Hi,
I try to start to life again a MacBook Pro from around 2012 (model A1286).
What I observe:
It won’t reach login page (even with combination like Option/Cmd/R or Option/Cmd/Shift at boot time).
Display is blurred with thin vertical lines then freezes on a light grey empty screen.
Alternatively, I can start with the “mappemond logo”/Network selection but not further than this screen.
If I start from a bootable USB disk, I get a blurred screen and it freezes just the same.
I’d like to find a way to make a correct diagnostic of the situation: screen problem? video card problem? Something else? But I don’t know how to start this kind of checkup.
Your 15" MacBook Pro is a late 2011 model that were known for having the NVIDIA GPU failure. Since Apple placed this model on their Vintage list, repair would have to be done by yourself or a 3rd party source. Expect to spend up to $600US.
What I see from your photos is what happens when the GPU is failing. You may also see Pink and Blue vertical bands on the screen. Eventually your computer will not boot.
Time for a new (or newer to you) computer. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
When Apple was able to repair that model… the logic board ran $450 + labor and tax. Now that the logic board is no longer available from Apple, 3rd party resellers are charging up to $700 for it. I heard rumors of a company claiming they can repair the logic board for half that. Skeptical is my opinion. I do not know the name of same company. Perhaps someone else here is familiar with them.
I just recycled my 2008 17" MBP for a bad logic board as it didn’t makes sense to keep it going. Both financially and software related any longer.
While I have replaced mbp logic boards, I have no experience with this particular machine. Of the ones I have replaced, there was no soldering involved but there are a lot of connectors to remove and keep track of. If you break one of these connectors you have probably doubled the required effort.
I found several videos explaining the replacement and, since I found no repair shop I contacted who offer that kind of servicing, I’ll look to a board on eBay and take the plunge myself.
But there are many different MacBook Pro 15" with an A1286 (from 2008 to at least 2012). Any idea how I can find the specific version I use? Is it on the logic board itself? Or is there a database somewhere with a key to identify the version? I found this one but I’m still puzzled.