MacBook Pro will not boot fully.

[Spudhead]

I have a late 2011 17" MBP. Tonight I was on my MacBook, just using Safari - I went to get a drink, came back and the cursor had frozen. So I tried closing the lid and opening again to see if waking from sleep mode fixed the problem. However nothing happened, the screen stayed on even with the lid closed.

So I hard reset the Mac, since then I type in my password to login and the apple logo with loading bar gets to about half way and then the machine goes white screen (apple logo and progress bar disappear) and the machine restarts.

Tried booting in safe mode and the machine just got to half way loading again and the loading bar and apple logo disappeared yet again but the machine just seemed to stay on a white screen and nothing happened.

Recovery mode just loads and then goes to a black screen, screen isn't turned off as can see it lit up but its just dark black. Nothing seems to happen from here. I have just tried internet recovery mode, spent half an hour loading that then the apple logo appeared with loading bar as usual - it gets to half way and AGAIN they disappear and now the machine is just stuck on a white screen.

Unsure on what to try next? I don't get why these recovery and help options will not load correctly. I have also tried to reset NVRAM with no luck.

All help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[chscag]

That particular model is known for its GPU problems. It sounds like your graphics card has failed or is failing. Apple had issued a recall for that model to replace the logic board because of the failed GPUs. However, that recall and free repair has expired.

You might be able to get it repaired other than Apple if you can find somewhere that will do micro-soldering. Evidently a capacitor on the GPU card goes bad and that causes the entire GPU to fail.

 

[Spudhead]

That particular model is known for its GPU problems. It sounds like your graphics card has failed or is failing. Apple had issued a recall for that model to replace the logic board because of the failed GPUs. However, that recall and free repair has expired.

You might be able to get it repaired other than Apple if you can find somewhere that will do micro-soldering. Evidently a capacitor on the GPU card goes bad and that causes the entire GPU to fail.

Oh no really, should I have been informed about this recall by Apple as I've never had any contact regarding this issue before?

Seems like a likely explanation however because I put the SSD into an external caddy and plugged it into a friends MacBook today and it mounted instantly and I've managed to save all my data so it is definitely a hardware fault.

Is it not an option to just have the graphics card removed altogether and continue to use the machine that way?

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Research "RadeonGate".
This will explain what's [probably] happening.

At this point, the only realistic options may be to:
- permanently disable the GPU through software (there is a thread on how to do it in this forum, somewhere)
or
- replace the computer.

 

[Spudhead]

OP:

Research "RadeonGate".
This will explain what's [probably] happening.

At this point, the only realistic options may be to:
- permanently disable the GPU through software (there is a thread on how to do it in this forum, somewhere)
or
- replace the computer.

Thanks for the information, I have done quite a bit of reading on the radeongate issue today. It seems like my symptoms do match those experienced by some users with radeongate related problems.

I have found several companies willing to fit brand new official AMD gpus with warranty for £190.

I have an appointment at the Genius Bar tomorrow to hopefully get the problem officially diagnosed as radeongate. I will then have a new gpu fitted.

I would disable it if possible instead, HOWEVER.... my MacBook is completely unable to boot into safe mode or single user. It just hangs mid-load. So I think I’m gonna have to buy a new gpu first so I can login then disable it.

Not an ideal situation but sure as Hell beats paying £2700 for a new 15” MacBook.