Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MBP 1,1-10,2 Force 2011 MacBook Pro 8,2 with failed AMD GPU to ALWAYS use Intel integrated GPU (EFI variable fix)

Status
The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
Hello!

I came here from this ifixit article: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBoo...+or+green+stripes+during+boot+process./115126

I have two questions:

1. That article states that this solution works on a mid2012 unibody. Is that true?
I have a non retina mid-2012 15". I want to disable the GPU to be able to use my laptop with a dual boot linux/osx configuration where I am unable to get the Nvidia GPU to work well in Linux.

2. Can I use an external display through the thunderbolt connection after disabling the GPU? Or is the thunderbolt / display port hardwired to through the dedicated GPU?
 
I'm liking the MBA quite a bit, I wish there was a 16" version, but it is super light and compact, and the battery life is amazing. It was on track to have about 8 hours of battery life running Skype, which involved a lot of video processing, encoding, and decoding, as well as constant Wi-Fi traffic, so that's pretty amazing in my book!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Queen6
lemope said:
Hello!

I came here from this ifixit article: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBoo...+or+green+stripes+during+boot+process./115126

I have two questions:

1. That article states that this solution works on a mid2012 unibody. Is that true?
I have a non retina mid-2012 15". I want to disable the GPU to be able to use my laptop with a dual boot linux/osx configuration where I am unable to get the Nvidia GPU to work well in Linux.

2. Can I use an external display through the thunderbolt connection after disabling the GPU? Or is the thunderbolt / display port hardwired to through the dedicated GPU?
Click to expand...

1 I think yes (but only the nvram part.. of Course you can not have the AMD kext file)

2) I think no, (we use a PMCIA usb 3.0 card and than ad adapter from usb to hdmi so you can use and external monitor)
 
Andre_Sant said:
Hi, the most effective system that i used (on the macbook 17 late 2011) is this:

1) prepare the install setup of catalina (using the dosdude1 patch): http://dosdude1.com/catalina/ in an usb pendrive.
2) SMC reset and than nvram reset Command + alt + p + r
3) click on "command" "S" at the boot, and than type:
nvram fa4ce28d-b62f-4c99-9cc3-6815686e30f9:gpu-power-prefs=%01%00%00%00
reboot
(note: your keyboard will be in US format)
4) now press alt at the boot and select the usb pen to boot (with the catalina setup). When you are at the setup select the terminal and you write: csrutil disable
5) reboot and start again with the catalina setup
6) install catalina

The great thing is that normally catalina doesn't use amd gpu.
Don't install the dosdude dgpu disabler.
Everything will works: updates, stop/sleep/wake and bitghtness control

And it is very easy without HW mod
Click to expand...
By far the easiest solution - if you have access to another mac.

Just to clarify a bit on this instruction...

1) prepare the install setup of catalina (using the dosdude1 patch): http://dosdude1.com/catalina/ in an usb pendrive.
2) SMC reset (shutdown, unplug everything except power, now hold <leftShift>+<Ctrl>+<Opt>+<Power>
) and than nvram reset <Command> + <option> + <p> + <r>
3) click on "command" "S" at the boot, and than type:
nvram fa4ce28d-b62f-4c99-9cc3-6815686e30f9:gpu-power-prefs=%01%00%00%00
reboot
4) now press <option> at the boot and select the usb pen to boot (with the catalina setup).
4.1) Click on "English" and continue
4.2) When you are at the setup select the terminal (from the menu bar) and you type:
csrutil disable
reboot
5) press <option>
5.1) repeat 4.1 above
5.2) See - video on 1 (see 13:15 IMPORTANT!- dosdude1 patch to set up the drive as APFS)
6) install catalina
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: tomcatrr, SpotOnT and gaetarra
Hi everyone I have Dosdude's demux firmware fix on my 2011 17" MBP and installed Monterey 12.2.1 using OCLP 0.4.2 everything works great except no keyboard brightness control is there anything I can do to fix that? Thanks.
 
yukari said:
By far the easiest solution - if you have access to another mac.

Just to clarify a bit on this instruction...

1) prepare the install setup of catalina (using the dosdude1 patch): http://dosdude1.com/catalina/ in an usb pendrive.
2) SMC reset (shutdown, unplug everything except power, now hold <leftShift>+<Ctrl>+<Opt>+<Power>
) and than nvram reset <Command> + <option> + <p> + <r>
3) click on "command" "S" at the boot, and than type:
nvram fa4ce28d-b62f-4c99-9cc3-6815686e30f9:gpu-power-prefs=%01%00%00%00
reboot
4) now press <option> at the boot and select the usb pen to boot (with the catalina setup).
4.1) Click on "English" and continue
4.2) When you are at the setup select the terminal (from the menu bar) and you type:
csrutil disable
reboot
5) press <option>
5.1) repeat 4.1 above
5.2) See - video on 1 (see 13:15 IMPORTANT!- dosdude1 patch to set up the drive as APFS)
6) install catalina
Click to expand...
Thanks to @yukari and @Andre_Sant

I did it my old MBP Early 2011 15 inches :) It seems to work.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tomcatrr
yukari said:
By far the easiest solution - if you have access to another mac.

