MacBook Pro 2011 claims to be 2012

[lasagna]

Guys I have a burning question.

I just bought a used MacBook Pro that is in great conditions and nothing wrong with it. It works just fine, BUT...

In the About this Mac screen is says it's a Mid-2012 model, but EVERYTHING else tells me it's a Late 2011 model.

If this was a Mid 2012 machine the Processor would be 2,9Ghz and the graphics would be an Intel HD 4000.
My friend actually has a Late 2011 machine and this is what it looks like:

Can anybody tell me what the hell is going on? I just gotta resolve this mystery!

 

[PieTunes]

If those screen shots are of the same machine, why are the serial numbers different?

 

[smbu2000]

Definitely seems like a 2011 macbook pro.
It is not very hard to edit the about this Mac screen to put whatever you want in it.

https://www.idownloadblog.com/2017/01/13/how-to-modify-about-this-mac-hackintosh/

 

[lasagna]

If those screen shots are of the same machine, why are the serial numbers different?

They are not the same machine. The first one is that Mac im questioning about. The one that is pretending to be a 2012 machine.

The second one is an actual 2011 model. Just showing it to show that the specs are the same...

 

[PieTunes]

You’re thinking the previous owner edited the About This Mac info when the machine was on El Capitan, the serial number and the system build year namely, to make it look like a 2012 and when the OP upgraded to OS to High Sierra it repopulated it with the correct info?
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They are not the same machine. The first one is that Mac im questioning about. The one that is pretending to be a 2012 machine.

The second one is an actual 2011 model. Just showing it to show that the specs are the same...

Ah. Hmm... interesting. I’m curious what this could mean as well.

 

[lasagna]

Definitely seems like a 2011 macbook pro.
It is not very hard to edit the about this Mac screen to put whatever you want in it.

https://www.idownloadblog.com/2017/01/13/how-to-modify-about-this-mac-hackintosh/

This is very interesting to learn... It would probably be that, except that after I bought it, I already formatted the hard drive and reinstalled the OS. So it would have to be a mod on the hardware or something...

 

[smbu2000]

This is very interesting to learn... It would probably be that, except that after I bought it, I already formatted the hard drive and reinstalled the OS. So it would have to be a mod on the hardware or something...

Interesting.
Does the serial number on the bottom cover match that serial number shown?
Also have you tried taking off the bottom cover. On the unibody MBPs, the serial number sticker should be right there on the RAM slots.

You can see the serial number for this ifixit one easily.
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Late+2011+Heat+Sink+Replacement/7657

 

[lasagna]

Thats a good tip to check. Will crack it open and check, BUT...
According to the serial number it is indeed a Mid 2012, but I looked all over the web and there are no Mid 2012 with those specs... Those specs are for Late 2011.

 

[Yebubbleman]

Guys I have a burning question.

I just bought a used MacBook Pro that is in great conditions and nothing wrong with it. It works just fine, BUT...

In the About this Mac screen is says it's a Mid-2012 model, but EVERYTHING else tells me it's a Late 2011 model.

View attachment 947405

If this was a Mid 2012 machine the Processor would be 2,9Ghz and the graphics would be an Intel HD 4000.
My friend actually has a Late 2011 machine and this is what it looks like:

View attachment 947406

Can anybody tell me what the hell is going on? I just gotta resolve this mystery!

Are you sure that the serial number reported in "About This Mac" matches the actual serial number of the machine? It's possible that the number was changed to spoof anything checking the actual serial number (as all "About this Mac" does is send your serial number to Apple via the Internet in order to populate the exact computer model).

 

[lasagna]

So, if they did change the serial number, how did they do that?

Im comfortable with the configuration the machine has... It works fine. But apple never realeased a Mid 2012 MacBook Pro with a 2.8Ghz i5.

so where is the disconnect here?

 

[DeltaMac]

Another difference between 2011 and 2012 MBPro, is USB 3.0 in 2012.
A 2011 will have only USB 2.0 ports.
You can check that in the System Information.

There are methods to burn a new serial number on the logic board, but that doesn't make much sense to try to "spoof" a different year model.

I don't think there's any way to report USB 3.0 bus, when it is a USB 2.0 bus.
So, you have a 2012 case, with a transplanted 2011 logic board.

 

[lasagna]

But isn't the serial number part of the Logic Board? Doesn't the About this Mac read the serial number and therefore the year from the logic board? Why the case would have anything to do with it.

My assumption was that they would have changed the processor from a 2011 board into the 2012 board, but that would take a hell of a lot work...

 

[DeltaMac]

Yes, the serial number is burned to the (bootrom?), so part of the firmware.
As I said, there are methods to burn a new serial number to an existing board -- something that a refurbishing shop might want to do occasionally, so a replacement board can have the same serial number as the case label.
AFAIK, the serial number on the board does NOT determine the model number (a Macbookpro8,1 might have a new burned serial number that is completely fictional. It would still be read by the system as a MacBookPro8,1 - not really linked to the serial number) YOU access a database somewhere to determine what model of Mac you have by entering a serial number. Your Mac does not access a database other than what is internal to the system software, it just reports the serial number, as well as the other hardware information. AFAIK, the "Model Identifier" (MacBookPro8,1), not the serial number, determines the model year that is displayed by the system.
The graphics card is also reported as a 2011 Intel HD 3000, which would mean that someone also changed the graphics chip, so more likely just swapped out the logic board. Again, no USB 3.0 would tell the tale here.

 

[vince22]

But isn't the serial number part of the Logic Board? Doesn't the About this Mac read the serial number and therefore the year from the logic board? Why the case would have anything to do with it.

My assumption was that they would have changed the processor from a 2011 board into the 2012 board, but that would take a hell of a lot work...

here's my Mid 2012 MacBook Pro 13" specs shot, i know for sure Mid 2012 MacBook Pro 13" only use Intel HD4000 graphics chip, memory uses 1600mhz dd3, model 9,2 and usb 3.0. good luck.