MacBook Pro 3,1 Crashing repeatedly

[benny gsr]

My Macbook Pro 2008, 2.2ghz machine is having issues, and it's time to turn to the forum for help.

About a year and half ago, my old machine would boot, freeze, and after each consecutive restart, freeze again earlier and earlier into the process to the point where the spinning dashed circle would just stop. At the time, I was running 10.8. The apple hardware test indicated 4SNS / 1 / 40000000 th1H128.000. Apparently this is a thermal sensor issue. Despite this, there my research indicated it may still be related to well know GPU issue. However, there were no screen lines or other GPU typical indicators.

I love the keyboard on this model, and given it wasn't going to be used for anything cpu intensive, I decided to do something about it - so had it taken to the UK and fixed at BGA REpairs (even though I live in Australia). They confirmed the GPU was faulty and fixed, following which the machine booted well.

Upon return, it ran well on a new install of 10.6.8, upgraded to 10.11 and thats when it all started again - it would get to the boot screen, and need restarting, with each restart shorter and shorter before the next freezing episode. I left the machine for another week or two, clean install 10.9 ( I was reading that despite 10.11 being on the approved list for my machine that it may not work on anything past 10.10?)

The machine has for around 5 or 6 hours use total, been fine and now its' all happening again.
It has had a history of the GPU diode always running hot (this model is notorious for it) up to at time 89 degrees C. In the past the fan's would always be whirring quite noticabley, but just today - the last time the machine has frozen, I could open Istat fast enough, but the fan's weren't working.

If anyone has nay thoughts, I'd really appreciate it. I'd love to keep this machine active, hopefully for not much more than I've already spent?

 

[keysofanxiety]

I'm assuming your model is the 15" MBP with nVidia 8600GT?

If it is, regrettably the GPU issue is well documented and a common problem. Unfortunately there's no way to fix this without replacing the Logic Board, as it's a hardware issue. Due to the age of the machine, it may not be economically viable to repair.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

At 8 years old any money spent on it is a waste, it will undoubtedly require a logic board replacement or expensive repairs to the graphics card, even replacing fans and sensors will cost more in time effort and technicians than is worth it.

It's had a good run time to put it to bed, and get something new

 

[benny gsr]

At 8 years old any money spent on it is a waste,

I've already done this it seems

The GPU repair was done by BGA - who are documented as having had success with GPU replacement on the same logic board. It was reasonably expesnive, and of course it was certainly a risk I took - but one I deemed worth it. It appears my gamble has not come off.

 

[benny gsr]

I forgot to add.... Could the symptoms be a faulty HD? It is already an SSD, albeit an old one (around 5 years old, OWC sata2 still)

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I forgot to add.... Could the symptoms be a faulty HD? It is already an SSD, albeit an old one (around 5 years old, OWC sata2 still)

It could be, it doesn't sound like it but you could try throwing another HDD I there and seeing how it goes it's an easy test.