That might be just placebo, like how Safari feel faster after every install.
I think everybody is missing the whole point, does this firmware update fix the dynamic switching issue or not? If it doesn't, then i doubt most of us cares.
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Firmware Update Addresses Freezes on Mid-2010 15-Inch and 17-Inch MacBook Pros
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That might be just placebo, like how Safari feel faster after every install.
I think everybody is missing the whole point, does this firmware update fix the dynamic switching issue or not? If it doesn't, then i doubt most of us cares.
installed for me
It installed no problem on my mid-2010 15" MBP Core i7 2.66Ghz. I cannot say for sure yet if it has solved my CHRONIC slowness problems, especially with Aperture 3.
It installed no problem on my mid-2010 15" MBP Core i7 2.66Ghz. I cannot say for sure yet if it has solved my CHRONIC slowness problems, especially with Aperture 3.
umm others do.
Just because your MBP doesn't have the issue, doesn't mean others don't either. Its not a widespread issue, but it does exist. A few MBPs at the Apple Store freeze.
too add, it comes up in software update for me...
It wasn't installing on my 15" MacBook Pro (Mid 2010). I was able to install it by extracting the package with Pacifist and running:
sudo /usr/sbin/bless -mount / -firmware "/System/Library/CoreServices/Firmware Updates/MacBookProEFIUpdate19/MBP61_0057_0CB_LOCKED.scap".
I haven't had any adverse results (and the new Boot ROM version is showing in System Profiler). If you install it this way (and you almost certainly shouldn't), make absolutely certain that the firmware is applicable first
+1
It is so annoying when I try to use spaces while typing notes in class and the computer freezes for 40 seconds. I am sick of these beachballs, I bought a new MBP because i felt like I wouldn't have to deal a slow unresponsive computer. I should have kept using my rev. a MB as it is a hell of a lot smoother at 4 years old.
wont install on my mbp 15", and i have 10.6.4 as well. really annoying because im experiencing this issue and i cant run the update.
quoting from the apple support forums:
MBP61.88Z.0057.B00.1003040836
MBP61.88Z.0057.B05.1003191134
MBP61.88Z.0057.B07.1004071225
MBP61.88Z.0057.B09.1004161215
MBP61.88Z.0057.B0B.1007091039
It looks like they skip over the B0A version.
of course, mine happens to be the B0A version..
quoting from the apple support forums:
MBP61.88Z.0057.B00.1003040836
MBP61.88Z.0057.B05.1003191134
MBP61.88Z.0057.B07.1004071225
MBP61.88Z.0057.B09.1004161215
MBP61.88Z.0057.B0B.1007091039
It looks like they skip over the B0A version.
of course, mine happens to be the B0A version..
Yes! Finally... I had those beachballs when I first got my top spec i7 15". Was so annoying, the general consensus was if you swap the hard drive the problem goes away, but apple wouldn't do it, and to replace yourself invalidates the warranty. So I have been in the massively frustrating position of having a crippled top spec mac running slower than the 3 year old MBP it replaced, despite knowing how to cure it.
The beachballs did gradually go away though, and I haven't had any major issues other than feeling for a much newer, supposedly much faster model, it was about the same as my previous machine. This update just installed for me, and the system does seem zippier. We will see, but for my problem at least, hopefully this is the end of the nightmare. It was discussed at length here:
http://discussions.info.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2407560&start=30&tstart=0
The beachballs did gradually go away though, and I haven't had any major issues other than feeling for a much newer, supposedly much faster model, it was about the same as my previous machine. This update just installed for me, and the system does seem zippier. We will see, but for my problem at least, hopefully this is the end of the nightmare. It was discussed at length here:
http://discussions.info.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2407560&start=30&tstart=0
Hmmm, I just ran xbench and compared my machine with others of similar spec. Performance is regular, but for the disk read and write times are still low. Annoyingly I didn't do this test before updating, so i won't know if anything else was changed or improved. Graphics etc. are performing very well, but the disk is the problem. Maybe that hard data will help my cause if I try to push apple again to switch the HDD.
I have a new, as of this month, 15" i7 MacBook Pro and the update tells me my Mac doesn't support this upgrade. Is my Mac too new or is it the i7 part I wonder.
wont install on my mbp 15", and i have 10.6.4 as well. really annoying because im experiencing this issue and i cant run the update.
quoting from the apple support forums:
MBP61.88Z.0057.B00.1003040836
MBP61.88Z.0057.B05.1003191134
MBP61.88Z.0057.B07.1004071225
MBP61.88Z.0057.B09.1004161215
MBP61.88Z.0057.B0B.1007091039
It looks like they skip over the B0A version.
of course, mine happens to be the B0A version..
Now I see mine is BOA too. So are our Macs not in need or missed out I wonder?
There is something about Aperture ... My Mac Pro 8 core is way too slow (this is a massive library). I duped libraries to a new 15" Mac Book Pro i7 and the same library is very fast. I wonder if something gets corrupted that causes the slow down. I would assume when I did my migration the MBP rebuilt links and thumbnails and preferences.
