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MacBook Pro Repair Extension Program for Video Issues
- Thread starter gael79
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Get gfxCardStatus version 2.2.1 (not the newer versions) and use "integrated only" setting.
You have to set it every time you restart or turn on the computer, but it should avoid having dGPU issue related restart.
I have used switchGPU in addition with GFXcardStatus, which upon login will automatically set the system to integrated only, and repeats the process 3 times to override the OS' attempt to revert back to dynamic.
https://github.com/joachimroeleveld/switchGPU
Now if only Apple would release an EFI/OS update so that the system would start on integrated graphics. The only way I can get my Early 2011 to start using integrated graphics is by intentionally overheating it and then immediately restarting it the second after a thermal shutdown.
Wow this is happening to the 2011 15" MBPs? I almost bought one today via Craigslist. Good thing I decided to get the 13" instead. Good luck to all you guys! 
I had my 2011 17" MBP logic board swapped in Nov 2015 and it's once again showing graphic glitches and freezes. It's just a bit ridiculous they obviously just swapped the boards out with faulty ones and now that their vintage they don't have to touch them.
What frustrates me more is that I believe before washing their hands of the issue, Apple could have at least provided 2011 owners with limited functionality with a software update that I do not believe would have been that difficult to do.
Now I am attempting to learn if this software fix is possible, and the feasibility of convincing Apple or a third party to write it.
You can't software fix it yourself because the machine boots with the dGPU, software fix would require the bios to disable the dGPU until boot is completed and Apple has to supply that or you have to hackintosh your Mac…
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Not in the EU, it is a 6 year old machine so in some ways I have gotten plenty of use out of it -- but still it's a bit crappy that the logic board is failing again when it was only replaced last year.
Well I'm sad to report that my replacement logic board only lasted 5 weeks! They tell me it will be replaced again under warranty as the repair is warranted for 90 days, but now they tell me the display itself has an intermittent fault. Let's hope they can fix it properly soon!
Good luck in getting them to replace either now it's classed as "vintage".
I've been calling them almost daily for 5wks trying to get them to repair my 17" (early 2011) logic board since it failed with these Video issues at the very end of last year, they said the part isn't manufactured anymore so I have no chance of a repair.
Then they finally told me last week that they won't do anything and I need to contact their lawyers if I want to make a claim through the 1979 Sales of Goods Act, for only an outcome of either replace or refund, obviously all at my expense as only a hired solicitor/lawyer is allowed to make a claim on my behalf apparently.
Absolutely furious as I have looked after my mac very well and it's only their manufacturing fault that has stopped it working.
Please do let me know @hotmetal if they do offer you a repair as this means they actually do have a process in place to make/refurbish and offer logicboards to those that are still in warranty.
I've been calling them almost daily for 5wks trying to get them to repair my 17" (early 2011) logic board since it failed with these Video issues at the very end of last year, they said the part isn't manufactured anymore so I have no chance of a repair.
Then they finally told me last week that they won't do anything and I need to contact their lawyers if I want to make a claim through the 1979 Sales of Goods Act, for only an outcome of either replace or refund, obviously all at my expense as only a hired solicitor/lawyer is allowed to make a claim on my behalf apparently.
Absolutely furious as I have looked after my mac very well and it's only their manufacturing fault that has stopped it working.
Please do let me know @hotmetal if they do offer you a repair as this means they actually do have a process in place to make/refurbish and offer logicboards to those that are still in warranty.
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@theGreyeyeGemini they DID replace the board in my late 2011 17" in January. And they have just done so again. I was lucky. Well, except that it didn't last. This was via Stormfront, which is an apple authorised service provider. However, although the logic board has apparently been replaced twice in 5 weeks, I'm still without my work machine as they have also told me that the screen is now playing up. So I'm waiting to find out what Apple say. So far my experience with Apple support has been good - just a shame the fix didn't last.
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@hotmetal really wow, I've had no such luck they kept sending me to MRSystems (islington branch) for my diagnostics and twice said they wouldn't do anything, I've been nothing but calm over the phone with Apple as I expected a better outcome with this approach.
So do you think it would be worth me using Stormfront instead to create a diagnostics job number and open the apple case again?
