What do you think about the probability my logic board came already damaged?

[Netsurfer]

Hi guys,
please have a look at my problem.
Some months ago, my MacBook Pro late 2006 faced the famous GPU problem...
I baked it and everything went fine.
After some months, I (DAMN!) used it a little without the cooler base during a journey in train and the problem came back again.
I tried every possible solution but nothing worked so far.
So I bought another logic board on Ebay.
It was used but the seller assured me about the fact it worked well.
As soon as I replaced mine, I got more or less the same problem...

have a look

(sorry about the pics...)

So what do you think?

I istantely thought it could be my fault because of all the times I removed my logic board... perhaps I damaged something... but after I thought that all the connectors on the logic board have nothing to do with this problem...

fans, thermal sensor cable, iSight, battery connector... the inverter too because it might cause the screen to go dark and not this!

So... do you also think this logic board came already damaged like I do?

 

[iMacC2D]

Removed.

 

[Netsurfer]

Thank you,
really appreciate the answer

 

[Netsurfer]

Guys,
I'm sorry but please, I need some real expert here.
You saw what my problem was.
Now, I paid 100 euros for that motherboard (80 + 20).
I sent it back to the seller and he refunded me only 80 euros so all this thing costed me 40 euros.
He keeps saying that the motherboard works and sent me these pics

First af all: did he really connect the motherboard without cooling it? (risking more damages too!)

How in the world might my computer cause my problem to happen if the motherboard really works?

What do you think guys?

Please...

Thank you.

 

[Quijano187]

Did you try a different screen ?

 

[Netsurfer]

No I didn't.
I connected it to the lcd panel of my MBP and to my TV.
I never connected it to my TV only. Neither I thought it was possible to do that BTW!
Are you thinking that my panel has some problem and it was mirrored though? Is there even possible?
But you have seen my previous pictures!
Those are the tipical pictures of that famous GPU problem as also iMacC2D said!
How in the world could it happen?
And did he really connect it without cooling it?
Is there really a very little tiny possibility that something in my connectors or in my lcd panel might have caused that problem?
Is there a technical explanation in order to explain that?
Also 0,1%?
It's really unbelievable... I don't know what to think...

 

[simonsi]

None of those boards on the market are actually "known good" from a diagnostics point of view, who knows what temp or slight physical change (twist etc), the board undergoes when fitted compared to just open as he shows it.

The point is that your machine has the same symptoms, a logic board is still indicated, you are E40 poorer but still have the same decision to make.

Given the symptom, no I don't think that is a connector issue and no, I don't think it is a more complicated screen-mirroring issue....that looks exactly like the known graphics problem.

Its a lottery on getting another board that is good.

 

[Netsurfer]

What do you think I should think then?
Give it up about my 40 euros because there is the possibility the seller is saying the truth?
Something might cause the problem wheh you put the logic board inside even if the connectors and the panel are ok?
BTW... if that's so, it is damaged and it's not right I have to pay all the 40 euros
I really don't know what to think and what to do...

BTW if I decided to buy it again, I would choose this place
http://www.macpalace.com/661-4229-l...5-inch-2.16-ghz-ma609ll-820-2054-b-a1151.html

it should be new at least...

 

[duervo]

The pictures the seller sent you showing the board on the couch are fake. The biggest hint being that the board on the couch doesn't have any visible method of power being provided to it. No AC adapter plugged into MagSafe port, and no battery connected anywhere. Probably other bits that could also point to it being a scam if picked apart further, but those were enough to convince me that the seller is scamming you.

 

[Netsurfer]

my god you're right I didn't see it was the keyboard

but please have a look better, in some photos it appears to be the MagSafe, doesn't it?

the light is on too, isn't it?

 

[duervo]

Never mind I see the plug in the other pics now. Missed it before ... Lighting was poor in the pictures.

That's still not enough to convince me that the seller isn't trying to scam you though.

They could easily have another MBP of same model sitting out of frame that's in working order.

 

[simonsi]

The 40 Euros is shipping both ways yes? That is pretty standard non-refundable so I don't see that argument going very far, if he has refunded the cost of the board that seems reasonable....

But I can't really advise on you taking part in a lottery, that is your decision.

 

[Netsurfer]

Yes both ways... but yes it's standard policy when you send it back because you change your mind and that's not the case!
If I buy something that should work and then it doesn't, I shouldn't pay anything!
I'm not saying that but at least the half and not all the shipping costs!

