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

[mysteryman]

As per the title, my MBP is having some issues. When I start the machine and login it hangs on a completely grey screen. I cannot get the machine to boot into safe mode, or recovery mode or access disk utility. It literally goes from login to grey screen.

I have been advised this could possibly be the hard drive. Does this sound likely? It had crashed when I upgraded to High Sierra and I had done a reinstall from clean which had got it working again until this.

If I buy a new hard drive. How do I boot to format the drive and install High Sierra with a completely new drive?

I am thinking if I change the drive it should be to an SSD. Any recommendations on models? Do I need to do something about TRIM? I have heard of that but no idea what it is.

Lastly....thoughts on doing this? Is it likely to be the hard drive? Worth fixing or best to confine the MacBook to the grave?

 

[Samuelsan2001]

As per the title, my MBP is having some issues. When I start the machine and login it hangs on a completely grey screen. I cannot get the machine to boot into safe mode, or recovery mode or access disk utility. It literally goes from login to grey screen.

I have been advised this could possibly be the hard drive. Does this sound likely? It had crashed when I upgraded to High Sierra and I had done a reinstall from clean which had got it working again until this.

If I buy a new hard drive. How do I boot to format the drive and install High Sierra with a completely new drive?

I am thinking if I change the drive it should be to an SSD. Any recommendations on models? Do I need to do something about TRIM? I have heard of that but no idea what it is.

Lastly....thoughts on doing this? Is it likely to be the hard drive? Worth fixing or best to confine the MacBook to the grave?

Is this a 15 inch model? That model and year has a very notorious gpu issue they go in the end and to be honest at this age they are not economically worth fixing as the refurbished boards go as well.

If it’s a hard drive you usually have a little no entry sign on the grey screen which is why I think it’s your gpu. If it’s a 13 inch machine then it may well be the SATA cable or the hard drive or quite possibly both.

 

[mysteryman]

Is this a 15 inch model? That model and year has a very notorious gpu issue they go in the end and to be honest at this age they are not economically worth fixing as the refurbished boards go as well.

If it’s a hard drive you usually have a little no entry sign on the grey screen which is why I think it’s your gpu. If it’s a 13 inch machine then it may well be the SATA cable or the hard drive or quite possibly both.

Hi, it is a 15 inch machine. The machine has had graphic glitches very intermittently since I bought it but has been ok. It boots up fine, goes to login screen, progress bar comes up and the machine restarts itself. If I try to put it in recovery or safe mode it just hangs on grey screen. Does this match with likely GPU issue?

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Hi, it is a 15 inch machine. The machine has had graphic glitches very intermittently since I bought it but has been ok. It boots up fine, goes to login screen, progress bar comes up and the machine restarts itself. If I try to put it in recovery or safe mode it just hangs on grey screen. Does this match with likely GPU issue?

It sounds very likely restarts failing to boot and screen or video glitches.

There was a repair program but it finished a year ago.

Here is all apples info for you. https://www.apple.com/uk/support/macbookpro-videoissues/

 

[Lloyd22]

Hi everyone and thanks a lot for all the help & efforts!
I successfully modified the EFI more than 6 months ago and my mbp was working perfectly, didn't have any issue with waking it up or anything. I did not update the system or anything else, I just wanted to keep it as stable as possible. I tried the usual SMC reset and PRAM but still nothing...

And this morning, bam, I'm stuck with a black screen, no chime, heating, fans going crazy and the sleep light indicator being solid but dim... Do you think it can be related to the GPU again? Or it might be something else? I'm getting tired of all this...

Thank you very much for your insights.

Answer to myself, might help some of you: managed to boot back by emptying totally the battery then connecting the magsafe again...

 

[mysteryman]

Thanks all. I think as mine is the 2011 model I am out of luck. I am near an Apple store so I might try and take it in on the off chance they can suggest something. Thanks all.

 

[on_off]

There is not *one* guide to write up. Many roads lead to Rome. The best option would be if AppleMacFinder would update the first post of this thread pointing to the best alternatives.

Anyway. Even if this post now will quickly drown in the sheer length of this thread, I think this is currently one of the better guides:

#####__ The Guide __#####

This guide assumes that you run a stock system. Problem just occured. That means:
This guide assumes that all kexts are still in their default location /System/Library/Extensions.
Having all AMD-kexts there except one is beneficial for 'proper' operation.

To get some display acceleration back it will be necessary to force the machine to not boot into discrete graphics (dGPU) but directly into integrated graphics (iGPU). This will give you back your laptop – but you will lose some features: e.g. the ability to drive an external display. Thunderbolt data connections should work.

The initial procedure:

– To start from a clean slate: reset SMC and PRAM/NVRAM:

shutdown, unplug everything except power, now hold

<leftShift>+<Ctrl>+<Opt>+<Power>

release at the same time;

– Now power on again and hold

<Cmd>+<Opt>+<p>+<r>

at the same time until you hear the startup chime two times.

– Boot into Recovery by holding

<Cmd>+<r>+<s>

– Disable SIP:

csrutil disable

– disable dGPU on boot

nvram fa4ce28d-b62f-4c99-9cc3-6815686e30f9:gpu-power-prefs=%01%00%00%00

– enable verbose boot mode:

nvram boot-args="-v"

– reboot into single user-mode by holding

<Cmd>+<s>

on boot

– mount root partition writeable

/sbin/mount -uw /

– make a kext-backup directory

mkdir -p /System/Library/Extensions-off

– only move ONE offending kext out of the way:

mv /System/Library/Extensions/AMDRadeonX3000.kext /System/Library/Extensions-off/

– let the system update its kextcache:

touch /System/Library/Extensions/

– wait for the kextcache process to finish
then

reboot

Reboot normally:
you will have an accelerated iGPU display.


But the system doesn't know how to power-management the failed AMD-chip.
For that you have to either manaully load the kext after boot by:

sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext

Automate this with the following LoginHook:

sudo mkdir -p /Library/LoginHook
sudo nano /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh

with the following content:

#!/bin/bash
kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext
exit 0

then make it executable and active:

sudo chmod a+x /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh
sudo defaults write com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh

Preventive measures for future use

There are two further caveats to know: This is reversible when the SMC/PRAM/NVRAM is reset. If that happens the GPU-power-pref nvram can/has to be set again to force the use of the iGPU from boot-time.

Since this can happen quite easily (and is often erroneously recommended way too many times than it is actually useful), you should probably prepare for such a scenario and create a simple script to greatly speed up the process and also make entering the necessary variable much less error prone:

sudo nano /force-iGPU-boot.sh

– Enter the following content to this file:

#/bin/sh
sudo nvram boot-args="-v"
sudo nvram fa4ce28d-b62f-4c99-9cc3-6815686e30f9:gpu-power-prefs=%01%00%00%00
exit 0

– Now make that executable:

sudo chmod a+x /force-iGPU-boot.sh

In the future, when the SMC/PRAM/NVRAM gets reset to default values it is now possible to boot into SingleUser with:

<Cmd>+<s>

– And after mounting your boot-volume read-write to execute just:

sh /force-iGPU-boot.sh

This setup has now one kext in a place Apple's installers do not expect. That is why in this guide SIP has not been reenabled. If an update that contains changes to the AMD drivers is about to take place it is advisable to move back the AMDRadeonX3000.kext to its default location before the update process. Otherwise the updater writes at least another kext of a different version to its default location or at worst you end up with an undefined state of partially non-matching drivers.

