Early/Late-2011 15" and 17" MBP (Sandy Bridge) GPU failures

[yjchua95]

If any of you have early/late 2011 15"/17" MBPs and have started to experience GPU failures (vertical lines, weird colors, freezes...etc), please post your experience here.

I have a 15" early 2011 MBP that's yet to fail me, and so I hope it lasts long enough until Apple officially issues a repair extension program for it.

 

[thundersteele]

I have a late 2011, no failure so far

Why would Apple issue an extended repair program? Is there any evidence that the failure rate is above average and that it can be traced back to production defects?

 

[yjchua95]

I have a late 2011, no failure so far

Why would Apple issue an extended repair program? Is there any evidence that the failure rate is above average and that it can be traced back to production defects?

Do a Google search on it and you'll see the number of failures.

 

[undesign]

My early 2011 MBP just had a GPU failure 2 weeks ago. Cost me $600 to repair. I got my macbook back but my temperatures now are extremely high. For example, watching a 480p youtube clip via HTML5 (not flash) in Chrome with NOTHING ELSE running in the background or any other open apps, my temps reached 75C.

I'm NOT happy and afraid of using the laptop in fear of another GPU failure/overheating.

As great as the performance is in the Sandbridge macbooks... the reliability is AWFUL.

 

[yjchua95]

My early 2011 MBP just had a GPU failure 2 weeks ago. Cost me $600 to repair. I got my macbook back but my temperatures now are extremely high. For example, watching a 480p youtube clip via HTML5 (not flash) in Chrome with NOTHING ELSE running in the background or any other open apps, my temps reached 75C.

I'm NOT happy and afraid of using the laptop in fear of another GPU failure/overheating.

As great as the performance is in the Sandbridge macbooks... the reliability is AWFUL.

Super. I also have the same heating issues from just idling. 70-75ºC when I leave it on for 2 hours, screen off and charging while I took a nap. And when I woke up, the fans were whirring quite noticeably, and iStat Pro showed 75ºC.

Maybe because the room temperature was around 27ºC (I live in a tropical Malaysia), and the air-conditioning was off, along with the ceiling fan.

I will have to do this again, but leave the A/C on this time, to see how it affects the idling temperature.

 

[undesign]

Super. I also have the same heating issues from just idling. 70-75ºC when I leave it on for 2 hours, screen off and charging while I took a nap. And when I woke up, the fans were whirring quite noticeably, and iStat Pro showed 75ºC.

Maybe because the room temperature was around 27ºC (I live in a tropical Malaysia), and the air-conditioning was off, along with the ceiling fan.

I will have to do this again, but leave the A/C on this time, to see how it affects the idling temperature.

I've actually got a 17" late 2011 MBP @ 2.4ghz with an AMD 6770M. With Chrome open and browsing forums, I'm sitting at 37C with my fans set to 2000RPM via smcFanControl.

Doing the same thing on my 15" MBP @ 2.3ghz w/ AMD 6750M I'm around 50-60C with fans set to 2500 RPM!

I'm going to try a thermal repaste, hopefully it brings down the temperatures to normal levels.

 

[yjchua95]

I've actually got a 17" late 2011 MBP @ 2.4ghz with an AMD 6770M. With Chrome open and browsing forums, I'm sitting at 37C with my fans set to 2000RPM via smcFanControl.

Doing the same thing on my 15" MBP @ 2.3ghz w/ AMD 6750M I'm around 50-60C with fans set to 2500 RPM!

I'm going to try a thermal repaste, hopefully it brings down the temperatures to normal levels.

Mine's a 15" (2.3GHz, 16GB RAM, 512GB 840 Pro and 1G 6750M, AG screen). Mine idled at 3200rpm, 75ºC earlier today during my nap.

Edit: By the way can you use GFXcardstatus to check which GPU are you using, Intel or AMD when browsing forums via Chrome?

 

[undesign]

Mine's a 15" (2.3GHz, 16GB RAM, 512GB 840 Pro and 1G 6750M, AG screen). Mine idled at 3200rpm, 75ºC earlier today during my nap.

You've got a similar setup to mine;

2.3ghz, 16GB RAM, Intel 320M 120GB in optibay, 6750M, AG screen, and 1TB WD.

Here's a closer look at my temps watching a simple youtube video:

Edit: By the way can you use GFXcardstatus to check which GPU are you using, Intel or AMD when browsing forums via Chrome?

