MBP owners w/Flawed 8600M Failures (out of warranty) - did you have a problem getting (no cost) repairs?
I had a reply to the post (above) on Apple extending the Nvidia 8600M GPU warranty saying that although the doc sounds promising, in reality few (out of warranty) failures he has seen were actually covered - as a (required) diagnostic test used rarely flagged the failed MBPs that had all the classic symptoms (no video on either built-in LCD or ext. display) as qualifying for the GPU extended warranty repair. (In his experience he said only about 10% were flagged as qualifying by that test, which I found disturbing personally if his experience is common - and makes me wonder how complete its check/criteria is. Was it written by nvidia?) He said even if the test failed to flag it as qualifying they could still submit it for coverage, but rarely (in his experience) was it covered in those cases.
If someone that had a GPU failure repair refused later had a real chip Failure Analysis done, the results would be interesting.
As mentioned in some financial reports last July, Nvidia took a (IIRC) $200M charge related to this so I assume they're paying for these flawed GPU related failures (unless there's something in their supply contacts that frees them of any liability for material/product defects).

I don't know how many readers with one of the affected models (see apple doc) has had an out-of-warranty failure but if you have let me know if you had any problems getting the repair covered (free) or not. Thanks.
I just can't see why Apple would be refusing these repairs when clearly they seem to be classic cases of the flawed GPU failing. (And Apple has been great about out-of-warranty G5 Coolant leak repairs over the last year or two although as I said before, IMHO that may be due to the potential safety issue/liability.)

(BTW: For anyone that suddenly has no video after an OS update (and the GPU hasn't actually failed) - try the tip from August 2008 here (and perhaps clearing the nvram, checking for corrupt prefs/files, remove any installed haxies, reinstall the update from download updater (via Target Disk mode if necessary) to see if that helps. (And everyone IMHO should have a bootable backup/clone of the HD before any OS updates are applied. Disk Utility's Restore feature can create a complete clone of the boot HD if you don't have any 3rd party BU utility.) But if the problem is due to the GPU separating, of course nothing short of a motherboard replacement is going to fix that. And problems with these flawed GPUs may be intermittent at first.)
I had a friend with an affected early 2008 Model call to say he's avoided upgrading to OS X 10.6.1 (from 10.6.0) after seeing a blog post from an owner that blamed 10.6.1 for 'causing' his no external video problem. (Thinking that Snow Leopard's increased use of the GPU was a factor.) I've had similar comments in the past (from someone that had a similar problem after 10.5.7 update - thinking it "caused" the failure), but I don't think that's true. Remember the GPU normally (w/o any flaws or defects) can run 3D games for hours which stresses the chip far more (and gets it far hotter) than any increased GPU usage in normal/light use in Snow Leopard or from a driver/OS update alone. (Of course running OpenGL apps/games or (SL) OpenCL apps will also heat up/stress the GPU - but my point is that just an update alone isn't going to stress the GPU more than it would be in taxing 3D apps in any OS version.) These GPU failures could occur at any time of course. (And with every OS update some are going to have problems due to bugs/driver issues, incompatible 3rd party addons, corrupt files/bad installs, etc.)

June 2009 and Later Reports on GPU/Video Failures/Repairs: Here are replies to the June 1st, 2009 request for feedback on repairs (copy above). Latest reports first. (Note some have gotten repairs covered after a 2nd test - not giving up if the 1st test app check said it didn't qualify. However not all have been so lucky - especially cases where the MBP was not able to boot to run the ext. drive GPU failure 'test'.)

(added 12/29/2009 from 12/28 mail)
" I bought my 2.4Ghz MacBook Pro in August of 2007 without Apple Care. The week before Thanksgiving this year (2009) my screen went blank. When connected to an external monitor it would not display any picture. I was able to boot the computer into Firewire mode and back up my files using my Mac Mini. My machine is in mint condition. Its alway been in some sort of a case, but I did put in a 500gb HD myself so I was concerned that Apple not want to help. At the Apple store the Genius plugged in some USB Key and booted up the computer. He told me the 8600 failed and the logic board needed to be replaced. Three days later I got the call to come pick it up. No problems, I just had to set the time. Best of all, 100% free.
-Jerry M."

(The related Apple doc linked in the intro above notes an extended GPU warranty on affected models. Originally 2yrs from purchase (in original Oct. 2008 doc) but revised in May 2009 to 3yrs. That's if the GPU test (run from ext. drive) shows it qualifies.)

(added 12/28/2009 from 12/23 mail)
"I read your page about the MBP GPU repairs and thankfully I've had a good experience with having my late 2007 2.2GHz 8600M/128MB MBP repaired. The machine failed pretty quickly with the first signs appearing on Saturday pm. On Sunday, I confirmed that the video was dead on internal and external monitors but the machine booted OK and FW target disk mode worked. I backed up the data and got machine ready for handing in the next day (Monday).

I'm in Sydney, Australia so I went to a local Apple reseller who wanted to charge me $75 just to diagnose the problem. When I asked if I would have that refunded should it turn out to be the GPU problem covered by the repair program, the guy at the repair desk said yes. I then decided I would instead go to the Apple Store in the Sydney CBD because I just wasn't sure if the Apple reseller would actually confirm a GPU failure and instead try to charge me for a full repair.

At the Apple Store, I dropped the machine off without any charge for diagnosis. This was Monday last week. The next day, they called and confirmed the GPU problem and that it would be fixed without cost to me. 4 days later on the Friday, I was informed that the machine was ready to be picked up but I couldn't make it until the next Monday.

So 7 days after dropping it off, I got back my machine and it now works fine. They transferred my serial number to the new motherboard's firmware but of course the ethernet ID is now different. Anyway, I couldn't be happier. Good job Apple. Cheers and merry xmas to you and all the readers,
-Vincent "

(added 12/28/2009 from 12/17 mail)
" My 2.2Ghz MBP Santa Rosa was purchased in April 2008, and the display went dead just before this Thanksgiving. I did some research and was 99% sure it was the nVidia 8600M GT that failed. I could still boot up with a chime and get the Num/Caps Lock keys to work. I highly suggest activating screen sharing and using a VNC program from another computer to remotely backup your data before sending the laptop in for repair. I did this by activating VoiceOver (Cmd + F5) and tediously going through the system preferences.

I had a horrible experience dealing with the Apple Geniuses at the Willowbrook Mall in Houston. For three visits, they continuously gave me excuses such as the laptop wouldn't boot past POST (it obviously did) and so the nVidia test wouldn't run (they later admitted the external drive was faulty), or that I didn't have AppleCare past the factory warranty so they wouldn't look into it further, and one Genius even denied that the nVidia chip was the problem before I even took out my MBP. They wanted to bill me close to $1300 for parts and labor in-store, or around $320 to ship to a repair center. I left the store frustrated and did more research. Finding your page was comforting--I didn't know so many people were dealing with the same issue. I went to another Apple store at the Houston Galleria, and the Genius there ran the test, confirmed the nVidia failure, and started a work order covered under the extended warranty within 15 minutes! (As others here have noted in the past - don't give up if at first refused.-Mike)

The story goes on. I get a call a couple days later saying that my repair is on hold. My friend spilled coffee through the back of the bottom case about a year ago (with no realized hardware damage up until this point) and pretty much every liquid submersion indicator had been activated. The rep quoted $900 in order to move forward with repairs. I asked if I was being denied service because of the presence of the liquid itself, or because the presence of the liquid was the cause of the damage. I was honest and admitted to the spill and that I had never taken in my MBP for service after that incident. Also, I reiterated that my failed GPU claim was validated by an Apple Genius. She made a one-time exception to continue with the repair under warranty! I received my laptop via FedEx Air the next day with all data intact, a new logic board, bottom case, and a list of other hardware components affected by liquid. I couldn't be happier with their generous and thorough service! Persistence and patience definitely pay off. Good luck!
Regards, Mike L.
PS - To go further into the whole nVidia test: The test is on an external drive which needs to boot in order to test the nVidia chip and write a file with the results. This file is needed by the Apple rep to get your laptop covered under the extended warranty replacement program (assuming your factory warranty is expired). A lot of these Apple Geniuses aren't "techs" either. They download this file from an internal website onto a partition on these external drives. A lot can go wrong in between downloading the test and actually executing it, which I've personally seen by the inconsistency across different retail stores. They can't do much from their level outside of this, so they would prefer to just bill you for the full cost upfront to move forward with repairs. If you are ever denied anything by a rep, continuously ask for specific hard facts to justify their reasoning. "

The external drive test (and imho misinterpreted results at times) has been mentioned earlier. Bottom line if refused at first get another (different store/tech) test.

(added 12/28/2009 from 12/15 mail)
" Just wanted to let you know that if you are persistent, repairs can still be had. I just received a brand new Macbook Pro 2.53 after Apple had replaced the Third Logic Board in as many weeks. For me, I just kept really detailed notes, was polite and pleasant, and Apple took care of the rest.
-Dan P."

IIRC if the same mac is repaired 3 times (at least for the same problem) you get a new one. (I know a friend in CA that went thru that with an iBook. After 3rd repair he got a new macbook last year IIRC.)