Just to clarify a bit on this instruction...

1) prepare the install setup of catalina (using the dosdude1 patch): http://dosdude1.com/catalina/ in an usb pendrive.
2) SMC reset (shutdown, unplug everything except power, now hold <leftShift>+<Ctrl>+<Opt>+<Power>
) and than nvram reset <Command> + <option> + <p> + <r>
3) click on "command" "S" at the boot, and than type:
nvram fa4ce28d-b62f-4c99-9cc3-6815686e30f9:gpu-power-prefs=%01%00%00%00
reboot
4) now press <option> at the boot and select the usb pen to boot (with the catalina setup).
4.1) Click on "English" and continue
4.2) When you are at the setup select the terminal (from the menu bar) and you type:
csrutil disable
reboot
5) press <option>
5.1) repeat 4.1 above
5.2) See - video on 1 (see 13:15 IMPORTANT!- dosdude1 patch to set up the drive as APFS)
6) install catalina
Click to expand...

Does anyone else try to upgrade to Monterey with Open Core Legacy patcher ?
 
  • Like
Reactions: tomcatrr
gaetarra said:
Does anyone else try to upgrade to Monterey with Open Core Legacy patcher ?
Click to expand...
I did upgrade to Monterey with OCLP. Had some issues with sleep and sluggishness in response.
I downgraded to Catalina.

Some have successfully upgraded to Monterey without any issues. I will try again this weekend when I have more time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tomcatrr
gaetarra said:
Does anyone else try to upgrade to Monterey with Open Core Legacy patcher ?
Click to expand...
I had some time today and upgraded to Monterey successfully using TUI version of OCLP.
I think the key is to NOT to "Fully Enable" under "Setting" --> "Misc Settings" and keep "Partially Enable" which disables AirPlay/SideCar.

If you set "Fully Enable" to use AirPlay/SideCar, it causes the problems I observed (e.g., sleep, screen brightness, sluggish behavior, etc.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: tomcatrr and Brian33
yukari said:
I had some time today and upgraded to Monterey successfully using TUI version of OCLP.
I think the key is to NOT to "Fully Enable" under "Setting" --> "Misc Settings" and keep "Partially Enable" which disables AirPlay/SideCar.

If you set "Fully Enable" to use AirPlay/SideCar, it causes the problems I observed (e.g., sleep, screen brightness, sluggish behavior, etc.)
Click to expand...
Thanks for your feedbacks.

Catalina is running fine on mine so I will wait a few months before upgrading to Monterey.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tomcatrr
I keep looking at this forum and thinking "Why is 2011 still being used if it suffers this problem"? 2015 MacBook Pros are much better and don't have this problems like 2011 - 2015 is also cheap now where as not worth it 2011 macbook pro if you wish to escape from Radeongate problem.
 
Macbookprodude said:
I keep looking at this forum and thinking "Why is 2011 still being used if it suffers this problem"? 2015 MacBook Pros are much better and don't have this problems like 2011 - 2015 is also cheap now where as not worth it 2011 macbook pro if you wish to escape from Radeongate problem.
Click to expand...
Simple;
  • No one with integrity will sell out a 2011 15" MBP without full disclosure (see next).
  • The 2011 15" MBP has poor resale value for obvious reason (count the Butterfly KB Mac's in that category too).
  • 2011/2012 MBP's (non Retina) are the last user upgradable Mac notebook's with the quad core 15" still remaining reasonably competent.
  • For many myself included the 2011 15" is no longer used professionally or heavily.
  • If the Radeon dGPU has lasted over a decade the notebook is likely to continue until something does give, which could be in the next 10 minutes or another ten years.
  • After a decade of use, the surviving stock 2011 15" MBP's have all well and truly paid for themselves.
  • All 2011 15" MBP's are clearly not equal as per below, that said very significant numbers did fail prematurely. Those looking for a cheaper/older used Mac notebook be well warned.
  • They are also really nice Mac's to use, although age is ever more apparent.
Never Clean Installed, 100% stock including the battery, runs well and truly owes me nothing. For any serious workloads I have an M1 Mac and PC's...
Screen Shot 2022-03-13 at 11.39.46.png

This 2011 MBP was used by myself professionally, passed around the family. My daughter used it to game until it didn't. The notebook then sat dead in a box for a good year, enter COVID & time on hands. I cleaned up the SW image and thx to FW/SW updates from Apple the 2011 now runs better than when I first booted it up fresh out the box back in 2011, doesn't even throttle :)

When this 2011 fails, it fails I don't worry about it...