After any system update the folder /System/Library/Extensions has to be checked for the offending kext. Its presence there will lead to e.g. a boot hang on Yosemite and Sierra, an overheating boot-loop in High Sierra.

Further: this laptop is overheating, no matter what you do. The cooling system is inadequate and the huge number of failing AMD chips are just proof of that.

To prolong the life of this now hacked machine it is advisable to abstain from really heavy lifting over prolonged stretches of time. Strictly follow the usual recommendations for laptops: use on hard surfaces, keep the fans and fins inside it clean. Using any fancontrol software with relatively aggressive settings should also help: like smcFanControl, MacsFanControl, or TGPro (the latter both commercial).


This is fairly complete and what I do recommend to everyone asking me.
Nevertheless. We're not done here, yet. Improvements are welcome. Share them!

AFTER @nsgr's #1228 REPLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT IN MY #1227 POST BELLOW, I AM MAKING A MISTAKE BY CALLING MODE (CMD + S + R) AS 'SINGLE-USER RECOVERY MODE'. WITH RED COLOUR THE RELEVANT MISTAKES IN MY TEXT - WORDS IN RED SHOULD BE CONSIDERED REDUNDANT.

@MikeyN many thanks for your guide!
Wanted to ask you a couple of things regarding your instructions as I am trying to understand these and not just apply the steps (if someone else, e.g. @AppleMacFinder, @FGuarini, @nsgr, @rlebleu, could also help me with the following that would be greatly appreciated).

1. In your guide, after disabling dGPU in single-user recovery mode boot (cmd + s + r), i.e. using the relevant nvram fa4ce28d-... code, you are also including a piece of code that enables verbose boot mode, i.e. nvram boot-args="-v". What is the reason of including this second line? Isn't the dGPU disabling enough? I can see that in other people's guides - e.g. by @nsgr - that this verbose mode line is not included (although, they are applying the nvram fa4ce28d-... hack with sudo in single-user mode, i.e. cmd + s).

2. Let's imagine a scenario where:
i) the initial procedure of your guide including the LoginHook has been applied; and,
ii) there is a new macOS update available for installation where it might contain changes to the AMD driver.
Now, in this case, and If I am deducing correctly from your instructions, the steps should be:
Step 1 (not entirely necessary, perhaps at all; it is just for double-checking the SIP):
Before installing the update, I should boot into single-user recovery mode (cmd + s + r), just to check that SIP is disabled. If for any reason this is not, then I need to disable this with: csrutil disable
(NB: Remember that the GPU-power-pref nvram hack code is still active from @MikeyN's initial procedure, i.e. the nvram fa4ce28d-... one)
Step 2:
Then, I should boot into single-user mode (cmd + s) and move back the problematic AMDRadeonX3000.kext to its default location by doing:
/sbin/mount -uw /
...followed by:
mv /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext /System/Library/Extensions/
...so as to 'move' the kext from the 'Extension-off' folder we have created in the initial procedure, to the 'Extensions' one. Then:
reboot
...so as to boot (graphically) to our macOS main window and install the macOS update
(NB: Remember we haven't reseted the SMC/NVRAM/PRAM, so as to loose the GPU-power-pref nvram hack; The hack line is still active from @MikeyN 's initial procedure, so we will be able to boot graphically and somewhat normally)

If all the above steps I am writing are correct, then my question is this:
In this new graphical boot, the LoginHook we have created in the initial procedure is expecting to find the AMDRadeonX3000.kext in the 'Extensions-off' folder. However, we have just moved this kext back into the 'Extensions' folder! Wouldn't that create a problem in the sense that LoginHook is searching for a kext that is not in its supposed folder any more, also trying to load this with kextload? To put it differently, shouldn't I/we somehow disable the LoginHook before following the steps I wrote? That said, I would really appreciate if you (i.e. @MikeyN) or someone else could write here a way to both disable and reverse the LoginHook.

3. What I also don't get is why don't we go back into single-user recovery mode (cmd + s + r) to re-enable SIP after we have done everything. If I have understood correctly (correct me if I am wrong), we are disabling SIP in single-user recovery mode (cmd + s + r), so that we can do three things: i) boot into single-user mode (cmd + s) and move the problematic kext into the new 'Extensions-off' folder, ii) create in Terminal the LoginHook script and make it automatically executable when in graphical macOS boot; iii) create in Terminal the force-iGPU-boot script and execute this manually in single-user mode (i.e. of course, in case we want that). After we have done all of these, why not going back to single-user recovery mode (cmd + s + r) and re-enable SIP? Shouldn't the scripts run with SIP enabled?

Many thanks!
on_off

 

[might as well]

Thanks all. I think as mine is the 2011 model I am out of luck. I am near an Apple store so I might try and take it in on the off chance they can suggest something. Thanks all.

I have an Early 2011 also and have been having exactly the same problems as you're getting.
I reinstalled High Sierra and the machine has been a lot more stable the past two days.
Before that, like you, I had a machine that wouldn't reboot into the different startup modes. Try rebooting holding the option key to select the startup disk. That seemed to help sometimes. Also, see if you can reboot holding the D key to do a hardware check.
Good luck.

 

[kohlson]

I am near an Apple store so I might try and take it in on the off chance they can suggest something. Thanks all.

If you have another device to boot from this can help isolate the problem. If it boot and you can see things, then it's most likely the drive.
But taking to an Apple Store is perhaps easier.. They will plug it into a diagnostics boot-up that they use to evaluate systems. If it's a graphics problem, you (and they) won't see anything on the screen.

There is some possibility that it's the drive. Laptop drives take a beating, and this one is 6 years old.

 

[nsgr]

@MikeyN many thanks for your guide!
Wanted to ask you a couple of things regarding your instructions as I am trying to understand these and not just apply the steps (if someone else, e.g. @AppleMacFinder, @FGuarini, @nsgr, @rlebleu, could also help me with the following that would be greatly appreciated).

1. In your guide, after disabling dGPU in single-user recovery mode boot (cmd + s + r), i.e. using the relevant nvram fa4ce28d-... line, you are also including a line that enables verbose boot mode, i.e. nvram boot-args="-v". What is the reason of including this second line? Isn't the dGPU disabling enough? I can see that in other people's guides - e.g. by @nsgr - that this verbose mode line is not included (although, they are applying the nvram fa4ce28d-... hack with sudo in single-user mode, i.e. cmd + s).

