GPU and hard drive issues

[brkit2012]

Hi guys,

I've been helping out my friend with his 2011 15" macbook pro. It has the classic signs of GPU failure- lines through the screen, weird background colors, and blue screen when watching videos. I offered to let him use a functioning Macbook pro that I had sitting around, and switched out the hard drives. When I powered the working mac with his hard drive in it, it stopped at the apple sign and just hung.

I booted up with cmd + r and verified and repaired the disk. At the restart, I got the same hanging issue. So, I put the hard drive back into his computer with the GPU issues and it booted up fine into safe mode, as this is the only mode he can boot into with the GPU problems going on.

I was wondering if maybe I should erase the disk and reload all his files and operating system from a time machine backup or reload the operating system on his hard drive then copy the files manually? Any suggestions?

 

[johnodd4]

most likely the machine had certain drivers for the failing machine and the replacement won't boot because it doesn't support the drivers or the o.s and caused a kernel panic

 

[pigoo3]

I was wondering if maybe I should erase the disk and reload all his files and operating system from a time machine backup or reload the operating system on his hard drive then copy the files manually? Any suggestions?

If this computer has developed a hardware problem like a failing GPU...then nothing is going to change that (other than replacement). A failed piece of hardware is a failed piece of hardware.

But...there could be a small possibility that it is a software issue...and one way to confirm this would be to erase, reformat, and reinstall a fresh copy of the OS (nothing else) on the HD. Then boot it up from the HD & run it for a while (lots of internet browsing, etc.).

- If the problem goes away = software issue.
- If problem remains = hardware issue.

But certianly test it for a while before declaring victory or defeat!

- Nick

 

[brkit2012]

If this computer has developed a hardware problem like a failing GPU...then nothing is going to change that (other than replacement). A failed piece of hardware is a failed piece of hardware.

But...there could be a small possibility that it is a software issue...and one way to confirm this would be to erase, reformat, and reinstall a fresh copy of the OS (nothing else) on the HD. Then boot it up from the HD & run it for a while (lots of internet browsing, etc.).

- If the problem goes away = software issue.
- If problem remains = hardware issue.

But certianly test it for a while before declaring victory or defeat!

- Nick

It has been determined that this is definitely a GPU issue and that the machine is no longer useful. I'm just wondering why the hard drive and OS does not work in the functional computer. Could it be an issue with the physical drive or another OS problem?

 

[pigoo3]

It has been determined that this is definitely a GPU issue and that the machine is no longer useful. I'm just wondering why the hard drive and OS does not work in the functional computer. Could it be an issue with the physical drive or another OS problem?

To start...we would need to know what the exact model is of the "good" computer...and what OS version is on the HD that came from the "bad" computer.

- Nick

 

[brkit2012]

To start...we would need to know what the exact model is of the "good" computer...and what OS version is on the HD that came from the "bad" computer.

- Nick

Its a 13" mid 2012 i5 2.5 GHz with 8 gigs RAM. The HD is a std. Toshiba Mac 500 GB 5400 RPM with 10.6.8. The software must be 10.6.8 as he has programs that require that particular version of OS X.

 

[pigoo3]

Its a 13" mid 2012 i5 2.5 GHz with 8 gigs RAM. The HD is a std. Toshiba Mac 500 GB 5400 RPM with 10.6.8. The software must be 10.6.8 as he has programs that require that particular version of OS X.

That's the trouble right there. A mid-2012 MBP cannot boot with 10.6.8 (too old). The "oldest" OS a mid-2012 MBP can boot with is 10.7.3.

HTH,

- Nick