Late-2011 MBP distorted pic/horizontal lines

[jon08]

I've had my MBP since late-2011 and it has had the logic board replaced once (in 2013). I know these 2011 models have been known for faulty GPUs. I've had it hooked to an external monitor (Dell) most of the time and haven't experienced any problems in recent years since the replacement of logic board.

Just today when I opened a page on MacRumors (this one in particular: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-larger-display.2112116/page-12#post-26190654) the screen would get distorted with horizonal black lines appearing on the screen (both external and MBP).

Then my MBP pretty much froze and I had to manually shut it down and restart it. However, this glitch only seems to happen when MBP is hooked to an external monitor. I tried opening the above link several times with my MBP while not being hooked to an external monitor and I didn't experience any issues.

Could it be a problem in the cable?

 

[Audit13]

The external monitor probably needs discrete graphics.

 

[boppin]

Hello,

I know these 2011 models have been known for faulty GPUs

[ ... ]

Could it be a problem in the cable?

Either your MBP is broken now or the cable is damaged.

Can you use another monitor?

 

[tubeexperience]

External display always run on dGPU

 

[jon08]

Hello,



Either your MBP is broken now or the cable is damaged.

Can you use another monitor?

I can try another monitor but I don't have another cable? Is there any good test available for the discrete graphics (other than the Apple hardware test, which often doesn't seem that reliable?)?

 

[JTToft]

I can try another monitor but I don't have another cable? Is there any good test available for the discrete graphics (other than the Apple hardware test, which often doesn't seem that reliable?)?

- As said, an external display requires the discrete graphics, so the machine will switch to discrete as soon as you connect the display.
If you want to test the discrete GPU independently of the external display, you can simply disable automatic graphics switching under Energy Saver in System Preferences, which will cause it to always use discrete graphics.

 

[jon08]

- As said, an external display requires the discrete graphics, so the machine will switch to discrete as soon as you connect the display.
If you want to test the discrete GPU independently of the external display, you can simply disable automatic graphics switching under Energy Saver in System Preferences, which will cause it to always use discrete graphics.

Thanks for your reply.

I’m currently dealing with another issue: my MBP seems to be stuck in a restart loop.

After I ran the extended Apple diagnostics test it came up with the following error: 4HDD/11/40000000: SATA(0,0). Following that I ran the shorter version of the test and it again showed this same error. After that I clicked “Restart” from within the Apple Hardware Test window and it seems to restart with the Apple logo, which won’t fully load, and then it remains stuck on the gray screen for a while, only to restart again by itself!

I tried resetting PRAM & SMC but it doesn’t help. I tried to boot into Safe Mode and Recovery Mode, but I can’t as I keep getting this same gray screen.

What should I do?

 

[Audit13]

There is no way to fix this problem based on my own experience. I had a late 2011 15" i7 with a failed Radeon GPU. I paid to have the GPU chip replaced and it's been working fine for almost a year.

 

[jon08]

There is no way to fix this problem based on my own experience. I had a late 2011 15" i7 with a failed Radeon GPU. I paid to have the GPU chip replaced and it's been working fine for almost a year.

So you only had the GPU replaced, not the entire logic board?

 

[JTToft]

Thanks for your reply.

I’m currently dealing with another issue: my MBP seems to be stuck in a restart loop.

After I ran the extended Apple diagnostics test it came up with the following error: 4HDD/11/40000000: SATA(0,0). Following that I ran the shorter version of the test and it again showed this same error. After that I clicked “Restart” from within the Apple Hardware Test window and it seems to restart with the Apple logo, which won’t fully load, and then it remains stuck on the gray screen for a while, only to restart again by itself!

I tried resetting PRAM & SMC but it doesn’t help. I tried to boot into Safe Mode and Recovery Mode, but I can’t as I keep getting this same gray screen.

What should I do?

- Yes, you have a dGPU that is so dead that the machine can no longer boot properly.

I would recommend that you have a look at the sticky thread in this forum about forcing the machine to use the integrated GPU. I am currently using my 2011 with a dead dGPU in that way and have for some months - it runs pretty well.

 

[Audit13]

So you only had the GPU replaced, not the entire logic board?

Yup. The shop replaced the existing GPU with an updated revision of the same GPU which is supposed to run cooler.

