rMBP 15" mid 2012 - Screen black on boot, fans on full

[nitraat]

Hey!

Since yesterday I've been having major issues with my 15" Retina MacBook Pro (mid 2012 model). When I boot it, the screen is black (no backlight: Apple logo doesn't light up). I do hear the startup chime, and it actually does proceed to boot, but the screen stays dark. After a while, I can hear ticks as I adjust the volume, I can adjust the keyboard backlighting, etc. After it boots, the fans stay on at full speed.

I did a PRAM and SMC reset, both to no effect. After lots of fiddling with plugging and unplugging an HDMI cable to an external monitor, I eventually got the screen to turn on. Most things seem functional, besides it being a bit sluggish and the fans still stay at full speed (and there seems to be a LOT of battery drain). I'm using gfxCardStatus and I notice it isn't really able to switch to the discrete GPU anymore.

Does anyone recognize this issue? I suspect it's a hardware issue (broken GPU? broken connection to GPU?), are there any more tests I can do?

I notice in the system report at Graphics/Displays, it only gives me something about the integrated "Intel HD Graphics 4000". Can anyone else with the same model rMBP verify whether this is normal?

 

[Powermax]

I notice in the system report at Graphics/Displays, it only gives me something about the integrated "Intel HD Graphics 4000". Can anyone else with the same model rMBP verify whether this is normal?

My 2012 rMPB also says Graphics Intel HD Graphics 4000 1024 MB.

 

[Barney63]

It appears like you have succumbed to gpu failure


Barney

 

[nitraat]

My 2012 rMPB also says Graphics Intel HD Graphics 4000 1024 MB.

Ah, thanks. Weird that I see no mention at all of the GT 650M anywhere in the system report, you'd think they'd at least put it somewhere.

It appears like you have succumbed to gpu failure
Barney

Meh Do you happen to know how fixable that is?

 

[simonsi]

Shine a torch through the Apple logo, is the LCD working and its just a backlight issue??

 

[nitraat]

Shine a torch through the Apple logo, is the LCD working and its just a backlight issue??

Tried the torch, but didn't see any light come through (whereas I did when I fiddled the screen to work and had the brightness turned down).

 

[Powermax]

It should look like this: http://s1.directupload.net/images/140509/epczgydo.png

 

[nitraat]

It should look like this: http://s1.directupload.net/images/140509/epczgydo.png

That's definitely not what I see. Good to know, must be a broken GPU then. Or I guess a motherboard component that interfaces with it, but I guess there's not really a way to test that.

 

[coldwaves]

That's definitely not what I see. Good to know, must be a broken GPU then. Or I guess a motherboard component that interfaces with it, but I guess there's not really a way to test that.

If you connect your laptop to an working external monitor and it display without problem, it does not seem to a GPU issue. It seems like it does not always display properly in the external monitor. If you are sure it is not the cable or the monitor, it is likely the GPU.

If the external monitor works fine, it could be something in your laptop display. It could be a loose connection or bad backlight. If you look closely to your display with a light when it is black and you can see image, it is the backlight. If not, it is hard to see what is wrong.

Since the everything is soldered in the new MBP, you may have to replace the whole logic board if it is a GPU issue. You may try to make an appointment with the genius bar and they can do the diagnostic for free.

Sorry that you have problems with the laptop.