(added 12/28/2009 from 12/8 mail)
" I bought my MBP around Xmas in 2007 (w/o apple care). During the past nearly two years I have been pretty happy using it. However, the recent GPU failure (presumably) has change my idea of apple products and the company itself.
It started like, the computer was running, but the screen was frozen and the keyboard didn't work either. I pressed the power button for several seconds, hoping I could boot it up after turning off. However it simply died. I googled a little bit on my old PC, and realized it could be much more severe than I expected, and the no video symptom actually occurred before, though it didn't catch my attention (I guess it would be shame to say that I even have a computer science degree, - perhaps right because of that I would assume hardware/software could fail sometimes, if resetting could get it work again it'll be fine). I read some posts on forums and knew that apple would fix it for free if I purchased it within two years. (Here's the apple doc posted here last year on this subject (later updated some months ago as noted in the intro section above). MacBook Pro: Distorted video or no video issues.-Mike)
29 Nov 2009, apple store Sydney, first time with genius regarding this issue:
He plugged in an ipod-looking device after I mentioned the nvidia graphics chip issue, then said my computer didn't provide power to the device, so the test couldn't be performed and the logic board needed to be changed. He gave me a price quote of A$2000+ (including parts and labor), however, I would say I was trying to keep my composure at that moment. To me, it was a joke that an A$3500 mac stopped working in two years (my 4yr and 6yr old PC's, which apple claimed the mac's are superior to, have done much better than that). Moreover, it was irresponsible that the genius didn't even dig into the problem to figure out if it was because of the nvidia chip and immediately tossed the price to my face, - or I guess I am just not rich enough to accept the cost easily.

During the following days, I did more research on it (thanks to your site), and read the articles on the Inquirer as well. I was disappointed by apple I should say, considering during a long time I was stunned by the bright light of apple, believing apple had been the best company in the world and mac/iphone would be best of the best among equivalent products. I think good will is the most valuable asset to apple and is the last they can afford to loose. However, in the reality it should be money. So the test was introduced to minimize the scope. I can imagine that if you have apple care, problem solved, and apple could at least get refund from nvidia for the graphics chip. Otherwise, no apple care and test not performed/not passed, hence no service, since the mother board with cpu would be costly, even the graphics part could be compensated by nvidia.

Nevertheless, I still called apple. Long story short, I made it clear I was serious about it, if they wouldn't fix for free under the warranty exception plan, they should prove it is not related to the nvidia chip.

4 Dec 2009, second time with genius:
I guess the guy read all the notes in my case. He didn't wanna talk much about it, instead, he received my computer for further testing. Later in the afternoon, I received a call from an apple technician, and the conversation brought the issue back to its beginning (apple could even run "time machine" in the reality, how nice!), "We cannot run the test because of no power from the USB port, the logic board needs to be changed". I argued that not being able to perform the test wasn't adequate to say the nvidia chip was OK. I talked about the actual thermal issue, possible melted bump / cracked solder joint... He asked where I obtained those info... Finally he said the technician would do more research and keep me updated.

8 Dec 2009, call from apple technician:
He said they have run a test to prove it was the problem of logic board, and actually another test to prove the graphics chip worked. He even claimed my serial number wasn't in the range that nvidia informed apple of the defect. I asked if I could get an official, technical, academical and convincing report. He said for the graphics-working test, he couldn't provide the report, however, for the logic board stuff, I could get it. Then I asked if I could be able to talk to the customer relationship officer, he said it would be arranged when I picked up my computer. So I went there right in the afternoon. It turned out that the apple geniuses could work like politician. The promised report became "NO", and I needed to make a phone call if I wanna speak with the customer relations. Finally as I requested I talked to a manager (long back and forth but not willing to repair it for free - suggesting he should have bought applecare)
I insist on getting the report, so the lead genius eventually put some comments in my case and printed stuff below. However, it is the diagnosis sequence:

Problem Description/Diagnosis
Data Transfer: Not Required
Issue: ACTION TAKEN:
1. Reset SMC
2. Reseated Both Memory Chips. Checked for third party RAM.
3. Checked if the computer is powered on by:
- Resetting the computer's NVRAM
- Verified no startup chime when the power button is pressed.
- Pressed the Caps Lock key and verified no green LED comes on. Seems like the power manager is not actively running on the machine.
4. Tried to connect to an external display to check the intact of the video signal. No video signal appears.
5. Attempted to run GPT. Couldn't run GPT Successfully.
6. Attempted to run ASD. No video. No startup.
7. Removed top case and reseated LVDS Cable, left I/O Board connections and verified connections.
8. Unit does not chime/beep on boot - power failure on logic board verified
STATUS: RFP, Notified customer of diagnosis...

So I guess there is no test regarding the graphics chip at all, no test that could identify the logic board issue for sure. (That's a concern mentioned before - if the MBP can't even boot to run the ext drive 'gpu test') Those "geniuses" would only follow some sequence/rules to do stuff, if the customer is not happy with the result, play political tricks. The major problem is apple's policy, which partially shadows the truth, delays the failure (SMC update) and dumps some of the customers without apple care.

I admit I have been naive during this whole issue. I didn't identify the issue correctly, it meat to be social stuff, however, I was trying to solve it from technical perspective. I guess I need the service from fair trading organization, or I need a lawyer if I wanna invest more time/money. That is my humble story, for now.
Faithfully, Gabriel L."

(added 11/13/2009 from 11/10 mail)
"Long long long time reader of the site (dating back to the G3 days) - I've submitted info years ago... I have a SantaRosa 2.2GHz MBP with an 8600M which was repaired in late July (2009). I use the machine at home since I have a Mac Pro 8-core at work and while I dont do any really intensive work on it - it always seems to run HOT (as in you dont want it on your knees).
In July I had gone out to lunch on a weekend and put my MBP to sleep, when I came home a few hours later I could not get anything to display on it - no matter what I did. I diagnosed it as the 8600M issue and called Apple the day after - I immediately told them what issues I had and I knew it was a part of the recall, got transfered to another department, went through the symptoms and they shipped out a box to me. They replaced the logic board and sent it back FAST. Didn't have any issues and they didnt try to deny the recall at all. I almost thought they would reject it because it did fall out of my hand once in its case and left a nice dent by the magsafe connector, in fact I'm pretty sure the technician tried to straighten it out because its barely noticeable now - and they replaced 2 missing feet.

I personally hate dealing with issues at the Apple Stores in person, there was a case a few years ago where Apple (by phone) had arranged for me to pick up a replacement unit from a Store (to expedite things) - I went to the store and the Genius there told me "we won't do it" without pulling up my case or anything. I prefer to call Apple, explain the situation - if its not getting anywhere then ask for a supervisor and be firm but polite, let them see the issue from your point of view.
Take care, Jani G."

(added 11/13/2009 from 11/9 mail)
"My July 07 MBP died on me in the middle of a class I was teaching. The screen started to flickered and jerked and although I could move the mouse around, I could not click on anything, Rebooting came up with the same response. I call AppleCare (still covered until July 2010) after the class was finished, gave them the symptoms and the representative setup an appointment at my local Apple Store.

Prior to going to the appointment, I attempted to back everything up via Target Disk Mode. This failed after 25 minutes or so. Interestingly, the firewire symbol was white not orange. I then just pulled the drive and put in the original. (I had upgraded the machine last year.) I ran the Apple Hardware test (hold D key booting from original install disk) and it indicated the video was defective.

At my appointment I related all my experiences and testing. The Apple rep noted it all and took my machine, explaining it would be about a week or week and a half to have it back. He seemed to think that it was the defective nVidia chip. He did no testing in front of me and he did not seem to feel it could be anything else.

I got it back four days later. They replaced the logic board and the machine works great. I asked if the chip on the new logic board was the same. The rep who returned it to me said it was an nVidia chip but it did not have the manufacturing defect the old one had.

I note that some had other parts replaced. On this repair I did not, but last spring my screen went bad. On that repair they replaced my top case, my bottom case, as well as the screen and it's case. There was minor wear and tear on the case and they replaced it for free. I have had this happen before, and I wonder if it was because the machines were covered under AppleCare that they choose to do this.
-Brian"

And yet another story on not giving up after a 1st rejection (for free repair)

(added 11/9/2009)
Just wanted to tell you about my experience. The display and external monitor on my Macbook Pro 2.2 Santa Rosa was dead and I heard of the recall, so I took it to my local Apple Store. The "genius" started by telling me that the recall was overstated by Apple (prelude to a denial). He tried to run the NVIDIA test, but claimed that the computer wouldn't start up and he couldn't even zap the PRAM. He said that it was a logic board issue, but was not covered by the recall. I asked him what my options were. He told me I could either replace the logic board for $1100 or, as he suggested, buy a new Macbook. Gee thanks!

I read up on the web about what my options were and determined that the key was to get a chime and lights for "caps lock" or "num lock" - this didn't happen at Apple Store #1. So, I merely reset the SMC (getting chime and lights for caps lock and num lock), kept the battery out, and took it to Apple Store #2 in a less snooty area. They were VERY helpful and, after running the test (that DID get a chime and lights for caps lock and num lock) told me they'd replace the logic board under warranty. I asked if they would send it out to Apple and they told me that it would be done at their store instead. He mentioned that if it went to the "depot", they'd probably reject it out of hand for a minor dent in the back. (BTW - I had one reader said his MBP returned from this repair without dents (replaced case?) and another reader said his repaired MBP came back with a new battery. Of course those are rare and YMMV.-Mike)

So, four days later, I have my Macbook Pro back and working perfectly. Moral of the story - don't take no for an answer and try to get it to chime and the keyboard lights to come on at the Apple Store.
Thanks! -JPK"

Another case where a failure was initially said to not qualify (per test app) but trying again elsewhere had better luck. (Just as with the G5 coolant leaks, don't give up if at first you're rejected.)

(added 10/9/2009)
"About three weeks ago my Aug-07 MBP woke up from standby with a blank display on both the internal LCD and external monitor which of course hints to a graphics card failure. Quick look over the web and I found your website. Happy to find out that Apple extended the warranty to three years, I got an genius bar appointment and headed to Apple Store to get the laptop fixed.

The genius have heard of the issue before and asked me to wait so he can run a test. Few minutes later he came back and said that "unfortunately this is not an NVidia issue and my logic board must have failed". He quoted an approximate $1500 repair cost and recommended I talk to Apple Care Customer Service and maybe they can give me an "exception".