I think it was the intel gpu, notice my discrete graphics temperatures were hovering around 38C. (click on the photo above for larger view)

 

[yjchua95]

You've got a similar setup to mine;

2.3ghz, 16GB RAM, Intel 320M 120GB in optibay, 6750M, AG screen, and 1TB WD.

Here's a closer look at my temps watching a simple youtube video:

[url=http://i44.tinypic.com/2i1c8yv.jpg]Image[/URL]



I think it was the intel gpu, notice my discrete graphics temperatures were hovering around 38C. (click on the photo above for larger view)

Here's mine, with the a/c on.

GFXcardstatus shows that it's on Radeon.

 

[undesign]

Here's mine, with the a/c on.

GFXcardstatus shows that it's on Radeon.

Doesn't look good man... I'm starting to wonder what to do with my laptop...

What's the last MBP that had an ODD? I'm thinking of selling and upgrading...

 

[saturnotaku]

What's the last MBP that had an ODD? I'm thinking of selling and upgrading...

Mid-2012 line that used Intel Ivy Bridge (3rd-generation Core i5/i7) CPUs. Apple still sells the 13-inch model brand new. A few of the base model 15s (they have a 512 MB GPU) are available from authorized retailers. The high-end 15s (1 GB GPU) are only available used or refurbished.

 

[undesign]

Mid-2012 line that used Intel Ivy Bridge (3rd-generation Core i5/i7) CPUs. Apple still sells the 13-inch model brand new. A few of the base model 15s (they have a 512 MB GPU) are available from authorized retailers. The high-end 15s (1 GB GPU) are only available used or refurbished.

Are those any more reliable than the 2011 we have? I really don't want to use mine anymore...

Also, did they ever make them with an anti-glare screen at 1680x1050?

 

[Gav Mack]

My early 2011 MBP just had a GPU failure 2 weeks ago. Cost me $600 to repair. I got my macbook back but my temperatures now are extremely high. For example, watching a 480p youtube clip via HTML5 (not flash) in Chrome with NOTHING ELSE running in the background or any other open apps, my temps reached 75C.

I'm NOT happy and afraid of using the laptop in fear of another GPU failure/overheating.

As great as the performance is in the Sandbridge macbooks... the reliability is AWFUL.

Sounds like a botched thermal paste job on the GPU is the CPU temp also high?

Try using this app:

http://www.crystalidea.com/macs-fan-control

And if you are using your MBP at a desk invest in a Zalman cooling pad, they really do give the unibody a hand thermally. Practically every client of mine who renders and works theirs hard has one, even Mini's though they have to prop the lower end up so it's level

 

[undesign]

Sounds like a botched thermal paste job on the GPU is the CPU temp also high?

Check my temps here:

Try using this app:

http://www.crystalidea.com/macs-fan-control

And if you are using your MBP at a desk invest in a Zalman cooling pad, they really do give the unibody a hand thermally. Practically every client of mine who renders and works theirs hard has one, even Mini's though they have to prop the lower end up so it's level

I've got iStat Menus installed which does let me control the fan speeds. These temperatures are terrible. I'm going to take it apart and reapply the thermal paste. If that doesn't help, I'm selling the laptop and going to try to find a 2012 MBP with antiglare and an ODD. I need a dual drive setup.

 

[Gav Mack]

Check my temps here:


[url=http://i44.tinypic.com/2i1c8yv.jpg]Image[/URL]



I've got iStat Menus installed which does let me control the fan speeds. These temperatures are terrible. I'm going to take it apart and reapply the thermal paste. If that doesn't help, I'm selling the laptop and going to try to find a 2012 MBP with antiglare and an ODD. I need a dual drive setup.

Yep botched thermal paste or not tightened up enough, way too high. Get the artic silver 2 part cleaner and purifier and the artic silver 5 paste. Use powder free gloves and watch the artic silver videos on their website. Shame a lot of Apple techs with their so called qualifications haven't a bloody clue

Get apples hardware manual for the instructions apple wise and good luck!

 

[Gav Mack]

Here's mine, with the a/c on.

GFXcardstatus shows that it's on Radeon.

A wee bit high on the CPU but that looks pretty normal to me, though if you want the temps to drop 4-5 redo the thermal paste.

Undesign's is truly cooking!