2. Let's imagine a scenario where:
i) the initial procedure of your guide including the LoginHook has been applied; and,
ii) there is a new macOS update available for installation where it might contain changes to the AMD driver.
Now, in this case and If I am deducing correctly from your instructions, the steps should be:
Step 1 (not entirely necessary, perhaps at all; it is just for double-checking the SIP):
Before installing the update, boot into single-user recovery mode (cmd + s + r), just to check that SIP is disabled. If for any reason this is not, then disable this with: csrutil disable
(NB: Remember that the GPU-power-pref nvram hack line is still active from @MikeyN 's initial procedure, i.e. the nvram fa4ce28d-... one)
Step 2:
Then, boot into single user mode (cmd + s) and move back the problematic AMDRadeonX3000.kext to its default location by doing:
/sbin/mount -uw /
...followed by:
mv /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext /System/Library/Extensions/
...so as to 'move' the kext from the 'Extension-off' folder we have created in the initial procedure, to the 'Extensions' one. Then:
reboot
...so as to boot (graphically) to our macOS main window and install the macOS update
(NB: Remember we haven't reseted the SMC/NVRAM/PRAM, so as to loose the GPU-power-pref nvram hack; The hack line is still active from @MikeyN 's initial procedure, so we will be able to boot graphically and somewhat normally)

If all the above steps I am writing are correct, then my question is this:
In this new graphical boot, the LoginHook we have created in the initial procedure is expecting to find the AMDRadeonX3000.kext in the 'Extensions-off' folder. However, we have just moved this kext back into the 'Extensions' folder! Wouldn't that create a problem in the sense that LoginHook is searching for a kext that is not in its supposed folder any more, also trying to load this with kextload? To put it differently, shouldn't we somehow disable the LoginHook before following the steps I wrote? That said, I would really appreciate if you or someone else could write here a way to both disable and reverse the LoginHook.

3. What I also don't get is why don't we go back into single-user recover mode (cmd + s + r) to re-enable SIP after we have done everything. If I have understood correctly (correct me if I am wrong), we are disabling SIP in single-user recovery mode (cmd + s + r), so that we can do three things: i) boot into single-user mode (cmd + s) and move the problematic kext into the new 'Extensions-off' folder, ii) create in Terminal the LoginHook script and make it automatically executable when in graphical macOS boot; iii) create in Terminal the force-iGPU-boot script and execute this manually in single-user mode (i.e. of course, in case we want that). After we have done all of these, why not going back to single-user recovery mode (cmd + s + r) and re-enable SIP? Shouldn't the scripts run with SIP enabled?

Many thanks!
on_off

First:

Single User (Command + S): boot in text mode with Mac OS system and mount Mac OS system partition.

Recovery Mode (Command +R or Command + R + S): boot in graphical mode ou text mode with Recovery OS and mount Recovery OS system partition.

From the point of view of file location there is a big difference. There are the Mac OS kexts (normal boot or Single User - Command + S) and the Recovery Mode kexts. They are on different partitions.
Mac OS and Recovery OS systems are isolated.

Example:

Boot normal or Single User (Command + S) - Mac OS - Partition 1 - /System/Library/Extensions: AMD6000Controller.kext and AMDRadeonX3000.kext .

Boot Recovery Mode (Command + R or Command + R + S) - Recovery OS - Partition 2 - /System/Library/Extensions: Only AMD6000Controller.kext.
For freezing precaution, AMDRadeonX3000.kext does not exist in this partition (Apple's policy).

You can only enable or disable the SIP in Recovery Mode or installation disk or installation from Internet (Apple's policy). Mac OS El Capitan and later.


1. sudo nvram boot-args="-v"

It is necessary in case you have a freeze, then you see if it is problem of AMD GPU that was not disabled or AMDRadeonX3000.kext is in /System/Library/Exntensions or is another problem that has nothing to do with AMD GPU.
Only Apple's progress bar will not say anything.

2. You only need to enable or disable SIP if the procedure to move AMDRadeonX3000.kext is done by Single User Mode (Command + S).

When you boot normally or Single User Mode (Command + S), then the SIP protections are enabled by default installation Mac OS. Then you must enter Recovery Mode to disable SIP -> Move AMDRadeonX3000.kext in Single User Mode -> Enable SIP in Recovery Mode.

If you move AMDRadeonX3000.kext through Recovery Mode, then you do not need to disable SIP.
You will have the task of mounting the Mac OS partition. Remember you are in Recovery Mode (another operating system). FGuarani method - #106.
If you do not want to use Terminal with the disktutil command, then you must mount the Mac OS system partition with Disk Utility in Recovery mode.

Disk Utility
https://i.stack.imgur.com/dlVVq.jpg

In the Single User Mode you do not need to have any attention with the partitions because the only mounted partition is the partition of the Mac OS system. Move AMDRadeonX3000.kext.
Partition 1 - Mac OS - where AMDRadeonX3000.kext exists.

In Recovery Mode, then you are required to mount the Mac OS partition. Move AMDRadeonX3000.kext. In this case now there are two partitions mounted.
Partition 1 - Recovery Mode - boot
Partition 2 - Mac OS - where AMDRadeonX3000.kext exists.

 

[ZapNZs]

What you have described sounds like a textbook GPU issue, which entails a logic board replacement. There are some options such as disabling the dGPU, however, none provide full functionality or performance. IMHO, I would not suggest putting any money into the machine because Apple never actually fixed the underlying problem, so replacement boards are still flawed.

If you go to an Apple Store, request that they attempt to run the VST.

 

[mysteryman]

Thanks everyone. Some really good advice here. I agree that it sounds more likely the GPU. On closer examination when it hangs, there is very feint lines down the screen. When it boots up these lines are not there so it does look like the GPU. Will pop into Apple store for final test but looks like it’s days are done. My 2008 Macbook is still running fine but the 2011 MBP at twice the price is dead....theme the brakes I guess!

 

[might as well]

Thanks everyone. Some really good advice here. I agree that it sounds more likely the GPU. On closer examination when it hangs, there is very feint lines down the screen. When it boots up these lines are not there so it does look like the GPU. Will pop into Apple store for final test but looks like it’s days are done. My 2008 Macbook is still running fine but the 2011 MBP at twice the price is dead....theme the brakes I guess!

Yes, at this point, you and I have had a good run with the 2011 machine. I was concerned about it breaking down, so I bought a new leftover 2016 MBP a month ago. And then the 2011 started to break down. ... hmmm.....

 

[on_off]

@nsgr thanks for your reply.

OK, there is clear misunderstanding from my part to call recovery mode (cmd + s + r) as single-user recovery mode. By the way, is it better to call (cmd + s + r) as 'verbose recovery mode' so as to distinguish it from the (graphical) recovery mode (i.e. cmd + r)? - I suppose not.

Thanks for explaining why the code nvram boot-args="-v" is needed. You write that the code is needed so as to "...see if [an unexpected freeze] is [a] problem of AMD GPU that was not disabled or AMDRadeonX3000.kext is in /System/Library/Exntensions or is another problem that has nothing to do with AMD GPU. Only Apple's progress bar will not say anything". I am not entirely sure how this line of code will help me 'see' the problems you write, and I definitely don't get what you mean when you write: "Apple's progress bar will not say anything" - Nevertheless, you have given me some clues to investigate more and thank you.

