Possible GPU Issue? Help Please!

[vbrad26]

Ok first some background:
Late 2011 2.2GHz Intel Core i7
8GB RAM
Mountain Lion 10.8.2

This has happened to me a few times now (3-5) since I bought the computer in late June.
I upgraded the RAM from the standard 4GB to 8GB of Samsung RAM.
Also Upgraded to ML when it was released.
I can't remember for sure but I think I have had the issue that I am currently having before any of the upgrades so I cant really say my problem started happening after I upgraded the machine. But I really can't remember :/
Would RAM even be able to do something like this?
But anyway...

So the problem...

As you can see there are all these little colorful pixelated dots on the screen.
The computer will totally freeze up and I am not able to click on anything and even the little blinking dots on my clock stop blinking...however I am still able to move the mouse arrow around the screen.

It seems like it has happened about once a month since I have had the computer.
The computer pretty much always stays on and does not sleep since I have it hooked up to an external monitor (yes I get the pixleation on both screens) and I also use it to power the Internet on my Xbox via ethernet port.

So when it has happened in the past I usually turn on the external monitor and am greeted with what you see in the pictures.
However today everything was fine and dandy and I restarted to install some updates and right off the bat those little dots were covering the screen and I took the pictures that you see above.

Im sorry for the length of this post but I wanted to try to get everything out on the table all at once.

So what are some ideas? I was thinking it is a GPU issue but i wanted to get some ideas before I take it into Apple.

If this has been discussed before I apologize. I did search a month or so ago when it happened last but I never found anything that really matched my problem.

 

[Joesg]

That definitely appears to be the GPU at fault. I've seen similar artifacts on my 2007 MBP that has a known defective GPU.

Good news is that you should be able to get the entire logic board swapped out, as long as there isn't water damage or anything else that would trump the apple care.

 

[vbrad26]

The computer has been in my possession for less than 6 months and has hardly even left the desk!

I guess I will make an appointment at the Genius Bar when I have the time...

If this is in fact the issue does anyone have any idea as to the downtime I will be looking at while it gets replaced?

Luckily I still have my good ol' 13" black MacBook on hand as a backup!
And for the record that thing never gave me a SINGLE problem for the 5 years it was in use.

 

[BlaqkAudio]

I just had my logic board replaced for what seems to be the same problem (graphics artifacts, system locks up but cursor can still be moved). They gave me a timeframe of 3-5 days; I dropped my MBP off Saturday night and I just got it back today.

 

[vbrad26]

Ok cool thanks for the info!

Did you just take it to the Genius Bar and tell them what your problem was?
Or did they see it first hand?

Because I highly doubt I will be able to have my problem replicated when I take it in.

I will just have the pictures and the videos...

 

[BlaqkAudio]

I got lucky. When he turned on my computer, there was artifacts already present. He agreed to have my logic board replaced, and even replaced my display just in case, despite the tests saying everything was okay. I thought I was going to have to do what you do, and just show pictures of what's happened.

My advice is if the problem doesn't appear when they run their tests and they don't want to fix it, try booting into OS X and run a program that forces the use of dedicated graphics, like a few videos on YouTube. In my experience, the use of the dedicated GPU was a guaranteed way to have my system lockup.

 

[vbrad26]

Again, thanks for the info!

I will try your suggestion to see if that works...
If not, I'll just wait till it starts doing it again and then just shut the lid and make an appointment at the Genus Bar ASAP


But I will probably still try to take it in there with just the pictures and video at first...won't hurt to try.

 

[hackerwayne]

Looks like its either the GPU problem (80%) or the LCD problem (20%) lol.. I have a similar problem on late 2006 MBP the one with X1900 and its a GPU issue.

 

[vbrad26]

i didn't originally think it was an LCD issue since it would happen both on the laptop and external monitor screen...

 

[vbrad26]

Alright so an update just because...
On the 7th (4 days ago) it happened again.
I just so happened to have the day off of work so I went ahead and shut the lid and made my way to the Apple store.
Once there the computer was frozen on a blue screen so I couldn't really show the Genius the problem.
But I did have the pictures and some video and that was enough for him to decide to have the logic board replaced.
It was shipped out to Apple that same day and I got it back yesterday!
It was only gone for a total of 3 days!
Now I guess we will see if that fixes the issue......