www.cgcc.ca

Hi folks....

Any of you in Toronto know where to get an older (2011) MacBook Pro fixed? It works but the screen appears "dead". I did everything they say to do online (resetting this, resetting that, shine a light through the logo to see if its just the backlight, etc). All except re-installing the OS. (How the F do you do that without being able to SEE what you're doing??)

Anyways, I'm hoping it's a minor fix... I've become a bit of a fan of Louis Rossmann, so I've got my hopes up for a simple fix: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl2mFZ ... Lax4Yisf6w

... question is, where to take it that is honest, reliable, and fairly priced?

There's a place in Kitchener on King Street called "We Repair Macs" that's basically like the KW version of Louis Rossmann.
Just don't expect any help from Apple: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1339717187772

jasonec wrote:There's a place in Kitchener on King Street called "We Repair Macs" that's basically like the KW version of Louis Rossmann.

Love that guy!

jasonec wrote:Just don't expect any help from Apple: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1339717187772

Oh I don't. That's why I'm posting here and other places for recommendations. My screen stopped working right after an OS upgrade (Sierra to High Sierra). It's very suspicious. Could also just be a loose cable, or simple burnt out board component. There's no way I'm handing any money over to Apple, knowing they will suggest exhorbitant prices or buying a new one. (I paid nothing for this one!)

RayB wrote:I paid nothing for this one!

Nice! But I think you overpaid a bit.

If it's a 2007/2008 MacBook Pro, there was a known issue with the GPU where it would overheat and lift from the board. Had this issue with mine, had to remove the logic board and put it in the oven/heat the GPU with a heat gun to get it to reattach.

RayB wrote:My screen stopped working right after an OS upgrade (Sierra to High Sierra). It's very suspicious. Could also just be a loose cable, or simple burnt out board component.

Was the screen ever replaced previously? I remember an issue Louis Rossmann said on a few of his videos where Apple made an update that disabled the brightness on aftermarket screens. I forget which models he said were affected.

Gameguy wrote:

RayB wrote:My screen stopped working right after an OS upgrade (Sierra to High Sierra). It's very suspicious. Could also just be a loose cable, or simple burnt out board component.

Was the screen ever replaced previously? I remember an issue Louis Rossmann said on a few of his videos where Apple made an update that disabled the brightness on aftermarket screens. I forget which models he said were affected.

I saw a similar video from him where he was then selling screen inventory he could no longer use (with his autograph on it). Was that the one you're thinking of? I think that was newer 13".

To be honest, the same thought crossed my mind. I got this 17" MBP second-hand but barely used condition. It looked new and the internals 100% dust-free. It already had upgraded RAM and SSD from OWC. So who knows if the screen is original. It did konk out right after doing a Sierra to High Sierra update that I had held off doing for months. I had it updating on another desk in my office, forgot about it, then looked over and the screen was off. Never came back since.

Steps I've taken:
If I turn on the voice assistant, it "speaks" that the login screen is coming up, etc. I can log in and tab through app panels, etc. So the system works.

When I try to change the screen brightness the voice assist says "0% brightness". I tried the flash-light trick (shining it through the logo on the back of the cover) and I see nothing. If the screen itself were working and not the backlight, I should see the cursor or other things when doing this.

I tried an external monitor and that didn't seem to work (but then I never did that before, so i'm not sure if you're supposed to enable something in the system, or acknowledge a prompt or what).

I've done the various system, SMC and PRAM reset advice that 99% of the web pages out there say to do. No difference. Some pages keep saying "if none of these work, re-install the OS" but how the F*** do you do that when you can't see anything?

RayB wrote:

Gameguy wrote:

RayB wrote:My screen stopped working right after an OS upgrade (Sierra to High Sierra). It's very suspicious. Could also just be a loose cable, or simple burnt out board component.

Was the screen ever replaced previously? I remember an issue Louis Rossmann said on a few of his videos where Apple made an update that disabled the brightness on aftermarket screens. I forget which models he said were affected.

I saw a similar video from him where he was then selling screen inventory he could no longer use (with his autograph on it). Was that the one you're thinking of? I think that was newer 13".

To be honest, the same thought crossed my mind. I got this 17" MBP second-hand but barely used condition. It looked new and the internals 100% dust-free. It already had upgraded RAM and SSD from OWC. So who knows if the screen is original. It did konk out right after doing a Sierra to High Sierra update that I had held off doing for months. I had it updating on another desk in my office, forgot about it, then looked over and the screen was off. Never came back since.

Steps I've taken:
If I turn on the voice assistant, it "speaks" that the login screen is coming up, etc. I can log in and tab through app panels, etc. So the system works.

When I try to change the screen brightness the voice assist says "0% brightness". I tried the flash-light trick (shining it through the logo on the back of the cover) and I see nothing. If the screen itself were working and not the backlight, I should see the cursor or other things when doing this.

I tried an external monitor and that didn't seem to work (but then I never did that before, so i'm not sure if you're supposed to enable something in the system, or acknowledge a prompt or what).

I've done the various system, SMC and PRAM reset advice that 99% of the web pages out there say to do. No difference. Some pages keep saying "if none of these work, re-install the OS" but how the F*** do you do that when you can't see anything?

I think you should reinstall the OS.

RayB wrote:

Gameguy wrote:

RayB wrote:My screen stopped working right after an OS upgrade (Sierra to High Sierra). It's very suspicious. Could also just be a loose cable, or simple burnt out board component.

Was the screen ever replaced previously? I remember an issue Louis Rossmann said on a few of his videos where Apple made an update that disabled the brightness on aftermarket screens. I forget which models he said were affected.

I saw a similar video from him where he was then selling screen inventory he could no longer use (with his autograph on it). Was that the one you're thinking of? I think that was newer 13".

That's the main one I can think of, he did briefly mention the issue in a couple other videos of his. Mostly as unrelated talk while he was fixing something else. I don't really know much about Macs so I can't offer much other help or advice. I watch his videos as they're strangely entertaining.

jasonec wrote:I think you should reinstall the OS.

How do I down-vote a post in here?

RayB wrote:

jasonec wrote:I think you should reinstall the OS.

How do you down-vote a post in here?

That feature is only available if you are accessing this site from macOS

Mainly Mac https://www.mainlymac.ca/ in Markham does out of warranty repairs. They've serviced both my wife's Macbook and my iMac.

ericball wrote:Mainly Mac https://www.mainlymac.ca/ in Markham does out of warranty repairs. They've serviced both my wife's Macbook and my iMac.

That shop looks great - I love that they do it in their own place!