I came back home, enabled Remote Access using Speech Recognition, and VNC'd to MBP through iPhone. Everything seemed to work perfectly fine. I could browse the web, listen to music, backup my data, etc. So the "logic board must have failed" argument was moot as I expected. Thankfully, having read your website I went for a second opinion to an Apple Authorized Service Center and they kept the MBP overnight to run tests. Next morning I got a confirmation that it's the NVidia GPU failure and they have ordered a new logic board free of charge. (GPU is soldered to motherboad, so it has to be replaced.) A week later I got my MBP back and it's all good now.

Lesson here is to NOT give up after initial rejection, especially at an Apple Store. Try authorized service centers and go even as far as asking them to run the test at your presence and asking for an explanation of the result. (Others have also noted this - even though the 2nd apple tech knew it had already been tested previously and said to not qualify per the test app. Also ask if the tester/tech has fully read the docs for the test app as I've had some insider comments related to that.-Mike)
Also, thanks to you and other commenters for saving me 1500$.
Cheers, Reza R."

(added 10/5/2009)
"I want to let you know of another favorable outcome on a MacBook Pro video problem. After a couple instances a month ago where my screen acquired a blue tint for a day, last Thursday (10/01/09) I had no video at all on my 2.2 GHz MacBook Pro. I tried things like zapping the PRAM and checking the DVI port, but no go. I immediately took the MacBook Pro to my local authorized dealer.
They ran a diagnostic that made a light blink (didn't see which light, maybe numlock?) and wrote a text file to an attached thumb drive. The diagnostic confirmed I had a bad NVIDIA chip. They ordered the repair part immediately.
I had my machine back on Saturday morning, happy as can be. The techs at the shop said they had seen a lot of these failures and had the repair down to a 15 minute process from repeated practice. (GPU is soldered on the logic board, so the repair is to swap the motherboard) Anyway, a successful outcome.
-Daevad
Sarasota, FL"

(added 9/28/2009)
"First I would like to say, I'm really glad I found you page on the Macbook Pro problem. I am having problems here in Denmark getting my computer repaired.
It was given in to a Apple Certified Repair Service that works for an Apple shop in Copenhagen. I gave in a computer that could boot and chime and the harddisk spinning, and just had exactly the problem everybody describes with no video at all. Then they kept it forever, finally stating it was not the Nvidia chip. I then asked what the problem was, and they wouldn't say. As I got the computer back, it wouldn't start and is absolutely dead. So I complained, and now they state that they haven't tested the computer with the Nvidia software because the computer was dead. So how could they conclude, that it wasn't the Nvidia chip?

Now I insist that they bring back my computer to the point as I gave it in, where it can boot, but I am really afraid of what they will do to my computer. And I had to pay 120 dollar just for getting this information and my computer maltreated. The problem is that there are so few Repair Services to choose from, and they are all very arrogant and not that competent. So I am learning the downside of being stuck with Apple.
I don't know when this nightmare ends, but I will write if I somehow get the computer repaired (here it costs almost 3000 dollars (Krone? currently appx 5.08 Krone to one US dollar-Mike) to get the logic board replaced, so that's a no-option).
Best regards, Eva"

Don't give up - if there's no other apple service/store nearby, I'd talk to apple customer support and explain the situation.

(added 9/24/2009)
"I had my Santa Rosa MacBook Pro display die suddenly late last Monday night (21st September). Thanks to your page, I was able to quickly diagnose the fault. My local Apple Repair Centre is Opal Computer Solutions (http://www.opalcs.co.uk/) who booked it in first thing on the morning of Tuesday 22nd. They promised to have a response within 3 - 5 days.

Today (24th September), they phoned me at work... I was very pleased to hear that my diagnosis was correct and their nvidia test picked it up straight away. They have replaced the logic board and I'm now typing this email on the fixed laptop! Very good service from Opal with only a two day turnaround which I believe included ordering the parts as they did not have replacement logic boards in stock.
(While I was booking it in, the technican did state that an out of warranty repair would be approx £600 and that I should consider a new laptop instead. I fully agree with that sentiment and was prepared to, but thankfully i've more time to save up!)
Kind Regards, Richard P."

(added 9/24, from 9/22/2009 mail)
"My clients out of warranty MacBook Pro screen went blank about 3 weeks ago. All the symptoms of the Nvidia failure. Took it to the local service provider and they said it did not pass the Apple Nvidia test and therefore did not qualify for coverage under the program.
Contacted Apple and decided to send to them. Following the repair online, it shows it was covered and they were replacing the part. Took more than a week as it showed the part was on order. When the computer returned the battery had been replaced as well. Impressive service by Apple.
-Rick"

Another reminder to not give up after a first refusal (some other readers took their systems to another store for a 2nd test). I've been told some techs may misinterpret the special test app's results. (Hopefully that's rare, but still worth getting a 2nd opinion/test done by another Apple tech/dealer.)

(from 9/19/2009 mail)
"My MBP started to get some graphical glitches and ultimately ended up stuck loading in this position: ref: blogspot JPG
After reformatting and performing a clean install of snow leopard I knew it was a hardware problem. Found your site, which helped me to diagnose the problem.

Took it into the the Apple store and they confirmed it was a failed graphics card. I was out of warranty but they replaced the logic board free of charge in under a week. A very quick and easy fix, thanks Apple!
-John"

(from 9/5/2009 mail)
"Yesterday my MBP (early 2008) exhibited the no video issue. MBP would boot with chime, num-lock key would light up etc, but nothing on the screen. I called support and they directed me to an apple store. When I got to my local Apple store (Dallas) they plugged in the Nvidia test drive and it failed the test (indicating that it had the Nvidia issue).
The MBP is out of warranty, but they are replacing the logic board at no cost. They did not have the part in-stock at the Apple store, so I had to leave it there and was told I should be able to pick it up early next week.
Regards, Todd"

(from 8/10/2009 mail)
"I was one of the unlucky ones to be denied on my June 2007 15" MacBook Pro. I was charged $326.28 for item 605-1791 - logic board - MB Pro NVIDIA Issue (Multiple Issues).
-Anthony"

FYI/Tip for failed MBP's that won't boot:

(from 8/8/2009 mail)
"Some 2 and a half months ago, my Macbook Pro 15" 2.4GHz died - i.e. it stopped booting (or chiming) and screen was black; front light faint on case open and brighter on case closed. Before this happened, I got serious video scrambling and distortion. The first ASP (in Karachi, Pakistan) I took my machine to told me logicboard was fried and quoted an obscene amount of money for a replacement. I discovered the nvidia extended warranty online (for readers that missed it here in Oct. 2008 and the late May 2009 update, here's the apple doc-Mike) and alerted the ASP to check it that was the case (needless to say, they didn't know of it, I had to tell them). But the ASP couldn't run the nvidia test on a machine that wouldn't boot or chime. (BTW: At unofficial Apple tech blogs this symptom too i.e. no boot, front faint light too is talked off as a classic nvidia issue. Apple, however, will only list scrambled/distorted video and booting w/ black screen as the only two possible symptoms.)

I then found a post by a user who suggested letting the machine heat up to get it to boot. So I retrieved my macbook pro from the ASP, let it sit on a flat surface and let it heat up. To my utter disbelief, two hours later, the machine booted after 2 months of sitting with my first ASP. When I this ASP to tell I'd like to bring it back for the nvidia test they refused saying that a) that they had no procedure from Apple to let a machine heat up before performing the nvidia test and b) if the nvidia GPU test worked and they replaced the logicboard, Apple Singapore, when trying to redo the test at their end, could "yell" at them for replacing a nvidia GPU/logicboard that didn't even boot up. And this place is considered the best ASP in town!

So I took my machine to a different, more reasonable ASP who have been able to run the nvidia test but keep getting a big "FAILED" banner but no validation code is written to the drive. I understand this means the test in inconclusive.

Now, I know from several other posts that a) for a number of people the nvidia GPU test doesn't work the first time but does work the 2nd or 3rd time at either the same or, in most cases, a different ASP and b) a number of people also got the same "FAILED" red banner without validation code initially, but eventually a validation code was written to the drive. So the big red "FAILED" banner (of death) is a step forward - at least if you start off with a machine that won't even boot.

But I wonder what the next step entails i.e. getting the test to successfully yield a validation code. Does the laptop have to get sufficiently hot for the test to work too - given that it worked to get the machine to boot up? Does the choice of test medium i.e. USB vs FW drive matter? Why does the test work in some cases and doesn't in others on the same laptop? What could be different? What could different ASPs or test runs be doing differently that yields or fails to yield a validation or error code?
Any insights/tips will be truly appreciated. Knowledge is power :-)
Thanks, Aftab W."

(added 8/7/2009)
"The day before yesterday I tried to wake my MBP (bought in Oct '07) from sleep but the screen never came on, and there was also nothing on the external monitor. I searched the web and landed on your page (which is *extremely* helpful - thank you very much!) This is obviously a big problem, as two other people in my office with MBPs from the same year have also had this happen.

Yesterday morning I dropped it off at the local apple authorized service center (Gravis in Leipzig, Germany), and they had it fixed by noon today. They replaced the logic board free of charge and it appears to work perfectly now.
Just wanted to share a success story where everything went smoothly :-)
-Kennon B."

Follow-up on an initially rejected (free) Repair:

(added 7/20/2009)
"I just wanted to let you know what's going on with my MacBook Pro... (Ref: his earlier report in June on a GPU related failure that was rejected as qualifying for the free repair.-Mike)
I went to the Apple Store, and my machine was rejected for free repair. Now, yesterday, I went to a different Apple Store and had a different person look at it, and I'm guessing he ran the same test, but now I'm told that I do get the free repair, and they sent it out.
I'll let you know how it goes, thanks for letting me vent.
-Dave
P.S. The store that rejected it was Bayside (WI) and the store that gave me the free repair was Mayfair (WI). I'm guessing that some of these techs don't know what they're really doing, so I guess it's a good idea to get a second opinion.

