Thanks for the great site. I have fixed and repaired a lot of stuff using your guides. Clear and easy to follow!

Do you have any solutions to the wide spread MacBook Pro 2011 GPU Glitch?

http://action.mbp2011.com/

We are a lot of affected user that would love to get our MBP's up and running again.

Are there any hardware repairs or replacement one can do?

Here's a hack that sounds plausible but havent tried myself:

http://www.asyncro.com/2014/03/24/macboo...

Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2011mbp/

Thanks again iFixit would love to hear your feedback! Apple remains silent.

⟐ Answered April 13, 2022 at 0:33 MST

System: OSX Mavericks

Battery: Replacement Battery (not original) 11.1 V, 6600mAh (73 Wh)

• Health: 98%
• Cycles: 5
• Charge 83%

Problem:

After some heavy workload I did with the MacBook Pro (heating up quite well), next day I found the following problem:

Battery will not charge. Battery is currently at 83% load. The LED of the MagSafe adapter (original) remains green. Mac works with MagSafe adapter cable attached to computer. Mac shuts down when only used with battery power although it is at 83% load. Mac will not power on without MagSafe power supply. Mac works fine without Battery in body case - only with MagSafe power supply attached.

I tried: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) - did not resolve the problem.

My hardware guess to fix it:

• MacBook Pro 17" (Model A1229) Left I/O Board

or

• MacBook Pro 17" (Models A1212/A1229) Battery Connector

Can anybody help - or had the same problem - and do you know, how to fix it?

Help is much appreciated, Dirk

⟐ Answer edited September 12, 2022 at 19:52 MST

Since the rumours say that Handoff feature will require BT 4.0, I was curious if it is possible to update/change my bluetooth card in MacBook Pro 17" Unibody (Mid 2010, A1297, 2.66 GHz) to BT 4.0?

⟐ Answered October 27, 2019 at 12:29 MST

I've got a Mac Book Pro 17" 2.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (Model Number: A1261) of 2008. My airport card worked very well till one day that I lost my connection unexpectedly. The only one message is: "Airport: Off" and "Turn Airport On" but although I try to turn it on the airport stays off. I've changed the card, thinking that was the problem, but isn't it. Now my Airpor work well at Mac startup and after a random time she goes off. When she's off the only way I can rekindle it is to restart the Mac.

I thought it can be a software problem and I've format my Mac several times with no results. The problem still the same.

Searching through internet I've found that there is a little card under the Airport card that can be the problem. With iFixit I've found the part and the guide to how to change it but before spending $100 I thought I'd ask here if it really can be the problem or not.

Do you have any ideas?

PS:

When the connection drops is always the same thing, If i click at the Wifi connection icon the only thing it said to me is: "No AirPort card installed". Isn't never a sleep problem and for the software is the same thing, isn't the same app running, sometimes i was running mail and sometimes only safari or OS updates.

I was thinking at the temperature problem too cause, sometimes, when i was using the ac/dc connection it seams to crash a little quickier than normal but it can be only my impression.

⟐ Commented October 25, 2019 at 11:30 MST

⟐ Answered June 15, 2022 at 0:16 MST

Just today I tried the interface on two different 17-inch macbook pros of mine (one running High Sierra the other is El Capitan and it appears to get no power from either of them. At this stage I was thinking okay this has to be either the thunderbolt cable or the Interface has died on me somehow. First I hooked one computer to the other in target disk mode to test the cable, no trouble getting target disk to do it's thing, but I went ahead and bought a genuine apple cable anyway just to be sure, still no signs of life from the interface.

Finally in a "there is no way this is going to work but what the heck" moment I tried hooking it up to my brothers same 2011 model macbook pro 17 and voilà, it does its usual LED streak up light. This made me happy but it still leaves a lot of questions about my 2 macbook pros and their thunderbolt ports.

Is it possible they're not providing power through the correct pins? The pins look clean to me so I don't see any obvious issue and the fact it works for target disk mode also seems strange. Anyone have any ideas of what to try or similar experiences not getting power from their thunderbolt ports? Could this be software even?