Thanks for clearly explaining how SIP works in both single and recovery mode. However, I haven't understood whether you have replied to me in some way to the two urgent questions of mine:

i) Whether steps 1 and 2 I am writing in my no.2 question (i.e. post: #1227), in regards to moving the AMDRadeonX3000.kext before a macOS update, are correct (i.e. apart from the SIP that you have explained to me)?

ii) Whether @MikeyN's LoginHook executable, which is searching for the AMDRadeonX3000.kext at the 'Extensions-off' folder so as to kextload it, will create any problems when re-booting (graphical) after having moved the problematic kext back to its initial 'Extensions' location in single-user mode. If so, is there is a way to disable/reverse LoginHook?

If you have already replied to the above two questions of mine in your post, can you please explain this again.

That said, I am not entirely sure why you wrote: "If you do not want to use Terminal with the disktutil command, then you must mount the Mac OS system partition with Disk Utility in Recovery mode". I did't refer to anything like that in my post, and I am wondering where exactly to fit this sentence of yours and the relevant .jpg you attached among the rest of information you have given me.

Thank you very much.

 

[dblissmn]

Thanks everyone. Some really good advice here. I agree that it sounds more likely the GPU. On closer examination when it hangs, there is very feint lines down the screen. When it boots up these lines are not there so it does look like the GPU. Will pop into Apple store for final test but looks like it’s days are done. My 2008 Macbook is still running fine but the 2011 MBP at twice the price is dead....theme the brakes I guess!

I have had occasional odd behaviors if the computer gets very hot. For example yesterday when I was updating mine to High Sierra it did some very strange stuff on screen (big wide vertical black and indigo stripes, followed by the boot up screen but with very, very feint one-pixel-wide horizontal lines creating an effect reminiscent of the screen problems on the last generation of G4 Powerbooks), but then cleared up right away on the next reboot during the install by which point the computer was quite a bit cooler. Wish I'd known about the recall beforehand; but then again if the replacement boards do this too, maybe not so much a loss. I would not be surprised if the slovenly use of thermal paste on a lot of these machines is part of the story; this can be addressed with disassembly and replacing with better thermal paste more thinly and carefully applied to processors and heatsinks. I always went out of my way with this computer to keep it cool when it was my primary. In any case it is basically a second backup for me now, heading for server admin with its built-in Ethernet and FireWire and that's about it.

I'm inclined to keep it going for a bit longer because the built-in ports are useful and the 2011 models are so easy to repair. The logic boards however are getting pricey.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I have had occasional odd behaviors if the computer gets very hot. For example yesterday when I was updating mine to High Sierra it did some very strange stuff on screen (big wide vertical black and indigo stripes, followed by the boot up screen but with very, very feint one-pixel-wide horizontal lines creating an effect reminiscent of the screen problems on the last generation of G4 Powerbooks), but then cleared up right away on the next reboot during the install by which point the computer was quite a bit cooler. Wish I'd known about the recall beforehand; but then again if the replacement boards do this too, maybe not so much a loss. I would not be surprised if the slovenly use of thermal paste on a lot of these machines is part of the story; this can be addressed with disassembly and replacing with better thermal paste more thinly and carefully applied to processors and heatsinks. I always went out of my way with this computer to keep it cool when it was my primary. In any case it is basically a second backup for me now, heading for server admin with its built-in Ethernet and FireWire and that's about it.

I'm inclined to keep it going for a bit longer because the built-in ports are useful and the 2011 models are so easy to repair. The logic boards however are getting pricey.

It’s the unleaded solder it just won’t take the heating cooling cycles and cracks the solder, you can get them reflowed (or do it yourself baking the board) or you may find someone to recall it with leaded solder. Of course it’s a 6 year old laptop so it’s probably not worth the effort.

 

[mysteryman]

Well although I do think it has reached the end of its life, I have an appointment at the Apple store on Sunday to take a look at it. Will report back the outcome.

 

[MikeyN]

@nsgr thanks for your reply.

OK, there is clear misunderstanding from my part to call recovery mode (cmd + s + r) as single-user recovery mode. By the way, is it better to call (cmd + s + r) as 'verbose recovery mode' so as to distinguish it from the (graphical) recovery mode (i.e. cmd + r)? - I suppose not.

Thanks for explaining why the code nvram boot-args="-v" is needed. You write that the code is needed so as to "...see if [an unexpected freeze] is [a] problem of AMD GPU that was not disabled or AMDRadeonX3000.kext is in /System/Library/Exntensions or is another problem that has nothing to do with AMD GPU. Only Apple's progress bar will not say anything". I am not entirely sure how this line of code will help me 'see' the problems you write, and I definitely don't get what you mean when you write: "Apple's progress bar will not say anything" - Nevertheless, you have given me some clues to investigate more and thank you.

Thanks for clearly explaining how SIP works in both single and recovery mode. However, I haven't understood whether you have replied to me in some way to the two urgent questions of mine:

i) Whether steps 1 and 2 I am writing in my no.2 question (i.e. post: #1227), in regards to moving the AMDRadeonX3000.kext before a macOS update, are correct (i.e. apart from the SIP that you have explained to me)?

ii) Whether @MikeyN's LoginHook executable, which is searching for the AMDRadeonX3000.kext at the 'Extensions-off' folder so as to kextload it, will create any problems when re-booting (graphical) after having moved the problematic kext back to its initial 'Extensions' location in single-user mode. If so, is there is a way to disable/reverse LoginHook?

If you have already replied to the above two questions of mine in your post, can you please explain this again.

That said, I am not entirely sure why you wrote: "If you do not want to use Terminal with the disktutil command, then you must mount the Mac OS system partition with Disk Utility in Recovery mode". I did't refer to anything like that in my post, and I am wondering where exactly to fit this sentence of yours and the relevant .jpg you attached among the rest of information you have given me.

Thank you very much.

You are entirely correct and identified a shortcoming in my original guide:

Before an update you should move X3000 kext back to the default /System/Library/Extensions/ folder.
After an update X3000 has to be moved back to Extensions-off.

If a functional X3000 kext is present in its default location it will hang the system upon reboot in a system with the hack applied.

I only kept SIP disabled because it presents a huge hassle when moving kexts around. As long as there are no updates coming along from Apple SIP might also be (re-)enabled.
[doublepost=1512753058][/doublepost]

I do have to "sudo shutdown -h now" because it doesn't do sleep mode but that's minor.

I did get a new error (mail, iCloud and internet accounts preferences stopped working), so I want to upgrade from yosemite to Sierra.
Should I do this with my graphics card failure? Is it easy to upgrade and immediately use the integrated graphics chip?

An upgrade to Sierra is imho quite commendable (but *only* because we have to hack around Apple's quality issues; a certain decline in over-all quality is also already present in Sierra, alas).

The upgrade is quite smooth sailing. It leaves the NVRAM hack in place. But it places a new X3000 kext in its default location -> System freeze on first full reboot -> disable SIP -> move kext in Single User -> presto. That also applies to High Sierra. (But being the train wreck HS is I won't upgrade to that.)


With Sierra I now have *no* issues with shutdown or sleep/waking.

Your minor issue might be mitigated?
Yosemite was problematic for me, Sierra improved on that on its own but below's addition makes it round again [I never tested the 'force' switch on 10.10]:
But that involved adding another command to the LoginHook, which is now:

#!/bin/bash
kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext
pmset -a force gpuswitch 0
exit 0


And after letting that load on boot one time; performing once again a complete reset/ re-application of the NVRAM hack: the machine doesn't mind what happens to the lid or how it is told to sleep or shutdown.

