to date model equivalent to your machine.
Umm, IIRC apple care is $369... my CC will cover for an additional year for free so without apple care I've got 1 year of no coverage... it's too late now to buy apple care for me.
Not when you buy from ebay, I just bought apple care for my mbp for $209 + 7.95 shipping and will receive it in the mail next wednesday.
But if you really look on ebay for a while for AC you can find one for $170.
Oddly the same thing happened to me and through some searching on the interweb discovered what seems to have worked...for now anyway
Pulled from
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1478474&tstart=0
That's why yours went bad because the mbp uses a 8600M GT not a 8600M GS. And so far the 8400 GS has the wide spread overheating issues.