[SOLVED] Macbook PRO Late 2011 Radeon fix, has anyone tried these methods

[~Wendy~]

Possible Radeongate related: Macbook Pro A1286 Late2011 15" High Sierra 10.13.6 won't boot grey screen with loading bar and restarts. Have tried all the recommended methods of key combos, scanned and tested good with Parted Magic.

Researched this and it might have this issue where one of the two graphics cards are bad. Has anyone tried this procedure from Github or the de-soldering the chip? If so, which one solved this issue?

Yesterday I sat down with a bottle of Ritalin, bag of Cheetos and coffee was going to tackle this with the Github method but couldn't get into verbose mode to access the command line like I could the other day.

Today the fans are running super loud and nothing but a grey screen. Please forgive-Apple is not my native tongue!

 

[sapphirescales]

I would never provide this as a "fix" on a client's computer, and I'd certainly never sell one of these computers after "fixing" it like this. Besides, the 2011 is extremely outdated. Nothing older than 2015 is able to run the most recent version of Mac OS. A 2011 is basically a doorstop at this point. It's akin to trying to fix one of those horrible HP DV6000 laptops with the GPU issue today. Thanks to Apple's short software support lifecycle, a 2011 Mac is just as ancient and useless as a Pentium III from the year 2000. It's not worth screwing with.

 

[britechguy]

I would never provide this as a "fix" on a client's computer, and I'd certainly never sell one of these computers after "fixing" it like this.

Which is irrelevant, really. Lots of us undertake repairs you wouldn't, and once we have, even if we run into unexpected complications, we try to complete the job.

If a client wants their old computer "revived from the dead" and I can do it with relative ease, that's what I do. It's their choice to make, though I do advise in virtually every situation that getting a new one is a better use of money. Some just want what they want - their existing computer to function again.

 

[gadgetfixup]

I have stacks of these we fix and sell. I keep 2-3 ready for clients and when that sells, fix 2-3 more. The permanent fix is to use the DeMux procedure which requires an interface box that's less than 30 bucks, soldering 6 leads to the motherboard, purchasing a license for $20 from DosDude and running the script. Works perfectly and permanently.

What does it do? Disables the discrete graphics chip and forces the Macbook to run the internal graphics chip built in the CPU - similar to pulling out a PCI graphics card and running the onboard graphics on a desktop.

Before this fix was available, wholesalers were dumping these 2011 MBPs for $40-$60 a pc and happy to get rid of them. The DeMux got publicity and 2011 prices doubled in days. The process isn't complicated if you can solder 6 bell wires to 6 test pads.

DeMux: A permanent fix for the MacBook Pro 2011 GPU - DosLab Electronics

A permanent fix to disable the defective dedicated AMD GPU on 2011 MacBook Pro models.

doslabelectronics.com

 

[phaZed]

All this for a 10 year old laptop, to nerf the performance by losing dedicated graphics? Not supported on the newest OS and ticking timebomb.. Hardly seems worth it unless it's a personal/learning type deal, IMO.

 

[britechguy]

All this for a 10 year old laptop, to nerf the performance by losing dedicated graphics? Not supported on the newest OS and ticking timebomb.. Hardly seems worth it unless it's a personal/learning type deal, IMO.

I'd say that depends on whether you're charging hourly, and what the client wants.

@~Wendy~'s website indicates that she has the same philosophy as I do: If I can't fix it, you don't get charged. [And that presumes I've agreed to try to fix it.]

But provided the client is fully informed about the ramifications of this technique, and she's willing and able to undertake it, and they're willing to pay for time required, hours are hours. This would never be anything I'd do, period, because I stopped soldering for others years back. But if that were something I still did, this is a project I'd consider only as a "time required" thing (and be willing to eat the time if it didn't work).

I don't have too many clients with "sentimental attachments" to older hardware, but I've had a couple. So long as I've given them accurate information about it being better to spend their money on a new machine, if they refuse to do that and ask for a repair I can most likely provide, that's their choice to make. If I don't want to provide it I say so up front (just like I did with the divorce client yesterday with regard to forensic analysis and any court testimony).

 

[phaZed]

@britechguy For sure, hours are hours. I've undertaken "similar" niche projects as well. If the client really wants it, for sure, do what the customer wants if your comfortable with the work.

I would preface to the client heavily that I would not recommend it and would disclose the above problems (Old, unsupported, nerfing, etc).

With 2015 and 2016 Macbook pro's coming up on ebay routinely for roughly the same cost as the 2011... that would be a better suggestion for the client, IMO, assuming no sentimental value or other overarching reason to keep their 10, almost 11 year old Macbook.

 

[Blues]

I think sometimes we see things that just don't make sense and think "I would never do that and hurt my customer" but we forget sometimes the customers insist on the illogical but possible. I want to add with regards to the "nerf" that @inbargains fix causes it is unlikely that this system is wanted or kept for any graphics/visually intensive application. I agree with everyone on the customer should be given full disclosure on what the risk and changes are with the repair.

 

[gadgetfixup]

All this for a 10 year old laptop, to nerf the performance by losing dedicated graphics? Not supported on the newest OS and ticking timebomb.. Hardly seems worth it unless it's a personal/learning type deal, IMO.

