PowerMac G5 Firmware Update?

[MacRumors]

ThinkSecret reports (http://www.thinksecret.com/news/g5firmware.html) that Apple is working on firmware updates to the PowerMac G5 which should provide some minor enhancements. The update is to be available for download when complete.

[TomSmithMacEd]

I have no reason to comment, besides to say that I'm the first and that would be nice if I could care about this meaning that I would have a G5.

[arn]

this is not very exiting stuff... hence Page 2.

arn

[Freg3000]

Ok, how about a question then....:)

How does new firmware "enhance" the G5? Does that mean it will magically become faster with this update?

[crees!]

Originally posted by Freg3000
Ok, how about a question then....:)

How does new firmware "enhance" the G5? Does that mean it will magically become faster with this update?

Why would "enhancement" mean the machine will be "faster"? Plain old added functionality is an enhancement in its self.

[TylerL]

Originally posted by arn
this is not very exiting stuff... hence Page 2.
Speak for yourself :p

[ITR 81]

I wonder if this has anything to due with new processors rumored to come out in Jan or Feb.

[arn]

Originally posted by Freg3000
Ok, how about a question then....:)

How does new firmware "enhance" the G5? Does that mean it will magically become faster with this update?

"Sources said it will fix a security issue and enhance fan behavior in Open Firmware. The update will also provide some performance improvements to PCI-X configurations."


I wonder if this has anything to due with new processors rumored to come out in Jan or Feb.

Nope... firmware is updated from time to time irrespective of processor updates,

arn

[yamabushi]

Sound like really good updates. Not sexy, but solid. Good news.

[tny]

Originally posted by arn
Nope... firmware is updated from time to time irrespective of processor updates,

Yes, they wouldn't post firmware *updates* if they had new processors, because the firmware on the new processor machines would already have support for their processors.

[tedjac]

I noticed that the firmware on the new Dual 1.8 G5s is a later version... and I also notivced that the Dual 1.8 G5 is very fast... according to xBench scores, only 4% - 8% slower than most Dual 2 G5s. I wonder if this could have something to do with the newer firmware version in the Dual 1.8s? I guess we'll have to wait and see if we see any speed improvements from the upcoming firmware update.

[Makosuke]

It seems unlikely that a firmware change would have any effect on processor speed, since that's just not a department that, as far as I understand, the firmware has much to do with.

It'd be more likely, as the article said, to do things like change the way the firmware-controlled fans run or change the way the firmware handles multiple PCI-X devices--these are things that might be controlled by firmware code instead of the OS.

[Bob Crabtree]

Anyone running a G5 with auto update will be able to get it now.

(I didn't think to remember the size - and don't seem able to find it in download manager or anywhere else - but it was either 1MB something or 3MB something).

The information provided prior to download is little different from that described in this thread and on the thinksecret site:
http://www.thinksecret.com/news/g5firmware.html

So, it's hard to know what to say about it.

Oh, and there's still no download link available if you just search Apple's site.

Bob C

[Bob Crabtree]

First, I'm running a dual G5 - so it may have been a stupid assumption that all G5 users will find that an update is available.

Once the update (V5.1.4) is installed, it's reported by System Profile as f5.14f0.

It's hard to know what to say about it until I've run a few tests, which I'll try to do through the day on Tuesday.

I could find nothing about it on Apple's site - contrary to what the readme file says:
===========
This firmware update provides changes for initializing and running your Power Mac
G5.

It provides some performance improvements for some PCI-X configurations, patches a security hole and improves fan behavior in Open Firmware.

To upgrade the firmware on your Power Mac G5, read through the instructions below. You can print them so they are available while you upgrade your firmware.

1. Save changes to open files and then quit all other open applications, if necessary.

2. Click Shut Down in the Firmware Update window to start the update. Wait for your computer to shut down, quit any applications and save changes if necessary.

3. Press and hold in the Power button until you hear a long tone.

4. Release the Power button when you hear the tone.

The firmware updater starts automatically.

A status bar shows the progress of the
update. You may see more than one status bar.

After the update is complete, your system restarts automatically. When a message says your computer's firmware has been successfully updated to version 5.1.4, the
update process is finished.

Note: If these instructions are shown again after the machine starts up, please review the instructions and begin the update process again.

For more information, see www.apple.com/support
======================

Bob C

[Bob Crabtree]

The only obvious thing I was able to check was the fan behaviour when copying Mac to Mac Via FireWire in Target Disk Mode - using 1394a (FireWire 400).

I had noticed the other day - it would have been hard not to - that as Target Disk Mode transfers progress (with the G5 slaved to my G3), it seemed as though ALL the fans in the G5 came on at FULL speed - making a seriously loud noise!

That would have made it the loudest desktop PC I'd ever heard, had it not been the case that I'd previously heard a mirror-door G4 start up in OS 9 - a noise that's, understandably, been likened to a Jumbo jet taking off.

That problem with the mirror door G4 was largely cured by a firmware update, as I recall, and this seems to have been the case with the G5, too - I've just run some further Target Disk Mode tests, after having installed the update, and the fan noise problem is no longer there.

Bob C