(A later mail answering the question if the 2nd Apple store knew about the 1st 'rejection'.-Mike)
As to not mentioning that it had already been checked... well, yes and no. At first, I didn't mention it, but when he typed in the serial number, he got my name and address, I hadn't given him that information. He had my phone number also. I'm assuming that they store all of that info in their database. (I don't know about in-store but typically support calls are logged (and often have a 'case number' for their database)-Mike)
What I think happened... The machine tested the same both times, but the first Apple Genius misread the test results. The second guy said the machine failed the test, and therefore I get the repair. The first guy said the machine failed the test and I didn't qualify for the repair. I guess it's always good to get a second opinion.
I wouldn't lie to the tech about anything, but don't volunteer information if you're not asked it. Let them tell you what the problem with your machine is. I'm sorry to say that most people are lazy. If you walk in and tell them your machine is already doomed, and that another Apple Tech already looked at it, chances are that the new person will feel you're just wasting his/her time. If you repeat what you've heard before, you run the risk of having that person agree with you, and take a shortcut to get you "out of there". The way he/she sees it, you already expect to hear the bad news. Now, there are some great techs out there, but just keep in mind that at some stores, you'll be one of 100's of people through the door on any given day. (IIRC you can 'reserve a genius appointment' online, although I've never done that.-Mike)

One mistake I made... I didn't charge up the laptop before I brought it in. I knew I should have, I was just pretty busy that day. The tech plugged it in and it was still dead. He first said I had a different problem with the machine, not turning on with AC, but I looked at the plug, and no light meant no juice. He had to go under the counter to find out his power cord came unplugged somehow.

In closing, I guess all I can say is little things matter. Be positive, but as silent as you can. Be prepared when you show up, and be prepared to go back for a second opinion.
-Dave"

Good advice and thanks for the follow-up. (Others may not be so lucky but definitely worth trying if there's another Apple store within range.)

(added 7/20/2009)
"Over a month ago I updated from 10.5.5 to 10.5.7 on my MBP 17" from 2007. Upon rebooting as part of the update, the screen failed to work!
(The "No Video after an OS Update" reminded me of an post/tip from August 2008 here - but that is not a fix for an actual failing (separating) GPU.-Mike)
I was mortified that my Mac no longer worked, was it the update? After researching the symptom, "black screen of death, keyboard works" I discovered that Apple had extended a warranty on the 8600M Nvidia card, the same as in my machine. (I've linked to the apple doc on this here when originally posted Oct. 2008 and also posted a FYI (above) when it was revised again in late May 2009 to add another year extension for affected models/SN ranges.-Mike)
I took it to a Genius and inquired about the warranty. However, the Genius told me that there was likely a hidden condition within my machine that may have been brought out by the update, causing the symptom to occur suddenly. This stuck in my mind because I was encouraged to update by this on Apple's site:
"The 10.5.7 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5 to 10.5.6, and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac."
According to the Genius who was looking at my laptop, the 8600M Nvidia chip of my MacBook Pro which falls into the time frame of affected chips does not however fall into the specific serial range Nvidia is covering. Next he contradicted himself by first telling me the logic board needed to be replaced, and that the Nvidia card was fine... (the nvidia GPU is soldered on the main logic board.-Mike) and then after asking why I can take screenshots of working software if the logic board failed, he said it may be the GPU.
Without opening and inspecting the hardware he quoted a price to replace the logic board at only $330... if I understand correctly others have spent $1000 plus and $300 is a standard service fee. Still, if it is defective, and there is no way of predicting which chips are most affected, and my laptop is exhibiting the exact symptoms analogous with affected chips, I fail to see why I was denied coverage under the extended warranty for a free repair, as many others have received.
BEWARE ALL FUTURE MAC CUSTOMERS...
-Scott"

Although if Scott's MBP is not in apple's list of affected S/N ranges it may be a waste of time, but I'd be tempted to try another apple store if one was in the area.
[Update: Scott later wrote after another trip to the apple store, he's going to get a replacement logic board.]
Earlier this year (when I posted about the revised Apple doc on this), I posted the question above for affected owners after someone said in his experience many failures (w/models in the S/N ranges in the doc) were not being flagged as covered by the special test program. (These GPUs were also in many PC notebooks and it's been a nightmare for some to get failures covered.)

(June 26, 2009 - Last updated 7/6/2009)
"Bad news here - my Macbook Pro 2.4Ghz Model No: A1226, may have suffered the Nvidia Graphics Card meltdown. My serial number matched the range Apple put on their website. (in this doc) First thing this morning, I had white/pink pixels all over the screen, restarted same thing, then the machine froze, did a hard reset. Things seemed ok for 10-15mins then the pixels returned, machine froze again. On restart I had green and pink squares running in horizontal and vertical lines, got as far the Apple icon, then the black screen of death - 'Hold down the Power button' etc. Tried this twice same result.
Phone Apple Support UK, explained the problem, mentioned the Return program due to faulty Nvidia chips. I now have to take the machine to an Apple Store for confirmation, my appointment is next week in West London.
I'll keep you posted, as far as I'm concerned it's the graphics issue - here's hoping Apple see it that way and repair it free of charge. At present using my old G4 12" iBook - man this screen is small!! I keep a clone backup on an external Lacie FW drive (APM format), so that's my boot drive for now.
(Update 6/29/2009:)
A follow up on my Nvidia meltdown. Just taken my MacBook Pro to the Apple Store, they hooked up a test HD - labeled like 'Nvidia Macbook Pro test'. 2mins later I'm told the good news, it qualifies under the repair extension programme - should take 5-7 days.
I was a tad worried about having the pink/ green squares and some people not being so lucky with a free repair. I asked what gets 'done' - a new logic board. (The GPU is soldered on the mainboard.)
(Update: 7/6/2009)
Just a quick one - I picked up my repaired Macbook Pro on Saturday, had it running since then all seems fine [so far!] It was actually ready on Wednesday of last week, so only took 2 days to repair/replace the Logic board.
Regards, Phil"

(from June 29th news page)
"Hey Mike, I've averaged an nVidia logicboard repair, once a week since beginning of the year. The replacement boards show rework to the nVidia GPU area. (replaced 8600M GPU) I've only seen 2 replacement boards show up as dead on arrival, needing to await a replacement. (I test them twice before returning to the owner)
For owners going through this, note your hardware MAC address (onboard ethernet ID) will change as the ethernet is built-in to the board that is replaced (i.e. If your security is based on the MAC address) Your mac repair person should note the label now covering the old MAC address in the battery bay.
Airport card (unless defective) is not replaced. (name withheld by request) "

(June 26, 2009)
"Mike, About three weeks ago, my mid-2007 MacBook Pro 15" started having video issues (video went off or had a "pinkish" color). On Tuesday I took it to an Apple Authorized Service Provider here, in Mexico City; the next day (Wednesday) they told me it qualified for logic board replace under extended warranty, and two days later (Friday) I had it with me already. It has been working fine these past weeks. The only "problem" I had, was to re-enable it to my router.
Obviously, I'm happy with Apple's customer support.
Best, Axel"

(June 26, 2009)
"I just had Phil's problem (ref: yesterday's posts) last week (colored stuff on screen, then the uniform pink/green pattern grid). I took my computer to the Apple Store, they ran the NVidia test, and it passed. In other words, the problem is NOT the one identified by the test, but there is clearly a second problem with the video in these laptops due to overheating not identified by this test. My machine was just nearing it's 2nd birthday.
Long story short, I had Applecare, so the repair was covered. But the list of replaced parts blew my mind, and the Apple tech who finished the paper work when I picked it up was just as baffled: main logic board, RAM, HD, both fans, all replaced! They replaced the logic board and fans first, but the machine would still not boot, so they replaced the HD, and it would still not pass the tests, so they replaced the RAM as well. I had tested the HD and RAM before I took it in and they were fine. And the heat inside was not out of range according to fan control and temp monitor software.
I am getting tired of the defective laptop designs Apple builds, where after about 12-24 months, a large number fail due to heat desoldering chips over time. (the Nvidia GPU pkg issue IIRC resulted in the GPU separating, not necessarily at the solder point to the motherboard) I've had an iBook G3 and 3 iBook G4s fail with graphics problems (my original and 2 replacements!), and now this MacBook Pro Santa Rosa 2.2.
(BTW - a common iBook G4 failure (due to board flex) was a cracked Voltage regulator chip solder joint - I've had several readers send thanks for the article here on iBook G4 Vreg Chip Solder Joint Repair Guide .-Mike)
If I hadn't bought Apple Care on each model, I'd have bought 7 machines now in 7 years or so. All from the same problem! That's unacceptable. If it's the price we pay for no fan noise, we need to suffer through some fan noise I guess.
-Mike K."

While on the subject of warranties, a reader (thanks Scott) sent a reminder that some credit cards may have an extended warranty feature for items purchased with it. (This came up years ago, where some cards doubled the std warranty on items purchased, although not sure how common that is now even with 'premium' class cards.)