----------

File a complaint with eBay. They'll probably give you the remaining balance of your refund and charge the seller that amount (and possibly suspend their eBay account if this isn't their first violation of eBay's seller terms.)

First I would like to be sure... please have a better look...

I don't want to go against a person if there is a little tiny possibility he's saying the truth...

 

[simonsi]

First I would like to be sure... please have a better look...

I don't want to go against a person if there is a little tiny possibility he's saying the truth...

Pass it through eBay (sorry I missed you bought through eBay).

I don't think anyone can "take a better look", it appears to work at his place, not at yours, that might just be an intermittent fault.

Good luck either way.

 

[Netsurfer]

When he sold it to me, he said the logic board came with a MBP that had the screen broken.
Now I asked him to connect it again to the panel and put it into the original case.
It doesn't matter the screen is broken... at least we see what happens with the logic board inside the case and with the video cable connected...
I hope he can do that...
I would like at least split the shipping costs... it doesn't seem fair I have to pay 40 euros if it's proven the GPU has that famous problem.
And it has that problem... we have seen that!

 

[simonsi]

When he sold it to me, he said the logic board came with a MBP that had the screen broken.
Now I asked him to connect it again to the panel and put it into the original case.
It doesn't matter the screen is broken... at least we see what happens with the logic board inside the case and with the video cable connected...

Personally I'd accept the current compromise, there seems at least as much risk that he will "demonstrate" it works fine on a "test" you have requested - leaving you what, having to accept the board or at least all the shipping?

Or he can't demonstrate further that it works but the current pics indicate he has been reasonable, or best case needs to pay the shipping he hasn't so far refunded...seems you might lose out here to me.

 

[Netsurfer]

I'm just saying I bought something which the seller said worked perfectly because he tested it.
I put it into the case of my MBP and suddenly I saw that famous problem.
If nothing in my connectors might cause that (that's what I asked you guys), it should demonstrate the logic board has problems.
Just like that.
Now he's showing me those pics...
At least I'd like to see some real tests because 40 euros are not nothing...
I'm not so unreasonable...
I'm not saying he should pay all the costs (someone might say that in my shoes) but at least I would like to split...
BTW I'm really interested in some technical explanation of this situation, I don't know what to think... really...

Thanks BTW for your thoughts guys

 

[Bomb Bloke]

You tested via that same DVI socket, yeah? What are the odds that both the your DVI connector and your Macbook's LCD connector are damaged? Does your DVI cable have problems when plugged into other sources?

I mean, I suppose it's possible that the issue is related to RAM; but I'd be surprised if the system would get as far as outputting video at all if that were the case. Besides, he can't switch out the memory the GPU is using.

Regarding cooling, yes, it is indeed safe to run a system without a fan - but if you try to do anything strenuous, you should expect it to quickly turn itself off once the temperatures start going up.

Running without properly fitted heatsinks over your processors, on the other hand, will irreparably damage them within a fraction of a second.

Speaking of heat, though, a difference of a few degrees can be all it takes to make a damaged component work, or not work. It may be that the LB only functions if put in the freezer beforehand. It may be that it needs a hairdyer run over it. Even if those tactics "work", they'll wear off once the board returns to room temperature and the parts expand/contract to their usual forms. Handy to know if the firmware on a HDD dies, as sometimes that small window of time is all you need.

Frankly I'd be more concerned about the potential damage from static electricity that comes from placing the board directly onto a cloth surface like that.

 

[Netsurfer]

You tested via that same DVI socket, yeah? What are the odds that both the your DVI connector and your Macbook's LCD connector are damaged? Does your DVI cable have problems when plugged into other sources?

Absolutely not.
My cables and my DVI-out have always worked perfectly!

I mean, I suppose it's possible that the issue is related to RAM; but I'd be surprised if the system would get as far as outputting video at all if that were the case. Besides, he can't switch out the memory the GPU is using.

I don't know... those images are tipically the images related to the famous GPU problem as another expert user said before... so... it's unlikely it's the RAM but I don't know... you might know something I don't, obviously...

Regarding cooling, yes, it is indeed safe to run a system without a fan - but if you try to do anything strenuous, you should expect it to quickly turn itself off once the temperatures start going up.

Exactly... it happened to me a lot of times some years ago.
Then I replaced the thermal compound and everything went fine.

Running without properly fitted heatsinks over your processors, on the other hand, will irreparably damage them within a fraction of a second.

EXACTLY!!!
This thing is driving me crazy!!!
How can he do that?
And WHY would he risk to damage the logic board permanently if he thinks it works and is planning to sell it again?
This doesn't make a lot of sense to me!