[The pmset command was discovered by @nsgr and @pvllo in #1066; 1000x kudos to you two!]

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"Hi, it is a 15 inch machine. The machine has had graphic glitches very intermittently since I bought it but has been ok. It boots up fine, goes to login screen, progress bar comes up and the machine restarts itself. If I try to put it in recovery or safe mode it just hangs on grey screen. Does this match with likely GPU issue?"

It's almost certainly a failing GPU.
I suggest you research "RadeonGate".
VERY high failure rate for the 2011 15"/17" models with a discrete GPU.

Apple may no longer repair these, even if you're willing to pay.

Really, it's time to start shopping for a replacement.
It's not really worth spending $$$ to fix...

 

[on_off]

You are entirely correct and identified a shortcoming in my original guide:

Before an update you should move X3000 kext back to the default /System/Library/Extensions/ folder.
After an update X3000 has to be moved back to Extensions-off.

If a functional X3000 kext is present in its default location it will hang the system upon reboot in a system with the hack applied.

I only kept SIP disabled because it presents a huge hassle when moving kexts around. As long as there are no updates coming along from Apple SIP might also be (re-)enabled.

@MikeyN Although I tried your guide and it works like a charm (thank you very much!), please read bellow as there is a question I have to which I would really like to know the answer. I am also describing a couple of issues I faced during the process. Thanks also to @AppleMacFinder, @nsgr, @FGuarini that have contributed to this issue. Other newbies-like-myself (and with no clue of UNIX) users might find the following story useful. Here is what happened:

My story starts by doing a fresh install of OS X El Capitan. I let my MBP to freeze/grey/distort on the MacOS graphical screen and started @MikeyN's guide - i.e. only the initial procedure without coding the LoginHook and force-iGPU-boot scripts (By the way, thanks @nsgr for your #1228 post; yes, it makes sense why we need the nvram boot-args="-v"; this code line is indeed very helpful). My MBP booted like a charm. When I first booted graphically, I opened Terminal and manually loaded the problematic kext with sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext as @MikeyN writes. However, when I pressed restart, my machine just froze - nothing happened - stayed in this frozen screen for approx. 20minutes (By the way, nvram verbose mode gave me no message at that point, in contrast to what other people have suggested in earlier posts; sorry for not referring/linking to their posts)

Immediately I thought I did something wrong, thus I re-applied the process from the beginning. That is, a fresh install of OS X El Capitan, letting my MBP to freeze/grey/distort on graphical, and re-applying @MikeyN's guide. My MBP booted like a charm, but, this time I didn't manually load the problematic kext with sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext and restarted my machine. The machine restarted/rebooted normally!! "Hmm" - I said, and I thought to myself: "...in this new reboot I should re-load the kext manually and then restart to see what will happen." Apropos, Terminal > sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext > Enter > Password > Quit terminal > Restart.
BOOM! Screen froze again.

But, then I read @MikeyN comment on post #1230 speaking to @dijkvanthomas.

"With Sierra I now have *no* issues with shutdown or sleep/waking"

So, I decided to install OS X Sierra. I downloaded Sierra from the App Store; Made a really nice bootable drive (many tutorials online), and I did a fresh install of OS X Sierra. Again, I let my MBP to freeze/grey/distort on the MacOS graphical screen and started @MikeyN's guide - i.e. only the initial procedure without coding the LoginHook and force-iGPU-boot scripts. My MBP booted like a charm. When I first booted graphically, I opened Terminal and manually loaded the problematic kext with sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext as @MikeyN writes. I restarted my machine; NO FREEZE. I shutdown my machine after re-applying manually the kextload; NO FREEZE. "GREAT" - I exclaimed, and I thought to myself: "So now, lets download the new Security Update 2017-002 released 6 December 2017, available through the App Store".

The actual story begins now:
BEFORE downloading/installing the update, I restarted my machine, entered single user mode (cmd + s) and moved the problematic kext back to its default location (i.e. Extensions folder) in the way I am describing in my #1227 post (i.e. no.2 question of my post), the steps of which @MikeyN has confirmed in his #1230 reply, and I rebooted. Immediate problem: The machine couldn't reboot graphically, and remain frozen; alas!

I went back into single-user mode and I moved the problematic kext back into the Extensions-off folder. The machine rebooted graphically and normally. And I thought to myself: "If this is so, how on earth am I going to download/install the new security update that might be upgrading the problematic kext among other things (i.e. Security Update 2017-002)?
My answer to this was the following procedure:
I opened Terminal and moved the problematic kext in its default location by applying:
sudo mv /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext /System/Library/Extensions/
I then downloaded/installed the new Security update and all relevant packages. The machine rebooted automatically and just froze again (expected!). I shut it down, I repeated @MikeyN's guide - i.e. only the initial procedure without coding the LoginHook and force-iGPU-boot scripts, and my MBP booted (graphically) like a charm. The manual kextload is working (no freezing on restart/shutdown), all the updates have been made, and everything works "normally."

***Thanks again @MikeyN, @AppleMacFinder, @nsgr, @FGuarini***

Nevertheless
I would really like not to manually load the problematic kext each time!
I know that for this I need to create @MikeyN's LoginHook executable script.
However and for any future updates
The fact that the problematic kext has to be moved back to its default location using sudo in Terminal, and not in single-user mode (cmd+ s), BEFORE making the update (since it might make the machine to freeze), means, that, the disabling of the LoginHook script (if applied) in graphical mode is a very important step!

Thus:
Can somebody please write here a way to reverse/disable/delete @MikeyN's LoginHook executable in (graphical) Terminal before downloading/installing any updates? This is a question I have made in my #1227 and #1229 posts and I haven't got a reply yet, or perhaps I got but I haven't managed to read this between the lines.

PS
I also tried the GRUB solution by @brainshutdown, and her/his relevant GitHub instructions. It worked; It really worked. However, when I tried to enter recovery mode (cmd + r), so as to do a fresh install of my Mac OS, it just kept booting and re-booting and re-booting into the GRUB console (a constant loop). As if, the EFI GRUB change did not allow me (me the newbie user, with no UNIX experience; important to remind this here since experienced users might have an answer on this), to gain access to the original EFI partition of my system so as to format the drive and re-install OS X. Now the question is? "And why did you try this?" The answer to this is: "Just to check whether I could re-apply the GRUB solution again in a fresh install in case needed in the future."
Given the rebooting loop, I decided that the GRUB solution was a no-go for me.

That said, and again, many thanks to all that contributed to this issue.
However, special thanks to @MikeyN for her/his complete guide!

Can someone please reply to my question in bold above?

