Macbook Pro Early 2008 with 8600M GT - 128 MB

[Miches]

I bought old Macbook Pro Early 2008. This Mac should has GeForce 8600M GT with 256 MB RAM, but it has only 128 MB RAM. Logic board looks repaired. Only OS Lion works on it, is it any chance to install newer OSX? I tried install Mountain Lion and it works (partly) only in safe mode. Do you have any experiences with this model and this GPU?

Thank you very much.

 

[windywalks]

I have the same MBP lying around as a spare computer and it runs Yosemite albeit slowly since it only has the standard 2GB of RAM. It had the logic board exchanged under the service program and runs on full 256MB of VRAM.

I'd say something is obviously wrong with yours.

 

[chrfr]

I bought old Macbook Pro Early 2008. This Mac should has GeForce 8600M GT with 256 MB RAM, but it has only 128 MB RAM. Logic board looks repaired. Only OS Lion works on it, is it any chance to install newer OSX? I tried install Mountain Lion and it works (partly) only in safe mode. Do you have any experiences with this model and this GPU?

Thank you very much.

It sounds like there's a hardware fault with the computer. Even the 128MB VRAM models of the early 2008 MBP should run all the way up to 10.10.x.

 

[snaky69]

I bought old Macbook Pro Early 2008. This Mac should has GeForce 8600M GT with 256 MB RAM, but it has only 128 MB RAM. Logic board looks repaired. Only OS Lion works on it, is it any chance to install newer OSX? I tried install Mountain Lion and it works (partly) only in safe mode. Do you have any experiences with this model and this GPU?

Thank you very much.

If it has 128MB of VRAM you bought an early 2007 machine, not 2008. These guys are firmware locked not be able to run anything higher than Lion AFAIK. Else the logicboard was replaced by an earlier version as the 8600GT is a known ticking time bomb, and you're left with the same problem.

See here for systems compatible with ML:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202575

 

[chrfr]

If it has 128MB of VRAM you bought an early 2007 machine, not 2008. These guys are firmware locked not be able to run anything higher than Lion AFAIK.

The mid 2007 can run Yosemite (there wasn't an "early 2007" model). The low end model of the mid 2007 had a 128MB 8600M.
The main point of the OP's problem, though, is that the computer had 256MB but is now showing 128MB.

 

[Miches]

It is really Macbook Pro Early 2008 (4.1), but with only 128 MB VRAM. It is possible that in my Mac is old graphic chip, but logic board is from Mac Early 2008?

 

[snaky69]

It is really Macbook Pro Early 2008 (4.1), but with only 128 MB VRAM. It is possible that in my Mac is old graphic chip, but logic board is from Mac Early 2008?

Not really no, unless someone's really skilled at removing soldered chips without damaging anything, and soldering another back on.