Correct System Firmware Version for MacBook Pro Mid 2012 (13 inch)

[oldmacs]

Hi all,

Does anyone know what System Firmware Version and SMC Version my Mid 2012 MacBook Pro (13 inch) should be running. System Report is showing:

System Firmware Version: 233.0.0.0.0

SMC Version (system): 2.2f44

According to research I've done, it should be running "421.0.0.0.0".

I'm rather confused, while I am running Big Sur, which isn't officially supported, I have run all the way from Yosemite 10.10 to Catalina 10.15 and have always installed all security updates.

Can anyone help me out here?
Thanks 🙂

 

[vince22]

Hi all,

Does anyone know what System Firmware Version and SMC Version my Mid 2012 MacBook Pro (13 inch) should be running. System Report is showing:

System Firmware Version: 233.0.0.0.0

SMC Version (system): 2.2f44

According to research I've done, it should be running "421.0.0.0.0".

I'm rather confused, while I am running Big Sur, which isn't officially supported, I have run all the way from Yosemite 10.10 to Catalina 10.15 and have always installed all security updates.

Can anyone help me out here?
Thanks 🙂

Just updated to 422.0.0.0. on my Mid 2012 Macbook Pro, currently running Monterey beta Open Core Legacy Patch (OCLP 0.24) will show spoof firmware and SMC version.




OCLP 0.24

 

[sgtaylor5]

https://eclecticlight.co/2020/11/16/which-firmware-should-your-mac-be-using-version-5/ may help.

 

[DeltaMac]

I have that 2012 13-inch MBPro, with Catalina installed.
Latest security update (2021-004) updated the firmware to 422.0.0.0.0

As you know, Big Sur does not support your MacBookPro9,2 - so any updates for that won't install a firmware update for an unsupported system. You would only get that by booting macOS, in a version that supports your Mac.
This would be a good task for booting to a prepared drive that you can occasionally use to install any released updates for Catalina, for example. And, firmware updates should "tag along" for the install. When updates are complete, swap the drives out. That will probably work by using a USB 3 external drive with a Catalina system installed. Boot to that external, do the installs to keep that up-to-date. If your firmware updates, then you don't have to perform minor surgery, just to check for updates. (I do the internal drive swap, because I think that is the most likely to always get the firmware update (if it is part of an update)

 

[oldmacs]

I have that 2012 13-inch MBPro, with Catalina installed.
Latest security update (2021-004) updated the firmware to 422.0.0.0.0

As you know, Big Sur does not support your MacBookPro9,2 - so any updates for that won't install a firmware update for an unsupported system. You would only get that by booting macOS, in a version that supports your Mac.
This would be a good task for booting to a prepared drive that you can occasionally use to install any released updates for Catalina, for example. And, firmware updates should "tag along" for the install. When updates are complete, swap the drives out. That will probably work by using a USB 3 external drive with a Catalina system installed. Boot to that external, do the installs to keep that up-to-date. If your firmware updates, then you don't have to perform minor surgery, just to check for updates. (I do the internal drive swap, because I think that is the most likely to always get the firmware update (if it is part of an update)

Thank you for this advice!

I am curious though, up until January this year I had Catalina on my machine - so I assume firmware updates were being installed - my current version (233.0.0.0.0) seems an awfully long way behind what you’ve got to only be 8 months behind!

 

[DeltaMac]

I don't recall the exact numerical sequence from one update to the next, but I know they don't usually go one step at a time, (you won't know the firmware version until you install it) and sometimes numbers after the primary will change, too (such as 233.180.4.0.0, or some such)
So, may have gone straight from 233.0.0.0.0 to 421.0.0.0.0 -- I just don't know what sequence is used for those firmware versions.
I have seen some (like this latest one) that update the firmware, even though it seems a fairly minor security update. Other times the update is provided in the latest full installer - so you could try that out. After you do a full install over the top of your existing system, you will then be offered a security update (and maybe other system updates), if that has not been rolled in to the full install.

 

[oldmacs]

I don't recall the exact numerical sequence from one update to the next, but I know they don't usually go one step at a time, (you won't know the firmware version until you install it) and sometimes numbers after the primary will change, too (such as 233.180.4.0.0, or some such)
So, may have gone straight from 233.0.0.0.0 to 421.0.0.0.0 -- I just don't know what sequence is used for those firmware versions.
I have seen some (like this latest one) that update the firmware, even though it seems a fairly minor security update. Other times the update is provided in the latest full installer - so you could try that out. After you do a full install over the top of your existing system, you will then be offered a security update (and maybe other system updates), if that has not been rolled in to the full install.

