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Apple Releases MacBook Pro Firmware Update to Address SATA Interface Speeds

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Last week, we reported on a discussion in our forums regarding Apple's apparent downgrade of the SATA hard drive interface to 1.5 Gbps in the latest 13" and 15" MacBook Pros when compared to previous-generation MacBook Pros running at 3.0 Gbps. While users were unlikely to max out the 1.5 Gbps transfer rate unless they had installed an aftermarket fast solid state drive (SSD), concern remained about Apple's decision to scale back the interface speed.

Apple today addressed the issue with the release of MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7, which allows the new MacBook Pros to utilize the full 3.0 Gbps interface.
MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7 addresses an issue reported by a small number of customers using drives based on the SATA 3Gbps specification with the June 2009 MacBook Pro. While this update allows drives to use transfer rates greater than 1.5Gbps, Apple has not qualified or offered these drives for Mac notebooks and their use is unsupported.
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Full details on the update are located in the associated support document, and instructions for installing the update are included in the update application package. The update weighs in at 3.35 MB and requires OS X 10.5.7.

Article Link: Apple Releases MacBook Pro Firmware Update to Address SATA Interface Speeds
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2009/06/22/apple-releases-macbook-pro-firmware-update-to-address-sata-interface-speeds/
MacDawg

MacDawg

Moderator emeritus
Mar 20, 2004
19,823
4,503
"Between the Hedges"
TwinCities Dan said:
Awesome! All those complaints just went "Poof"! :p :cool:
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There will be something new to complain about

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
K

kolax

macrumors G3
Mar 20, 2007
9,181
115
I'm sure this was a mistake to begin with - something that was overlooked. At least I hope it was..

Good that it is resolved now.
 
dagamer34

dagamer34

macrumors 65816
May 1, 2007
1,359
101
Houston, TX
Peace said:
So basically Apple dumbed down the 3.0 interface because they don't sell 3.0 hard drives..Makes sense. Too bad people got in such an un-needed uproar.
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That's odd though, as I am sure even the optional SSD upgrades that Apple sells could saturate a 1.5Gbps SATA I connection.

Oh well, that situation is resolved. I wonder how fast the Wikipedia page will change to reflect that...
 
parapup

parapup

macrumors 65816
Oct 31, 2006
1,291
49
Woo Hoo

Could not come at a more appropriate time! (Off to updating - I had an intuition they would fix it when I bought my wife the new MBP 2 days ago :) )
 
Eidorian

Eidorian

macrumors Penryn
Mar 23, 2005
29,190
386
Indianapolis
Peace said:
Sounds like the opposite according to Apple :

"While this update allows drives to use transfer rates greater than 1.5Gbps, Apple has not qualified or offered these drives for Mac notebooks and their use is unsupported."
Click to expand...
So we've never gotten SATA II drives with Apple branding on them?
 
xlii

xlii

macrumors 68000
Sep 19, 2006
1,867
121
Millis, Massachusetts
This is good news. Apple listened to the end users. Those with new SSDs can now run unfettered. Those of use who might someday upgrade to a SSD can now buy knowing the MBPs will run at the SATA current Spec.
 
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