I can tell you two things about changing the hard drive. Firstly, it does not invalidate the warranty if you do it yourself. It's documented in the user's guide. Secondly, changing the drive is not a fix for this issue. I went from a factory-installed 500GB 5400RPM Toshiba HDD to a 500GB 7200RPM Hitachi. System performance increased, but it still beachballed occasionally. After the update, keeping in mind that I've only used my system for a short while since, it feels faster than it ever did and could have prevented me from even buying a new hard drive had Apple released the update sooner.
I thought by putting in a third party hard drive 7200rpm (original i7 MBP order had 5400rmp), the Mac would become slower and unresponsive due to the 'alien hardware'. I'm so glad this fix apparently fixes the problem as I too was wondering why my 2.4Ghz Core2Duo MBP seemed much faster than my i7 2010-state-of-the-art Mac even though the drive I'm using now was in my previous MBP.
Been too long though Apple. And why isn't this 'beach ball' problem mentioned in the Apple knowledge Article? At least now I dont have to feel embarrassed about my expensively slow i7.
Been too long though Apple. And why isn't this 'beach ball' problem mentioned in the Apple knowledge Article? At least now I dont have to feel embarrassed about my expensively slow i7.
Absolutely not. The hard drives that Apple uses are physically identical to those sold on the market; Apple only customizes the firmware. My assumption is that they change the power management/acoustical characteristics of the drives to their liking, since at least my Hitachi drive seems to go into "low power idle" very often, and I don't recall the stock Toshiba HDD doing so.
too late
Too late, i have an RMA to return my i7 2.66 17" MBP.
The crashes, kernel panics, window-shade-of-death, etc-- all of that, even if fixed doesn't compare to the problem that this top-of-the-line pro laptop just isn't that fast. In photoshop, opening a 100MB file and adding several layers, it was dragging. I was on a photoshoot and it was embarrassing.
I swear, my old 230 Duo was faster.
From the company that gave birth to the desktop publishing revolution, I expect more. They have dropped the ball on the pro market, and seem to care more about the ipads and ipods.
Too late, i have an RMA to return my i7 2.66 17" MBP.
The crashes, kernel panics, window-shade-of-death, etc-- all of that, even if fixed doesn't compare to the problem that this top-of-the-line pro laptop just isn't that fast. In photoshop, opening a 100MB file and adding several layers, it was dragging. I was on a photoshoot and it was embarrassing.
I swear, my old 230 Duo was faster.
From the company that gave birth to the desktop publishing revolution, I expect more. They have dropped the ball on the pro market, and seem to care more about the ipads and ipods.
Random Freezes
I have a new 13" MBP and my comp does the random freezing issue thing. I get the spinning beach-ball of death that lasts for 3-5 minutes. It's intermittent and random. Sometimes it happens 3 times in 10 minutes and other times it's 2 or 3 hours between happenings.
Apple did a loop test for 24 hours and found nothing wrong with it. It's getting annoying I would like to know what is going on with it.
I have a new 13" MBP and my comp does the random freezing issue thing. I get the spinning beach-ball of death that lasts for 3-5 minutes. It's intermittent and random. Sometimes it happens 3 times in 10 minutes and other times it's 2 or 3 hours between happenings.
Apple did a loop test for 24 hours and found nothing wrong with it. It's getting annoying I would like to know what is going on with it.
My "after" screen same as yours re: boot ROM but SMC is 1.58f16 while yours is 1.58f15?? Would you know why there's a difference?
I'm in the same boat as you... Core 17 15" 2.66GHz with constant crashes, kernel panics, slowness to the point of wanting my old Core2Duo back. After several trips to the Apple Genius Bar that involved replacing the RAM and the logic board (as well as my reinstalling the system folder), they're finally exchanging my machine with a new one tomorrow.
Naturally, my old laptop gave me a nice parting gift of another kernel panic just now.
Just a note to Master-D, changing the Hard Disk does not invalidate the warranty. It is a part that can be changed by the user, just like the RAM chips. If you break something while changing the disk Apple may give you some grief, but if your careful, there should be no issue at all. Literally thousands of people have changed the HD with no problems with Apple Care. However, I would recommend keeping the original HD, and swapping it back in before taking the computer in to Apple for service, as they have been known to "lose" user replaced RAM or HDs if they swap the whole machine, and give the user a machine with the original specs, RAM and HD included.
This is a good idea in general to keep your data away from prying eyes.
I actually have a spare 100GB SATA drive with Snow Leopard on it I keep around in case my MBP ever needs service. It's an easy swap, and hey, if they "lose" my 100GB drive and it gets replaced with an OEM... I'm not exactly going to bitch and whine about it!
Guys, Apple just updated the firmware installer. Please go check for system update, it'll now show you the EFI 1.9 update that you can install.
Be sure to hook your MBP up to a power source, it will not install the firmware if you don't do this first.
Be sure to hook your MBP up to a power source, it will not install the firmware if you don't do this first.
Was having the issues others described earlier in the thread, and gave up trying for a while.
FWIW, my Software Update now pulled down the updater and it appears to have applied correctly - to answer an earlier question, I'm also using a Seagate Momentus XT, so it's definitely not HDD related.
"Everything's under control, situation normal."
Maybe.