EFI Firmware Update Brings Lion Internet Recovery to Mid-2010 13-Inch MacBook Pro [Updated]

[MacRumors]

As noted in our forums, Apple today pushed out a new firmware update specifically targeting users of the company's Mid-2010 13-inch MacBook Pro model. The new MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.5 brings compatibility with Lion Internet Recovery, allowing users of OS X Lion to reinstall the operating system from scratch on a brand-new hard drive without the need for physical recovery media.

About MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.5

This update enables Lion Recovery from an Internet connection on MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2010) models.

For more information about Lion Recovery, please visit this website: http://www.apple.com/macosx/recovery/.

The update has not yet appeared on Apple's support downloads site, but weighs in at a small 2.9 MB for the user who posted the Software Update screenshot.

Lion Internet Recovery debuted alongside OS X Lion on new MacBook Air and Mac mini models introduced last July. The feature adds a minimal bootable install onto a machine's firmware to allow it to connect the Internet and download the full Lion operating system for installation. OS X Lion by default installs a recovery partition on the machine's hard drive for this purpose, but for users who are installing a blank hard drive or whose recovery partition becomes inaccessible, Internet Recovery provides yet another fallback option for Lion installation.

Following the July introduction of Internet Recovery on the current MacBook Air and Mac mini models, Apple extended the feature in mid-September to the then-current Early 2011 MacBook Pro models that had been released in February 2011. One month later Apple brought the feature to Apple's current-generation iMac line, leaving only the aging Mac Pro without support for Internet Recovery.

With today's firmware update, Apple has for the first time reached back to a previous-generation model to bring Lion Internet Recovery to the 13-inch MacBook Pro that was offered from April 2010 through February 2011.

Update: Users are also reporting that similar EFI firmware updates are available for the Mid-2010 white MacBook and the Mid-2010 Mac mini.

Article Link: EFI Firmware Update Brings Lion Internet Recovery to Mid-2010 13-Inch MacBook Pro [Updated]

[wordoflife]

I'm so delighted to hear this! Nice to see that Apple is still catching up it's older users with new features. This was really one of the features I really liked about the newer Macs. Makes installing 10.7 so much easier.


Time to go update my MBP 13" 2010.

[MacAddict2000]

That's awesome considering I don't own a 15-inch from 2010.

Oh wait.

[kevmo]

No Mid-2010 17-Inch love? Bummer.

[AppleFanatic10]

There's also one for the Mid-2010 White Macbook.

[weegrim]

And on 2010 Mac Mini.

[rikscha]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Originally Posted by MacAddict2000

That's awesome considering I don't own a 15-inch from 2010.

Oh wait.

I can only hope they will provide us with that handy update.

[rikscha]

delete pls

[marcusj0015]

So... They're slowly bringing Internet Recovery to all supported Macs?

[lostngone]

Originally Posted by kevmo

No Mid-2010 17-Inch love? Bummer.

I have a MacBookPro6,1(17-Inch) and no joy for me as well

[WillFisher]

Dammit, I recovered SL then Lion about 3 days ago because I didn't have a spare HDD or Memory stick to whack Lion onto!
Darn me and my timing eh...

[rangen]

why would the 13" MBP get the update and not the 15 & 17?

[tblrsa]

Originally Posted by rangen

why would the 13" MBP get the update and not the 15 & 17?

I guess you just need to be a bit patient. I´m pretty sure Apple will roll out the Update for those models too. Otherwise it wouldn´t make much sense to provide it in the first place.

[sanke1]

I want to be able to boot into windows 7 installation using a pen drive on my Mid 2010 15" MBP. Technically it should be capable isn't it?

[Squuiid]

Yep, as posted above, the Mac Mini 2010 gets an update too. Just installed and all looks good.

[johnnymg]

Installed and it appears to work OK.

[LimeiBook86]

Apple is updating features on an older machine?! Oh happy day!

It's rare that they do something like this except for a security flaw. But of course I'm very happy that they are doing this. They probably won't go back that farther, but it's a wonderful feature to have if you have a compatible Mac. I'm all for Apple doing this more often. Especially because they seldom care about previously released hardware when new software comes around.

[tblrsa]

Originally Posted by LimeiBook86

Apple is updating features on an older machine?! Oh happy day!

It's rare that they do something like this except for a security flaw. But of course I'm very happy that they are doing this. They probably won't go back that farther, but it's a wonderful feature to have if you have a compatible Mac. I'm all for Apple doing this more often. Especially because they seldom care about previously released hardware when new software comes around.

I agree. We pay a lot of money for their products, so seeing them supporting older machines is great, and will make me consider buying more of their new products in the future.

[borisiii]

Originally Posted by LimeiBook86

Apple is updating features on an older machine?! Oh happy day!

It's rare that they do something like this except for a security flaw. But of course I'm very happy that they are doing this. They probably won't go back that farther, but it's a wonderful feature to have if you have a compatible Mac. I'm all for Apple doing this more often. Especially because they seldom care about previously released hardware when new software comes around.

It took Apple 3.5 months but, in July 2010, they brought scrolling with inertia to older MacBooks, after initially making it exclusive to 2010 models. They do generally roll back features like this when the hardware supports it; they just don't hurry about it!

I'm less optimistic about my 2008 unibody MacBook (which originally shipped with Leopard) receiving this update though, even though it fully supports all of Lion's features...

[haggisman]

I wounder if Apple is planning to support HDMI audio on older MBP models using a similar "reach back" approach? I have a late 2009 MB Pro 13" model and it's a right pain in the posterior to have to connect a separate audio cable when you want to play a movie on your TV using a miniport to HDMI adapter. video and audio through the same cable would be awesome!

Or can this even be potentially done in firmware, or is it dependent on the hardware itself?

Scotty

[AriX]

Nice of Apple to do this. They didn't have to. Hopefully they'll extend it to 15/17-inch soon!

Isn't this effectively free Lion for anyone who bought a Mac since mid-2010?

[N10248]

Does anyone know if this update removes the ability to install Snow Leopard?

[Mr. Retrofire]

Originally Posted by AriX

Isn't this effectively free Lion for anyone who bought a Mac since mid-2010?

Probably not. I'm sure it requires Lion.

Originally Posted by N10248

Does anyone know if this update removes the ability to install Snow Leopard?

On Early-2011 MBPs (Snow Leopard 10.6.6 and 10.6.7), you can install Snow Leopard after the firmware update which enables Lion Internet Recovery. I tested this. I assume it is the same for the 2010 models.

[Yebubbleman]

Interestingly enough, while I was able to update my dad's Mac mini (Mid 2010) with the Mac mini EFI Firmware Update 1.5, it doesn't appear on Apple's support page nor its download pages at all. Same for 2.5 for the Mid 2010 13" MacBook Pro and 2.1 for the Mid 2010 White MacBook. It's like it's a Software Update exclusive or something.

In the meantime, I wonder if I'll be able to figure out a way to apply the update on my Mac mini Server without installing Lion...

Does anyone know if the Late 2010 11" MacBook Air has one too? I'm seeing my stepdad on Saturday and, given that he just upgraded this machine to Lion from Snow Leopard, I get the feeling that such a firmware update will be a good thing for him to have.

[Carlanga]

Sigh... I guess no love for my late 2007 white 13 MacBook... Shame on you apple shame!
LMAO