EFI update brings Internet Recovery to 2010 Macbook Pros

[brettuk]

Just saw this on Software Update, not seen it mentioned anywhere yet:

About MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.5

This update enables Lion Recovery from an Internet connection on MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2010) models.

For more information about Lion Recovery, please visit this website: http://www.apple.com/macosx/recovery/.

That was unexpected, I thought it was only going to be for the 2011 models?

http://cl.ly/2p1L2G2e302u1R0k242A

 

[tblrsa]

Whoa, just appeared for my Macbook too. Does this mean we won´t need the Recovery USB Stick anymore?

Thank you, Apple!

 

[Mersailios]

Nothing showing up for the 15-inch Mid 2010 MBPs... 🙁

 

[Spink10]

I downloaded it today for my 2010 13inch - worked great

 

[tblrsa]

Just restarted the machine, all fine so far.

 

[FuNGi]

Whoa, just appeared for my Macbook too. Does this mean we won´t need the Recovery USB Stick anymore?

Thank you, Apple!

It does if you only have HD problems, not failure.

 

[brettuk]

It does if you only have HD problems, not failure.

This will work for HD failure too (assuming you put in a fresh HDD to install to). It will download a fresh copy from the internet, as it's now built into the firmware.

 

[tblrsa]

Great 🙂 I wonder why it´s not covered with a Title Story.

I think its pretty awesome Apple gave older models that functionality. Hope you guys with 15" models will get the update soon too.

 

[Freyqq]

I'd rather have my 8 gigs of hd space.

 

[FrancoisC]

I'd rather have my 8 gigs of hd space.

The recovery partition only take around 650mb of space.

 

[The Economist]

Yup. I installed it too on my mid-2010 13". Good timing too, I was planning on making a clean install of Lion this week.

 

[jpw16]

Not showing up for my 15" 2010 Macbook pro

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

Great 🙂 I wonder why it´s not covered with a Title Story.

Because it is not available via
http://support.apple.com/downloads/#portablecomputers

 

[FuNGi]

This will work for HD failure too (assuming you put in a fresh HDD to install to). It will download a fresh copy from the internet, as it's now built into the firmware.

Huh? But your damaged hard drive is then gone right. So why would you need to recover your newly installed HD exactly?

 

[JamesGorman]

Huh? But your damaged hard drive is then gone right. So why would you need to recover your newly installed HD exactly?

To install the new OS on it.

 

[FuNGi]

To install the new OS on it.

From Apple: "Lion Recovery lets you repair disks or reinstall OS X Lion without the need for a physical install disc...It lets you choose from common utilities: You can run Disk Utility to check or repair your hard drive, erase your hard drive and reinstall a fresh copy of Lion, or restore your Mac from a Time Machine backup....If your Mac problem is a little less common — your hard drive has failed or you’ve installed a hard drive without OS X, for example — Internet Recovery takes over automatically. It downloads and starts Lion Recovery directly from Apple servers over a broadband Internet connection."

My point is that having physical media, such as a Lion Recovery USB, helps your when you actual hard drive fails and you do not have high-speed internet or the time/patience to wait for an 8GB download.

 

[biohead]

Somehow, I think it's wise not to get my hopes up for my 2008 alu macbook 😀

 

[d3vi1]

Somehow, I think it's wise not to get my hopes up for my 2008 alu macbook 😀

From a development point of view it wouldn't be extremely complicated for any EFI64 Macs, but I doubt that they would go back in time to such an extent. The testing required to make a firmware release is staggering and we are talking about 50+ logic board models for them to "Update" so I wouldn't get my hopes to high.

In my personal opinion, they should release a firmware with an updated VariableDXE that also offers the UEFI QueryVariableInfo in order for Windows to work and a UEFI Secure Boot services implementation for Windows 8.