How can Geniuses tell if 8600M gt is defective?

[thadoggfather]

Just wondering, mine seems to be on its way out (blank screen after yanking the ac has happened a few times recently, got the LED columns thing once after yanking AC, and had some blasted contrast flashes that would last a minute when i first got the laptop) its an early 2008.

 

[MidwestStuck]

They have a device they connect to your MBP via USB from which they run several tests. It takes about 10 minutes to run them all. Hope you figure out what's up with your computer.

 

[thadoggfather]

Do they run stress tests on the GPU or what?

 

[palebluedot]

Do they run stress tests on the GPU or what?

I just got my GPU replaced yesterday even though I had none of the overt problems with the 8600 under then bad FPS. I ran a self system test off the OS X cd and it gave me a video controller error - so I took it to an Apple Store.

The "Genuis" ran a test off an external hard drive as said above and within 2 minutes of running the test it popped up a big "FAILED" dialogue box. I don't think the test even finished. So if your worried just take it in and run the test. I'm not sure what it's testing - maybe the ability to fill the entire buffer of the GPU, test the RAM, etc.

(Edit) It seems like a general hard ware diagnostics test with a standard graphics test. In the beginning of the test it flooded the screens with colors and shapes so that may have been the stress test part.

 

[thadoggfather]

so they ran the test off the hard drive, says passed on every test. I guess my 8600M gt isn't defective for now.