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MacBook Pro GPU Failure

Tuurlijk Oct 6th, 2014 234 Never
  1. {{AFC submission|t||ts=20141006185646|u=Roos Michiel|ns=118}} <!--- Important, do not remove this line before article has been created. --->
  2.  
  3. {{pp-pc1|indef=yes}}
  4. {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2014}}
  5. {{Infobox computer
  6. | name = MacBook Pro
  7. | photo = [[File:Macbook Pro Retina 13 2013.jpg|300px]]
  8. | caption = A 13" MacBook Pro with Retina Display
  9. | developer = [[Apple Inc.]]
  10. | type = Laptop
  11. | releasedate = January 10, 2006 (original release) <br />June 11, 2012 (latest Unibody release)<br /> February 13, 2013 (Unibody type with a retina display screen)<br > July 29, 2014 (latest Retina release)
  12. | os = [[OS X]]
  13. | predecessor = [[PowerBook G4]]
  14. | website = [https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/ Apple&nbsp;– MacBook Pro]
  15. }}
  16.  
  17. The Apple [[MacBook Pro]] is subject to a number of technical problems and failures that can render it unusable.
  18. ===GPU and / or Logic Board Failures===
  19. There are about 17.000 MacBook Pro owners that have experienced GPU failures<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.change.org/p/timothy-d-cook-replace-or-fix-all-2011-macbook-pro-with-graphics-failure|title=Replace or Fix All 2011 Macbook Pro with Graphics Failure|publisher=www.change.org|date=2013-12-01}}</ref>. Many of them have reported this on the apple discussion forums <ref>{{cite web|url=https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4766577 |title=2011 MacBook Pro and Discrete Graphics Card|publisher=discussions.apple.com |date= |accessdate=2013-01-01}}</ref>. Retina MacBook owners are also affected<ref>{{cite web|url=https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6081613 |title=Macbook Pro Retina GPU Hardware Failure|publisher=discussions.apple.com |date= |accessdate=2014-04-12}}</ref>.
  20.  
  21. The typical consumer electronics industry's failure rate is 3% to 5%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/microsoft-responds-to-watchdog |title=Microsoft responds to Watchdog // |publisher=Gamesindustry.biz |date=2007-02-14 |accessdate=2011-01-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=James Brightman |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/ms-denies-ea-employee-claim-of-high-failure-rates-among-x360s/69358/?biz=1 |title=Video Game Features, PC Game Features |publisher=Gamedaily.com |date=2006-08-25 |accessdate=2011-01-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Cutlack |first=Gary |url=http://techdigest.tv/2007/06/xbox_360_failur.html |title=Tech Digest: Xbox 360 failure rate as high as 30 percent? |publisher=Techdigest.tv |date=2007-06-25 |accessdate=2011-01-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2091221,00.html |title=What is the real failure rate of the Xbox 360? | work=The Guardian |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080112091522/http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2091221,00.html |archivedate=2008-01-12 | location=London | date=2007-05-31 | first=Tim | last=Anderson}}</ref>
  22.  
  23. ==Symptoms==
  24. The problems manifest themselves as<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mbp2011.com/ |title=Macbook Pro Retina GPU Hardware Failure|publisher=www.mbp2011.com|date= |accessdate=2013-09-23}}</ref>
  25. * Red Vertical Lines
  26. * Image Distortion
  27. * Screen Blurring
  28. * Freeze, Shift
  29. When the problem worsens, the machine will not be able to boot to a functioning state. The screen will show an apple logo and after that, a grey or black screen will be presented.
  30.  
  31. ==Probable cause==
  32. The cause is probably a sloppy thermal paste job in conjunction with rough heat-pipe plates. This prevents the CPU and GPU from dissipating heat in a timely fashion. The integrated graphics switches the rendering to the GPU when heavy lifting needs to be done. This happens frequently on MacBook Pro's since the machines are generally used to perform Professional graphics intensive work. Eventually one of the solder joints beneath the GPU will fail and cause a crash. When nothing is done to prevent overheating of the GPU, the machine will eventually end up as a [[brick (electronics)|brick]] or expensive door stopper.
  33.  