Speaking of heat, though, a difference of a few degrees can be all it takes to make a damaged component work, or not work. It may be that the LB only functions if put in the freezer beforehand. It may be that it needs a hairdyer run over it. Even if those tactics "work", they'll wear off once the board returns to room temperature and the parts expand/contract to their usual forms. Handy to know if the firmware on a HDD dies, as sometimes that small window of time is all you need.

Frankly I'd be more concerned about the potential damage from static electricity that comes from placing the board directly onto a cloth surface like that.

The couch thing is really weird in fact...

BTW I don't know what to think...

I was very careful when I put it inside...

The reason is simple:

I finally received my "new" logic board which should have worked...

So I put it inside with all the screws in the right place... the artic silver put down very slowly... I was happy... and as soon as I turned it on I got that problem.

If I had to be more precise, this happened:

during the boot, inside the Apple logo there already was a graphic problem.

As soon as the boot finished, for a moment , just a fraction of a second, there was no problem and suddenly that happened.

I'm very sure I put it inside with a lot a care.... also because with my logic board I did it perhaps 50 times!!!

I'm not a newbie... but what I don't know is:

is there the possibility that something ON MY SIDE might cause that problem?

And by the way the heatsink part still shouldn't make sense...

I remember the CPU should stop working instantaneously...


I did it one time perhaps 10 yers ago...

With another computer...

I was with my dad and he was driving me crazy... so I forgot to connect the fan... the cooler was there but there was no fan...

well... the CPU (AMD Athlon 64 X2 if I'm not wrong) stopped working... forever...

I really don't know what to think...

This morning he answered me and said the video signal is perfect and he made an exception because the logic board according to him works perfectly and no sending it back was allowed in the ad...

That's what I answered:

Mr,
believe me, I'm more sorry than you are...and I have no reason to lie here.
I know that from your point of view you made an exeption but this is
not what happened from mine...
If you hadn't made "that exception" I would have contacted both PayPal
and Ebay about this problem.
Please tell me: how could it be possible you made it work without a heatsink?
Why would you risk to damage it forever?
This doesn't make a lot of sense to me...
By the way I'm trying to understand whether something might have
caused the problem on my side.
I've been really talking to a lot of real experts...and Apple
certified guys because I'm a very honest person...and I don't wanna go
against someone if there is a little tiny possibility he is right and
I am wrong.
If no one is going to find a real thecnical explanation (from
macrumors, hwupgrade, iFixit, Apple itself!) I'm gonna ask AT LEAST
for 20 euros.
I'm sure you understand if you understood what I wrote.
Regards.

 

[Netsurfer]

He just answered he did use the heatsink with thermal paste and sent me this pic

This is my "nude" logic board guys, I have made this photo right now.

That one that is broken and because of which I looked for another one.


What do you think?

 

[Bomb Bloke]

EXACTLY!!!
This thing is driving me crazy!!!
How can he do that?
And WHY would he risk to damage the logic board permanently if he thinks it works and is planning to sell it again?
This doesn't make a lot of sense to me!

Er, sorry, I wasn't saying that he was doing that (running without heatsinks) - I was just making distinction between "running without fans" (like he's doing - acceptable, so long as you don't push it) and "running without any cooling measures at all" (instant processor death).

Frankly I am inclined to believe the board works for him and he's not aware of any fault with it. It wouldn't surprise me if it's because of ambient temperatures, or just the way the board happens to be flexed at the moment (as opposed to how it's flexed when in the shell). As others here have said, just because it works under the "right conditions", doesn't mean the board is good - I mean, who knows, it may even be that baking it would've sorted it out for the lifetime of the board, but obviously that's not a tactic you should've taken on a board you could return.

You plugged it in, and the thing couldn't even output proper video directly via DVI. Whether it manifests at all times or not, that'd indicate a problem with the board, in my eyes.

 

[Netsurfer]

Thanks...

BTW, according to you, besides temperature etc, nothing in my connectors might have caused that, right?

Is that a fact that with that behaviour (first post) the motherboard has some problems... I'd say it for certain, right?

 

[Netsurfer]

Guys, I noticed another thing...
In the original auction, why is it called iMac (down, on the left)?

Does it depend on what he used to connect it?

 

[simonsi]

Likely just the machine name derived from the installation on the external disk he booted from.

This is already getting like a bad episode of CSI...

 

[Netsurfer]

thanks