Do the changed solder bumps actually fix the issue? If so WHEN my MBP GPU dies and the logic board gets replaced, it will have the GPU card that wont be a time bomb?
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So are all MBP owners with the 8600m GT cards screwed?
- Thread starter jjahshik32
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Yes, I have, in fact before I saw your post I started a thread about it. I bought my MacBook pro to run 3D graphics software, I am a 3D graphics professional and rely on this machine. Since updating the OS the render times etc have gone down to the speed of sludge. I think they have retarded the performance to reduce the failure rate of the graphics cards (mine is exhibiting symptoms) and too bad for the people like us who made big investments and depend upon the machines for our livelyhoods.
no answers forthcoming
Apple has kept mum on the topic. It's been said that NVidia changed their process in July. Then they changed again. There are those that claim Apple was not affected, but anecdotal evidence says otherwise.
Until Apple provides some definitive statement on affected machines and gives a range of serial numbers, there is no clear-cut assurance that the problem is not continuing with shipping machines even today. I have been ready to buy two Macbook Pro for several months but until something is said definitively I'm on hold and I have put at least several other people on hold. It is not at all clear that NVidia has their manufacturing processes working cleanly and properly even today. The problem is simply a lack of information. I hope somebody points me to some definitive statement by Apple on this issue but short of that, I am waiting.
Apple has kept mum on the topic. It's been said that NVidia changed their process in July. Then they changed again. There are those that claim Apple was not affected, but anecdotal evidence says otherwise.
Until Apple provides some definitive statement on affected machines and gives a range of serial numbers, there is no clear-cut assurance that the problem is not continuing with shipping machines even today. I have been ready to buy two Macbook Pro for several months but until something is said definitively I'm on hold and I have put at least several other people on hold. It is not at all clear that NVidia has their manufacturing processes working cleanly and properly even today. The problem is simply a lack of information. I hope somebody points me to some definitive statement by Apple on this issue but short of that, I am waiting.
I am reading this and other pertinent (German-language) forums. There was no evidence of graphic chips dying in row since now (I've too asked the local ASC two weeks ago). My early LED-lit MBP (Jun 2007) with the questionable chip does it's hard job perfect every day and every night. The very same applies to the MBPs of some friends around.
This might be of interest to some. I've been planning on buying a MBP for sometime, and this bad GPU has been pretty disconcerting. I went through the thread and made a quick chart of when MBPs with bad GPUs were purchased (and also, noted when MBPs without GPU issues were purchased >6 mo ago). This only includes systems where the month of purchase was noted, AND where the tell-tale signs of the bad GPU were present (screen artifacts, dead screen but booted system, Apple diagnosing the problem as a faulty logic board or GPU, etc.). X-axis is the month/year, Y-axis is the number of systems in each category that were purchased during that month/year.
It seems like a majority of the bad sysems were purchased a little over a year ago (just in time for the standard warranty to run out), although there appear to be some faulty GPUs even well into this year (leftover stock, maybe? Related, but different GPU problem?).
Disclaimer: Very non-scientific results.
It seems like a majority of the bad sysems were purchased a little over a year ago (just in time for the standard warranty to run out), although there appear to be some faulty GPUs even well into this year (leftover stock, maybe? Related, but different GPU problem?).
Disclaimer: Very non-scientific results.
Has there ever been a video card/GPU brand that hasn't had units fail? I mean really, even if new ones failed every now & then what would that prove? It could either be just the normal failure rates of video cards or it could mean they are all doomed and just haven't got to the 1-2 year use mark.
How often do ATI cards fail?
How often do ATI cards fail?
My 10.5.5 summary
Have been following this thread in two months now and I also had this problem but something has changed after 10.5.5 and the new nVidia drivers that came with the update.
I had so many crashes that I upgraded to 10.5.5 the same day it came out (September 15, 2008). For me that made my computer stable. I have only once had a "NVChannel(GL): Graphics channel exception" but it did not bring down my computer and it have not crashed after I updated and I have not rebooted or turned it on.
For "most" users 10.5.5 did not fix the problem. So what are we looking on?
- Good GPU with a bad 1.5.28 driver that got updated by 10.5.5 to 1.5.30?
- Bad GPU that no driver in the world can fix?
- Other
The biggest problem is that Apple is NOT sharing any information with us on this issue!
apple
--
Steinmb
Have been following this thread in two months now and I also had this problem but something has changed after 10.5.5 and the new nVidia drivers that came with the update.