Was it the Wimbledon branch you used?
I'm absolutely shocked that I've been treated so badly especially since your in a very similar situation and they made no attempt to help me. Just said it's vintage so go away!
So do you think it would be worth me using Stormfront instead to create a diagnostics job number and open the apple case again?
Was it the Wimbledon branch you used?
I'm absolutely shocked that I've been treated so badly especially since your in a very similar situation and they made no attempt to help me. Just said it's vintage so go away!
Did you purchase direct from Apple UK? If so do what I did a file a consumer law claim through Apple Care for the known manufacturing fault.
Did mine start if the year and have a 2016 MBP now free of charge.
They asked me for a diagnostics report either from their store or a third party, I went to Solutions Inc in Hove.
What do MRSystems do? Do they do the video test to prove graphics is dead?
Wow you got lucky getting a new laptop! I will be happy just to get mine back (and if the next MBP release resolves some of the issues with keyboard etc I will get one). I took mine to Stormfront and they did plug in their diagnostics tool, which instantly verified the video card as faulty. Apparently Apple get to see the results of any test done on that system, and I have to say I am very pleased with their response, even though at the moment my issue remains unresolved. I remain hopeful based on how well I've been treated so far.
GreyeyeGemini, I think I got lucky because I reported the failure just a week after the end of the programme, and explained that it manifested itself just before Christmas but due to the break I didn't address it till 1st week Jan. Even so, they could have told me I was out of luck. The Apple dude wasn't hopeful but said that the best he could do was book me an appointment at my nearest store or AASP. They would then see the diagnosis and 'see where we go from there'. They obviously had mercy on me. Now I just hope they can resolve it swiftly as it's tricky being freelance without it!
GreyeyeGemini, I think I got lucky because I reported the failure just a week after the end of the programme, and explained that it manifested itself just before Christmas but due to the break I didn't address it till 1st week Jan. Even so, they could have told me I was out of luck. The Apple dude wasn't hopeful but said that the best he could do was book me an appointment at my nearest store or AASP. They would then see the diagnosis and 'see where we go from there'. They obviously had mercy on me. Now I just hope they can resolve it swiftly as it's tricky being freelance without it!
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Hi @brandscill yeh I purchased it direct over the phone end of March 2011, so I am still within my consumer laws, but the Ombudsman won't help I get this "refusal to co-operate with us" message when you type in the Apple address:
I'm absolutely stumped as what to do next, the guy's at MRSystems told me to stop being polite and start making a nuisance of myself when I call Apple, but as Apple have sent me an email message saying the lawyers have made a decision and I should seek ADR which is useless as they know full well they won't help, I'm unsure what my best move is.
Maybe I am just letting them walk all over me, but it does seem unfair that if others have had the repair since the program finished I should also get a similar response in care.
So in my case I went to the Apple Store and got told to **** off basically. So I went home, called Apple Care and said I'd like to make a consumer law claim, I was then transferred to a senior advisor.
He explained the process, I needed a to get a report confirming the issue and my proof of purchase and then they processed this interbally. 1 week later they agreed the decision to replace the machine.
Referring you to the body is useless, they're walking all over you and or you haven't gotten to the right people.
What have you done so far that resulted in you getting a response from Apple Legal?
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They wouldn't even attempt to repair mine as it's vintage and they couldn't order the parts.
Hey @brandscill and @hotmetal thanks so much for helping me here, really appreciate it, I've been pretty upset about the whole thing and chatting to you lovelies really does give me a boost to carry on the fight for a better outcome.
So I basically did the same as you, I was sent by apple to get a diagnostics report from MRSystems, of which the outcome was the same as you, then called Apple (senior tech support) back sent files of the Original Purchase and the Diagnostics report and got this response back:
I have been using the Apple technical support lines when contacting them, and always ask for Senior staff.
Should I be using a different contact number to Apple Care instead even though it has expired for many years, are they just more efficient and caring to resolve the case?
I'm actually not that convinced that the reponse is even from their legal team and that this above message might just be a generic "fob off" to get me to go away!!
