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EFI Boot Menu

Tangerine

Tangerine

macrumors regular
Original poster
Can anyone tell me if this software is safe to use? http://refit.sourceforge.net/

I have been holding option key down every time to boot into Windows, and it makes more sense if a menu just come up and choose an OS. However, after reading more about it. I think it modified the EFI boot hardware? It is safe?
 
What's wrong with the Boot Camp interface that you don't like? How much easier would a menu be, than simply clicking on the drive you want? You can even use your arrow keys to select a drive and then hit Return/Enter.
 
TheSpaz said:
What's wrong with the Boot Camp interface that you don't like? How much easier would a menu be, than simply clicking on the drive you want? You can even use your arrow keys to select a drive and then hit Return/Enter.
Click to expand...


Its fine, I just don't want to press the Option Key everytime I bootup my Mac.
 
If you boot, it doesn't default to Windows?

I thought Boot Camp remembered which OS you wanted as soon as you changed it in the Startup Disk pane?
 
After G said:
If you boot, it doesn't default to Windows?

I thought Boot Camp remembered which OS you wanted as soon as you changed it in the Startup Disk pane?
Click to expand...

It does. However, the problem is none of my family member like Windows. Seam like I'm the only one who uses it, so if I setup to boot into Windows directly they don't know how to get back to MacOS X. That's why I always have to hold down the Option key. I'm hoping someone who already tries that software out and know it's safe to use.
 
Tangerine said:
It does. However, the problem is none of my family member like Windows. Seam like I'm the only one who uses it, so if I setup to boot into Windows directly they don't know how to get back to MacOS X. That's why I always have to hold down the Option key. I'm hoping someone who already tries that software out and know it's safe to use.
Click to expand...

Have you considered dragging the icon for startup disk in Win XP's control panel to your desktop (or the quick launch bar)? This creates a shortcut, where you can then pick the hard drive you want to restart from. 3-4 clicks for the user who wants to boot into Mac OS X (launch startup disk, select drive, click restart).
 
Well it seems like no one wants to answer your question, I use that program and it causes no problems for me, its really a slick tool.
 
Racerdog55 said:
Well it seems like no one wants to answer your question, I use that program and it causes no problems for me, its really a slick tool.
Click to expand...
I'll vouch for the safety of rEFIt as well. I've used it before and to remove it is as easy as selecting something in the Startup Disk preference pane.

Though I misread what you said as "I picked Windows in the Startup Disk panel and it doesn't boot even though I chose it", not "I like booting into Windows but don't like holding option to do so."
 
frankly, boot camp appears to be the best option for you and your family. if you are the only one that uses Windows, is pressing the option key really too much to ask for you to keep things simple and fast for them?
 
Does the EFI Boot Menu change your Mac Pro hardware in anyway? Kind of like a Firmware update? Or it is just an Application that can remove easierly?

Thanks
 
Tangerine said:
Does the EFI Boot Menu change your Mac Pro hardware in anyway? Kind of like a Firmware update? Or it is just an Application that can remove easierly?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Nope, its an app that can be easily removed, it doesn't change the hardware in any way.

I believe the way it works, is rEFIt sets itself as your startup folder, so your Mac boots to that, then you can select which OS to boot into. There's an uninstaller you can use to quickly get rid of it. Works great
 
Efi

Hello,
Im new to this forum, and i've been looking around to find some help in regards my EFI issue that i've been having, and so this forum is the closes i could find to my issue.

A few days ago i performed a software update on my Mac Pro (2008 model) and after restarting, the computer would not boot! Infact the power button LED in front of the panel blinks non stop.

after quite a bit of research I found out that the EFI has been delete somehow!

So i took my mac to the apple store where the hopeless Genius guys told me that the logic board has been fried! but that didn't do it for me, so i started to do my own research and found out that the firmware that is housed in the EFI has been removed, now my computer does not boot. Infact the computer will not allow me to perform any startup keys. i wanted to reinstall the OS on t he computer by holding the mouse key so it would eject the cd, but nothing, i tried several shortcut ketys but it still doesn't respond just the flashing LED. no chime, no beeps nothing!

is there a way i can make a bootable USB or FIRE WIRE device that can house the EFI firmware so i can update the EFI, thats if i can somehow make the computer boot with any sort of ext. device?

can anyone please help me out here.
thanks
 
As far as I know Apple had a EFI firmware update for 2008 Mac Pros on their website so I don't know if this might help you anyhow. 🙂
 
i know they have the firmware update, but how can i update my EFI when i can't go pass anything, as soon as i turn my mac on the LED starts to blink and i 'm not able to do anything! 🙁
 
That is a very strange fault. I have been using rEFIt for a longer time without such a problem. On the other side we know that the 2008 EFI is a bit of a special case. Did you try booting from a SL DVD? If necessary you can take out the drive and insert the DVD outside.
 
hi indeed it is a special case.....i spoke to senior apple care, and they keep telling me that its my logic board!

what do u mean by SL DVD?

BTW i think i have tries everything is terms of different ways to have my comp boot! but it won't allow me to pass .....as soon as i press the power button, the LED starts starts blinking 😕😕😕
 
gugu: I don't think hes talking about Refit.



perzian: snow leopard dvd. but it won't work for you, if EFI is damaged by a bad update, then you can't restore it yourself. only option is to send it back to apple.
 
really huh?
that means i have to spend $1000 for another logic board?
i mean there is no way i can send my comp somehwere that can update the firmware for less that $1000?😱
 
persianz8 said:
hi indeed it is a special case.....i spoke to senior apple care, and they keep telling me that its my logic board!

what do u mean by SL DVD?

BTW i think i have tries everything is terms of different ways to have my comp boot! but it won't allow me to pass .....as soon as i press the power button, the LED starts starts blinking 😕😕😕
Click to expand...

Sounds like a heck of an issue. Either a) Apple is right and your board is blown (are you still under warranty?), or b) you are, and Mac's aren't designed to function at all without their EFI. The only thing I would think to try is this: do you have a functioning computer elsewhere? Even a windows machine. See if it gets any further into the boot cycle.

Oh, and by SL DVD, he means Single Layer. Most DVD's for movies are DL (dual layer), and can hold 8.5GB. Single layer disks are more common for writing data to, and can hold only 4.7GB.
 
persianz8: the only way to fix your EFI is to replace your logic board. the guy at the apple store is correct.

note that he did NOT use REFit. REFit is safe and cool. It does modify your EFI firmware, but it is very easy to uninstall. I am using it to triple boot - I have dual SSDs in my MacBook Pro. I partitioned each disk into 120gb/40gb partitions, and RAIDed the two 120gb partitions together to create a 240gb Mac Raid0 volume. the other 40gb volumes are windows 7 and Ubuntu Linux, respectively.

it RULES.

Lee Tom
 
perhaps it is my logic board...but i'm soo pissed that i have to spend $1000 for another logic board when it was from a simple software update...i mean how can a software update affect hardware like this?
 
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