Even running Intel on-board graphics (like a boatload of pcs use) it still outperforms many budget laptops sold today. Windows 7 was released in 2009 but people are still running them and upgrading them. I wasn't questioning motives or values, just how to fix the problem presented.

 

[britechguy]

I wasn't questioning motives or values, just how to fix the problem presented.

And that's a perfectly legitimate approach, in my opinion, when you're amongst other techs.

While I don't think it hurts for those who mentioned the possible ramifications to have done so, as there's always something one may not know about, I would presume that most of us here are aware of the general folly of repairing 10-year-old hardware. Not only that, but that we would communicate to clients that this is our opinion.

But in the end, after full disclosure, if the client still wants it, and I can and am willing to do it, that is their choice. People make all kinds of choices that I believe are daft, but provided they're basically competent and have been informed, that daft choice is theirs to make. If I get to make money off of that choice, well, someone will if I don't, and I know that I've disclosed.

 

[Markverhyden]

I wasn't questioning motives or values, just how to fix the problem presented.

Exactly. I don't tell my customers how to run their business, lives or how to use a computer. The way I see it they come to me looking for a solution. Personally I've not run into a MBP that issue. If I did I'd do like I always do. List out the alternatives with prices.

 

[~Wendy~]

So, I appreciate your insights. I called the client and told them it's unfixable. I created a time machine backup and they are coming today to harvest the data. They insist on paying me despite not doing the intended and won't turn it down.

On another note, I collect old Macs, just for the fun of it and my granddaughter (27) who does the robotic work for me wants to rebuild them over time. Right now I'm using a Mac Mini A1176 (2006) in my office. I lust after an iMac but cannot justify the cost at this point. Personally I use all Apple products with the exception of my servers which are Windows based.

Thanks again.

 

[~Wendy~]

I would never provide this as a "fix" on a client's computer

And rightly so! Apparently it only lasts a few weeks! Even with full disclosure it's not a good business practice.

@britechguy For sure, hours are hours. I've undertaken "similar" niche projects as well. If the client really wants it, for sure, do what the customer wants if your comfortable with the work.

I love these projects, they give me life. I have a no-post MSI, an old iMac and a AIO screen replacement just for the knowledge and troubleshooting skills. There's more to life than money. This career is my dream job. I got cancer in 2011 and had to "retire" - lost my job. (surprise, I didn't die) I said I'd never work a job that didn't bring me joy and this one has been my passion since my first Tandy 100EX. Went back to college and got an Applied Science degree at age 65.

 

[britechguy]

This career is my dream job.

God bless you!! I wish I could say the same.

It's not that I hate this job, or even close to it, but the reason I got into this was not the tech side, but the people side. For most of my career in IT I was doing things like programming, database administration, system admin type stuff, etc. I never got much satisfaction out of any of it except programming, as that was always a sort of puzzle to be solved, and that lost its luster because of mismanagement and the philosophy, "There's never time to do it right, but there's always time to do it over," in order to meet arbitrary deadlines and have dissatisfied users. That's actually why I finally got out and got my masters in speech-language pathology. That career ran its course due to burn-out from dealing with brain injury for longer than I should have, but more because of what clinical practice has become in the age where insurance companies dictate treatment plans, not clinicians based on actual client need. No thank you.

But I love direct support for residential and small business clients because I get to see, in real time, how fixing things for them or teaching them things they didn't know makes them anything from relieved to actually happy. The results of my work are instantly obvious since almost all of it is done on site. Even the stuff that isn't still generally involves handing something back to someone who's thrilled to have it back working again. If I didn't have "the people side" to this job I wouldn't still be doing it.

 

[~Wendy~]

It's not that I hate this job, or even close to it, but the reason I got into this was not the tech side, but the people side

You have quite the stunning past and a remarkable background. Kudos to you.

The results of my work are instantly obvious

I know! The look on people's faces when they actually understand the process/parts is immensely rewarding. We both have similar relationships with DARS, I consult folks just going back to work to learn tech basics and MS products.

How is it that we never met in this small village?

 

[gadgetfixup]

You have quite the stunning past and a remarkable background. Kudos to you.

I know! The look on people's faces when they actually understand the process/parts is immensely rewarding. We both have similar relationships with DARS, I consult folks just going back to work to learn tech basics and MS products.

How is it that we never met in this small village?

The DeMux repair is permanent and lasts until something else fails. We have MBPs that come in for routine maintenance that we applied the fix over two years ago. Some people, especially old people don't want to part with their MBP when the discrete graphics takes a dump. For $120 they're happy to have their MBP back, working with all their data.

 

[Haole Boy]

But I love direct support for residential and small business clients because I get to see, in real time, how fixing things for them or teaching them things they didn't know makes them anything from relieved to actually happy. The results of my work are instantly obvious since almost all of it is done on site. Even the stuff that isn't still generally involves handing something back to someone who's thrilled to have it back working again. If I didn't have "the people side" to this job I wouldn't still be doing it.

Same here. I could retire today but I do enjoy helping people.