Thanks!

⟐ Commented February 09, 2026 at 19:56 MST

Anyway I only paid 700 for it and its a nice machine> Can anyone tell me if its worth saving or should I try and simply recover the hard drive and use the software on another new laptop?? Helpppp

⟐ Answered March 23, 2017 at 23:09 MST

Identifiers: Mid-2009 17" - MC226LL/A* - MacBookPro5,2 - A1297 - 2329*

Thanks to forgive my approximate English, I'm French.

My Mbp 17" mid 2009 (A1297) doesn't start, the magsafe has the green light or orange when the battery is a bit empty, the lights on the battery say that it's charged, it had no accident like liquid spill and it didn't fall.

Those last months it started with some difficulty, I had to reset the SMC a few times before it would start, but it worked. And this time it didn't start up, it seems that there is no power.

I've tried every trick I found on the net and on Ifixit : reset the SMC, by-pass the SMC, tried to startup with the pads.

When I reset the SMC, the magsafe which is orange before becomes green for a few seconds and goes back to orange, so it seems that the SMC works !

I tried 2 magsafe, they both work.

Unfortunately I have no other battery to check and I'de like to avoid to buy a new one just to check and find that the problem is in the motherboard, because this battery seems to work, the leds light up when I push the button, and if I leave it connected after 1 day or 2 there are less leds working.

I don't know what else to try, anyone would have an idea ?

Thanks for your answers.

⟐ Commented November 02, 2022 at 6:03 MST

1 1/2 year ago, Apple replaced my motherboard as per their program on defectuous motherboards on this model.

This summer, suddenly: black screen. My hard drive is ok, mounted in another computer and running great... My repairman said the "motherboard is dead". And now, my model is obsolete.

The thing is: I work with my computer 12h/day and I need photoshop badly.

Now I'm on an old computer and it's just so slow, I'm running crazy.

I invested last year in 16Go RAM, a SSD hard drive and a new battery few months ago... I admit I'm really !#^&@@-off the motherboard changed by apple just died.

You understand, I'm not really happy with the idea of buying a new macbook pro and this for 3 reasons:

1/ really too expensive for me at this time,

2/ I'm a graphic designer and 17" is much much better than 15",

3/ I want to make a statement by waiting 2018 new macbook pro : I hate the "soldered strategy", it's not fair for people with low budgets, it bound us to their after-sale costs, the whole market will suffer from it, I really hope the sells will drop down this year so they go back to reason.

The motherboard cost 1200€ on the market... at this cost, I better change my computer for an earlier one.

My question is: is it possible to build a new machine with my macbook pro for a basis. Can I replace components such as the motherboard, the processor and whatever is needed and come up with a good speeding machine for a good price? Is there anybody who tried this?

If I'd like to make a powerful machine to run the last system, is it possible to find some pieces of recent mac or even pc compatibles in order to work until I can buy a new expensive mac. Or is it completely crazy?

In other words, can I make kind of a hackbook with my macbook pro. And what components should I expect to change to do so? Would it worth it?

On a good lead... I hope

I tracked the specs of my macbook pro here, very usefull website by the way www.everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/

And I saw on a website out of stock that they sell the same logic board for both 17" early and late 2011. Seams to be the same ref when I try early 2011 and late.. not sure about that accuracy yet.

Beetstech logic board ref

So I looked up to this references for the logic board : 820-2914-A, 820-2914-B and A1297 i7 2.5Ghz

2,5Ghz instead of my 2,2Ghz would be great, hû?

Now, I need to see my logic card to see if it's A or B, according to this seller picture

but it looks like it's possible to buy it from china supplier

Exemple of supplier on alibaba

Does anyone have bought one of those in this marketplace?

The A model is for 2010.. Supplier exemple in alibaba

I'm going to look further in the ref to be sure which one fit the macbook pro early 2011 and know more.

