Improving heat management after macbookpro 2011 discrete GPU fix, also a script to automate part of the fix process
Taken from StackExchange
Thanks to LangLangC
NOTE: This is experimental; works for some people, not for others
Improved thermal and power management
Open Terminal.app
Create login hook folder for thermal and power management
sudo mkdir -p /Library/LoginHook
Create login hook file
sudo nano /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh
Add folowing contents when nano opens
#!/bin/bash
kextload /System/Library/Extensions-off/AMDRadeonX3000.kext
pmset -a force gpuswitch 0 # undocumented/experimental
exit 0
Use
ctrl + o
to save andctrl + x
exit
Make it executable
sudo chmod a+x /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh
Register login hook
sudo defaults write com.apple.loginwindow LoginHook /Library/LoginHook/LoadX3000.sh
Reboot normally
Check that proper kexts exist
kextstat | grep AMD
The command above should display
... com.apple.kext.AMDLegacySupport (1.5.1) ...
... com.apple.kext.AMD6000Controller (1.5.1) ...
... com.apple.kext.AMDSupport (1.5.1) ...
... com.apple.kext.AMDLegacyFramebuffer (1.5.1) ...
And this
... com.apple.AMDRadeonX3000 (1.5.1) ...
should also appear on the list
Reboot normally
Boot into single user recovery by pressing on boot
Command + r + s
Modify NVRAM
nvram boot-args="-v agc=0"
Reboot
reboot
Script ot make part of the process automatic
Open terminal
Create script
sudo nano /force-iGPU-boot.sh
Add contents
#/bin/sh
sudo nvram boot-args="-v"
sudo nvram fa4ce28d-b62f-4c99-9cc3-6815686e30f9:gpu-power-prefs=%01%00%00%00
exit 0
Make exectuable
sudo chmod a+x /force-iGPU-boot.sh
When booting into single user mode (Cmd + r or CMD + r + s
) use
sh /force-iGPU-boot.sh
I think the 2011 i7 variant on the 13in is dual core rather than quad core. 2011 15in and 17in is quad core.
I think you may cause more problems by removing that resistor. I think it is required in order for the backlight to turn on from sleep. That may only apply to high Sierra but I would do a lot of research before you remove that resistor if I were you. Also look into screen brightness control issues.
Incidentally, my 2011 MBP 15&17s have never rewritten NVRAM unless I hold down the reset keys but I'm not sure if losing power via completely flat battery can reset NVRAM.
Something else I just remembered: re-enabling CSR util (system integrity) after applying CDLeon's fix will stopped the fix from holding. If you had problems with the fix you may want to try leaving that disabled and see what happens.