(June 26, 2009)
"Just read your website now. I have a Macbook Pro 15" which booted up fine, but with no graphics display. The classic GPU problem. The laptop is only 18 months old. Apple (South Africa) quoted me R15,000 to repair (the laptop cost R22, 000). They said the main logic board needed to be replaced, and the laptop had failed the generic test for the GPU failure. (Apple's doc on MacBook Pro: Distorted video or no video issues notes an extended GPU related warranty (3 years from date of purchase for affected models) but I had a tech last month say in his experience many failures were not flagged as qualifying for the free repair by the special test they use.-Mike)
There was no way I could afford this quote, I'm still paying off the original purchase price! Apple SA offered no help, very disappointing service.
In desperation I took my laptop to a generic computer shop, and they repaired my Macbook Pro for only R1,000. The technician explained that the because of overheating, the graphics chip had separated from the logic board, and he was able to re-seat it. (rebonded? or resoldered?) The interesting thing was that he had a pile of Macbook Pro's in his shop, all awaiting repair, all with the same symptoms.
Isn't it disgraceful how loyal customers are being forced to pay for a genuine documented manufacturing fault. Apple US needs to be made aware of this terrible situation and the negative marketing that goes with it. Anyway, that is my story. ;-) Let me know if you need more detailed information.
Regards, Shawn
Cape Town, South Africa"

(June 26, 2009)
"I have a Macbook Pro that had the graphics card failure. One day, the video just stopped working. I brought it by the Apple Store and they confirmed a graphics card failure, but my Mac (purchased in 2008) didn't qualify for the free repair because the serial number was not on the list. (FYI - after the follow-up, I asked to confirm that his S/N was not in the affected range per the Apple doc. He then said)
I think my S/N was in the range, at first I was told that my Invida card had failed, but that it failed in a different way, and therefore was not covered.

They told me it would cost $1,300 to fix, so I left the store with a new 13 inch Macbook Pro and this time I bought Apple Care. At least if this one fries within 3 years, they'll fix it (I hope).
-Dave"

Update: See Dave's later follow-up noting that he later did get the repair covered after taking it to a different Apple store for checkout.

(added June 2, 2009)
"have a MacBook Pro a year out of factory warranty, that was just inside the original 2-year (flawed GPU) extension; no Applecare. I was having problems with the machine locking up when the GPU got hot, always dying in the Windowserver code. However, it was not the "classic" failure of the permanent black screen/no video.

Took the machine in on a very busy Sat. at the Apple Deer Park Illinois store (the main suburban Woodfield store is closed for renovation and they were extremely busy the day before Mother's Day). My appointment was handled on-time and the Genius on-hand booted the box off of a diagnostic USB drive. This started to write patterns on the screen but in my case failed almost immediately with an error message I couldn't read. The Genius wrote it up, and told me they happened to have the "part" on hand, and told me they would try and get the laptop back to me the next day, which surprised me.

About two hours later I got a call that it was ready. I have to say I was impressed. The "part" in question is a full main logic board swap, (as shown in photos, the GPU is on the mainboard which also had the CPU and other components-Mike) which the Genius cheerfully informed me would normally be a $1300 'repair' (might as well just buy another MBP).

When I went in, I made it clear I knew about the Nvidia GPU issue, but I wasn't asked about my warranty date or even whether I had Applecare. The Genius went through some procedure online for the repair, and I assume from the serial # they knew the machine build date, but the net of it for me was that I received absolutely no static about the issue - it failed the test disk, they took the machine, I had it back in three hours. I know mileage varies, but Apple got an A+ from me on the customer service side.

This may have been covered before, but let me mention two side effects of the fix that are less-appealing Apple issues.

Time Machine thinks your machine is now a different box, and refuses to recognize previous backups. There is also no Apple procedure for dealing with this, apart from doing a Restore from a Leopard boot CD. I ended up just having it build a new backup from scratch (which takes six hours). There are a number of online workarounds which are extremely complicated and not usable by average users. Apple better get this sorted, since they are going to be doing this a lot with the Nvidia chips.

There is another bug triggered by this, which is caused by the clock getting reset to before the Leopard build date. The binaries for mDNSresponder and one other binary needed for DHCP addressing for some absurd reason get re-signed with a self-signed certificate as a result of the clock reset, which then causes the Leopard internal firewall to disallow connections from them. Took me a long painful time searching before finding someone who had figured this out. Fix is to re-apply the latest Combo Updater, which restores the original binaries. There is no way of determining this from any logging info in the system, however, my hat's off to the guy who figured this out, he must have psychic powers.

Apologies for long email - love the site!
Cheers, FB"

(added June 2, 2009)
"I applied the SMC Firmware update 1.3 at about 2:00 last saturday and at 4:15 the GPU died, took it to the dealer they confirmed it was an effected model (early 2008) and are replacing the motherboard. On question they can't answer is if it is likely to happen again, e.g. have Apple ever fixed the problem?
-John"

The problem is really in the Nvidia GPU's mfg (pkg defect, where IIRC separation can occur from thermal cycling, etc.) - I'd like to think that any replacement motherboards have 8600M's that do not have that issue, but I can't say personally. (Not sure nvidia is even making those GPUs anymore - although the 9x00 series are commonly called just renamed versions) although in replies (older articles linked below) reportedly better adhesive is now used (although there's been debate about the issue of lead present IIRC). I've been too hammered on hundreds of other problems to keep up with this, but some of the previous article links below here may be of interest to read.

(added June 2, 2009)
"I'm hoping to have my MacBook Pro fixed under this extended warranty, but I fear it's not looking good.
Even though the machine runs and I can use remote desktop to connect to it and show that it cannot find it's own GPU, the tech is telling me it likely won't be covered (at an Apple-certified shop, not an Apple store).
He "ran his diagnostics" and submitted the results, and Apple asked him to run some additional ones, and the status has been "Pending Approval" for a few days. Let's just say I'm not optimistic, but I'll keep you posted.
Steven P."

(added June 2, 2009)
"I wrote last week regarding graphic issues after installing the MBP SMC 1.3 firmware. I was unable to resolve the issues and took the machine into the Apple Store today. They are replacing the logic board free of charge even though the machine is out warranty since it falls under the GPU repair program.

So some people are getting free repairs. I've been following the forums about graphics failures after the SMC update and some people are being charged for repairs so I'm not sure what criteria Apple is using to determine if the repair should be covered by the GPU repair program.
Regards, Charlie"

(added June 2, 2009)
"I own a (MacBookPro4.1 - aka early 2008) MBP and had rather serious graphics distortions right from the start. After lots of trying I finally found a web site that showed it almost always--most of the time the display did not act up when I tried to demonstrate the problem. Dozens of others had the same kind of experience Our local Mac service center (not an Apple Store) finally (nearly a year later) sent my unit in and the return paperwork showed a replaced main circuit board.
But scrolling is still rather uneven and jumpy. The Apple test program shows everything passing. So, I'm kinda stuck! I guess time may tell--I hope that the graphics system holds together, but the extension of coverage is a pretty clear indication of ongoing problems with the GPU. I doubt if Apple would replace my system again.
-Fred R."

(added June 2, 2009)
"I had 2 MBP's repaired with no problems. (both were under AppleCare)
The first was my 17" SR 2.4GHz and the second was my son's 15" SR that they wouldn't replace a failed disk because the case was dented.
-Mike W."

(added June 2, 2009)
"Mine was covered with no problem once I brought it to the Mac Genius's attention. They also fixed a few other things not under warranty. So all's well here.
(I asked if the MBP had any warranty (std or applecare) in force at the time of the repair and for the record the model (early 2008 aka MacBook Pro 4,1 or the 2007 series).-Mike)
No warranty on it or apple care. I believe it's a 2007. Sorry no time to check. it's a 2.4ghz intel core duo if that helps.
-Jeremy "

(added June 2, 2009)
"Had no problem getting mine fixed (under Applecare warranty) through my local Apple store. 2.2Ghz Santa Rosa.
-Adam B."

(added June 2, 2009)
"I have one of those pesky nVidia 8600s in my Mac Book Pro (MacBookPro3,1 model, 2.2GHz). Screens (built-in and external) went utterly dark upon my upgrade to 10.5.6. Took the MacBook Pro to my local Apple Store. The Genius ran some type of video test from an external HD, had my fill out a form and took my Mac. They had a logic board in stock and were able to swap it out and have the machine back in my hands the next day. No issues whatsoever since then and everything was covered by warranty. (My laptop was NOT under standard warranty or AppleCare at the time of service. It was handled under Apple's policy regarding the nVidia GPU.)

What I've read is that the failure tends to manifest sooner on MacBook Pros connected to external monitors since it drives the GPU harder. (and I suspect from owners that regularly stress it heavily - i.e 3D, gaming, etc.-Mike) Dunno if that's true, but it makes some sense. Thanks for your site!
Best regards, Ty"

(added June 2, 2009)
"I had three Macbook Pro GPU failures. One on a 15" and two on the same 17", both with GeForce 8600M GT. All were covered under warranty. (Both had a warranty in force at the time.)
The 17" was one of the first to fail in the USA so it took two tries to get it fixed.
The question I have is what about AppleCare? Does my AppleCare warranty get extended as well? (I'm sure it doesn't - the extension is for GPU related failures only per the Apple doc. And since even the GPU extension is only 3 years from date of purchase, does applecare even extend beyond that? (can't recall if AC is 3 years from date of system purchase or from date of AC purchase))
Actually, the second time the 17" went in, it was One Year and One Week but as it was an open issue, there was no discussion.
I get your drift on the AppleCare, I think you are right.
Best regards and thanks for everything you do for the Mac community - your website ROCKS!
-Jim"

(added June 2, 2009)
"The video card failed on my 2.2GHz MacBook Pro at 9.5 months. I have Applecare, so there was no argument at the Genius Bar in the Lehigh Valley Apple Store. Three weeks later the HD died and was replaced. If I didn't have Applecare all this would have happened at 13 months.
-Art"

I asked about that last comment - as 9.5 months + 3 weeks is still under the std 12 month (1year) warranty) - unless the first repair took 2 months to get back? (and then 3 weeks later the HD failed)

Earlier info/posts from 2008 follow

(Dec. 10, 2008) FYI: INQUIRER confirms (new) Apple Macbook Pros have Nvidia (GPU) bad bump material w/Analysis of 9600 GPU material - per an Oct. Apple doc (see below) this affected only earlier MBP models.) Also see the replies to the Inquirer article, which reference rebuttals such as Cnet's Allegations, denials of 'bad' Nvidia chips in MacBook Pros. Time will tell if these really have a higher than normal failure rate. (There's a LOT of notebooks out there using the 9600 GPU, and others (9700, 9800) that were assumed to not be affected by the previous issue. And now also wondering about desktop 9x00 GPUs.)

