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Logic board replaced 2x on early 2011 15" MBP, still has graphics issues?

Starry

Starry

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 18, 2011
89
0
California
Hello,
I have a 15'' early 2011 MBP. It has had many graphics issues and extreme slowness since November, a few months out of my extended Apple Care. Apple Care was extremely generous in covering my $550 logic board replacement as I never had issues with my MBP in the 3 years prior(never used Apple Care). My local store replaced it and after a day, the graphics card failed AGAIN! So I took it back and it was sent to Apple Care's HQ in Texas and both the logic board and RAM was replaced. Got it back and it runs slower than ever and still has many graphics issues. It is nearly unusable at this point. I am a student on a tight budget and was hoping this computer would last me a lot longer than 3 years considering it costs over $2000+. I am extremely frustrated at this point, having gone to the Apple Store over 10 times, and being behind on school assignments. I just want this solved. I've read that many 2011 MBP's have had a failed graphics card but Apple has refused to acknowledge this. Is there any other reason I could be having these issues? One tech told me it may be software.
 
Starry said:
I've read that many 2011 MBP's have had a failed graphics card but Apple has refused to acknowledge this.
Click to expand...

Apple now has a repair programme. Send it back (again) and get it fixed; it won't cost you anything.

Hopefully they're using fixed boards this time around, although there isn't enough information yet to say for sure.
 
Nermal said:
Apple now has a repair programme. Send it back (again) and get it fixed; it won't cost you anything.

Hopefully they're using fixed boards this time around, although there isn't enough information yet to say for sure.
Click to expand...

Wow! Is that new? It looks like it may of been as of 2 days ago. Thank you!
Apple has fixed my board twice already, maybe 3rd times a try?

Now maybe my local Apple Store will stop thinking I'm the crazy MBP lady.
 
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Starry said:
Wow! Is that new? It looks like it may of been as of 2 days ago. Thank you!
Apple has fixed my board twice already, maybe 3rd times a try?

Now maybe my local Apple Store will stop thinking I'm the crazy MBP lady.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, given how the last repair program of 2008, the repaired boards are just as bad and likely to fail. Apple is doing this just to keep us going till February 2016 after which you'll be stuck with a broken laptop again.
 
magbarn said:
Unfortunately, given how the last repair program of 2008, the repaired boards are just as bad and likely to fail. Apple is doing this just to keep us going till February 2016 after which you'll be stuck with a broken laptop again.
Click to expand...

Yeah honestly I don't see my problems being fixed anytime soon since I've already went through this twice.

100% agree.

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rickvanr said:
Didn't Apple used to have a lemon policy, third time is a replacement?
Click to expand...

I did a quick google search and I only noticed results from 2008ish. It would be a blessing to get a replacement as I definitely have a lemon on my hands...
 
NO WAY!!! Please send me a link of the thread if you have it :)
If this is true then I feel extremely happy that I don't need to go into debt to get a new MBP.

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Ah thank you, radioking!

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I don't know if apple will be "generous" with me any longer as they have paid for both of my logic board repairs already. After those two were finished, I pleaded with them to give me some sort of a discount as I was wasting so much of my time at the store(10+ appointments) and getting so behind on my computer science work. They didn't budge, even after a 2 day conversation with a manager of applecare, again staying that they have been extremely generous with paying for my repairs. Though, at the time, I had to agree, I'm hoping they've changed their minds now? I have a 20% off discount right now but that's after letting them know that best buy had a cheaper price on an iMac. I have an appointment this week so I am really hoping I'll be getting somewhere... Instead of a 3rd logic board replacement #
I'm considering maybe trying another store in my area...
 
Email Tim Cook and tell him about it. It can't hurt anything. Their generosity is moot at this point with the recall.
 
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radioking said:
Email Tim Cook and tell him about it. It can't hurt anything. Their generosity is moot at this point with the recall.
Click to expand...

Just did, thanks for the suggestion! I won't expect a reply but maybe something will change... Exactly, I didn't even mention that. Hopefully when I go for my appointment that they won't mention that anymore and get straight to the point.
 