Sorry to hear they're taking such a different tack with you Donna. My Applecare ran out years ago too, so I didn't expect to even talk to anyone. Stormfront advised me to call Apple on 0800 107 6285. Apple said they needed Stormfront to do diagnosis. They obviously had stock of *late 2011* boards (but maybe not early 2011). This time after the January logic board failed so soon I got through to a lovely lady in Ireland who was totally sympathetic and reassured me that as they'd tried to fix it less than 90 days ago they would 'repair the repair'. Maybe because yours failed longer after the New Year's Eve deadline? Or maybe as yours is early 2011 and mine is late 2011? Anyway I hope you are able to resolve something. Then again, I still don't have my laptop back (logic board replaced but now Stormfront say the screen is also faulty and are talking about this consumer law, so I will just hope that Apple similarly take pity on me for that issue).
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Did you respond to ask how they came to that determination?
Ultimately the rules for a consumer law claim are simply there has to be a manufacturing fault from the start, their replacement program indicates this.
I think you need to ask their reasoning for that responsive and set out exactly why your claim meets the criteria as defined by law.
When did you purchase the machine?
Yeh, sometimes it really is about who you get on the call and how caring they are to receive a good outcome.
Plus the difference in late and early boards you mentioned too.
I am kicking myself loads as the MBP failed literally just before xmas, I thought I'll just deal with it in the new year completely unaware of this repair program, yeh I know how did I not know with such an outcry on here,
but honestly I've never called them before and I thought as I was out of applecare they wouldn't even speak to me!
Also with it being xmas didn't think they'd be able to send me anywhere without it costing lotsa moola at an already expensive time of year....plus I'm a freelancer so January's also a downer with taxbills etc...
MRSystems told me that they did over 2000 of these repairs last year but it would only receive the logicboard at a case by case request they never overstocked just ordered it in when a customer had that result. They knew for sure that within Apple Law they we'rent able to get one in for me outside of Apple request even though one of the Apple Senior Support team sent me back there twice requesting it, they really have had me running around on a "wild goose chase"!
Thanks for the telephone number I'll definitely give it a try tomorrow, was almost giving up.
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Hi, I brought it on 23rd March 2011, and my apple CASE started on February 3rd even though I'de been calling them from mid January.
Any consumer law claim I make will backdate from when the apple case started luckily, and I have been informed that I'm well within my Sales of Goods Act law of less than 6yrs for a claim.
No I haven't asked, the supposed senior support guys i speak to all just get me fuddled in dialogue about the fact it's vintage so they can't do anything for me
I'd been having random shutdowns for over 3 yrs but as it was my main work computer and often in use for over 18hrs a day I just thought it was the fan overheating, plus whenever I started it back up there was never any warnings just carried on as usual. I backup to a drobo drive unit and CrashPlan offsite so I never was concerned about losing my work, regardless of the intermittant performance, and it was only maybe a once a month at most.
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Okay, think step 1 is call back and ask where you go next within Apple, they denied your claim but why? Explain the story start to finish, and remind them of your rights and that you've done everything they asked.
Remind them that by virtue of the fact they have a replacement program for this issue is self admitting that there was a known manufacturing fault and Consumer Law dictates they are liable for 6 years from purchase.
Let us know how you get on tomorrow
Honestly I've done that everytime I've called but I will definitely start calling them back from tomorrow and letting you know.
Any pointers on which team I should ask for, I'm pretty certain the last person I spoke to claimed he was Senior but the automatic email you get after talking to support didn't have it outlined under his sign-off
heres a screengrab of an email from a senior tech I've spoken too and then below that is an email from the last guy I spoke too who told me to only get in touch with them through lawyers from now on.
You can clearly see John's says Senior and Alasdair's doesn't, yet he was quoting all sorts of law info to me. BTW I have it all recorded too as I was told to make a claim I might need it, since they've been messing me about.
Thanks again you guys, really appreciate this.
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Honestly I've done that everytime I've called but I will definitely start calling them back from tomorrow and letting you know.
Any pointers on which team I should ask for, I'm pretty certain the last person I spoke to claimed he was Senior but the automatic email you get after talking to support didn't have it outlined under his sign-off
heres a screengrab of an email from a senior tech I've spoken too and then below that is an email from the last guy I spoke too who told me to only get in touch with them through lawyers from now on.