I had so many crashes that I upgraded to 10.5.5 the same day it came out (September 15, 2008). For me that made my computer stable. I have only once had a "NVChannel(GL): Graphics channel exception" but it did not bring down my computer and it have not crashed after I updated and I have not rebooted or turned it on.
For "most" users 10.5.5 did not fix the problem. So what are we looking on?
- Good GPU with a bad 1.5.28 driver that got updated by 10.5.5 to 1.5.30?
- Bad GPU that no driver in the world can fix?
- Other
The biggest problem is that Apple is NOT sharing any information with us on this issue!
apple--
Steinmb
I think this.
The current MacBook Pros are just the biggest pieces of crap Apple has made.
Sorry if offensive.
You are not helping
The GPU is made by nVidia not Apple. What is crap is how Apple is handling this issue.
They should have informed us what models, serial numbers etc that are ticking time bombs and as Dell did, extended the warranty with one year.
The GPU is made by nVidia not Apple. What is crap is how Apple is handling this issue.
They should have informed us what models, serial numbers etc that are ticking time bombs and as Dell did, extended the warranty with one year.
Yellow screens on the MacBook Pro anyone?
Heating issues?
Etc.
All MacBook Pros revisions pretty much had problems.
All laptops have problems. You paint with a pretty broad brush, but you should remember that a thread full of people on an apple website and a supposed 1/5 number from a website that was convinced that the G80 would get crushed - CRUSHED - by the R600 among other jokes of journalism isn't exactly credible.
Is the issue there? Obviously. Is it under every stone? Obviously not.
For one thing you have a MB so you don't know what you're talking about. Secondly there is no "heating issue" on MBPs. They don't run any hotter than normal although may feel a bit warmer due to the metal case. They aren't supposed to be on anyone's lap so that shouldn't be an issue.
Have been following this thread in two months now and I also had this problem but something has changed after 10.5.5 and the new nVidia drivers that came with the update.
I had so many crashes that I upgraded to 10.5.5 the same day it came out (September 15, 2008). For me that made my computer stable. I have only once had a "NVChannel(GL): Graphics channel exception" but it did not bring down my computer and it have not crashed after I updated and I have not rebooted or turned it on.
For "most" users 10.5.5 did not fix the problem. So what are we looking on?
- Good GPU with a bad 1.5.28 driver that got updated by 10.5.5 to 1.5.30?
- Bad GPU that no driver in the world can fix?
- Other
The biggest problem is that Apple is NOT sharing any information with us on this issue!
--
Steinmb
Ya thats pretty much my concern as well...I'd like to know what exactly the fix is. For example, Del & HP did "fixes" that now keep their fans on all the time to cool things down...not a fix but rather just delaying the inevitable. Did Apple's fix do something like this? ...I know its not the same fan thing but it could be another bandaid solution that doesn't really fix it. How do you fix bad soldering material w/ a patch? I'd feel better if there was an announcement at least acknowledging or refuting the issue.
What are you talking about? I read the posts on MacRumours. MacRumours speaks for itself.
As for yellow screens:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/313239/
And some other problem:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/501850/
Although I mentioned it before that the graphics card may be related to the striped screen, I think that is the LED problem is a problem on its own. Just my opinion.
I rather have a slight yellowish tint towards the bottom of the screen (oh and I know since I've been through 12x 15" mbp last years model because of that) than a non working mbp with a non working gpu.
I would think the above you mentioned are very minor issues as to something like gpu failure which equals to pretty much uselessness.
I wouldn't call a graphics card that packs in after a year or 2 normal because you pay good money for a graphics card that can do more than an average card eg: playing games in better detail etc... If it packs in after a year or 2 it really isn't worth the money compared to a rubbish graphics card that will last 5 years or so is it?
fixed
What, are we in Italy or living in sheet-music-world now? Check your dictionary; "retard" still means "to decelerate".
I would definitely not put MacRumors anywhere near the top as far as forums with a high density of people who really know what their talking about. Obviously there are people who do, but reading the forum hardly qualifies anyone as "informed".
What am I talking about? Time for some Ibuprofen and a red bull.
What, are we in Italy or living in sheet-music-world now? Check your dictionary; "retard" still means "to decelerate".
Easy there, just thought it was a nicer touch.
Yes it sure does...at times its a bit alarmist and you're always going to get some extreme points of view and hear about the bad stuff. People w/ perfectly fine working MBPs don't usually feel the need to start threads ranting about issues like people who are pissed off. There's been countless threads and polls and nothing has come out of it that holds water. For some people they have issues that can't be GPU related but that has become the big thing to worry about. I'm not saying there isn't issues but I'd put more stock in the articles than the posts to get a more accurate idea.