MBP 1,1-10,2 Permanently Disable 2011 15"/17" MacBook Pro Dedicated GPU - gMux IC Bypass

[Think-doc]

nice
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Yes, it works 100% perfectly on all displays, both matte and glossy 15" ones, and matte and glossy 17" displays as well. All 1440x900, 1680x1050, and 1920x1200 displays work 100% perfectly.

As for the Retina MBPs (A1398), they do NOT need to have their dedicated GPU bypassed, as the GPUs used in those systems never fail. On the Mid-2012 model, though, the GPU VCORE regulator IC (U8900) is known to develop bad solder joints, making the system APPEAR to have a GPU issue, when in fact it does not.

I know that with the a1398 retina models. But there are also people who do not know that and try to put the thing in the oven or edit it with a Baumarkt hot air dryer. if then the lines gpu -> vram or gpu pci express bus are broken, only the shutdown of gpu remains. everything had already been on the table.

I also had a broken cooler (gpu) and underneath were the vram rails which were then demolished.

This happens when people make their own things and try to repair them.

 

[FlorisVN]

Yes, sleep/wake works perfectly with this custom firmware, and it cuts all power to the dGPU. The firmware is not necessarily "changed", but it is my own custom firmware that I wrote from scratch.

Wow this is great news !!
Great work dosdude1

 

[16v]

Cant wait...

Is it possible to flash when gpu is already broken?
I own a 15" 2011 but i cannot do anything with it. It doesnt start. Only blank screen or resets.

 

[dosdude1]

Cant wait...

Is it possible to flash when gpu is already broken?
I own a 15" 2011 but i cannot do anything with it. It doesnt start. Only blank screen or resets.

If it chimes and doesn't shut off on its own, then yes, it'll work. If the system won't boot or stay on, there's a chance the GPU chip itself may have shorted, and will need to be removed.

 

[FlorisVN]

@dosdude1

I hope the firmware will be released soon..
got some spare logic boards here, which can need a nice firmware..

 

[lvtion]

I may be the biggest idiot in the world, and I've done this on 2 prior 15" 2011s, but today I seem to have damaged the tantalum capacitor right next to r8911.

It literally has no solder points exposed anymore. I was in a rush \:

edit: the capacitor is damaged, NOT the traces!

Is there any way to bypass or use another one from somewhere else? I've run bridges on the 2 prior but didn't have any issue.

tl;dr: I really messed up my 3rd repair and have no backlight whatsoever. It does chime, though.

 

[dosdude1]

I may be the biggest idiot in the world, and I've done this on 2 prior 15" 2011s, but today I seem to have damaged the tantalum capacitor right next to r8911.

It literally has no solder points exposed anymore. I was in a rush \:

edit: the capacitor is damaged, NOT the traces!

Is there any way to bypass or use another one from somewhere else? I've run bridges on the 2 prior but didn't have any issue.

tl;dr: I really messed up my 3rd repair and have no backlight whatsoever. It does chime, though.

That shouldn't be an issue, as it's just part of the GPU VCORE circuit, which isn't even being used when this mod is performed. Have you verified that you've done all your wiring correctly?

 

[lvtion]

That shouldn't be an issue, as it's just part of the GPU VCORE circuit, which isn't even being used when this mod is performed. Have you verified that you've done all your wiring correctly?

No wiring has been done yet. In fact, I only did the wiring mod (using tiny enamel coated wire) on my personal machine for the brightness. The capacitor is being held in place just by a little extra solder right now but I guess isn't completing the circuit. I did bridge r8911 with that same wire and it is showing as OK on my multimeter.

Now I have a braindead idea as I am able to get into OS X Sierra's installer (single user) from USB. I can tell I'm in the terminal based on the caps lock key responds properly.

So I guess I may try the nvram stuff. Other than that, I have no video / screen / backlight at all. I'm going in blind I think.


EDIT: I did my idea above and it WORKED. screen powers on and I'm good to go. Installing Sierra now.

