Graphics slowdown on 8600 Mac Book Pro with dodgy graphics card since OSX update

[RHD]

I am one of the sad people who bought a very expensive top of the line MBP back in the spring only to find the graphics card failing with entertaining artifacts and screen blackouts waking from sleep. I'm a graphics pro, I bought this to run graphics programs on and I need it to earn my keep.
As I'm aware they'll only replace the chip at the moment with another identical which will fail next year after the warrenty runs out and I'm not keen on paying the £300 UK ($600 US) Applecare which gives pretty limited cover in the UK anyway because Apple sold me a bum chip, plus I won't be able to work for a fortnight while they replace it, I'm leaving taking the thing in to the Genius bar as long as possible.

What is now happening is that since updating my Mac OS, my graphics programs are now running at the speed of sludge. The fans aren't coming on because the thing isn't even trying. It's nearly as slow as my old TiBook.

I'm seriously depressed about this it cost me major money and I can't afford to replace it, plus at the moment what with as I need to be portable and I can't go over to PC laptops (even if I wanted to which I SO don't) because all my expensive 3D graphics software is for Mac.

Has anyone else noticed major graphics slowdown in rendering programs on their 2.6 MPB with the 8600 GT?

And anyone have any suggestions as to what to do for the best?
Thanks guys.

 

[alphaod]

Well the current chips shouldn't have the issue anymore, so it's like it should fail in a year.

 

[RHD]

Well the current chips shouldn't have the issue anymore, so it's like it should fail in a year.

Sorry, you mean they can replace the chip with one that won't fail in a year?

 

[MKnight]

I recommend getting this laptop replaced now.

 

[dogbait]

You're experiencing a slow down since which update?

 

[mattw126]

You're experiencing a slow down since which update?

10.5.5 Apple's support info.

From above page: "Includes extensive graphics enhancements."

Both RHD and I (and I'm pretty sure others) have noticed our MBP's not working to their full potential since updating. I wish I timed an operation prior to, than the same operation post updating, to obtain quantifiable data.

I have a backup via the Time Machine prior to updating. Can this be used in anyway to rollback to to 10.5.4?

RHD, have you thought about backing everything up, reinstalling, and updating everything but 10.5.5.? I think for the both of us, it would be a lot of time that could be used better, but if that 's what it takes...

As far as the big picture is concerned, I intend to purchase Apple Care a day before my 1 year warranty expires, if necessary. By then, hopefully a new MBP will have been introduced, and hopefully this revision will have a compatible logic board that can be placed into my current MBP. If that's not the case, I'll visit the supervisor/Manager (who's a good guy) at my local Apple Store (where I made my purchase) with my lawyer beside me (who owes me more than one favor), and see how hard we can lean on them to replace the 'time bomb' with an MPB that delivers as advertised. It's a little disconcerting how varied the responses have been from the various stores as substantiated by the 'screwed' thread.

 

[RHD]

Re reinstalling, I've got time machine, I can't face trying to re-install everything from scratch but if I could delete the lot off and revert to a pre 5.5 update state via Time Machine I would consider it.
It's not something I've done before though so I'm worried about mucking it up and could use some advice.

I've got an appointment Monday at a "Genius Bar" in North London about the graphics card so I'll go and see them first and I'll ask about the slowdown because the current performance is unacceptable and if I'm stuck with it, graphics card or no unless I stay on 5.4 forever, then we have a problem Huston.

Before I updated I looked at the web page re 5.5 and it was BECAUSE it promised graphics upgrades that I installed it. What does this tell us?

It would be good if anyone thinking of updating to 5.5 could run some identical graphics heavy process, 3D rendering or whatever, before and after and compare times. Then we'd know.

 

[RHD]

I've also started a thread on Apple Discussions: Graphics slowdown on MacBook Pro since 5.5 update: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1740430&stqc=true

Oh and did anyone else have their screen develop a strong blue cast after the update?

 

[RHD]

So, is anyone else thinking that they've deliberately slowed down the MacBook Pros to reduce the stress on the dodgy Nvidia graphics cards to reduce the failure rate and be hanged to the people who spent a load of money to buy a fast computer for graphics work?

 

[alphaod]

Sorry, you mean they can replace the chip with one that won't fail in a year?

Yes that's what I meant. Missed a negation there.

 

[RHD]

Yes that's what I meant. Missed a negation there.

Alphaod, don't tease!
Much as I'm desperate for what you say to be true, I haven't found anyone else saying this. Can you provide a link to your source that the replacement chips aren't the same rubbish that the original ones are?
Also, does this mean I have to downgrade my OS and never upgrade it again on this machine to avoid the graphics hamstringing that appears to be going on in recent OS updates on MacBook Pros?

 

[nbcompare]

RHD I've tested the Macbook Pro pre 10.5.5 and post 10.5.5, in both Windows and Mac OS. 3D graphics performance is unchanged. Applications I used to test this are 3DMark06 (Windows) and Cinebench (OSX).

Hope that clears things up.