I forgot to mention one thing; my GPU overheated so much that it was a safety hazard. It started melting my keyboard cover and it was also sweating. This only happened once thankfully but it was still very scary...
 
I'm starting to doubt if i even have graphics card issues as the examples I've seen are a lot worse than mine. This is after 2 logic board replacements.
 

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You have a graphic card issue. But using a keyboard cover doesnt really help your problem because macbooks suck in fresh air from the keyboard. And you practically shut off the intake
 
call applecare and explain about the 2 previous MB replacements. Be very polite, no outbursts.

Talk to them about the extreme number of replacements and ask if you qualify for a free upgrade to a new laptop.

If you're not satisfied ask if you can speak to a Tier 2 specialist and very politely repeat everything once again.

If they ask you to send it in, be sure to take the keyboard cover off.

report back on how it goes!
 
So I'm currently at the genius bar and I've been told that they cannot even consider a replacement without doing a third failed repair. I'm on the second so I have to send it in AGAIN. It won't be fixed. I hate how we are just going in circles. Apple is just wasting their time and money on this stupid computer. Is this a true policy?? It sounds far fetched.

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bennibeef said:
You have a graphic card issue. But using a keyboard cover doesnt really help your problem because macbooks suck in fresh air from the keyboard. And you practically shut off the intake
Click to expand...

I need to remove it ASAP... Maybe it'll help with my GPU overheating.

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Idefix said:
call applecare and explain about the 2 previous MB replacements. Be very polite, no outbursts.

Talk to them about the extreme number of replacements and ask if you qualify for a free upgrade to a new laptop.

If you're not satisfied ask if you can speak to a Tier 2 specialist and very politely repeat everything once again.

If they ask you to send it in, be sure to take the keyboard cover off.

report back on how it goes!
Click to expand...



I am in contact with an Apple Care manager so I left a message. I will call Apple care today again.
I am at the genius bar and they are sending it in again... So we will see. :(
 
I'll just ask one small question:

If it's a GPU/hardware problem, then why does the login prompt show crystal clear in all of the posted screenshots? Logic would seem to suggest that a GPU/hardware problem would mean that the entire screen would be corrupt, including the login prompt.

I believe that it's something else, and that the Genius bar has misdiagnosed it previously.

I will also add that since they are already sending it in again to be "fixed", it will most likely come back with the same symptom, as it will again be misdiagnosed. When that happens, you will probably get a new system when you bring it back for further diagnosis again, not that it would necessarily be warranted, but because technically it will be the 3rd repair that was not successful.
 
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duervo said:
I'll just ask one small question:

If it's a GPU/hardware problem, then why does the login prompt show crystal clear in all of the posted screenshots? Logic would seem to suggest that a GPU/hardware problem would mean that the entire screen would be corrupt, including the login prompt.

I believe that it's something else, and that the Genius bar has misdiagnosed it previously.

I will also add that since they are already sending it in again to be "fixed", it will most likely come back with the same symptom, as it will again be misdiagnosed. When that happens, you will probably get a new system when you bring it back for further diagnosis again, not that it would necessarily be warranted, but because technically it will be the 3rd repair that was not successful.
Click to expand...

You have a point. I have been thinking it's definitely something else but no one can figure out what. That's the real issue; WHAT is going on here and why. Anyone have any ideas as I ak lost... One genius told me it was a hard drive issue so I promptly bought a new hybrid drive only to make the issue worse as it wasn't even recognized...

I have a strange situation on my hands. Extremely slow, lots of beach balls, and pixelated screens, apps crashing or not even loading. I just don't get it.

Sorry for all the edits but that's why I posted earlier that I wasn't too convinced I have an actual graphics card problem...
 
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Starry said:
You have a point. I have been thinking it's definitely something else but no one can figure out what. That's the real issue; WHAT is going on here and why. Anyone have any ideas as I ak lost... One genius told me it was a hard drive issue so I promptly bought a new hybrid drive only to make the issue worse as it wasn't even recognized...