If anyone is looking for this kind of motherboard, let me know! Maybe we can buy more pieces together to lower the price. I'm in Paris, France. It can be tricky if we are in different parts of the world but we may think of a solution, maybe threw ifixit e-shop, I don't know, any idea is welcome.

I looked into mine. It's a A.

The alibaba seller answered me A & B doesn't matter.

BUT, I went to look their seller's review and it's very very bad. People says they waited very long and in the end, the motherboard didn't work + they have only a 45 day guaranty.

... it doesn't fill like the solution. I'm going to ask a friend who goes in China often for buying electronic to look for this motherboard with my dead computer so he can try it on site. If he finds a reliable seller, I'll let you know.

⟐ Commented December 17, 2020 at 11:46 MST

Has anyone else had this problem?

⟐ Answered May 23, 2020 at 8:24 MST

Thanks

I decided to bite the bullet and got myself a MacBook Pro Retina (no IR so far) and pass this computer down to my younger brother, wo stress tests it way move than I do graphically speaking. He has had it for roughly 3 months now and so far there have been no graphical issues. I guess that some may just last longer or maybe weren't defective at all. Mine though, is also a late 2008, so that may make a difference somehow. I do that smart thing and keep a Raid backup from my Xserve on all my computers, it helps avoid much of the hassle and worry when a computer dies. Hopefully Apple will never have a problem this bad for a long time.

⟐ Answered March 29, 2021 at 2:55 MST

- OR -

Is the internal AirPort card a express mini card module and are there any 3G + WiFi modules supported by OS X which can replace the internal Airport Card?

- OR -

Are there any 3G Express Card modules which disappear completely inside the case?

⟐ Answer accepted September 24, 2022 at 21:22 MST

⟐ Answer deleted May 14, 2019 at 7:38 MST

I read a lot of stories online with logic board issues and MacBook Pros from 2011.

Anyways, every time it goes, Apple now replaces the Logic Board and gives me a new 90 day warranty.

1) If this is going on with others how long do they expect to keep this up? Will they finally replace it with a different model?

2) Can I install a logic board from a different model (new 15") into my 2011 MCP?

Thanks

⟐ Commented February 02, 2018 at 20:55 MST

Also, how do I remove the old one? I've tried to gently squeeze and pull but it appears to be firmly attached somehow.

⟐ Answered September 06, 2024 at 6:24 MST

In my research I have found that turning up the fans will help keep my MBP from heating up which keeps it from freezing, but then I have to listen to the fans all the time. Any suggestions?

⟐ Answered February 11, 2010 at 0:01 MST

⟐ Answered May 25, 2014 at 9:01 MST

Is there something somewhere that allows varying the RF power of the card in my MBP? Or is it the Airport Extreme? Can I manipulate its power output?

Gary Hall

⟐ Answer accepted January 03, 2014 at 4:37 MST

I've been looking around to see if it can be fixed, but the answer seems seems to be "only if you replace the whole lid" which was going to be €800 ex vat

It's just a piece of aluminium that I want replaced, surely that must be possible somehow?

Thanks!

Willem

Edited: added pictures

⟐ Answer accepted July 16, 2018 at 16:23 MST

- swapping memory for known good memory

- removing internal HD (and internal HD cable) and booting from external drive

- resetting SMC

- using different power adapter, and booting from only battery or only power adapter.

Power cable light is green, and power flows through to an external drive connected via Firewire.

Internal drive is known good (tested in another Macbook).

The only advance problem I had prior to it not powering on at all: the previous night I'd put it to sleep by closing it, connected to power. The next morning it had shut itself down.

I'm down to likely either a bad logic board, or bad keyboard or keyboard cable.

In order to rule out problems with the keyboard or other devices, I'd like to power on using the power pads on the logic board. But, I can't find them on this model.

Where are the power pads on this model Macbook Pro?

Also, any other suggestions for troubleshooting?

⟐ Commented June 16, 2024 at 6:21 MST