(Oct 10th 2008) Apple Comments on MacBook Pros with Flawed Nvidia GPUs I've been waiting for this and thankfully Apple has finally commented on the flawed Nvidia notebook GPU issue noted in Nvidia's July Financial statement (and by Dell, HP and others earlier this year - see previous links here).
See Apple's doc on MacBook Pro: Distorted video or no video issues that lists affected production (appx. May 2007 to Sept. 2008), a graphics warranty extension (2yrs from date of purchase) (Doc revised on 5/29/2009 to note 3yrs) and says any owners that paid for a related repair will get a refund.

This page is a catch-all for reports from MacBook Pro owners on GPU failures, Tips, Notes from Nvidia on "weak die/packaging material set in certain versions of its previous gen. GPU and MCP products used in notebook systems.

"Subject: Mac Book Pro 17" 2.4Ghz Dead Graphics Adapter
I want to bring you up to date with a quality problem with my 2007 Mac Book Pro 2.4Ghz 17" with HD screen. Six weeks ago, I had random screen artifacts, that included lines, faded text and muted colors. Went away with a reboot.

Next day, more of the same and it wouldn't go away with a reboot. Called AppleCare and they promptly suggested all the nonsense blather that they recite every time (reset PRAM, SMC/PMU, etc.), culminating with the recommendation to "reinstall the operating system". As I repeatedly pointed out during my time on the call, booting off the Mac OS X Install DVD (and doing the same resets mentioned above) and seeing the exact same problems, pretty much eliminates the installed operating system, preferences, user account, etc, as a possible root cause. Believe it or not, they couldn't get their mind around this.

In any case, the problem went away on it's own in a couple of hours of fiddling and I went on my merry way. In the mean time, the repair box arrived but the computer wasn't broken so I just held on.

Well, yesterday morning, it was over. I opened the lid of my sleeping computer and no display. Attached an external monitor... no display. Rebooted, reset, tried everything I've learned in 23 years of Apple ownership (well, not everything, like slamming the side of the computer as hard as possible to "help it").

No display.

So, I am at my partner's office when this happened so I sat down at his desk and used his Mac Book Pro 15" to see "Shared" items and there is my computer, so I sign on using Screen Sharing and everything is normal as far as I can see. I run System Profile and mercy me, no NVIDIA 8600GT graphics adapter is installed in this computer. What do I see? An Intel GMA X3100. I don't know if that is a virtual adapter used by VNC during Screen Sharing or part of the Intel chipset that is not normally active with the add-on NVIDIA card installed or what.

In any case, I call AppleCare and they advise me that the previous case number issued is defunct and they have to issue a new number and send a new box (how retarded is that?).

This time, however, there are no questions and silly suggestions. They know exactly what is happening and I might be reading too much into their response... but I think it's happening a lot to MBP users with this NVIDIA card. (There's been complaints over graphics issues/bugs, etc. for some time in Apple's MBP discussion forums (and some threads on no video like this one with a couple hundred replies), as well as other graphics/GL bugs that are not MBP specific. A reader had also sent a link (javascript reqd) to a google spreadsheet with over 90 reports from MBP owners w/no video at boot, but of course there's been many thousands shipped - however even Nvidia mentions a suspect batch of GPUs in their Second Quarter Fiscal 2009 Business Update (item 2) from July 2nd, 2008 regarding a $150-200 million one-time charge related to "weak die/packaging material set in certain versions of its previous generation GPU and MCP products used in notebook systems". The doc doesn't mention specific Nvidia GPU model numbers, but by searching for specs on the Dell laptop models in a related cnet article I found some used Nvidia 8600M GPUs.-Mike.)

NVIDIA promised a new driver some time ago to address overheating problems with the Apple version of the driver but so far, nothing. (We hoped that the 10.5.4 update would include some GL/driver bug fixes also, but it didn't.)

So now, for the first time ever, I have to send my computer to Apple to be repaired (all those years of buying AppleCare finally paid off). Please note the dates of failure, I bought this computer exactly One Year & One Week before the first problem. Those Apple engineers are better than anyone thought they could be! I'm sure it's a coincidence but it's pretty funny to note.

SO how does a guy who works five days a week in another State than where he lives and relies 100% on his laptop to do his job, survive without his computer? I went to Apple's store and bought a 2GHz iMac, Restored the MBP internal hard drive to the iMac and bang, back up and running. When I get my computer back, I will sell the iMac, take a small haircut on the cost and move on with my life. I couldn't think of any other solution!

So I close with a warning to your readers for this graphics card, don't delay when problems appear. It will die - contrary to your hopes and wishes, so get it fixed promptly!
Best Regards, Jim"

A certain % of anything will fail (sometimes infant/early failures) but some think their MBP's had 8600M's that were part of a suspect batch mentioned in Nvidia's 2nd QTR (2008) financial results (See notes below regarding Nvidia's comments on the subject in their (July 2nd, 2008 dated) Second Quarter Fiscal 2009 Business Update PR) - some replies here on failures go back to the early models and there could be some variation in assy build quality/heatpipe mating (efficiency) - remember the posts here and elsewhere on the first gen MBP's heatpipes having thick gobs/slabs of thermal paste - not ideal... although the first runs had ATI X1600's running at lower GPU clock speeds).
If you've had a similar failure with your MBP, let me know the details. Thanks.

Other MBP owner Replies: (latest first)
(FYI: Here's some links to articles related to flawed Nvidia GPU chips - Dell issues update for (laptop) Nvidia graphics chip glitch that has quotes about "affected GPUs (graphics processing units) are experiencing higher than expected failure rates causing video problems....The issue is a weak die/packaging material set, which may fail with GPU temperature fluctuations. If your GPU fails, you may see intermittent symptoms" - this is mentioned in NVIDIA's Second Quarter Fiscal 2009 Business Update (item 2) from July 2nd, 2008 regarding a $150-200 million one-time charge related to "weak die/packaging material set in certain versions of its previous generation GPU and MCP products used in notebook systems". The doc doesn't mention specific Nvidia GPU model numbers, but by searching for specs on the Dell laptop models in the cnet doc I found some used Nvidia 8600M GPUs, as well as others like the 8400M. There's also other related articles - HP: Nvidia graphics defect an issue since November 2007 and Dell Takes Heat for Faulty Nvidia Chips)

Broken Thermal Sensor Connection:

(added 8/14/2008 - reply to report from yesterday)
"I wanted to give Sebastian as well as anyone else a bit of advice. SMC FanControl2 (and the other similar programs out there) ARE wonderful ideas; but don't rely on them for long term solutions.. I would suggest taking your Macbook/Macbook Pros in and having the thermal sensors inspected for damage or other general defects.

I too was having trouble with fatal graphical corruptions as well as random shutdowns of my Core Duo MBP and finally had enough of it on Sunday August 9th.

Thinking that it was the known issue of the amount of heat sink compound on the CPU/GPU/Chipset units, (this was noted on very early (ATI X1600 based) MacBook Pros years ago (early MBP page here had several posts on this) with some pix showing thick slabs of compound. There were also some notes (years ago) on a wire being replaced due to contact/shorting against a heatpipe IIRC.-Mike). I completely disassembled my system intending to clean it and start from scratch.

I was almost finished removing everything when I discovered that one of the wires attached to the right thermal sensor had broken at the solder point. I completely removed it and reassembled my MBP then turned it on. (Removed it? (not resoldered the wire) With no sensor connection (open ckt) to the thermal sensor (if a PTC thermistor type) the system would see that (NC) as max temp (infinite resistance) and downclock speeds/increase fan speeds, etc. But not sure what type of sensor is used there. I'd be curious what Apple Hardware Test reported also (before take-apart) but if it was shutting down the test may not have completed.-Mike) It is now 5 days later and my system has not had a single shut down or issue with graphical corruption, even when running programs like Second Life and Phantasy Star Universe (natively in XP) at their highest settings. I will admit that I am glad that the new sensor I ordered from iFixit arrived today, but all things considered, I'd say it was a chance well taken.

I'm not 100% certain as to what was occurring, but it seems very likely the broken wire was shorting out and causing the sensor to report incorrect temps from the nearby GPU and forcing the shutdowns.
(He later wrote)
I completely removed it (sensor connection). Surprisingly I did not notice a serious increase in fan activity as a result of this action. (If ran with no sensor connection it would have been interesting to see what was reported with (freeware) utils like iStat Pro or Temperature Monitor as well as reported clock speeds.-Mike) I submitted a question to Apple Tech Support about that observation, but it appears that (on the original Core Duo models at least) it is possible for a MBP to function at a normal capacity with just one sensor installed.

Then again, I wasn't too anxious to really push my system either... It is out of warranty (even applecare) and I haven't saved enough to purchase a new one yet.
-Joel S."

I asked he report back after replacing the sensor.
With later (C2D) MBP's the possible use of flawed Nvidia chips (see links above) is still another concern (I wish Apple would officially comment if any production runs of MBPs used those flawed GPUs.)