I have a strange situation on my hands. Extremely slow, lots of beach balls, and pixelated screens, apps crashing or not even loading. I just don't get it.

Sorry for all the edits but that's why I posted earlier that I wasn't too convinced I have an actual graphics card problem...
Click to expand...

First place I would look, given all those symptoms, are at any third-party software/drivers that you may have installed. Any virus scanners, NTFS drivers, printer drivers, etc. Especially anything that installs its own kernel extension. ... Start-up in Safe Mode ... Then go from there. Think back to anything you may have updated or installed or changed back in November (long shot at this point, I know ... it would be for me at least,) when the symptoms first started happening. There is an article out there somewhere I came across a while back that lists step-by-step process on troubleshooting things in OS X. Does a much better job than I can do, given my limited amount of time I typically have to reply to threads.
 
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duervo said:
First place I would look, given all those symptoms, are at any third-party software/drivers that you may have installed. Any virus scanners, NTFS drivers, printer drivers, etc. Especially anything that installs its own kernel extension. ... Start-up in Safe Mode ... Then go from there. Think back to anything you may have updated or installed or changed back in November (long shot at this point, I know ... it would be for me at least,) when the symptoms first started happening. There is an article out there somewhere I came across a while back that lists step-by-step process on troubleshooting things in OS X. Does a much better job than I can do, given my limited amount of time I typically have to reply to threads.
Click to expand...

The only third party software I have on my device is BlueJ, Skype, and inpaint(which I indeed did download in November). My real issues may have began when I installed Yosemite... I don't know if I can go back without losing all my data. Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.
 
While I dont see on any screen that the login field is getting shown correctly, yes the cancel button looks fine and the fields may look fine, stuff around it is messed up.

Try booting in safe mode like suggested but I still say your graphics failed on you. Even if the graphics are failing, that doesnt mean nothing can be correctly displayed. There can be parts which are fine and parts which are not.
 
It appears to be a GPU failure. From my experience last May the refurbished boards fail quite quickly. If you want to take software factors out of the running then do a clean install of OS X.
 
Nermal said:
Apple now has a repair programme. Send it back (again) and get it fixed; it won't cost you anything.

Hopefully they're using fixed boards this time around, although there isn't enough information yet to say for sure.
Click to expand...

Very interesting, a couple of questions.

If I did develop the GPU issue (early 2011 15" MBP) do you think I would be able to take advantage of the repair program given I have upgraded the memory and fitted an SSD in place of the optical drive? I no longer have the original memory or optical drive so could not retro fit.

Secondly, which I have been meaning to ask for a while. Has there been a poll on this forum to try and ascertain which members have seen the problem and which have not. The sample size may be too small or it might give an indication of the extent of the problem. Would be useful to know how many potentially affected machines they built in total.

Just feels like it would be nice to know if it was a 5% problem or a 35% problem but probably no way of knowing with enough accuracy given the limited data available.
 
steve1960 said:
Very interesting, a couple of questions.

If I did develop the GPU issue (early 2011 15" MBP) do you think I would be able to take advantage of the repair program given I have upgraded the memory and fitted an SSD in place of the optical drive? I no longer have the original memory or optical drive so could not retro fit.

Secondly, which I have been meaning to ask for a while. Has there been a poll on this forum to try and ascertain which members have seen the problem and which have not. The sample size may be too small or it might give an indication of the extent of the problem. Would be useful to know how many potentially affected machines they built in total.

Just feels like it would be nice to know if it was a 5% problem or a 35% problem but probably no way of knowing with enough accuracy given the limited data available.
Click to expand...

RAM/SSD Update in the normal slots is allowed, but removing the optical drive could be tricky especially if you dont have it anymore. But its worth a try, or get a superdrive from somewhere.

For your sample size, while mine is really small:
I have a late 2011 15 inch. Mine is still fine.
2 of my friends have an early 2011 15 inch. both dead.
 
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