Q-6
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: AppleMacFinder, Brian33, 0134168 and 1 other person
yukari said:
By far the easiest solution - if you have access to another mac.

Just to clarify a bit on this instruction...

1) prepare the install setup of catalina (using the dosdude1 patch): http://dosdude1.com/catalina/ in an usb pendrive.
2) SMC reset (shutdown, unplug everything except power, now hold <leftShift>+<Ctrl>+<Opt>+<Power>
) and than nvram reset <Command> + <option> + <p> + <r>
3) click on "command" "S" at the boot, and than type:
nvram fa4ce28d-b62f-4c99-9cc3-6815686e30f9:gpu-power-prefs=%01%00%00%00
reboot
4) now press <option> at the boot and select the usb pen to boot (with the catalina setup).
4.1) Click on "English" and continue
4.2) When you are at the setup select the terminal (from the menu bar) and you type:
csrutil disable
reboot
5) press <option>
5.1) repeat 4.1 above
5.2) See - video on 1 (see 13:15 IMPORTANT!- dosdude1 patch to set up the drive as APFS)
6) install catalina
Click to expand...

Thanks!!

Anyone knows if Big Sur is working "fine"', with our 2011 MBP 15"?
 
  • Like
Reactions: andrema2
Late 2011 15" MBP on High Sierra here.
I did the fix and I have brightness controls and wake capabilities.
The issue with waking is it can only wake with the power button. Nothing happens when I press any other key.
Does anybody else also have this issue?
 
Airbum88 said:
Late 2011 15" MBP on High Sierra here.
I did the fix and I have brightness controls and wake capabilities.
The issue with waking is it can only wake with the power button. Nothing happens when I press any other key.
Does anybody else also have this issue?
Click to expand...
Yes I do have what you wrote.

In the future, I will go for a try in Big Sur, in my 2011.
(Do not like Catalina, the MBP is running very hot, (but I upgrade from Sierra), I did a clean install of Big Sur on a MBP 15" 2010 and is running "fine").
 
tomcatrr said:
Yes I do have what you wrote.

In the future, I will go for a try in Big Sur, in my 2011.
(Do not like Catalina, the MBP is running very hot, (but I upgrade from Sierra), I did a clean install of Big Sur on a MBP 15" 2010 and is running "fine").
Click to expand...
When I try to download it from the App Store it says '
This version of macOS 11.6.6 cannot be installed on this computer.'
 
Hey everyone!
Who install big sur/ Monterey on MB pro 8.2 2011?
I have hard disabled video. Open core patches works with built-in processor graphics?
High Sierra works without patches complete (including backlight).
Thank you for reply
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: tomcatrr
Hey all. I have followed all instructions to a T including disabling the GPU through the NVRAM and removing the kext. The MacBook completes everything in verbose mode but then goes to a screen with the Apple logo and loading bar. No progress happens on the loading bar. After a while it reboots itself and does the same thing over again, for an infinite boot loop. Any ideas on how I can get out of the boot loop? Have attempted NVRAM reset and done the entire procedure over, but this still persists.
 
crimson_crow said:
Hey all. I have followed all instructions to a T including disabling the GPU through the NVRAM and removing the kext. The MacBook completes everything in verbose mode but then goes to a screen with the Apple logo and loading bar. No progress happens on the loading bar. After a while it reboots itself and does the same thing over again, for an infinite boot loop. Any ideas on how I can get out of the boot loop? Have attempted NVRAM reset and done the entire procedure over, but this still persists.
Click to expand...
What OS?
 
tomcatrr said:
Thanks!!

Anyone knows if Big Sur is working "fine"', with our 2011 MBP 15"?
Click to expand...
See this URL:
Post #12,129
My 2011 is running Big Sur fine. Usable speed, everything I have tried works (that is not to say that everything works!).
It didn't work well for me running Monterey, the bluetooth was horrible, and the overall speed wasn't good.
YMMV, this is just one case report.
 
davidlv said:
See this URL:
Post #12,129
My 2011 is running Big Sur fine. Usable speed, everything I have tried works (that is not to say that everything works!).
It didn't work well for me running Monterey, the bluetooth was horrible, and the overall speed wasn't good.
YMMV, this is just one case report.
Click to expand...
Thanks @davidlv !!

Can you please inform me, if you need to do the "NVRAM" patch writing by keyboard.
Or with a clean install of Big Sur with OCLP, the GPU patch is automatically installed?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back