 

[nsgr]

@MikeyN Although I tried your guide and it works like a charm (thank you very much!), please read bellow as there is a question I have that I would like to know the answer and there were a couple of issues I faced during the process. Thanks also to @AppleMacFinder, @nsgr, @FGuarini that have contributed to this issue. Other newbies-like-myself (and with no clue of UNIX) users might find the following story useful too. Here is what happened:

My story starts by doing a fresh install of OS X El Capitan. I let my MBP to freeze/grey/distort on the MacOS graphical screen and started @MikeyN's guide - i.e. only the initial procedure without coding the LoginHook and force-iGPU-boot scripts (By the way, thanks @nsgr for your #1228 post; yes, it makes sense why we need the nvram boot-args="-v"; this code line is indeed very helpful). My MBP booted like a charm. When I first booted graphically, I opened Terminal and manually loaded the problematic kext with sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext as @MikeyN writes. However, when I pressed restart, my machine just froze - nothing happened - stayed in this frozen screen for approx. 20minutes (By the way, nvram verbose mode gave me no message at that point, in contrast to what other people have suggested in earlier posts; sorry for not referring/linking to their posts)

Immediately I thought I did something wrong, thus I re-applied the process from the beginning. That is, a fresh install of OS X El Capitan, letting my MBP to freeze/grey/distort on graphical, and re-applying @MikeyN's guide. My MBP booted like a charm, but, this time I didn't manually load the problematic kext with sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext and restarted my machine. The machine restarted/rebooted normally!! "Hmm" - I said, and I thought to myself: "...in this new reboot I should re-load the kext manually and then restart to see what will happen." Apropos, Terminal > sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext > Enter > Password > Quit terminal > Restart.
BOOM! Screen froze again.

But, then I read @MikeyN comment on post #1230 speaking to @dijkvanthomas.

"With Sierra I now have *no* issues with shutdown or sleep/waking"

So, I decided to install OS X Sierra. I downloaded Sierra from the App Store; Made a really nice bootable drive (many tutorials online), and I did a fresh install of OS X Sierra. Again, I let my MBP to freeze/grey/distort on the MacOS graphical screen and started @MikeyN's guide - i.e. only the initial procedure without coding the LoginHook and force-iGPU-boot scripts. My MBP booted like a charm. When I first booted graphically, I opened Terminal and manually loaded the problematic kext with sudo kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext as @MikeyN writes. I restarted my machine; NO FREEZE. I shutdown my machine after re-applying manually the kextload; NO FREEZE. "GREAT" - I exclaimed, and I thought to myself: "So now, lets download the new Security Update 2017-002 released 6 December 2017, available through the App Store".

The actual story begins now:
BEFORE downloading/installing the update, I restarted my machine, entered single user mode (cmd + s) and moved the problematic kext back to its default location (i.e. Extensions folder) in the way I am describing in my #1227 post (i.e. no.2 question of my post), the steps of which @MikeyN has confirmed in his #1230 reply, and I rebooted. Immediate problem: The machine couldn't reboot graphically, and remain frozen; alas!

I went back into single-user mode and I moved the problematic kext back into the Extensions-off folder. The machine rebooted graphically and normally. And I thought to myself: "If this is so, how on earth am I going to download/install the new security update (i.e. Security Update 2017-002)? My answer to this was the following:
I opened Terminal and moved the problematic kext in its default location by applying:
sudo mv /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext /System/Library/Extensions/
I then downloaded/installed the new Security update and all relevant packages. The machine rebooted automatically and just froze again (expected!). I shut it down, I repeated @MikeyN's guide - i.e. only the initial procedure without coding the LoginHook and force-iGPU-boot scripts, and my MBP booted (graphically) like a charm. The manual kextload is working (no freezing on restart/shutdown), all the updates have been made, and everything works normally.

***Thanks again @MikeyN, @AppleMacFinder, @nsgr, @FGuarini***

Nevertheless
I would really like not to manually load the problematic kext each time!
I know that for this I need to create @MikeyN's LoginHook executable script.
However
The fact that the problematic kext has to be moved back to its default location using sudo in Terminal and not in single-user mode (cmd+ s) BEFORE making the update (since it might make the machine to freeze), means, that, the disabling of the LoginHook script (if applied) in graphical mode is a very important step!

Thus:
Can somebody please write here a way to reverse/disable/delete @MikeyN's LoginHook executable in (graphical) Terminal before downloading/installing any updates? This is a question I have made in my #1227 and #1229 posts and I haven't got a reply yet, or perhaps I got but I haven't managed to read this between the lines.

PS
I also tried the GRUB solution by @brainshutdown, and her/his relevant GitHub instructions. It worked; It really worked. However, when I tried to enter recovery mode (cmd + r), so as to do a fresh install of my Mac OS, it just kept booting and re-booting and re-booting into the GRUB console (a constant loop). As if, the EFI GRUB change did not allow me (me the newbie user, with no UNIX experience; important to remind this here since experienced users might have an answer on this), to gain access to the original EFI partition of my system so as to format the drive and re-install OS X. Now the question is? "And why did you try this?" The answer to this is: "Just to check whether I could re-apply the GRUB solution again in a fresh install in case needed in the future."
Given the rebooting loop, I decided that the GRUB solution was a no-go for me.

That said, and again, many thanks to all that contributed to this issue.
However, special thanks to @MikeyN for her/his complete guide!

Can someone please reply to my question in bold above?

If your question is about "The Guide" #875 - @MikeyN, then it would be something like:

Active:

sudo defaults write com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh

Remove:

sudo defaults delete com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook

Reference - Login and Logout Scripts:
https://developer.apple.com/library...ual/BPSystemStartup/Chapters/CustomLogin.html

Update 1:

I never use the Restart or Shutdown button - For me it has a lot of screen freeze:

Apple logo (upper left corner of the screen) -> Restart or Shutdown.

What I do is:

Terminal:

Restart Macbook Pro:

sudo shutdown -r now

Halt / Power Off Macbook Pro:

sudo shutdown -h now

Update 2:

I've had many freezing errors during an update from the App Store or install update from DMG file.

Now I do:

1 - Open App Store.

2 - Updates Tab.

3 - Click Update All.

4 - Choose "No" - Download an restart message - App Store will only download the updates.

5 - After download updates -> close all apps -> Apple Logo (upper left corner of the screen) -> Logout

6 - Now you are on Login Screen -> click Restart -> Message Apple -> Choose Install Updates and Restart.

Do the same procedure if you install the update by a DMG file. Choose only "Install" and then installed -> log out -> login screen -> restart -> choose install and restart.


Update 3:

Whenever there is an update that contains the AMD kexts, then you will have to wait to install the update -> restart by system -> normal boot -> update continuation -> screen freezing by AMDRadeonX3000.kext -> reboot by system (high temperature - freeze) or press the Power button -> Boot Single User (SIP Disable) or Recovery Mode -> move the AMDRadeonX3000.kext from the /System/Library/Extensions -> Normal Boot.

It's a cat and mouse game with every AMD kexts update.

At each AMD kexts update you have two choices (in my example AMDRadeonX3000.kext is in the /DisableExtensions directory):

AMDRadeonX3000.kext is a directory. The system does not allow two directories with the same names inside /DisableExtensions.

1 - Delete old AMDRadeonX3000.kext in /DisableExtensions before move the new AMDRadeonX3000.kext from /System/Library/Extensions .

or

2 - Rename da old AMDRadeonX3000.kext inside /DisableExtensions -> now, move the new AMDRadeonX3000.kext from /System/Library/Extensions to /DisableExtensions.

