Can I use my faulty MBP as a desktop?

[Bez59]

Hi, I have a late 2011 MBP which has the faulty graphics card issue.

I used the fix to force it to use the integrated intel graphics, which has been working fine.

Unfortunately a drink was spilled near it which has killed the backlight for the screen.

As it’s using the intel graphics it doesn’t allow the use of an external monitor.

Is there some sort of cheap external graphics card that could be used, or some other work around that would allow me to use an external monitor until I can afford to replace the machine?

Have tried AirPlaying it to an Apple TV but it’s very laggy and difficult to use.

Thanks.

 

[ilikewhey]

i think u have the thunderbolt 2 port? you can look into egpu.

 

[Fishrrman]

There's nothing to say except:
Time to look for a replacement.

If you can't afford a new one, I'd suggest a used (or perhaps Apple-refurbished) Mac Mini.

 

[jav6454]

I would advice to let it rest. At this point, so many things have become broken. As Fishrrman stated, if budget is tight, look at refurbished M1 machines.

 

[ignatius345]

I would advice to let it rest. At this point, so many things have become broken. As Fishrrman stated, if budget is tight, look at refurbished M1 machines.

Or even used ones. I'd bet the OP could find an M1 Air for $600 or so on eBay or something that would be so much faster and more usable than that 11 year old MBP.

 

[jav6454]

Or even used ones. I'd bet the OP could find an M1 Air for $600 or so on eBay or something that would be so much faster and more usable than that 11 year old MBP.

I'd advice against used one if possible, just for warranty sake.

 

[ilikewhey]

I'd advice against used one if possible, just for warranty sake.

as long as there is base applecare or applecare plus used is fine.

 

[okkibs]

You can use an external monitor via DisplayLink in the form of a USB 3.0 (USB A) adapter that has a DisplayPort or HDMI port on the other side. Instead of using the graphics card it does everything in software, meaning that it will use the CPU of the Mac.

It might need installing the DisplayLink drivers first, which requires a working display. If you can still see something by pointing a flashlight at the internal screen, it might be possible. It might work out of the box though.

However, don't expect to use it for more than static content, if you play video it will hit the CPU massively causing the fans to go wild and performance to suffer. So for basic office use it's fine, although the quality won't be great.

And don't remove/reinstall MacOS because DisplayLink won't work unless the Mac is fully booted up, so for example with filevault encryption you have to enter the password at first boot without being able to see anything on the external screen.

If you do buy such an adapter, make sure it explicitely says that it's a DisplayLink one.

/Edit: There were old MacOS versions that had issues with DisplayLink. I don't know which MacOS you are using, maybe google first if that MacOS works with DisplayLink.

 

[ignatius345]

I'd advice against used one if possible, just for warranty sake.

I generally buy refurbished or new as well -- but good used laptops do exist. I mention the option in case the OP is price-sensitive and looking to save $200-300.

 

[okkibs]

I have bought a few Macbooks aged 2-3 years at the time of my purchase, with no warranty from the seller or Apple whatsoever and all of them still live today. I just look for "kept in a drawer as a backup" or "sleeve included".

The issue is they're all Intels and somewhat sluggish nowdays, but all got a brand new display assembly for free (staingate - none of them really had it, yet I gave it a try and pointed to some smudges around the camera and they accepted it immediately) as well as a brand new topcase and keyboard with the battery replacement. Including the cost for the storage upgrade and the battery replacement each one was somewhere around 50% of the all-time lowest offer for a new one. One has a 2TB SSD that wasn't even a purchase option at the time Apple sold it.

If I didn't want the latest tech nowadays, I'd keep buying used... imagine what the currently cheap-ish 14" base model will go for used in three years when many people upgrade.

Of course with the wrong model you can get hosed, like the 12" Macbooks that fail left and right and could use half a dozen recall/free repair programs from the regularly failing logic board to the keyboard...

 

[adrianlondon]

I have a MBP late-2013 with a smashed screen.

Luckily, it has an HDMI port so I can connect it to my telly. To make sure it always boots up to the external screen, especially during upgrades and when doing a system recovery, I opened the thing up and pulled the video cable out of the main/logic board so it doesn't know a built-in display even exists. I thought about removing the display completely but the WiFi and Bluetooth aerials are laid around the screen.

