I think I've hit the recall related GPU issue (early 2011)

[PAPO]

So I've seen slight signs of the gpu being a pain for a few days now, thought I still had a little time but forced integrated gfx with 'gfx card status' and that seemed to be a solid work around, but I thought I'd check and see how it was going and allows dynamic gpu switching back on...

the screen went blank sound kpet playing and I decided to force shutdown by holding the power button, as this cause the issues to subside in the past.

unfortunately now after the apple logo with the loading progress bar it just goes to a blank white screen. I tried all the tricks, clearing nvRAM, safe booting, even opening it up, disconnecting the battery and holding the power button before trying to boot again.

going to boot select (by holding option) seemed to work until I selected my boot drive and it did it's thing. Then I tried booting into verbose mode, which seemed to work a little better until some distortion and the white screen. BUT what I'm freaking out about now is that as verbose mode was running through some command line jargon I spotted a warning about not being able to disable sleep mode, so now I'm to scared to force a shutdown again... WHAT DO I DO NOW???

How long can I expect verbose mode to take rebuilding something (I didn't quite catch what) before it might be safe to force a shutdown again?

 

[Wreckus]

If you can, take it to a genius at your nearest Apple store.

 

[PAPO]

Nothing is open for another 5 hours (And with my sleep disorder I won't be getting it in until pretty late in the day), I was hoping to get it up and running enough to force iGPU then finish what I was doing before taking it in...

EDIT: also I don't want to shut it down or put it to sleep now 'cause it seemed like it was doing something important after the verbose boot

 

[PAPO]

UPDATE: Turns out no genius appointments until Saturday, and none I can get to until Sunday... greeaat!

I guess that's what you get when there's only 1 Apple store in the entire state (And this is in Australia so it's not just a short drive to the next state either, you Americans have it easy, your states are TINY)

 

[saturnotaku]

Do you have any authorized Apple retailers/repair facilities that are closer? If so, you could bring it there, and I would print out a copy of the extended repair bulletin so they know what's going on.

 

[PAPO]

I've booked in for sunday now, Just wish it was a little more like the last YLOD on my PS3, that it would at least boot up and run for a few minutes before failing, then I could at least take note of all the things I had open...

i can't even remember the last time I went this long without my MBP since before I even had this one...

 

[273888]

UPDATE: Turns out no genius appointments until Saturday, and none I can get to until Sunday... greeaat!

I guess that's what you get when there's only 1 Apple store in the entire state (And this is in Australia so it's not just a short drive to the next state either, you Americans have it easy, your states are TINY)

Yup, we've got more, but you have better customer protection laws. I had to fight tooth and nail to get the logic board replaced when mine went out in the States before the recall. I still ended up paying $300 to get it fixed. It went out again just a week later, and I was in Brisbane. Took it in and, "Ya. No worries, mate. We'll get this fixed right op for you. I'm sorry to hear you're having so much trouble." Your system is much better.

 

[PAPO]

Until recently, a lot of companies ignored our better consumer protection laws that were introduced... coincidentally in 2011 IIRC, but I'm well outside of that at this point anyway, so if for whatever reason it's not covered by the recall (I went back the the MacRumors article and found the eligibility link and it didn't say anything about it ) it will be an issue of Apple's support, rather than any laws here...

Though I remember when we didn't have any Apple stores here, nothing was ever as easy as walking into a genius bar, but on my trip to the US when I had an issue, it was a 5min drive or walk to the nearest Apple store and they helped me on the spot... or at least tried, I have a habit of having problems that if I need to take it to someone it's going to be pretty obscure and people will struggle to figure it out

 

[PAPO]

Well after waiting a week for an opening at the genius bar I finally went in today, they ran a video stress test, which lasted surprisingly long, but it's not until Tuesday that they expect the part to arrive but given how long the stress test took to fail, I figured I'd hold onto the laptop for now and see if it will boot again in a couple of days before I take it in to get one last backup, and take not of all the things I had open...

But it does appear as though it's covered by the free repair program, then I just need to to last until Skylake