 

[jon08]

Yup. The shop replaced the existing GPU with an updated revision of the same GPU which is supposed to run cooler.

Hm, I thought GPU was stuck to the logic board...? How much did you pay for the replacement?
[doublepost=1532276424][/doublepost]

- Yes, you have a dGPU that is so dead that the machine can no longer boot properly.

I would recommend that you have a look at the sticky thread in this forum about forcing the machine to use the integrated GPU. I am currently using my 2011 with a dead dGPU in that way and have for some months - it runs pretty well.

But from the error the hardware test showed it appeared as though my SSD was problematic, didn’t it?

How can I force the machine to use the integrated GPU when I can’t even log into the Safe Mode?

 

[Audit13]

Hm, I thought GPU was stuck to the logic board...? How much did you pay for the replacement?
[doublepost=1532276424][/doublepost]
But from the error the hardware test showed it appeared as though my SSD was problematic, didn’t it?

How can I force the machine to use the integrated GPU when I can’t even log into the Safe Mode?

The original gpu was desoldered and the replacement soldered in its page. Cost was $475 CAD. Not cheap but the machine was in mint shape with 16 GB and 480 SSD.

It could be the SSD causing the problem. Remove the SSD and try booting from an external drive.

 

[jon08]

- Yes, you have a dGPU that is so dead that the machine can no longer boot properly.

I would recommend that you have a look at the sticky thread in this forum about forcing the machine to use the integrated GPU. I am currently using my 2011 with a dead dGPU in that way and have for some months - it runs pretty well.

I found the following thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ntel-integrated-gpu-efi-variable-fix.2037591/

Which method would you recommend in my case? Also, is it possible to revert if it turned out it didn’t work for me? On that page the OP wrote: Funny thing: now you can't switch to Discrete GPU even using gfxCardStatus, it is forever stuck at Integrated

 

[treekram]

4HDD/11/40000000: SATA(0,0) would seem to be a HDD/SSD issue, but may also be a false positive.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203648

So the article is saying you might get this because test has been looped and it may be looped ... because of a GPU-related issue?

 

[JTToft]

I found the following thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ntel-integrated-gpu-efi-variable-fix.2037591/

Which method would you recommend in my case? Also, is it possible to revert if it turned out it didn’t work for me? On that page the OP wrote: Funny thing: now you can't switch to Discrete GPU even using gfxCardStatus, it is forever stuck at Integrated

- Yes, that is the thread I meant.

The method I used is the one in this post by MikeyN. It is reversible, as it basically just consists of moving a few files and entering some commands.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...fi-variable-fix.2037591/page-35#post-24956091

 

[jon08]

- Yes, that is the thread I meant.

The method I used is the one in this post by MikeyN. It is reversible, as it basically just consists of moving a few files and entering some commands.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...fi-variable-fix.2037591/page-35#post-24956091

Wow, this actually worked and now I was able to boot my Mac and log into the system successfully again!

I followed the instructions up to this point:

Reboot normally:
you will have an accelerated iGPU display.

Now I'm not sure what to do about the remaining part below? Is it necessary to do? And can I execute if from the Terminal or should I reboot and do it from single user mode?

But the system doesn't know how to power-management the failed AMD-chip.
For that you have to either manaully load the kext after boot by:

sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext

Automate this with the following LoginHook:

sudo mkdir -p /Library/LoginHook
sudo nano /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh

with the following content:

#!/bin/bash
kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext
exit 0

then make it executable and active:

sudo chmod a+x /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh
sudo defaults write com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh

 

[JTToft]

Wow, this actually worked and now I was able to boot my Mac and log into the system successfully again!

I followed the instructions up to this point:

Reboot normally:
you will have an accelerated iGPU display.

Now I'm not sure what to do about the remaining part below? Is it necessary to do? And can I execute if from the Terminal or should I reboot and do it from single user mode?

But the system doesn't know how to power-management the failed AMD-chip.
For that you have to either manaully load the kext after boot by:

sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext

Automate this with the following LoginHook:

sudo mkdir -p /Library/LoginHook
sudo nano /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh

with the following content:

#!/bin/bash
kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext
exit 0

then make it executable and active:

sudo chmod a+x /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh
sudo defaults write com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh

- Excellent to hear!

