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Backstory
It's a well-documented problem with Macbook Pro 2011 models that from 2014 onwards, the discrete GPUs that are automatically activated and deactivated (or whatever, I'm not going to pretend I know all the words) have started burning out, dieing and generally being a pain.
Last week it happened to mine, and after learning about the problem and figuring it out, I disabled (i.e. moved to the desktop) the AMD + ATI GPU driver files on my OSX partition, via single user mode, to prevent the discrete GPU from firing up at launch.
Result: my Macbook Pro lives on, powered by the integrated graphics.
The Problem
I now wish to boot up into my Windows 7 (Bootcamp-augmented) system, but when it starts, the screen cuts to black, signalling to me at least that it too is trying to utilise the dead discrete GPU.
Required help
So, without getting to the Win7 desktop, I need to somehow disable/delete/move whatever drivers/settings are allowing Windows 7 to use the discrete GPU, and force it to instead rely ONLY on the integrated graphics.
Is there a way to do this with a Win7 equivalent of Mac's single user/shell mode?
Key details / tl;dr
- Macbook Pro 2011; OS 10.8 and Win7 partitions
- Discrete GPU is bust; OSX relying on integrated graphics, Win7 still trying to use bust GPU
- Black screen on Windows 7 boot; no control
- How do I disable discrete GPU, force win7 to use integrated graphics, with no screen access to system?
yellow-saint
Posted 2014-06-16T21:39:19.417
Reputation: 265
You should start Windows in Safe Mode, open the Device Manager, uninstall the discrete GPU driver, and then disable the driverless device - for good measure.
– and31415 – 2014-06-16T21:59:56.660I too have a 2011 MBP with the discrete graphics problem. I have researched this issue enough to know that while you can have Mac OS X only use the integrated graphics, it is *impossible* to have Windows 7 on a Boot Camp setup only use the integrated graphics. I'm going to send mine out to a repair shop to have them install a new GPU - hopefully that plus the resoldering will permanently fix the problem. – pacoverflow – 2014-06-16T22:50:22.613
@pacoverflow Why is this? I didn't think Bootcamp was so deeply integrated with Win7. – yellow-saint – 2014-06-16T22:54:09.470
@and31415 I'll give that a try and report back, cheers. – yellow-saint – 2014-06-16T22:55:09.303
@J.B. It has to do with Boot Camp not exposing the fact that there's also an integrated graphics chip to Windows, so Windows only thinks there's a discrete graphics chip. While Mac OS X will sometimes use the integrated and sometimes use the discrete, Windows 7 on a Boot Camp setup will always use the discrete. – pacoverflow – 2014-06-16T22:57:07.023
@pacoverflow Presumably a non-bootcamp Win7 install could be a feasible workaround? – yellow-saint – 2014-06-16T23:11:21.383
@and31415 Unfortunately that didn't work, same response as with normal windows bootup. I'm guessing this relates to pacoverflow's information. – yellow-saint – 2014-06-16T23:16:58.250
@J.B. Apparently it is possible to install Windows on a MBP without Boot Camp and Mac OS X, see this question: http://superuser.com/questions/64842/how-do-i-install-a-64-bit-windows-7-on-a-macbook-pro-without-boot-camp. Please let us know how it goes if you try it!
– pacoverflow – 2014-06-16T23:29:56.667@pacoverflow I believe I successfully did this once. I think that'll be my only chance. I'll backup my files this evening and report back tomorrow. Thanks for the info! – yellow-saint – 2014-06-16T23:59:57.157
Unfortunately the Windows install disk also blacks out the screen, leading me to believe it comes with drivers ready to plug in. I'm putting this problem on hold as it isn't extremely urgent for me, but an answer could still be appreciated. – yellow-saint – 2014-06-17T14:52:39.270