View attachment 692037
View attachment 692038
You can clearly see John's says Senior and Alasdair's doesn't, yet he was quoting all sorts of law info to me. BTW I have it all recorded too as I was told to make a claim I might need it, since they've been messing me about.
Thanks again you guys, really appreciate this.
Hi,
Disappointing they're asking you to only contact through layers. I think we need to get their reasoning as to why your claim was rejected, you don't need a layer for that.
I started off on chat, and got told chat can't do Consumer Law Claims and then I was put onto the phone. Eventually a guy called Samir picked up the call and helped me. I think you have to skip the low level, go straight to senior and get them caught up. Say that from this point your at a loss, you were told the claim was rejected but given no reason as to why, and if you were to seek legal help you'd at least need to know that. Stick to facts, ask them to run through anything again to see if anything was missed of if there was any misinformation or confusion in making the claim.
EDIT
Just checked out the Onbudsman website - does anyone work with them? Tried Argos, Tesco and Currys.
@hotmetal @brandscill Hi there, so I called Apple back this morning and after an hour of going through my case and me repeating all the reasons why I have not received a similar outcome to you guys they basically said that I can only get a different resolution if I get my own lawyers/solicitors involved (at my expense) to make a claim against their decision to not act upon the consumer law of a Replace or Refund outcome. I'm not allowed to contact them myself.
When I asked Apple what were the reasons given from the lawyers to refuse my claim, he suggested that it was because I had never complained about the issue in the last 4years.
Obviously I then retorted back to them that as my applecare had expired and the fault was very intermittent I thought it would cost me just to call Apple for any help as I have never used them before and just presumed any support given would come at an even futher cost to me, so just put up with it crashing every now and then.
Plus as I was using it for 16hrs+ a day I just thought it might have been overheating and was a simple fan issue.
The support guy also suggested that even though you had both been given better outcomes from legal thus far it was most likely because you had probably complained or had your laptops in for diagnostics checks prior to the December 2016 cut-off of the repair program, is that correct?
Where'as my first complaint and then diagnostics check wasn't until February 7th regardless of the fact I have proof (crashplan reports) that it had stopped working since early December.
So essentially there's no point me contacting technical support/applecare anymore their lawyers decision is final.
I can only go via a civil action claim or try and find some sort of 'ambulance chaser' solicitors that may give me some free advice or even want to take on a corporate bigwig on my behalf, and all the usually free government ombudsmans and trading standards can't help either.
Okay so it has worked for 5years but with the known manufacturing fault apparent it feels as I've been sold a machine with it's very own built in obsolescence.
I really am just utterly bereft that they are refusing to honour a better outcome.
I don't have any lawyers amongst my friends and family to get expert advice from so any further action is going to mean my pockets emptying!!!!
When I asked Apple what were the reasons given from the lawyers to refuse my claim, he suggested that it was because I had never complained about the issue in the last 4years.
Obviously I then retorted back to them that as my applecare had expired and the fault was very intermittent I thought it would cost me just to call Apple for any help as I have never used them before and just presumed any support given would come at an even futher cost to me, so just put up with it crashing every now and then.
Plus as I was using it for 16hrs+ a day I just thought it might have been overheating and was a simple fan issue.
The support guy also suggested that even though you had both been given better outcomes from legal thus far it was most likely because you had probably complained or had your laptops in for diagnostics checks prior to the December 2016 cut-off of the repair program, is that correct?
Where'as my first complaint and then diagnostics check wasn't until February 7th regardless of the fact I have proof (crashplan reports) that it had stopped working since early December.
So essentially there's no point me contacting technical support/applecare anymore their lawyers decision is final.
I can only go via a civil action claim or try and find some sort of 'ambulance chaser' solicitors that may give me some free advice or even want to take on a corporate bigwig on my behalf, and all the usually free government ombudsmans and trading standards can't help either.
Okay so it has worked for 5years but with the known manufacturing fault apparent it feels as I've been sold a machine with it's very own built in obsolescence.
I really am just utterly bereft that they are refusing to honour a better outcome.
I don't have any lawyers amongst my friends and family to get expert advice from so any further action is going to mean my pockets emptying!!!!