Rename old AMDRadeonX3000.kext

sudo mv -v /DisableExtensions/AMDRadeonX3000.kext /DisableExtensions/AMDRadeonX3000.kext.old

Move new AMDRadeonX3000.kext from /System/Library/Extensions to /DisableExtensions:

sudo mv -v /System/Library/Extensions/AMDRadeonX3000.kext /DisableExtensions

I already have 3 AMDRadeonX3000.kext inside the /DisableExtensions after two updates.
In the list below, AMDRadeonX3000.kext is the newest kext.

ls -la /DisableExtensions/
total 0
drwxr-xr-x   5 root  wheel  160 Dec  8 22:51 .
drwxr-xr-x  29 root  wheel  928 Dec  8 22:40 ..
drwxr-xr-x@  3 root  wheel   96 Nov 10 01:01 AMDRadeonX3000.kext
drwxr-xr-x@  3 root  wheel   96 Aug 25 02:22 AMDRadeonX3000.kext.old
drwxr-xr-x@  3 root  wheel   96 Sep 29 23:14 AMDRadeonX3000.kext.old-2

 

[on_off]

If your question is about "The Guide" #875 - @MikeyN, then it would be something like:

Active:

sudo defaults write com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh

Remove:

sudo defaults delete com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook

Reference - Login and Logout Scripts:
https://developer.apple.com/library...ual/BPSystemStartup/Chapters/CustomLogin.html

Update 1:

I never use the Restart or Shutdown button - For me it has a lot of screen freeze:

Apple logo (upper left corner of the screen) -> Restart or Shutdown.

What I do is:

Terminal:

Restart Macbook Pro:

sudo shutdown -r now

Halt / Power Off Macbook Pro:

sudo shutdown -h now

Update 2:

I've had many freezing errors during an update from the App Store or install update from DMG file.

Now I do:

1 - Open App Store.

2 - Updates Tab.

3 - Click Update All.

4 - Choose "No" - Download an restart message - App Store will only download the updates.

5 - After download updates -> close all apps -> Apple Logo (upper left corner of the screen) -> Logout

6 - Now you are on Login Screen -> click Restart -> Message Apple -> Choose Install Updates and Restart.

Do the same procedure if you install the update by a DMG file. Choose only "Install" and then installed -> log out -> login screen -> restart -> choose install and restart.


Update 3:

Whenever there is an update that contains the AMD kexts, then you will have to wait to install the update -> restart by system -> normal boot -> update continuation -> screen freezing by AMDRadeonX3000.kext -> reboot by system (high temperature - freeze) or press the Power button -> Boot Single User (SIP Disable) or Recovery Mode -> move the AMDRadeonX3000.kext from the /System/Library/Extensions -> Normal Boot.

It's a cat and mouse game with every AMD kexts update.

At each AMD kexts update you have two choices (in my example AMDRadeonX3000.kext is in the /DisableExtensions directory):

AMDRadeonX3000.kext is a directory. The system does not allow two directories with the same names inside /DisableExtensions.

1 - Delete old AMDRadeonX3000.kext in /DisableExtensions before move the new AMDRadeonX3000.kext from /System/Library/Extensions .

or

2 - Rename da old AMDRadeonX3000.kext inside /DisableExtensions -> now, move the new AMDRadeonX3000.kext from /System/Library/Extensions to /DisableExtensions.

Rename old AMDRadeonX3000.kext

sudo mv -v /DisableExtensions/AMDRadeonX3000.kext  /DisableExtensions/AMDRadeonX3000.kext.old

Move new AMDRadeonX3000.kext from /System/Library/Extensions to /DisableExtensions:

sudo mv -v /System/Library/Extensions/AMDRadeonX3000.kext /DisableExtensions

I already have 3 AMDRadeonX3000.kext inside the /DisableExtensions after two updates.
In the list below, AMDRadeonX3000.kext is the newest kext.

ls -la /DisableExtensions/
total 0
drwxr-xr-x   5 root  wheel  160 Dec  8 22:51 .
drwxr-xr-x  29 root  wheel  928 Dec  8 22:40 ..
drwxr-xr-x@  3 root  wheel   96 Nov 10 01:01 AMDRadeonX3000.kext
drwxr-xr-x@  3 root  wheel   96 Aug 25 02:22 AMDRadeonX3000.kext.old
drwxr-xr-x@  3 root  wheel   96 Sep 29 23:14 AMDRadeonX3000.kext.old-2

@nsgr many thanks for replying and answering my question regarding the LoginHook script. Also, thanks for the very good tips and advice you have given me regarding ways to restart/shutdown my machine and moving/renaming the problematic kext before updates. Everything is working great; nvram gpu-power-prefs in place (checked with gfxCardStatus); the problematic kext is in the Extensions-off folder; and inside Terminal kextstat shows the AMDRadeonX3000.kext is loaded in login when the LoginHook script is applied - I am also able to remove the script with sudo defaults delete com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook, and move things around in case of an update.

The puzzle is in place!
Thanks again @AppleMacFinder, @nsgr, @FGuarini, and @MikeyN for your work.

 

[Djeje33380]

Hi everybody,

I went though the procedure to try to repair my Mac. I've tried it many times, but the computer does'nt boot anymore, at least the graphic part ... I have this sign that remains on the screen.

I've done the Linux boot and EFI gpu-power-prefs many times ... I've also move the Kext files.

I must precise this is a "french" version of the computer (Fr keyboard).
- I doubt the keyboard can cause any problem with the procedure ...
- ... but the exact MacBook pro might be a bit different (?) ... Note that the gpu-power-prefs had the exact same ID as in the procedure.

Can anyone advise what else could I Try, especially with this sign ?

Thank you very much in advance.

 

[lpuerto]

Hi to all of you!!

First of all, I really want to say thank you to all of you and specially to those who have contributed to this thread with their knowledge, time and patience to fix this issue. You've been more diligent than Apple and you make me able to use the computer again.

I have a MacBook Pro 8,2 with a faulty dGPU as I guess the rest of you also have. In my case this is the second time it fails. First time I was lucky and it was covered by Apple Care. It failed again last Sunday.

When it failed last Sunday, I found this thread and begun to move the AMD kexts out of the way. Then, I found the GRUB solution and switched to it thinking that perhaps it was easier to implement.

I finally was able to implement it, with some difficulties, but worked. So I decided to move the kext to their original place. Since I'm under High Sierra, I have to change the way the system sleep to hibernation using the command

sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 25

. I also was aware that I wasn't going to be able to manage the brightness of the screen.

Then, I updated to 10.13.2 and after I updated everything was OK, the dGPU seemed that was working, so I decided to take the risk and keep the system without implementing any solution and see how long was going to last. No so long. That night I decided to close the lid of my computer and make it sleep normally. The computer woke up me in the morning with all the fats at full speed and then it shut down.

I tried to reimplement the GRUB fix but I have no luck. So, I decided to move the kext out of the way again and I was able to make the computer properly again. I reset again

sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 25

and everything worked, but the brightness.

However, this Friday the computer doesn't hibernate again. If I close the lid it keeps the screen on and if I ask the computer to sleep using the apple menu, it turns the screen black and continue turned on. I can turn the screen on again and I need to switch off the computer manually with the on/off button.

I decided to implement the The Guide literally but everything is the same. I can't hibernate.

Does anyone have any idea of what could be the issue?

my pmset setting are as follows:

System-wide power settings:
Currently in use:
 standbydelay         4200
 standby              0
 womp                 1
 halfdim              1
 hibernatefile        /var/vm/sleepimage
 gpuswitch            2
 sms                  1
 networkoversleep     0
 disksleep            10
 sleep                0 (sleep prevented by backupd, backupd, UserEventAgent)
 hibernatemode        25
 ttyskeepawake        1
 displaysleep         10
 acwake               0
 lidwake              1

I know that High Sierra is a train wreck to fix this issue. However, you have to think that some of us took the decision to update the system before the issue happened and now it's really difficult to go back. For starters, my photo library is in the new format ... and go back to the old one is going to be a lot of work. I also have some custom configurations of software that I would like to keep. Not to mention that I have a SSD in place and High Sierra gets the best of it.

So, any help is really really really really appreciated to make the computer to return to its old glory.

As a final note: I think that something is going on since the temperature of the machine is slightly higher than when it wasn't using the dGPU either with the GRUB solution or when the dGPU was working and I wasn't using it. How can I check that everything is OK in that department?

THANKS!

 

[nsgr]

Hi everybody,

I went though the procedure to try to repair my Mac. I've tried it many times, but the computer does'nt boot anymore, at least the graphic part ... I have this sign that remains on the screen.

I've done the Linux boot and EFI gpu-power-prefs many times ... I've also move the Kext files.

I must precise this is a "french" version of the computer (Fr keyboard).
- I doubt the keyboard can cause any problem with the procedure ...
- ... but the exact MacBook pro might be a bit different (?) ... Note that the gpu-power-prefs had the exact same ID as in the procedure.

Can anyone advise what else could I Try, especially with this sign ?

Thank you very much in advance.

This can be Startup Disk preferences problem or corrupted partition.

1 - Press Option key at boot -> show boot volumes -> select your HD / SSD with your Mac OS System.

If you can boot correctly -> System Preferences -> Start up Disk.

2 - If step 1 does not work, then boot the installation disk of your Mac OS (USB stick) -> after loading the graphical environment -> choose Disk Utility -> select the disk you want to repair - > First Aid.

3 - If you do not have the Mac OS installation disc, then try Recovery Mode (Command + R) -> Disk Utility -> select the disk you want to repair -> First Aid.

Remember:
You have the AMD GPU problem, so the Intel GPU has to be properly configured for gpu-power-prefs.
Otherwise, the Macbook Pro will freeze on the gray screen because of the AMD6000Controller.kext (installation disk or Recovery Mode).

1 - What does the "prohibited" symbol at startup mean?
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4103689?tstart=0

2 - Startup key combinations for Mac
https://support.apple.com/en-eg/HT201255

3 - How to Boot a Mac from an External Drive or Alternate Startup Disk
http://osxdaily.com/2013/06/22/boot-mac-external-drive/

4 - How to choose a startup disk on your Mac
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202796

5 - Repair a disk
https://support.apple.com/guide/disk-utility/repair-a-disk-dskutl1040/mac

6 - Solve OS X Prohibited Sign Boot Issue
http://www.tatsch.it/solve-os-x-prohibited-sign-boot-issue/
[doublepost=1512937644][/doublepost]

Hi to all of you!!

First of all, I really want to say thank you to all of you and specially to those who have contributed to this thread with their knowledge, time and patience to fix this issue. You've been more diligent than Apple and you make me able to use the computer again.

I have a MacBook Pro 8,2 with a faulty dGPU as I guess the rest of you also have. In my case this is the second time it fails. First time I was lucky and it was covered by Apple Care. It failed again last Sunday.

When it failed last Sunday, I found this thread and begun to move the AMD kexts out of the way. Then, I found the GRUB solution and switched to it thinking that perhaps it was easier to implement.

I finally was able to implement it, with some difficulties, but worked. So I decided to move the kext to their original place. Since I'm under High Sierra, I have to change the way the system sleep to hibernation using the command

sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 25

. I also was aware that I wasn't going to be able to manage the brightness of the screen.

Then, I updated to 10.13.2 and after I updated everything was OK, the dGPU seemed that was working, so I decided to take the risk and keep the system without implementing any solution and see how long was going to last. No so long. That night I decided to close the lid of my computer and make it sleep normally. The computer woke up me in the morning with all the fats at full speed and then it shut down.

I tried to reimplement the GRUB fix but I have no luck. So, I decided to move the kext out of the way again and I was able to make the computer properly again. I reset again

sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 25

and everything worked, but the brightness.

However, this Friday the computer doesn't hibernate again. If I close the lid it keeps the screen on and if I ask the computer to sleep using the apple menu, it turns the screen black and continue turned on. I can turn the screen on again and I need to switch off the computer manually with the on/off button.

I decided to implement the The Guide literally but everything is the same. I can't hibernate.

Does anyone have any idea of what could be the issue?

my pmset setting are as follows:

System-wide power settings:
Currently in use:
 standbydelay         4200
 standby              0
 womp                 1
 halfdim              1
 hibernatefile        /var/vm/sleepimage
 gpuswitch            2
 sms                  1
 networkoversleep     0
 disksleep            10
 sleep                0 (sleep prevented by backupd, backupd, UserEventAgent)
 hibernatemode        25
 ttyskeepawake        1
 displaysleep         10
 acwake               0
 lidwake              1

I know that High Sierra is a train wreck to fix this issue. However, you have to think that some of us took the decision to update the system before the issue happened and now it's really difficult to go back. For starters, my photo library is in the new format ... and go back to the old one is going to be a lot of work. I also have some custom configurations of software that I would like to keep. Not to mention that I have a SSD in place and High Sierra gets the best of it.

So, any help is really really really really appreciated to make the computer to return to its old glory.

As a final note: I think that something is going on since the temperature of the machine is slightly higher than when it wasn't using the dGPU either with the GRUB solution or when the dGPU was working and I wasn't using it. How can I check that everything is OK in that department?

THANKS!

The problem of High Sierra is still not knowing if it is a bug in the operating system on something (example hibernate) or is a problem caused by the forced change to the Intel GPU gpu-power-prefs or GRUB (example hibernate).

In the case of Brightness in the High Sierra, it is connected with the AMD6000Controller.kext.
If you use GRUB, then it does not recognize the AMD GPU and does not load the AMD6000Controller.kext properly during boot -> results in no Brightness control. At least in my tests.

Apple has changed several things in the operating mode of the High Sierra (10.13). The Brightness problem does not happen with GRUB in the Sierra (10.12) for example.

macOS 10.13 High Sierra - Bugs and bug fixes
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macos-10-13-high-sierra-bugs-and-bug-fixes.2049327/


Verify temperature:

1 - Istat Menu (more information) - Trial 15 days - I use Istat Menu 5.32 (lighter) - version 6 more heavy memory.
https://bjango.com/mac/istatmenus/

2 - smcFanControl (Free) - less information
https://www.eidac.de/?p=312