MbPro Early 2011 Huge Problem deactivating the extra Graphics Card

[Muthut]

Hello to the fellow Mac-People!

I have a mildly huge problem with my MacBook Pro 15" Early 2011.

Mac OS High Sierra 10.13.1 , with the last available Security-Update (17G14042)

Model Number A1286

It got a new graphics card/chip a few years ago, did its job good and then started to fail again earlier this year.
Hadn't used it since June. Thought about getting it fixed at a place where they change out the faulty graphics unit...
Decided against that money wise, just doesn't make sense, spending 300€ for a problem that may come back on such a old machine.

Well it lead me into thinking of trying it myself to make it usable again with the graphics-power-tradeoff of not having the extra card anymore, but still being able to use the MacBook. Cause either way the graphics power is not suitable anymore for what I would need in power, so nevermind.

I followed along with this tutorial : https://gist.github.com/cdleon/d1eff7246a25193304284ecec40445b0

It had a few points where I don't know for sure if what I putted in worked or not.

- Resetting SMC
and
- Resetting NVRAM
worked.

I somehow came through the said stuff to do, but I had to do the "csrutil disable" in the >recovery mode terminal<, cause it wouldn't let me do it in the >single user recovery mode< shell...

Somehow I think the "Attempting System Restart...MACH Reboot" Situation occurred when I typed in the last reboot, to finish off the procedure.

I mixed the two procedures and also used the description of the first and highlighted comment -> artkirienko
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What I can see is, that the screen itself, looks a little more dim, than ususal like having it at 70% brightness level...
Maybe that's related to a point of the procedure. (can't alter that in >recovery mode<)
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The thing now is, when I try to start the MacBook without pressing any special startup configuration, the screen in attachment 1 appears and ends with the screen in attachment 2. The same occurs when I try to use one of the following :

Trying Starting into >single user mode<
---> cmd + s

Trying Starting up in >verbose mode<, doesn't work at all
---> cmd + v

The shell is not usable in all three situations, so I can't type anything there.
What was working prior, somehow seems not accessible anymore...
Cause I could type into the shell previously performing the last steps of code in the tutorial...


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Starting up into >Recovery Mode< just works fine somehow, no graphics issues, no failures whatsoever, just works in a clean and unaltered manner. It just is there as it should be. -> it starts up with showing a bunch of code in the manner of the >single user recovery mode< , then shows me the language selection and its normal user interface.
---> cmd + r

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Does anybody have a clue how I can maneuver myself out of this pity again ?
Its just mad, not having any way of movement that I can perform from my own minds capacities, as I just don't know what's happening...

Maybe you got a trick up your sleeve...

There is also this tutorial : Macbook 2011 Radeon GPU Disable - Real Radeongate Solution.

Have a nice Day !

 

[chscag]

Decided against that money wise, just doesn't make sense, spending 300€ for a problem that may come back on such a old machine.

Welcome to our forums.

The best advice I can give you is to replace the machine and move on. I know that might not be what you wish to hear and it will definitely cost you more €. Some of our members have dealt with this type of problem before so maybe someone will offer a suggestion.

 

[Muthut]

Welcome to our forums.

The best advice I can give you is to replace the machine and move on. I know that might not be what you wish to hear and it will definitely cost you more €. Some of our members have dealt with this type of problem before so maybe someone will offer a suggestion.

The thing is, its quite obviously solvable, but I think I ****ed up something along the process / or chose the entirely wrong way to deal with it. Deactivating the extra GPU is quite possible but there seem to be a lot of paths.

I won't try to get it to shine again, but id like to use it as a second machine for easy tasks.
And it would be very sad to just let it sleep away if the problem is known and there are ways to work it out.

Thanks for your words !

 

[chscag]

I won't try to get it to shine again, but id like to use it as a second machine for easy tasks.
And it would be very sad to just let it sleep away if the problem is known and there are ways to work it out.

I certainly understand. And if you do find a better way, let us know.

Thanks for using our forums.

 

[lclev]

I see where you posted on MacRumors and there is a permanent solution offered. It requires some soldering but if you want a permanent fix that would be my suggestion.

I had a 15" 2011 MBP which I gave to a friend and it is still working with three little colored vertical lines on the side of the screen . I lucked out and never saw anything more severe with the GPU issue on mine. I did talk to a genius at Apple and ask what the process was for the fix. He told me they were basically replacing the logic board which holds the GPU with a refurbished board. They were simply buying time until the units aged out but admitted it was hit or miss if you got a good refurbished board or not.

 

[Muthut]

Thanks

I see where you posted on MacRumors and there is a permanent solution offered. It requires some soldering but if you want a permanent fix that would be my suggestion.

Thanks a lot for your reply !

Would you say there is still a way, even after I performed written software "failures" ?

Is there a easy way to bring the MacOS back into a situation where all the stuff I did is reversed again and it doesn't stay stuck. Cause I don't know what will happen, if I just let it be as it is, and perform the hardware modification as shown here ->

Well, its a journey apparently xD