  34. ==Backing up data==
  35. If you can no longer boot your machine, you can still retrieve the data from it by booting it in so called '[http://support.apple.com/kb/PH10725 Target Mode]'. When the machine is off; hold down the 'T' key and press the power button. Once booted, the machine becomes an external drive which you can connect to another machine with a firewire or thunderbolt cable.
  36.  
  37. ==Disabling the GPU==
  38. If the Logic Board is not yet too badly damaged, you can still boot the machine using the integrated graphics only. You can do this by 'moving' the kernel extensions for the GPU to a backup folder. This is not for the faint of heart. It will transform your door stopper to a working state, but here be dragons. You will be 'root' when typing commands in a shell and may trash your system if you mis-type a command. So make sure you have a backup of all your files before you attempt this solution.
  39.  
  40. To do this: boot the machine in [http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1492 Single User Mode] by holding down "Command-s" while powering it on. Then mount the harddisk in read-write mode:
  41. <syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
  42. mount -uw /
  43. </syntaxhighlight>
  44. Move the kernel extensions to a temporary folder:
  45. <syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
  46. cd /System/Library/Extensions/
  47. mkdir -p /System/Library/DisabledExtensions
  48. mv AMD* ATI* /System/Library/DisabledExtensions/
  49. reboot
  50. </syntaxhighlight>
  51.  
  52. The system should start up normally. It can however no longer switch to the GPU for graphics intensive tasks. Know side-effects are:
  53. * Slow graphics (scrolling in Finder list mode is slow)
  54. * Unable to 'suspend' the machine
  55. * Unable to attach external monitor
  56. * Unable to adjust the brightness of the screen
  57. * ?
  58.  
  59. Other than that, you have a fully working MacBook Pro.
  60.  
  61. Please be warned that system software updates may restore some or all of the moved drivers to their original state. If you find your machine being unable to boot again after a system update, please repeat the steps above.
  62.  
  63. ==More permanent solution==
  64. Apple's solution is to replace the logic board this will cost anywhere from $300 to $610. Another solution would be to use [[reflow soldering]] to re-connect the broken solder joint. A more radical, but possibly more permanent fix would be a [[Mobile_device_forensics#Chip_re-balling| re-balling]] of the GPU. This will only help if the root cause (heat-pipe and thermal paste) will also be addressed.
  65.  
  66. In order to ensure maximum cooling by the available heat-pipes, the following must be done<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF0PBUnoNOc |title=HOWTO: Stop Your Macbook Pro Overheating!|publisher=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrL_Ki3xuBV4iamSL1demHw|date= |accessdate=2013-04-20}}</ref>:
  67. * Make sure the fans are absolutely whistle clean
  68. * Make sure there is no dust in the heat-pipe cooling roster
  69. * Lap the heat-pipes until they are shiny
  70. * Re apply a modicum of thermal paste to the chips (see youtube video)
  71. * Take care to 'not' spread it out with your finger as this may cause air cavities when placing the heat-pipes. Leave the paste as a blob or roll and let the heat-pipes flatten it out.
  72. This will drastically improve the cooling capability of your MacBook and hopefully prevent the problem from re-occurring.
  73.  
  74. Another solution is to install a fan-control program such as SMC Fan Control <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eidac.de/|title=eidac}}</ref>. This will give you more control over your fans so you can make them run faster (and louder). This will of course wear them out sooner. So the lapping of the heat-pipe-plates is the preferable solution.
  75.  
  76. ==Lawsuit==
  77. A Class Action lawsuit has been failed against Apple over faulty MacBook (Pro and Air) logic boards<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2014/05/a-class-action-lawsuit-is-launched-against-apple-over-faulty-macbook-logic-boards.html|title=A Class Action Lawsuit is launched against Apple over Faulty MacBook Logic Boards|publisher=www.patentlyapple.com|date=2014-05-17}}</ref>. In 2012 a suit was also filed by the same firm about the same problem <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2012/08/class-action-filed-against-apple-for-defective-macbook-logic-boards.html |title=Class Action Filed Against Apple for Defective MacBook Logic Boards|publisher=discussions.apple.com |date= |accessdate=2012-08-03}}</ref>.
  78.  
  79. ==References==
  80. {{reflist}}
  81. <!--- After listing your sources please cite them using inline citations and place them after the information they cite. Please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. --->
  82.  
  83. [[Category:Computer errors]]
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