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Apple Releases Fix for MacBook Pro Hard Drive Issues

MacMan86 said:
Had hoped the update would apply to my June 09 MBP with a 7,200rpm, 320GB drive which has random freezing with the spinning ball, but it doesn't, so I'm not sure where that leaves me. I suppose a reinstall :(
Click to expand...

Same here, I put in an existing Western Digital 320GB 7200rpm drive in my newly purchased June 09 13" MBP, but I just ran software update, no firmware fix for me it seems. Every once in a while, I get a spinning beach ball...
 
kashkha said:
You may already have the firmware. I had my MBP from june replaced 2 weeks ago, and it already had the new firmware pre-installed. In system profiler it should say 0007APM2 under "Revision" for your HDD.
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Correct, it does. I already have the updated firmware.
 
if you know that you have the same model number drive that this firmware fixes and it's possible to extract the firmware with Pacifist, is there a way to install it yourself?
 
i have the factory installed 7200rpm 500GB(seagate 7200.4) hdd in my june mbp

while this firmware seen to have fixed the beeping noise, i run xbench and my disk drive performance has taken a dive

before the update i was constantly getting about 50, now i get scores ranging from <20 to 45:mad:
 
i use to get the occasional brief system freezes on my standard 13 inch MBP with 160 GB HDD, but it just randomly stopped after a few weeks
 
Great I thought... a fix to the freezing... wrong

When I heard a week or so back that Apple was working on a fix, I was pleased. Even the happy colored ball made me feel, well, perhaps a little happy (in the knowledge that the totally annoying issue would be fixed soon). Not to be. Having just eagerly downloaded the Firmware Update, it informs me that "This computer does not need this update". Message to Apple... yes it does. F#%k!
 
So next on the list of things to do would be:

Actually fix this issue in other machines.

Get 64bit kernels running on all compatible machines (not a huge deal, but embarrassing enough)

and get some freaking usable drivers for Windows!!!
 
Apple needs to hire a new batch of developers. I swear should have fixed this a long time ago then wait months down the road. Pathetic.
 
Hmmm...

My MacBook Pro was upgraded to a Seagate Momentus 500GB 5400.6 drive and I've experienced one complete system freeze and four on my previous drive (320GB 5400.5)

I'm not sure what exactly the conflict is between the hard drives' sensor protection and the Mac's, but I tried 'simulating' a fall by pulling the machine down (carefully) in my hands, which clearly made the read/write head retract (made a cool noise) and it instantly returned to its normal position without a freeze... Strange.

The new drive seems a lot better, doesn't have as bad a problem as this update is addressed for, and the only freeze was whilst running Vista so I didn't give a crap. :p
 
TuffLuffJimmy said:
So next on the list of things to do would be:

Actually fix this issue in other machines.

Get 64bit kernels running on all compatible machines (not a huge deal, but embarrassing enough)

and get some freaking usable drivers for Windows!!!
Click to expand...

Well, even the machines which are compatible with K64 won't be running K64 for a long time. No 3rd party kexts are ready for K64 yet. And Apple NEVER promised K64 as default on SL. Only 64 bit GUI apps. They'll probably switch to K64 with 10.7 and people who want to experiment until then may do so on their own.
 
My ST9500420ASG didn't need this update, but the firmware is 0002SDM1 so perhaps it isn't affected at all? Or maybe there is some strange incompatibility in SATA 3G speeds, my older MBP has the normal 1.5G bus speed and it has had zero issues.
 
update worked great for me :) good thing I stick to my Apple products and not aftermarket goods

p.s. there is a reason the Apple charges a lot for their upgrades...(whisping) they are covered under their warranty and will get the all updates that are needed, thats what you are paying for. And let me tell you...it is well worth paying more to have Apple cover it.

and I would much rather have it take a while and have it done right, then having it rushed and ruining my drive, it was well worth the wait

thanks  for not spending all your money on advertising, and actually fixing your machines, and then after all that you still put up with people who complain :) you're my hero :)
 
Seems like still no fix for people who bought the Seagate 500GB 7200 drive only because it was "not purchased through Apple". Same dammmm drive.
 
andy721 said:
Apple needs to hire a new batch of developers. I swear should have fixed this a long time ago then wait months down the road. Pathetic.
Click to expand...

If this is indeed a hard drive firmware update, then it would be Seagate that developed the fix. Apple simply packaged the update so that it could be deployed and installed to affected OS X systems.

So, the development would be by Seagate. Two months for an update to such critical code is really rather good. There would have to be an enormous amount of testing by Seagate (and Apple on the installation side) to ensure that the update didn't do more harm than good.

You don't play fast-and-loose when it comes to the code which controls a user's hard drive...
 
I bought my MBP in March, CTO with a 7200rpm drive - model ST9320421ASG. I've had this problem since day one, but this fix doesn't apply to this model drive apparently, despite the fact it was sold and installed by Apple. It's not showing up on Software Update, and downloading it and trying to install it manually gives me the message that this computer doesn't need the fix, same as others are getting.

This is seriously frustrating as I thought this fix would solve the problem.
 
Is it technically possible that I experience the same problem with my Unibody (1st generation) and a X-25 Intel SSD? No clicking noise, of course, but the described "short system freezings / spinning beachballs" in this thread matches exactely my experiences, too. (Which weren't present with the stock HDD drive I had before). Could this problem be caused by the same source (on the computer's side) or is it a special Seagate/7200 HDD problem? I guess the second, but I'd like to be sure, therefore I ask. Can't install the update, because - as other's already reported here - it isn't made for my model and therefore won't install ...

EDIT: After having read the article again, I'm sure it CANNOT be the same problem.
 
Dear All,

This was a real and good Fix. Problem is solved. Used my Macbook over 8 hours already with Logic Pro 9, and the very annoying freezings and click's are gone! The machine feels faster and snappier without those hick-ups.

I am very happy!

With kind regards,
Bas
 
just a question. does the clicking sound and stuff apply only to the seagate or western digital 7200rpm harddrives? or all 7200rpm drives?

im intending to upgrade my HD to a 500GB 7200RPM (hitachi i think). will i encounter the same problem? cos if it does, im gonna think twice about it. i dont wanna splash 100-odd dollars and get my mac to freeze up more often than not.
 
zenithtop said:
i have the factory installed 7200rpm 500GB(seagate 7200.4) hdd in my june mbp

while this firmware seen to have fixed the beeping noise, i run xbench and my disk drive performance has taken a dive

before the update i was constantly getting about 50, now i get scores ranging from <20 to 45:mad:
Click to expand...

OMG! The update turned everything back to SATA I ?????? HAHAHAHAHA:eek:
 
How about releasing a fix for the 13" Unibody MacBook freezing issue with 4GB of ram? That would be great because it's getting tiresome to have to do a force quit and restart twice a day. I guess I can take it in so a "genius" can throw a logic board at the problem which may or may not be the exact same type of logic board with the same problem.
 
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