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Teclis

macrumors member
Original poster
May 19, 2008
43
0
Trondheim, Norway
I have gotten my hands on an m4 SSD by crucial, which I am going to install in my MBP at the cost of ditching the optical drive. I want to update the firmware on the new drive to version 0309. (Up from previous 0002.)

However, when I install it I am going for a clean reinstall of the entire system, so will the new firmware updates be erased from the SSD when I format it, or will the new updates still be ut to date? The reason for me asking is when I have no optical drive I will not be able to update the firmware, as the install must be done from a CD, and I have no external disc drives.
 

parapup

macrumors 65816
Oct 31, 2006
1,291
49
Reinstalling OS / formatting does not impact firmware updates for the SSD. So whatever update you do will stick around no matter what.
 

Lennyvalentin

macrumors 65816
Apr 25, 2011
1,431
793
Some (now quite old) harddrives could actually overwrite their own firmware in a low-level format operation; this because only some of the firmware was stored in a silicon chip ROM for cost (and upgradeability) reasons; the rest resided on a small section of the magnetic platters, and the firmware itself wasn't smart enough to exclude this section from a low-level format. :p

Thus customers ended up bricking their own drives by doing this. Thankfully the need/ability to low-level format disappeared soon afterwards because it's quite redundant in a modern harddrive that uses a closed-loop tracking servo instead of a mechanical stepper motor to move the head assembly.

Ancient trivia, no need to pay it any attention... */self shuffles off into the dusty shadows, muttering and mumbling about the kids today*

Normal service will now resume. :D
 
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