 

[undesign]

Yep botched thermal paste or not tightened up enough, way too high. Get the artic silver 2 part cleaner and purifier and the artic silver 5 paste. Use powder free gloves and watch the artic silver videos on their website. Shame a lot of Apple techs with their so called qualifications haven't a bloody clue

Get apples hardware manual for the instructions apple wise and good luck!

I mentioned to Apple TWICE about the thermal paste application when they were replacing the logic board. I told them to go easy on it and they clearly DIDNT do their job! I'm so pissed.

 

[Gav Mack]

I mentioned to Apple TWICE about the thermal paste application when they were replacing the logic board. I told them to go easy on it and they clearly DIDNT do their job! I'm so pissed.

I'm seriously pissed too - a disgrace to the uniform and my trade but thankfully I am fully self taught through experience. Most of them learn to fix things via a flowchart automaton method and not to use the grey blob behind their eyes

 

[matt3526]

I seem to be having this issue. Sometimes I have noticed that the screen flickers and shows some strange colours before it freezes, other times it just freezes.

I have an early 2011 15" MBP with the Radeon HD 6490m card.

 

[Gav Mack]

I've actually got a 17" late 2011 MBP @ 2.4ghz with an AMD 6770M. With Chrome open and browsing forums, I'm sitting at 37C with my fans set to 2000RPM via smcFanControl.

Doing the same thing on my 15" MBP @ 2.3ghz w/ AMD 6750M I'm around 50-60C with fans set to 2500 RPM!

I'm going to try a thermal repaste, hopefully it brings down the temperatures to normal levels.

The 17 inch unibodies always run cooler than the 15 mostly due to physics - I recall the first 15 unibodies you could almost cook an egg on the left hand speaker whereas the 17 would hardly get hot at all. A repaste for your 15 inch is an extremely good idea - already given my tips to get you all started!

----------

I seem to be having this issue. Sometimes I have noticed that the screen flickers and shows some strange colours before it freezes, other times it just freezes.

I have an early 2011 15" MBP with the Radeon HD 6490m card.

The GPU or video ram chips are starting to fail by the look of that especially if it locks up solid.

 

[undesign]

A wee bit high on the CPU but that looks pretty normal to me, though if you want the temps to drop 4-5 redo the thermal paste.

Undesign's is truly cooking!

Which thermal paste would you recommend?

This:

Arctic Cooling Arctic MX-2 Thermal Compound 4g
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=8_128&item_id=017216

or this:

Arctic Silver 5 (3.5g) High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=8_128&item_id=021296

What about others? There's this chart:

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Thermal-Compound-Roundup-February-2012/1490/5

Which shows the compounds like Prolimatech PK-1 drop temperatures even more than the Arctic Silver 5.

Thoughts?

 

[Gav Mack]

Which thermal paste would you recommend?

This:

Arctic Cooling Arctic MX-2 Thermal Compound 4g
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=8_128&item_id=017216

or this:

Arctic Silver 5 (3.5g) High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=8_128&item_id=021296

Silver 5 plus their two bottle cleaning kit they sell, the cleaner/purifier.

 

[undesign]

Silver 5 plus their two bottle cleaning kit they sell, the cleaner/purifier.

Cool, thanks!

AND LMFAO! Just took a closer look at the list here from my link... take a look at the last item, haha. I burst out laughing at work.

 

[Swampus]

I mentioned to Apple TWICE about the thermal paste application when they were replacing the logic board. I told them to go easy on it and they clearly DIDNT do their job! I'm so pissed.

Did you also monitor your temps before the logic board replacement?

I'd be curious to hear from anyone else who monitors temps and has had their logic board replaced for this problem.

It might be worth taking some extra steps to verify that heatsink fits correctly, that both sections of the heatsink fit flat against their corresponding dies. As I mentioned in the other thread, mine fit together perfectly (I've never had any problems with mine), but I'm not so sure that's always the case.

It would be helpful to know whether or not some manufacturing variations in the heatsink assembly is playing a role in these failures. All information is good. It would be helpful to know if it is. It would also be helpful to rule it out.

 

[Gav Mack]

Cool, thanks!

AND LMFAO! Just took a closer look at the list here from my link... take a look at the last item, haha. I burst out laughing at work.

Image

Stock compound is butter.

I tried all that years ago along with hair gel, ketchup, jelly and some flammable compounds too on some scrap Athlon PC's. The chips used to literally melt in the sockets when cooked lol