Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Releases Graphics Firmware Update for 17" Unibody MacBook Pro

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,537
30,846


Apple today released MacBook Pro Graphics Firmware Update 1.0 for all users of the new unibody 17" MacBook Pro released in January.
This firmware update is recommended for all 17-inch MacBook Pro (Early 2009) users and addresses the appearance of vertical lines or distorted graphics on the notebook display.
Click to expand...
Apple's support document provides instructions on how to install the update and determine whether it successfully installs. The download weighs in at 770 KB.

Numerous users have reported in Apple's discussion forums and elsewhere problems with lines and distortion on the new models, and this update appears to be intended to address these issues.

Article Link: Apple Releases Graphics Firmware Update for 17" Unibody MacBook Pro
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2009/03/25/apple-releases-graphics-firmware-update-for-17-unibody-macbook-pro/
robeddie

robeddie

Suspended
Jul 21, 2003
1,777
1,731
Atlanta
Now if we can get a similar firmware update to fix the 'lines' issue that's occuring with some of the rev. b MacBook Airs ... that would be terrific!
 
N

NasserAE

macrumors member
Jan 29, 2009
41
12
robeddie said:
Now if we can get a similar firmware update to fix the 'lines' issue that's occuring with some of the rev. b MacBook Airs ... that would be terrific!
Click to expand...

And the flickering and horizontal lines problems with the Unibody MacBook and 15" MBP..
 
T

Thylacine

macrumors newbie
Mar 6, 2009
13
0
Hasn't fixed the pixel noise problem when using an external display

I was really glad to see Apple responding, but unfortunately it hasn't solved my flickering pixel noise problem when I hook up my 17" Unibody to a 30" ACD with the new Mini DisplayPort to Dual DVI adapter. I truly hope they address that next--it's bad. Here's a pic of what I mean: http://www.repeatpattern.com/snow.jpg
 
Scottsdale

Scottsdale

Suspended
Sep 19, 2008
4,473
283
U.S.A.
Thylacine said:
I was really glad to see Apple responding, but unfortunately it hasn't solved my flickering pixel noise problem when I hook up my 17" Unibody to a 30" ACD with the new Mini DisplayPort to Dual DVI adapter. I truly hope they address that next--it's bad. Here's a pic of what I mean: http://www.repeatpattern.com/snow.jpg
Click to expand...

That is just crazy! Go figure, I have a rev B MBA and tried the Mini Display Port/dual-link converter to a 30" ACD, and it was beautiful! It didn't look anything close to that.

Surely there is something wrong with the cable or your MBP??? Is this common with all unibody 17" MBPs?

Crazy!
 
The Red Wolf

The Red Wolf

macrumors regular
Apr 13, 2004
221
0
Occi Dens Pacifica
Rev A Cube

dagamer34 said:
Never buy first-gen hardware folks. You always pay for that premium with kinks and bugs.
Click to expand...

Really? Hmm. Radeon 32, Gigabit Ethernet removed after Rev A Cube AKA Trinity. Replaced by a nVidia MX card and TBase 100. Rev A iMac removed mezzanine port and the IR port. MacBook Pro went from the ATI 1600X to the nVidia 8600 which was flawed and not as proficient at Core Image as the ATI card which was supposedly "weak". Often times late rev models have far more dire circumstances than rev As. Oh and as for price premium... Look at the price of an 8 core MacPro over the previous gen... Hmmm, yea you pay more for Rev As? I don't think so.
 
C

commander.data

macrumors 65816
Nov 10, 2006
1,058
186
Wasn't there another Graphics Firmware update before for the other Unibodies that was pulled? Was it ever rereleased?
 
B

bob_the_gorilla

macrumors member
Jun 2, 2004
80
1
Derby, UK
Where's the one that solves similar issues with the craptastic 9400M in non-Pro MacBook models?!

(Okay, so the 9400M isn't craptastic, it's brilliant – it's the drivers that suck).
 
petermcphee

petermcphee

macrumors 6502a
Aug 20, 2008
631
0
That's something that I like about Apple v. Microsoft. When there is a problem reported, Apple is able to respond fairly quickly with a patch. This is likely a function of there being one hardware/software interaction problem rather than a billion possible problems caused by multiple interactions between multiple hardware combinations. This is where the tight control of hardware that Apple exercises really pays off.
 
T

Thylacine

macrumors newbie
Mar 6, 2009
13
0
Scottsdale said:
Can you select the graphics card you want to use when connecting to an external ACD? Does this only happen on the dedicated graphics card (9600)?
Click to expand...


It happens on both the 9400 and 9600. When I spoke to an Apple tech 2 weeks ago about this problem, he said to wait for a firmware update--so I had high hopes this afternoon!
 
S

Sir Cecil

macrumors 6502a
Mar 31, 2008
793
0
That was easy enough. Thanks Apple.
Glad I didn't waste my time returning two or three computers, only to end up having to use the very same update as all those who were patient for a couple of weeks.
 
Mark2000

Mark2000

macrumors regular
Oct 18, 2007
232
0
dagamer34 said:
Never buy first-gen hardware folks. You always pay for that premium with kinks and bugs.
Click to expand...

Other than some graphics issues that only occur when you seriously tax the graphics card (1080p movies running for hours, hardcore gaming) the 17" is pretty much perfect. I probably would have never seen the error myself. Plus the fix came within a month of discovery. Hardly a reason to hold back a purchase 6 months to a year.
 
K

koh-kun

macrumors newbie
Jan 30, 2009
11
0
I never knew about these issues because I never experienced them. I should download the upgrade just in case I guess.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom