So are all MBP owners with the 8600m GT cards screwed?

[Vercingetorix]

I love my mbp. It is flawless, runs cool, perfect screen, keyboard, case... I don't want a uni or any other mb... I bought this laptop to use exactly in the manner it was advertised for, but because of this issue, it has gone from a professional and appreciated tool, to something that I can't really use at work anymore because of it's lack of reliability... Expensive unreliable toy... Arg.

Yeah, I priced the part online and it looks like it's about $1000 retail. For just the part. Considerably cheaper on Ebay, but of course there's nothing to indicate whether it's a part that theoretically has the problem or not. I'd be willing to spend $400 or $500 for a board on Ebay and use the IFixit guide to change it out myself -- but not if I don't know that the new board didn't have the same flaw.

Basically there's no good solution here. I've got this MBP set up exactly the way I want it, upgraded to a 320 GB HDD....and at some point in the next six months, it's probably going to crap out without any warning. At which point I can either spend a thousand dollars to fix a two-year-old machine, or I can spring for a whole new laptop -- and deal with all of the wife aggro and pain-in-the-arse-factor of trying to move all my stuff onto the new one. With its smaller hard drive. Argh.

 

[Azmordean]

I've got the 2.4GHz Penryn 15". I've had zero problems, the computer has been flawless. Am I sitting on a time bomb?

Assuming I am, it seems there's little I can do about it, other than not worry about it and keep time machine running, correct?

 

[sclough]

I've got the 2.4GHz Penryn 15". I've had zero problems, the computer has been flawless. Am I sitting on a time bomb?

Assuming I am, it seems there's little I can do about it, other than not worry about it and keep time machine running, correct?

Yep, you and I both are . Although, like anything else, I assume some machines will probably escape and last a long time. We can at least hope, right?

The only thing I might do is grab Applecare via Ebay. That would at least give you an extra year of protection. That's what I did.

 

[packgrad2000]

I've got the 2.4GHz Penryn 15". I've had zero problems, the computer has been flawless. Am I sitting on a time bomb?

Assuming I am, it seems there's little I can do about it, other than not worry about it and keep time machine running, correct?

Even if your video card failed, you could still go in and get the HD out fairly easily, whether you used Time Machine or not. I live in Indonesia now (I'm an expat) which makes it a lot harder to sell on eBay, which I would definitely do if I were in the US.

 

[fuzzynavo]

So two days after getting my computer back from having the logic board repaired, its still screwy. I noticed that my firewire port no longer works though it worked perfectly fine the day before the repairs. More aggravating is the fact that my computer now constantly hangs at boot-up. The screen will remain grey for 5-10 minutes and usually afterwards the Apple logo will appear and it'll go through its usual boot process. Once it starts up everything seems to be working properly but I haven't been able to test it all that much...too busy being pissed. While on the grey screen the computer wont boot in single user mode nor will it boot from a CD.

I'm taking it back to the Apple store in half an hour to raise some hell. Obviously this is a result of the logic board replacement on Sunday because everything worked 100% fine on Saturday prior to the GPU failure. Hopefully they won't try to cop out and say firewire etc. isn't under warranty since my MBP is almost 2 years old.

 

[5thcolumn]

I'm taking it back to the Apple store in half an hour to raise some hell. Obviously this is a result of the logic board replacement on Sunday because everything worked 100% fine on Saturday prior to the GPU failure. Hopefully they won't try to cop out and say firewire etc. isn't under warranty since my MBP is almost 2 years old.

Your "new" logicboard has a 90 day warranty so you should be fine because that's exactly what it sounds like. So they've only cost you time and aggravation(more or less depending on how long your "new(er)" board will take to install). I'd call Apple and say "Hey, um..."
I'm lucky enough to have a Store close by, so when I picked it up, much to the chagrin of the counter staff, I opened it then and there(in a really busy store)and booted up....
I so wanted to upgrade and customize this machine and own it and use it for at least 4 years, then retire it as a nostalgic back-up... I so don't want to shop for a new machine, loath looking at Macs even though I know that I will buy because of the OS...

 

[jbrenn]

I've seen this "cards made after Sept/Oct 2008 are OK" quite a few times on this thread, but I've yet to see that anywhere else. Can someone provide a source? My 2.2 SR's video card crapped out around Christmas, and it was replaced in January 2009, so I'm hoping it was made after this supposed Sept/October date. Any way to find out when your video card was manufactured?

no chips are o.k. I had a motherboard replaced 5 times in the past 3 months. on 2 computers. All gforce related if they had good chips i would have had the good one. if you want to keep your computer running do nothing more graphically intense and writing an email. The minute you start playing games the life of the chip drops.

 

[andrewkendall]

Argh, my MacBook Pro had been showing distorted screens since about two months after I bought it (https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/527789/). It finally died with black screen right in the middle of a trip to Switzerland meaning I had to fly back early. I took it to the Apple store in London who replaced the motherboard, after getting the machine home I've now found out that since the repair the right speaker is no longer working! Such a pain. I'm so frustrated at the thought of having to lose yet more of my time getting this new issue fixed.

 

[Kaupa]

Hahaha, great luck for me!
Last weak I bought a 2.2 SR MBP with the defective 8600 unit for spare parts and just because it was ridiculous cheap (around $200US) and I wanted to have a look into such a machine.
It came with opened topcase and without HDD, just fine for me as the seller told me before.
I put in my old HDD with OSX still on it and hit the button. Startsound came and after a while I tried my passwort. I heared the HDD working so I tried to switch on voice over (cmd+F5). It worked! OK, so I had no picture, also nothing with an ext. monitor.
As i bougth me a firewire cable some month ago I tried target mode and copied some files to my penryn MBP. Damn, the battery of the SR ended and the connection was lost. I put in the powercable an hit the button again. WOW, I suddenly had a picture on the defective SR MBP!
LOL
I did do nothing except from putting in my HDD and some disconnects/connects of the topcase plug. Seems the defective 8600 has a similar problem like the PB G4 raphics unit, which some users had to hold down or put some pressure on it in order to let it work!?
I hope it will last a while and not just a few times!

 

[PAC88]

DAMMIT! I have a refurbished 17" (2.5ghz, 4gb ram, 8600m, LED Matte) arriving at my door today.. And now I have no idea what to do because of this GPU problem. Of course I will have apple care for 3 years but I would love to use the computer longer than that... $1000 to replace a part (with another faulty part) apple knows has a large failure rate is ridiculous. I'm excited for the computer because it's exactly what I want but now I'm really tempted to return it.

 

[kipkeston]

Hm. Funny. My 2.2ghz mbp, ROM 3175 has been running fine for the last 21 months that I've had it. Didn't bother applecare. But I'll keep an eye out for anything strange.

 

[galstaph]

DAMMIT! I have a refurbished 17" (2.5ghz, 4gb ram, 8600m, LED Matte) arriving at my door today.. And now I have no idea what to do because of this GPU problem. Of course I will have apple care for 3 years but I would love to use the computer longer than that... $1000 to replace a part (with another faulty part) apple knows has a large failure rate is ridiculous. I'm excited for the computer because it's exactly what I want but now I'm really tempted to return it.

My 17 went @ ~1.5 years old. Replaced the basttery, then the 8600 went then I am now getting apple to replace my case as it seems bent from the repair (all in the last month no less ), and they may be replacing my display as well as it seems dimmer since the new mlb (wow almost a whole new machine over the last month!). If you bought a refurb, it should be checked out pretty good, but buy applecare, it has saved me big $$$

BTW, funny enough the apple genius who fixed my lappy last time (replaced main logic board) admitted the nvidia was faulty in all models... The genius who I talked to about getting my case replaced (yesterday) stated that he was a 'mentor' so he reads all the service releases or some junk and the 17" cards are 'not effected' by nvidia's crappy design and efficiency savings model used for the 8600 somethign about the cards being different....
um yeah.... I belive the first genius

 

[Romanesq]

oh well...

We are all doomed. A first for Apple with their vendor problem. Gave away my G4 15" to a Marine last year. Thing is still going five years plus now.

Most of us seem resigned now that even with a replacement part, we will not be problem free like that generation.

It's too bad. Such a nice proven design. I blame Nvidia. GRRRRRR.

 

[MrZebra]

I have talked to Apple care(Tech and Customer Support) and also have had multiple conversations with "Genius(s)". The bottom line is that not one of them will say, (confidently or not) that there is such a thing as a dependable 8600m GT chip. You would think that this information is important to them, but they always seemed a little scared to discuss the problem in any detail, which is odd considering the number of high end machines affected, perhaps they know that this problem, if faced with full disclosure and honesty will amount to replacing multiple generations of mbp at their expense. I think because they admitted to the problem at such a late date, almost at the introduction of the nVidia 9series, that they weren't worried about the old 8series. I cannot see them(nVidia) altering their whole manufacturing system just to fix a problem on an old chip that has already been replaced, it's just not worth changing infrastructure to manufacture a limited run. The worst part is that Apple, in some instances, almost want to seem heroic because of their extension of warranty, saying that yes, indeed they do protect their customers, however, they are always shut up or are humbled when asked about the unconscionable action of replacing a faulty part with another of the same(FLAWED) design.
I love my mbp. It is flawless, runs cool, perfect screen, keyboard, case... I don't want a uni or any other mb... I bought this laptop to use exactly in the manner it was advertised for, but because of this issue, it has gone from a professional and appreciated tool, to something that I can't really use at work anymore because of it's lack of reliability... Expensive unreliable toy... Arg.

I think that this is the truth.

 

[Sneakz]

So I went to the Apple Store today with my 2.4 17 inch requesting repair due to graphics failure. In my case, I get issues with severe gradient banding before the cursor freezes and the OS kernel panics. On the boot camp side of things in Windows 7, the same thing happens. Gradient banding, then cursor freezes, then BSOD.

The "genius" pull out an external hard drive that has all their stuff or w/e on it. He tried booting to "Universal 10.5.6" by holding option, but it failed to boot. He tried the NVidia Graphics test but it wouldn't even start. He decided he would take to laptop in and have a closer look at it but hes confident that its not the graphics. The logs in Mac OS X or Windows state that the improper shutdown was caused by the graphics but I didn't any proof when I brought in the laptop. If they are unable to get the Graphics test to work, they aren't going to repair it, at least not for free seeing as I don't have AppleCare. I was like WTF. Thats BS. Its not like the graphics test said pass or fail, it never even ran. I was like well Apple issued a notice about failing graphics cards so the onus is on you to prove that my graphics card isn't failing and that it something else.

 

[kipkeston]

Sorry, this is a long thread, but does anyone have the link about apple honoring a warranty for this even without applecare? I'd like to be prepared in the event.

 

[Sneakz]

Here http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377. All the geniuses should know about it already.

 

[JasonR]

Just noticed I have a 8600m GT in my July 2008 Macbook Pro. So far this has been the best computer I've owned, but I'm afraid of the having display / graphic card issues. Occasionally the screen will flicker on video or youtube. Is this a sign of the problem?

Should I off my Macbook Pro and buy a Unibody? Any idea when the Unibody will see updates? Frustrated!

 

[PAC88]

well, my refurbished 17" arrived this afternoon and after thinking about sending it back, I decided to open it up.. and to my surprise the screen is defective "has two large pink spots".. so I take it to the apple store.. and they want to replace the lcd on my laptop I've had for less than an hour!
So, now with this bad luck already.. I'm thinking I should just go ahead and return my "new" refurb unit and get the unibody 17" and hope that has no problems.
I also asked the genius guy about the 8600 GPU and he said that when apple replaces the defective one, they do put in a "revised" chip that should'nt have problems.. but who knowss

 

[keeleysam]

Just had the logic board on my 2.2GHz SR replaced for the fifth time, but only the second time for the video dying. Previously it was overheating, this time there was no video at all.

They put a new bottom case on it, so I'm happy.

 

[Teej guy]

Just had the logic board on my 2.2GHz SR replaced for the fifth time, but only the second time for the video dying. Previously it was overheating, this time there was no video at all.

They put a new bottom case on it, so I'm happy.

I'd be demanding a whole new machine. People have gotten brand new machines after the third motherboard failure. I'm looking forward to mine breaking down again, although I'll be really pissed if it's at a time/place I can't easily contact Apple (vacation or something). I'm just happy it made it through exams, it can die now.

 

[keeleysam]

I'd be demanding a whole new machine. People have gotten brand new machines after the third motherboard failure. I'm looking forward to mine breaking down again, although I'll be really pissed if it's at a time/place I can't easily contact Apple (vacation or something). I'm just happy it made it through exams, it can die now.

I've been offered one, but at this point I just don't want a unibody.

 

[andrewkendall]

The "genius" pull out an external hard drive that has all their stuff or w/e on it. He tried booting to "Universal 10.5.6" by holding option, but it failed to boot. He tried the NVidia Graphics test but it wouldn't even start. He decided he would take to laptop in and have a closer look at it but hes confident that its not the graphics.

Same thing happened to me, I knew it was the NVIDIA problem but the test wouldn't run at all. I was getting pretty freaked out. They took the machine in without a result and ended it up fixing it anyway. As you'll read above the repair did end up breaking the right speaker, but I took it in to the store again today and it was fixed with minimum fuss. Still a whole ton of hassle.

Overall I feel fairly conflicted, on one hand I was pleased with the speedy replacement and the fact they sorted out the broken speaker without question, after all everyone make mistakes. On the other, I'm obviously worried it will happen again outside of the two years and I'll be left with a dead machine through no fault of my own. This whole issue has really damaged Apple's reputation in my eyes, it will definitely impact my future purchases.

Apple needs to come clean as to whether the replacement parts will also fail and extend the fix for this issue far longer than the currently offered two years.

 

[JasonR]

I've been offered one, but at this point I just don't want a unibody.

Why?

 

[fuzzynavo]

...Overall I feel fairly conflicted, on one hand I was pleased with the speedy replacement and the fact they sorted out the broken speaker without question, after all everyone make mistakes. On the other, I'm obviously worried it will happen again outside of the two years and I'll be left with a dead machine through no fault of my own. This whole issue has really damaged Apple's reputation in my eyes, it will definitely impact my future purchases...

I feel the same way. I decided to put my repaired MBP up for sale disclosing that the logic board was replaced following a video card failure. It works properly now, and I've been stressing the video card a bit by running games and iTunes visualizer for hours on end. However my 2 year extended warranty runs out in a few months and I don't want to go through the time and money to get it repaired if things go awry again. I'd rather recoup my losses by placing the old machine up for sale and taking advantage of Macbook + Applecare promo my university is having. At least this way I know I'll be in the clear for the next 3 years at least, and hopefully much longer...:knock on wood:.