I skipped that last part on my machine. It seems to me that if the kext is loaded, then the machine can auto-switch back to the dGPU and thus screw up the graphics again. With the kext unloaded there is no possibility of the dGPU being activated.

But as mentioned in the post, that means the system will run a little hot. I can live with that.

I did actually do the kext loading the first time, but I had problems a while after (because the dGPU activated, I believe). I redid all the previous commands and unloaded the kext, and it's been fine since.

You can do it from within macOS if you want to do it.

 

[jon08]

- Excellent to hear!

I skipped that last part on my machine. It seems to me that if the kext is loaded, then the machine can auto-switch back to the dGPU and thus screw up the graphics again. With the kext unloaded there is no possibility of the dGPU being activated.

But as mentioned in the post, that means the system will run a little hot. I can live with that.

I did actually do the kext loading the first time, but I had problems a while after (because the dGPU activated, I believe). I redid all the previous commands and unloaded the kext, and it's been fine since.

You can do it from within macOS if you want to do it.

It seems to work fine now with the integrated GPU only, thanks again!

I have a couple of questions:

1. Now that the discrete GPU is off I will no longer be able to use the external monitor?

2. As I wish to eventually sell off this MBP (and it will be easier to do so with a working discrete GPU and all), do you think it’s safe to buy a used logic board off of eBay or so if I can get it for cheap and then have it replaced?

 

[JTToft]

It seems to work fine now with the integrated GPU only, thanks again!

I have a couple of questions:

1. Now that the discrete GPU is off I will no longer be able to use the external monitor?

2. As I wish to eventually sell off this MBP (and it will be easier to do so with a working discrete GPU and all), do you think it’s safe to buy a used logic board off of eBay or so if I can get it for cheap and then have it replaced?

- 1. That is correct. You will not.

- 2. Only if it's very cheap. In most cases, I'd say it isn't worth the money and trouble.

 

[jon08]

- 1. That is correct. You will not.

- 2. Only if it's very cheap. In most cases, I'd say it isn't worth the money and trouble.

I see, thanks. I sent you a PM.

 

[jon08]

- 1. That is correct. You will not.

- 2. Only if it's very cheap. In most cases, I'd say it isn't worth the money and trouble.

I wasn’t careful and allowed my MBP to restart with the software update. After it finished loading thr update and it rebooted it got stuck on the gray screen and I had to manually shut it down. However, now each time when I turn on the Mac it remains on the gray screen for like 15 secs then it shuts down by itself.

Please help?

 

[JTToft]

I wasn’t careful and allowed my MBP to restart with the software update. After it finished loading thr update and it rebooted it got stuck on the gray screen and I had to manually shut it down. However, now each time when I turn on the Mac it remains on the gray screen for like 15 secs then it shuts down by itself.

Please help?

- The software update will have undone the fix. Redo everything and it should be alright.

 

[jon08]

- The software update will have undone the fix. Redo everything and it should be alright.

I tried it again and now it gets stuck on the Apple logo screen with the progress bar not moving at all - same as after the update earlier when I had to manually shut it down...

What to do now?
[doublepost=1532377155][/doublepost]

I tried it again and now it gets stuck on the Apple logo screen with the progress bar not moving at all - same as after the update earlier when I had to manually shut it down...

What to do now?

EDIT: after shutting it down again it finally loaded again and now I’m finally able to log into the system!

Just for the further info: if I do decide to replace the logic board, how do I go about reverting this workaround that forces the system to use the integrated GPU only?

 

[JTToft]

I tried it again and now it gets stuck on the Apple logo screen with the progress bar not moving at all - same as after the update earlier when I had to manually shut it down...

What to do now?
[doublepost=1532377155][/doublepost]
EDIT: after shutting it down again it finally loaded again and now I’m finally able to log into the system!

Just for the further info: if I do decide to replace the logic board, how do I go about reverting this workaround that forces the system to use the integrated GPU only?

- The workaround consists of modifying NVRAM, which is stored on the logic board. A new logic board would not have the workaround in place, so it should "revert" on its own when the new one is installed.
Otherwise, have a look further down in the thread. There should be instructions for reverting the commands.