Late 2011 MacBook Pro - ruined!

[sllewk]

Good afternoon everyone, I foolishly loaned my MacBook Pro to my learned grand daughter ( I say 'learned' as she attends a local University). It is a 13 inch A1278 model running El Capitan, or I should say WAS running El Capitan!!! She returned it saying "The screen has gone blank". I checked after she departed and she is right, the screen is pure white all over. To cut things short I have El Capitan on a thumb drive, I have gone through mounting the thumb drive then booting up holding down the option key but nothing happens except on a quick flash, maybe two seconds, the screen goes black or I get another quick flash of the word "panic" followed by other words as well but I cannot read them all as they disappear much too quickly to be able to read them all.

Now due to my "Medical Well being" and my age both myself and my wife are on LOCKDOWN, meaning we are not allowed out except into our backyard. To complicate things further all unessential shops are CLOSED meaning no repairs on a professional basis. In other words " Destroy it yourself" sorry "Do it yourself". Please has any-one any ideas that will return my laptop to working order?

Thanking you in anticipation, very best regards from Keith in Derby England.

 

[MacInWin]

Sadly, Keith, that model had a graphics chip issue, I think. The symptoms you are showing are of just such a failure. There is no real fix that you can do, nor the local shop, probably. Apple had an extended warranty program for that model to replace the entire logic board, but that program ended a couple of years ago.

Maybe someone will chime in with better news, but I fear that the MBP has come to an end. It is not your granddaughter's fault, it just happened when she had it.

 

[ferrarr]

Maybe try Safe mode, How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support


Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

 

[sllewk]

Hi Jake and Bob, I thank you both for your replies. My dear lady wife has suggested a replacement!!! Wow what a marvellous wife I have, so I will look out for something a little newer. Thank you.

Very best regards from Keith in Derby.

 

[MacInWin]

She's a keeper, Keith! Don't forget to look at Apple's refurbished site. They offer refurbished systems with a full warranty from Apple and are eligible for AppleCare as well. Usually about 15% below Apple prices. What is available varies from day to day.

Certified Refurbished Products - Apple

 

[Slydude]

In other words " Destroy it yourself" sorry "Do it yourself". Please has any-one any ideas that will return my laptop to working order?

Thanking you in anticipation, very best regards from Keith in Derby England.

I'm beginning to suspect that you have secretly been watching some of my repair efforts.

 

[techiesteve]

Sadly, Keith, that model had a graphics chip issue, I think. The symptoms you are showing are of just such a failure. There is no real fix that you can do, nor the local shop, probably. Apple had an extended warranty program for that model to replace the entire logic board, but that program ended a couple of years ago.

It was the 2011 15" models that had the GPU issue, it didn't apply to the OP's 13". Either way, it's still likely to be BER.

 

[MacInWin]

I had the problem in a 17" 2011 as well, so it wasn't limited to just the 15" models. I didn't know if it was in the 13s as well. Thanks for stepping in. In any event, I agree with your assessment.

 

[pm-r]

She's a keeper, Keith! Don't forget to look at Apple's refurbished site.

+1 to both comments!!!




- Patrick
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[harryb2448]

Hey Jake!

Please explain,..the wife or the MBP is a keeper., or maybe both?

 

[MacInWin]

Nah, the MBP is toast, Harry. But any wife who so quickly volunteers to let you get a new machine? Gold, pure gold!

 

[sllewk]

Good morning Jake, you have hit the nail on the head there, she is most certainly a KEEPER! On May 12 we celebrate our 44th anniversary but sadly due to the dreaded lurgy we are in a 'lock down situation', my age (almost 86) plus other health problems have out me in the 'vulnerable class'. My dear lady wife suffers from COPD so she is also on that list, we are only allowed to go into our own back yard. Just a small snippet of information here - we had our first date on 1st May 1976 and we married on 12th May 1976. We have never argued or exchanged a cross word.

Very best regards from Keith in Derby.

 

[Slydude]

Just a small snippet of information here - we had our first date on 1st May 1976 and we married on 12th May 1976. We have never argued or exchanged a cross word.

Very best regards from Keith in Derby.

Wow. You don't waste time do you?

 

[sllewk]

Good morning Slydude, Never have wasted time; it is a very precious commodity indeed.

Very best regards from Keith in Derby.