I have screen sharing enabled so I can boot the laptop up without even having any screen connected. I need to wait a while for it to get to the login prompt (just keep trying to connect until it works!) but then it'll allow me to connect to it remotely from another laptop. Note that FileVault has to be disabled otherwise the login prompt appears before any daemons run, including the ones needed for screen sharing.

 

[Bez59]

Thanks for the replies.

I was hoping I could make it work as a desktop as it’s still a very capable machine (2.2 ghz i7 8gb 240gb ssd) for my needs, which is web browsing, kids home work and watching sports.

Unfortunately with things as they are at the moment I really can’t afford to spend much right now.

We will have to make do with my wife’s even older MacBook Air until we can afford something better.

Thanks.

 

[Fishrrman]

Before you put the 2011 into the closet, TAKE THE SSD OUT of it, and put it into a USB3 enclosure.
That part can be "re-purposed" and live on...

 

[ToniCH]

I have a MBP late-2013 with a smashed screen.

Luckily, it has an HDMI port so I can connect it to my telly. To make sure it always boots up to the external screen, especially during upgrades and when doing a system recovery, I opened the thing up and pulled the video cable out of the main/logic board so it doesn't know a built-in display even exists. I thought about removing the display completely but the WiFi and Bluetooth aerials are laid around the screen.

I have screen sharing enabled so I can boot the laptop up without even having any screen connected. I need to wait a while for it to get to the login prompt (just keep trying to connect until it works!) but then it'll allow me to connect to it remotely from another laptop. Note that FileVault has to be disabled otherwise the login prompt appears before any daemons run, including the ones needed for screen sharing.

I bought a MBP 15" mid 2014 16GB/256GB with a smashed screen ($130). I took the screen off and transplanted the Wifi and BT aerials to the body of the machine. They were not laid around the screen, they were in the bottom part of the screen and when I took the black plastic cover thingie off I could unscrew the aerials. I then moved the aerials to the hinge area of the body and covered it with the plastic cover from the display which I taped in place. The camera lead needs to be cut unless one wants to use the camera too, but that is a bigger job to remove from the top of the screen. I just decided to cut it as I don't have use for a camera anyway.

I use it as a desktop computer now with good success. Connected it to a Samsung 27" curved external display with a HDMI lead. It automatically boots to external screen as the original is not present. Before removing the broken screen I had to close the lid immediately after pressing power button to get it to boot to external screen.

About the op's problem, which I am sure is solved by now: late 2011 is about $100 +-$30 machine. No sense in investing much to such machine. Smarter to use that money + little extra and upgrade to a newer model. Even mid 2012 would be a fine as a replacement.

Pics of the mod. Removing the display, aerials and the plastic cover taped in place and test run with the TV.

 

[adrianlondon]

I bought a MBP 15" mid 2014 16GB/256GB with a smashed screen ($130). I took the screen off and transplanted the Wifi and BT aerials to the body of the machine. They were not laid around the screen, they were in the bottom part of the screen and when I took the black plastic cover thingie off I could unscrew the aerials. I then moved the aerials to the hinge area of the body and covered it with the plastic cover from the display which I taped in place.

Interesting! I'd read something different; maybe my late-2013 MBP is different? I'm going to give it a go. Thanks for the update and photos.

I've given up on MacOS on that machine (I got Monterey running, but didn't bother trying to get Ventura on it) and have it running Ubuntu

 

[ToniCH]

Interesting! I'd read something different; maybe my late-2013 MBP is different? I'm going to give it a go. Thanks for the update and photos.

I've given up on MacOS on that machine (I got Monterey running, but didn't bother trying to get Ventura on it) and have it running Ubuntu

I don't know. I do have a MBP 15" 2013 (early) too, in technically perfect condition, but I haven't really opened it or dug into it. I too thought the 2014 aerials would be circlling the display but then saw somewhere on line that they are just short leads only going in the bottom edge of the display. Lets hope its the same on 2013.

I tried Big Sur and Monterey on my 2011 but didn't like the thermals, the fans were going on too much without me doing much. And in any case I don't get upgrading a perfectly working OS to newer one just for doing it. They rarely are faster and who really needs all them new features anyway? Its like upgrading MS Office stuff all the time, they were just fine 10, 15 or more years ago already! 😜 Now they are just bloated. With OS's I am just fine with High Sierra and Mojave. I am not using the computer to use the operating system after all, I am using the software I need and if they work then all is fine. Even with this mid 2014 i7 machine I am currently using Mojave. 😎