That makes sense -

Further research has shown that 233.0.0.0.0 which I have, was current as of Mojave 10.14.6 Security Update 2020-004 which was July 2020 - so perhaps that was the last time my Mac updated its firmware, so perhaps Apple didn't update the firmware between July 2020 and January 2021 when I went to Big Sur.

Is the SMC Version on your Mac also 2.2f44?

 

[DeltaMac]

Yes, your SMC is the same as mine, but then that doesn't change often, if at all.
And, your bootrom would not have changed when you upgraded to Big Sur, when your MBPro is not a supported Mac, so no updates since Big Sur would be quite normal.
As I posted above, you should only expect the firmware to be updated when you are booting from a supported system.

So, I don't keep track of firmware updates, but IIRC, there was a 234...., then a jump to 421...., then the latest 422....
There might be a separate firmware updater that you can download, but I have never looked for that, and, outside of those "hidden" in normal updaters, I think firmware updaters are only made available under unusual conditions.

 

[oldmacs]

As I posted above, you should only expect the firmware to be updated when you are booting from a supported system.

So, I don't keep track of firmware updates, but IIRC, there was a 234...., then a jump to 421...., then the latest 422....
There might be a separate firmware updater that you can download, but I have never looked for that, and, outside of those "hidden" in normal updaters, I think firmware updaters are only made available under unusual conditions.

Thanks - yeah I will be making an external Catalina boot drive to get the firmware update to install 🙂

My research found that Apple stopped distributing firmware updaters separately around 2015. Would be super convenient if they still did!!

 

[Audit13]

Thanks - yeah I will be making an external Catalina boot drive to get the firmware update to install 🙂

My research found that Apple stopped distributing firmware updaters separately around 2015. Would be super convenient if they still did!!

I know that retina MBPs will only update the firmware when installing or upgrading the OS to an internal drive. Not sure about the non-retina.

 

[rocknrotty]

Firstly, Thanks for the info you'all shared here. I now am in the process of updating firmware on my 3 2012 MBP's all i7's. I have one using OLCP 2.02 with Sonoma 14.7, and it is having panic attacks and crashing once a day. I will find out shortly if this is the answer to my issues, it has Firmware at MBP91.00D3.B0C. The other 2 have Firmware of 422.0.0.0.0 under Mojave, as was stated above. One of the Mojave machines at this time of writing after booting to Catalina 10.15.7 now has a Boot Rom version of 426.0.0.0.0.

 

[chrfr]

Firstly, Thanks for the info you'all shared here. I now am in the process of updating firmware on my 3 2012 MBP's all i7's. I have one using OLCP 2.02 with Sonoma 14.7, and it is having panic attacks and crashing once a day. I will find out shortly if this is the answer to my issues, it has Firmware at MBP91.00D3.B0C. The other 2 have Firmware of 422.0.0.0.0 under Mojave, as was stated above. One of the Mojave machines at this time of writing after booting to Catalina 10.15.7 now has a Boot Rom version of 426.0.0.0.0.

It's not booting to Catalina that updates the firmware- you actually need to run the installer, and then you need to install all the security updates available for Catalina to get the latest firmware available for the 2012 MBP. 429.0.0.0.0 is the latest.

 

[rocknrotty]

It's not booting to Catalina that updates the firmware- you actually need to run the installer, and then you need to install all the security updates available for Catalina to get the latest firmware available for the 2012 MBP. 429.0.0.0.0 is the latest.

Thanks for that info. When I try to install on the Mac with OLCP it comes back with "this OS is too old to install on this machine" Or close to that. I am making a clean installation on an external, then I will boot the OLCP from that and do another install on another external to try to force a firmware update. Is that logical?

 

[Audit13]

Based on my personal experience, doing a clean install with the latest official OS for my MacBooks did upgrade the firmware to the latest release but the install had to be done to an internal drive. I use Mist to create a USB installers for various releases of macOS.

 

[chrfr]

Thanks for that info. When I try to install on the Mac with OLCP it comes back with "this OS is too old to install on this machine" Or close to that. I am making a clean installation on an external, then I will boot the OLCP from that and do another install on another external to try to force a firmware update. Is that logical?

You need to do a clean installation, and almost certainly on an internal disk. You don't need OCLP to install a supported OS on this computer.

 

[rocknrotty]

Just a quick Thank You to all here. 👍
MBP 2012 now on latest firmware and security updates. Running OCLP 2.1.0 with 14.7.1, all sleep issues, and panic attacks gone. Been stable for 2 days now. Running around 50C with 32" second Samsung monitor, 6 Finder windows open, Firefox with 54 tabs open, Word, Mail, contacts and preview also. Thanks again.