 

[16v]

If it chimes and doesn't shut off on its own, then yes, it'll work. If the system won't boot or stay on, there's a chance the GPU chip itself may have shorted, and will need to be removed.

Hm... chime - yes.
System wont start and i think it shuts down...

 

[electroreplica]

Remove the GPU Chip !!!!

 

[lvtion]

big success on my 3rd mod. honestly that worried me quite a bit as I thought I threw away $150 for another machine, lol.
Got the sleep mod done as well. High Sierra is ready for action!
Even people like me who do this 10 times a year makes newbie mistakes (^:

 

[electroreplica]

well done lvtion
Just waiting for the dosdude firmware now
Got the hardware to program the MUX

 

[DONANTON]

dosdude, You are an amazingly talented person. Really impress your knowladge. And thank you for being a humble human , sharing these with us. Also did you find the way to control backlight as well? When and how can we buy your legendary custom firmware?

 

[johnnycashfl0w]

Is there going to be a full tutorial on this new way to mod the GPU?

I've got a Mac Book Pro A1286 with a failing GPU, I've tried the Arch Linux method but it just goes back to normal after a few hours. Hoping to find a somewhat permanent solution!

 

[ICTRepairs]

Thanx dosdude1

your solution works... I applied it to 4 MacBook Pros allready.
The first one had graphic artefacts due to bad RAM slot.
There is a russian version on Youtube which is slightly different and also works.
I maneged to merge both of them to make it as simple as possible without the need to take out the logicboard.

Would you please be so kinfd to share the results of the merged solution?

 

[Matejh]

Would you please be so kinfd to share the results of the merged solution?

Check post #28

 

[ICTRepairs]

Check post #28

Thank you! Didn't noticed, sorry ;-)

 

[JOHNLAG75]

Hi

Does your costum firmware work with all display types and resolutions?
I have 2 different firmware files for mate display 1680x1050 and glossy 1440x900.
for the 17 inch macbook, I have only function the firmware in glossy devices.

with the a1398 devices one can switch off the nvidia 650/750 gpu with put of 3 cables this also (like gmux bypass) but one does not really need the error with these devices as already written where otherwise lies.

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Hi

Does your costum firmware work with all display types and resolutions?
I have 2 different firmware files for mate display 1680x1050 and glossy 1440x900.
for the 17 inch macbook, I have only function the firmware in glossy devices.

with the a1398 devices one can switch off the nvidia 650/750 gpu with put of 3 cables this also (like gmux bypass) but one does not really need the error with these devices as already written where otherwise lies.

Hi can share how switch off the a1398 with 3 cables?

 

[theredcloud]

At long last, I have finally done it... the ULTIMATE solution to permanently disabling the dGPU on one of these machines: Custom firmware for the gMux IC! No backlight brightness control implemented yet, but everything else works perfectly! The system runs great with NO hardware modifications, NO special NVRAM/EFI variables set, NO OS modifications, and the dedicated GPU PERMANENTLY disabled!

View attachment 827815 View attachment 827816 View attachment 827817 View attachment 827818

That’s fantastic work....waiting to try this

 

[ibrahim monem]

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Hi can share how switch off the a1398 with 3 cables?

I want that too. Thanks in advance

 

[alexcrm]

Hi there!
I apologize in advance for the stupid question, but I'm having troubles because I had installed the Dying light tool witouth the hardware module. The fact is that now I want to uninstall the tool but I can't, because the tool had the option "keep alive" and the option "runatload" active, so I can't uninstall it. How can I do?
Sorry for the stupid question and for my bad English!
THX

 

[Kai.Def]

@dosdude1 please make us an Easter present

 

[dosdude1]

@dosdude1 please make us an Easter present

Have it a little early: https://computeco.de/Demux

 

[FlorisVN]

Have it a little early: https://computeco.de/Demux

This is great, thx dosdude !

Also can't wait for the pogo-pin based connector !

I have a cheap USB Bios Chip Programmer CH341A, would that also work.. ?

 

[Kai.Def]

@dosdude1 ❤️

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE ☺️