(added 8/13/2008)
"I own a 15 inch bottom line Macbook pro (128mb Nvidia 8600M GT) that I also bought about this time last year (about a month before the begining of college). I noticed the problems just 4 days ago for the first time. I was playing Civilization 4 on my windows partition when I suddenly got a grainy checkerboard pattern on my screen. So the first thing I did then was restart and see if it also happened in my Leopard partition and it did about 10 minutes into my game of Warcraft 3 TFT. After fiddling with it for a while I came to the conclusion that anything video intensive set this off (the checkerboard distortion).
I started to monitor the video card temperature using iStat pro (freeware system stats widget) and my guess is that when i reach about 80 degrees C I get the mentioned problem. Oh and I forgot to mention that this error is fatal.. as in shortly after everything else stops working my mouse stops moving on screen as well. The first thing I did to try to combat this was to reinstall Leopard after clearing the drive. I didn't call apple for this because I am out of warranty... very convenient that this happens within a month of losing coverage. Then it happened again shortly after completeing the install.

So I shut the damn thing off and turn it back on. Then I installed FAN CONTROL. (I think he means SMC FanControl2, which some readers have used to boost fan speeds during gaming (increase cooling/reduce throttle down due to heat)-Mike)
I set the upper threshold temp to 70 degrees (the lowest allowed). I also set the minimum fan speed to 2500 rpms. Since then I have not had the problem once. I even just played warcraft 3 for about 2 hours straight with no issues. I don't know what will happen when and if I try to play Civ 4 on windows, but I'm just glad I don't have to get a new video card for now. I always had a feeling that 80 C was just way too high, so I guess it finally took its toll on my card, that now (w/boosted fan speeds) seems to operate completely fine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that it was just a fluke or a software issue....
-Sebastian"

Still nothing official from Apple if any MBP production runs included Nvidia GPUs with the mfg/pkg issue (see links above on the issue from Nvidia, Dell, HP and another article today $196M Should Cover Costs of Bad Graphics Chips, Nvidia Says) - but cooler is always better and thermal cycling reportedly is a factor in failures for those suspect GPUs (i.e. temperature cycles of heat/cool down of the GPU).

(added 8/12/2008 - later updated)
"The instructions for connecting an external monitor, turning on and closing the lid worked. (See notes in 8/4/2008 report below this one.) My LCD screen now comes on 'phew'. I thought my graphics or LCD was busted.
(Just for the record I asked model of MBP? (when was it bought, etc.) and was this the first time you had any problems? )
It was a mid-2007 MBP 2.4. I've had intermittent wake from sleep issues but would resolve at least via a hard shutdown and reboot. No recent firmware updates. Last update was done same day as the latest leopard update was released which was a while ago. (The reader below that posted the tip said his problem happened after the Security update 2008-005 (from July 31st). 10.5.4 was released June 30th.)
This is the first time it's actually been unresolvable following a reboot.
Prior to it happening, it was connected to an external monitor, put to sleep, external monitor disconnected, then attempted to wake from sleep. I've yet to retest it to see if I can repeat the bug.
(So your last update was the 2008-005 security update then?)
Hmm interesting. Yes. Well this was the first time I had connected it up to an external monitor since that update. Perhaps that's related?
(he later wrote)
Update: The trick with plugging in an external monitor, turning it on, and closing the lid, doesn't always work (even after resetting NVRAM). It works sporadically, so you have to keep trying it until it does work.

I've decided to soon, take a shot at calling Apple support despite it being out of warranty and try to claim its a known issue citing the Apple forum thread on it.

I've also tested the theory on the problem being due to recent software updates. (May not be related, just that he tip came from someone that saw the problem right after the 2008-005 update, but that could have just been coincidence. Again if a hardware issue tips like that won't fix that - and again some that had failures initially had intermittent problems.-Mike) I installed replaced the MBP hard drive with a fresh one with Leopard installed with the latest updates EXCEPT 2008-005 Security Update. It didn't make a difference.

My belief is that if the problem is indeed a software issue, then it would have to be an update that involved a system firmware update. (If I had $1 for every (uncommmon) problem with an OS X update over the years here I'd be richer than Bill Gates. (I guess you missed the past posts from even developers on this...) - although nothing is a sure thing this is why I always suggest A) using download updaters and B) doing a clean reboot (with nothing else running) when installing any OS X update. But I've even had some PB owners report no video after a blizzard game update once (nvram reset fixed it) - although the main question on recent MBP's is the possibility of flawed Nvidia GPUs being used (see above links on the subject, although nothing to date from Apple on that.)-Mike) Although I also believe it's a hardware issue thus requiring logic board replacement to fix. Either way, this is a real pain in the ass.
-Paul"

Let me know if the problem reappears (as for those with suspect hardware, the problem can be intermittent at first) - but hopefully not.

Tip for Intermittent Problems: (This won't help if the GPU has failed/separated of course but something to try. And initial problems with these flawed pkg's may be intermittent at first, but eventually fail completely/permanently.)

(added 8/4/2008)
"Well, on Friday night, I thought my NVidia 8600M GT had bitten the dust. After applying the latest security update on my MacBook Pro 17" 2.4GHz and rebooting, I faced a black screen. The laptop was still working just no video. I tried to hook an external monitor and there was no video signal. Rebooted a few times. Tried resetting the PRAM, no change. Since the laptop is provided to me by the company I work for, I reported my problem (I work from home and losing my laptop would be a catastrophe).

One of the tech's suggested that shut it down, connect an external monitor, turn it on and close the lid. Which I did and this time, I got a video signal on the external monitor. Since I had forgotten to plug an external keyboard and mouse, had to open the lid to shut it down. Well, upon opening the lid, the image came back on the internal LCD. Shut it down, disconnected the external monitor and turned it on. This time, the image appeared on the LCD. So, it looks I'm back in business for now but am still very suspicious.

Anyhow, thought you could maybe update that page with this additional trick that I didn't know about, even though I've been owning Macs for well over 20 years.
-Lauren"

I asked he report back if the problem reappears (i.e. was the 'fix' due to the chip cooling down, or just another odd/uncommon problem seen after an OS X update.) If anyone else finds this helps, let me know. This won't fix a case where the GPU has actually failed of course and there can be intermittent problems seen before a (hardware) failure - as Jim noted in his original report above, however at least one user (report just above this one) said this tip helped after he had no video following an OS X update.
If it's -not- related to the GPU failing (pkg separating, etc.), other things to try are clearing the nvram, checking for corrupt prefs/files, reinstall the update from download updater (via Target Disk mode if necessary), making sure you don't have any installed haxies, etc (that may not be compatible with the OS update).

(added 8/4/2008)
" Hi Mike, Just a quick update...

----------------------------------
From: Apple (do_not_reply@apple.com)
Date: August 1, 2008 5:00:21 PM CDT
Subject: Apple Mail-In Service Request

Dear James,
The repair of your MACBOOK PRO (17-INCH 2.4GHZ), is currently on hold, pending receipt of a needed part. We will notify you by email when the repair is complete.
Your repair status is available online.
Apple
----------------------------------"

(added 8/4/2008)
"Hello Mike, I'm the owner of a Santa-Rosa-MBP which was bought at 06/15/2007, a couple of days after the launch of the new MBP generation. I have the basic model with a 2.2 GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 120GB harddrive and a GeForce 8600M with 128MB VRAM.

For about a year I had only some small problems (at least I thought those problems are "small"), like freezing after waking the MBP from sleep (after hitting a key with no screen output or with a frozen screensaver and very high fan speed afterwards). My first opinion was that this was maybe related to ACPI (ACPI is very complicated, the current ACPI specification is a document with about 600 pages and Intel is researching a new hardware-based replacement to replace ACPI sometime in the future because ACPI got very difficult to implement over the time). In cases I had a freeze after waking the MBP from sleep I had to do a forced shutdown. In some rare cases, I had problems turning it on again (no reaction after pressing the power-button). Resetting SMC and PRAM did not solve the problem. My OSX-Tiger was OK in every aspect (latest patches and firmware installed, no damaged file-systems etc.).

Unlike many others I had no screen-flickering and no vertical lines, everything seemed OK. The quality of the display was very good.

Two days after I found first news reports about the NVIDIA issues, I had the problem again (freeze after waking it, no screen output and problems to restart it). This time I had no luck. I tried everything: SMC and PRAM reset. Booting from OSX-DVD and external disks. Removing and reconnecting the power-supply etc.

Then I gave up and decided to repair it through my Apple reseller. Because I had sensitive (private) data on the hard drive, I tested if target-mode was working, because it was a must to remove and overwrite the data before I gave the MBP out of my hands. I was very surprised to see that MBP worked absolutely flawless in target-mode. This was the last proof I needed to believe I had a problem with the NVIDIA GPU... To bad my warranty had run out a couple of weeks before :(

I told my reseller what I had found out. Apple repaired my MBP and I had it back about two weeks after sending it in. My reseller told me they had replaced the logic-board.

First tests with the repaired MBP are fine, it seems to work for the moment. I'm really doubtful the repair solved the NVIDIA problem permanently (I have not seen an official confirmation the problem is really related to the NVIDIA graphics). My guess is, the wake-up problems I had are in direct relation to the GPU problem. NVIDIA says is related to thermal fluctuations which are much more often in notebooks. If you put a notebook to sleep temperature decreases rather fast and if you wake it up temperature rises fast again... it's exactly what NVIDIA wrote the problem is about!

My MBP serial number is the same after repair as it was before (I noted the serial number months ago to have it in case the MBP would be stolen). Before repair I had the newest firmware installed (Boot-ROM-Version ending with .B07). After repair I had an older firmware (ending with .B05), so I guess the motherboard was really replaced although I'm not sure where the serial number is stored and if Apple can manipulate the serial number of a logic-board.

I'm not really happy how Apple handled this problem. Not a single line of official information. But dozens of users complaing about the problem in various forums. Dell and HP reacted very quickly and replace failing notebooks beyond their warranty.

I remember many cases of bad designed Apple products (remember the bad IDE chips in the Rev.1 B/W G3 (yes, noted here back in 1999 in article w/IDE chip P/N - I had one.-Mike) or the SATA problems with the 2003 G5's?). (Issue with some drives or the PCI/PCI-X slot/bus sharing?-Mike) In every case they gave no official information. I guess it's their policy to deny as long they can. Same thing which the DNS poisoning fix: No official information for weeks although a patch for BIND was available as source days after the disclosure of the problem. And even M$ was faster which a patch...

