1

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
  • 276

3 Answers3

1

install Parallel desktop and run your windows in it by adding your bootcamp system. You can run Parallel desktop with integrated graphics only.

bobfreyes
  • 11
0

I managed to disable my AMD GPU by starting windows and getting to system and security -> device manager -> display adapters -> and then right clicking on my AMD Radeon HD and hitting 'disable'. The maximum resolution has been reduced from 1680x1050 to 1400x900, but that's ok! I have a late 2011 MacBook Pro with the same soldering problem. Good luck with these instructions!

Jamie Eccleston
  • 1
-1

Sucks to hear about your graphics controller! You can run Windows 7 using the default Microsoft Standard VGA driver.

Here's how to rip out the discrete graphics controller:

  1. F8-Boot Windows 7 and choose safe mode.
  2. Go to Device Manager and double-click your display driver (ATI or nVidia depending on your Mac.
  3. Choose the Driver tab and hit update Driver.
  4. Hit Browse my computer for driver software.
  5. Hit Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
  6. Choose the Microsoft Standard VGA Graphics Adapter (you may have to uncheck show compatible hardware and drill down to it manually.
  7. Hit next, then close, and restart normally.

That should do it.

NOTE: When running in BIOS emulation mode, Apple completely masks out the Intel GPU hardware so only the discrete hardware is seen. When running in EFI mode, Apple maps the I/O ranges into the same address space for both adapters, and their ACPI/EFI implementation is incomplete. Long story short, it is not physically possible to use the Intel GPU in Windows on Macs that have discrete graphics -- period. Not through BootCamp, not through a manual Win7 install, and not though an EFI boot either.

Wes Sayeed
  • 14,102