Maybe Apple has the most user friendly operating system and the most interesting hardware. But it terms of product quality and response to user complaints they are not the best. Maybe Steve Jobs should have a look at this and correct Apple's policy.
Regards, Christian V."

I wish Apple would comment about the flawed Nvidia GPUs (HP and Dell have - see links above), and if this does affect some production runs of MBPs that they list those and offer a warranty extension program.

(added 7/31/2008- from Jim that previously wrote (top of page above) about a failure a few days out of the 1yr warranty)
"Less than 48 hours after return of MBP, exact same failure repeats!
I am again sending my MBP to Apple for service.
-Jim"

(added 7/28/2008)
"I just wanna say that I had the same problem. My MBP died yesterday. I had similar symptoms every one is describing, but I thought it was software related. Unfortunately my MBP died 8 days after my warranty. Tomorrow I'm going to try to convince apple support in Poland that this my case is not alone and maybe they will help me.
-Jacek M."

(added 7/28/2008)
"Hi there, I just want to submit my crappy experience with NVIDIA's GPU, my MacBook Pro and its replacements. Not to be repetitive, so I'll just summarize what's happened throughout the use of TWO MacBook Pros (including one that had a logic board replacement).

1. MacBook Pro (2.2Ghz Merom/Santa Rosa/128MB VRAM)
- 3rd month of usage, NVChannel(GL) errors
- 5th month of usage, graphic texture corruption
- Did a logic board replacement. Service note onboard TEMP sensor faulty
- problem not fixed, texture corruption still happens, condition was even worse than it was before taken into service.
- brought it in for another service
- machine got screwed up by the service centre.

2. Replaced with MacBook Pro (2.4GHz Penryn/Santa Rosa/256MB VRAM)
Within 24 hours of opening the brand new machine.
- More random NVChannel(GL) and screen-freeze
- GeForce8xxx kext induced application crashes (in QuickTime)

Within 3 weeks since machine first arrived.
- Front Row texture corruption/system freeze
- this is where I'm at NOW.

Problem persisted even after SMC and PRAM resets, and clean re-installations. I have posted my issue as well as instructions to get people to try and replicate the issue but unfortunately it has been unsuccessful.

I also have a gallery full of NVIDIA crap to document all my blabbering.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28516734@N05/sets/72157606141870377/

I'm sick on waiting and replacing my logic board just to get the same fault coming back over and over again. A month's worth of downtime had cost me too much. I do hope some action to be taken by Apple as soon as possible before the consumer decides to take action into their own hands.
-Jay"

(added 7/28/2008)
"My 1-year-old MacBook Pro 2.2 GHz has been experiencing some weird video artifacts recently. I upgraded to Leopard about 6 weeks ago and honestly don't recall whether I had the video problems under Tiger.

The most common and irritating symptom is that text display becomes corrupt on slow or irregular scrolling. In this case moving another window on top of the text (or in some other way forcing a redraw) corrects the problem. Also when reloading web pages the entire window contents blinks and stutters with flashes of garbage on screen until the reload finishes. It's a little thing but distracting.

When I upgraded to 10.5.4 I began having problems with Parallels video display in Windows, as appeared to have been common. The most recent build of Parallels fixed this, EXCEPT that after being awakened from sleep the Windows display is corrupted with garbage in big blocks, and I've found no way to recover other than to hunt in darkness for the shutdown button and restart.

I have AppleCare and am on the fence about calling it in for a repair. Following this issue carefully to see whether Apple has a real fix or is just as perplexed as everyone else.
-Jeff B."

(added 7/28/2008)
"Read about the MBP graphic problems. I had the same thing happen to my 15" MBP. I bought my MBP (Santa Rosa board) at the end of june 2007. The screen went out at the end of april. Had to go to an Apple authorized technician (horror story as Apple doesn't pick up Macbooks anymore) and get the logicboard replaced. Since then it has worked but I got AppleCare just to be on the safe side for the next 2 years.
Regards, Robert"

(added 7/24/2008)
" Our MBP (std config 15in/2.5GHz/2X1GB RAM/250GB 5400rpm/512VRAM), purchased on line and shipped May 29 from Johnstown stock, failed after about two weeks. Started with screen artifacts and went to full lock up after a few days. Sometimes would boot after sitting for a day, sometimes not.

Took it to the genius bar mid June and they replaced it with one from their stock. This one has been flawless. Tech at the store said they had been getting back more than the usual number MBPs (rare). Disc drive and CPU worked fine in target disc mode, so thankfully they were able to transfer all our stuff to the machine.

I did not see any discussion on this topic in early June, except that the MBPs were said to be sold out in many places, which added some anxiety. But the local Apple store had a few.

I'll dig out the SNs if you need them. If I recall correctly, there was a significant difference, the replacement looked like a newer number.
-Sam"

(added 7/24/2008)
"I have a 17-inch MBP santa rosa, and I lost video and had a logic board replaced about 6 months after I took possession.
It was under AppleCare and the replacement gave me an upgrade from 2.4GHz to 2.6GHz. Seems to have been fine since.
-Derek"

(added 7/24/2008)
"I have been having a video issue that sounds similar to this. (No info on MBP model, series, when bought, etc. but I've asked.-Mike) Sometimes it is hard to tell by just a verbal description so I have managed to capture a sample of the problem I am having on my camera phone. I thought I would send you a sample of what is happening to me and maybe others can tell you if they are seeing the same thing I am. The flickering you see in the video is NOT from the camera phone, that is the way my screen looks. Feel free to post it (video) if you want.

I have a couple of other samples including on of the screen flickering in Single User mode so it is definitely a hardware or low level software issue.
-Craig"

(added 7/24/2008)
" After about 11 months I had a blank screen failure (computer clearly working behind the screen). Apple replaced the logic board but it happened again in about a week. Apple replaced it again* and, this time, the graphics diode runs about 15°F (not C?-Mike) cooler under a heavy video load, e.g., video skype. It turns out that 4 of 5 Apple laptops that I have owned (serially) over the past 15 years, have had at least one hardware failure.
(*Different people said different things to me about the source of the problem and the repair. I believe both repair sheets said the logic board was replaced.)
Love your site, Neil I.
(Apple system profiler info follows) Model Identifier: MacBookPro3,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.4GHz)
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP31.0070.B07
SMC Version: 1.16f10
Serial Number: W873ÉG

Chipset Model: GeForce 8600M GT
VRAM (Total): 256 MB
Vendor: NVIDIA (0x10de)
Device ID: 0x0407
Revision ID: 0x00a1
ROM Revision: 3175
Displays:
Color LCD:
Resolution: 1440 x 900"

(added 7/23/2008)
"I've just recently had the motherboard of my CD2 2.4GHz 15" MacBook Pro replaced because I was seeing similar problems. The screen would glitch out and it wasn't related to heat or software. The tech guys weren't able to reproduce the problem and all hardware passed inspection so it was only my word that they went on that there was something indeed wrong with my machine. Hope that this helps.
-Dave"

It would be nice if the MBP's graphics were a mini-PCIe card that could be replaced. (Many years ago I used a Dell Inspiron (8100 IIRC, thick slab design w/dual battery option) notebook at work that had mini-PCI based (upgradeable) video card.)

(added 7/23/2008)
"I had my 17" 2.4GHz MacBook Pro (original, not Santa Rosa) die on me on July 10. It was the same symptoms as what's been described elsewhere- the machine is completely functional with the exception of video- there is nothing on the built-in display or the DVI connector. I can shell in, and I can remote desktop in. Apple System Profiler reports the video subsystem to be an Intel GMA X3100 instead of the GeForce 8600M.

In my case, the machine was out of warranty by a month.

The failure was sudden: there were no artifacts or other video problems beforehand. I had been using the machine with the lid closed with an external LCD; I put it to sleep and took it to a meeting, and never got the video back. After I swapped the drive out with an older, spare machine to get myself back up and running, it powered up to have video once. I swapped the drives back, and it resumed its former, failed state and never came back again. I don't know if this is indicative of a loose solder point, or if it was just chance.

I'm hoping that Apple will acknowledge the problem and offer some sort of extended support on these systems; if not, I guess it will make a good headless server - after all, it's got a built-in UPS. ;) Thanks for running such a great site for all of these years!
-Matt"

(added 7/23/2008)
"Yes I did get the vertical lines thing. I was running FCP and the machine was extremely hot then all of a sudden these vertical bars appeared and went away after about 45 minutes. This MBP was only 10 days old then but has not failed since. Here are the specs of my video card. Hope it helps
Salutations, Denis C.
(Apple system profiler info (french))
GeForce 8600M GT:
Jeu de composants: GeForce 8600M GT
Type: Moniteur
Bus: PCIe
Longueur de la voie PCIe: x16
VRAM (totale): 256 Mo
Fournisseur: NVIDIA (0x10de)
Identifiant du peripherique: 0x0407
Identifiant de revision : 0x00a1
Revision de la ROM: 3212
Moniteurs:
Ecran LCD:
Type de moniteur: LCD
Resolution: 1440 x 900
Profondeur: Couleurs 32 bits..."

(added 7/23/2008)
"About the MBP video failure, I had a first Intel gen MacBook Pro 15". After the 14th month, the screen suddenly would only display 16 or 32 colors like an old macintosh. I first thought it was a software problem and went to system (display) preferences, but nothing to do.
At the time, a GPU failure was found, 800 euros to replace the mother board, I bought a new MBP instead...

Some months ago I checked it again to use it as a server and I discovered an external display was working fine, no color problem... so was it really the gpu? I probably won't know what happened!
Sincerely, Emilien"